Judiciary:

Ranganath Mishra Commission

Context: In the Supreme Court, the Central government informed that it had taken a decision to not accept Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission's report.

About:

• The Government rejected the Ranganath Mishra Commission's recommendation of including Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims in the SC list because the report was written within the “four walls of a house” without any field research or consultation, in opposition to a petition to include Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims within the ambit of Scheduled Castes to grant them reservation.
• The Center informed the court that Dalits who converted to Christianity and Islam could not be granted SC status to receive the benefits of reservation because there was no oppression or backwardness in those religions.
• The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950, according to the ministry of social justice and empowerment, is legal and valid and does not suffer from any constitutional problems.“In fact, one of the reasons for which people from Scheduled Castes have been converting to religions like Islam or Christianity is that they can come out of the oppressive system of untouchability which is not prevalent at all in Christianity or Islam,” it said.
• Since at least 2004, the Supreme Court has been debating whether to grant Dalits who over time converted to Christianity or Islam SC status. The Union government had opposed granting SC status to converts of these religions after the court asked the Centre to clarify its position on the matter this year. It had nonetheless informed the supreme court that, “given its importance, sensitivity, and potential impact,” it had appointed a Commission of Inquiry to look into the matter.
• The Centre has appointed a new three-member commission, headed by the former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, to examine whether SC status could be granted to new individuals who claim to have historically belonged to the SC community but converted to other religions, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Abhay S Oka, and Vikram Nath. Former IAS officer Ravinder Kumar Jain and University Grants Commission member Sushma Yadav are the other members of the commission.

Who is included in the Constitution Order of 1950?

• The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950, which was enacted to address the social disadvantage caused by the practice of untouchability, initially only allowed Hindus to be recognized as belonging to the SCs.
• Dalits who converted to Sikhism were included in the Order in 1956, and Dalits who converted to Buddhism were included in the Order once more in 1990.
• The Kaka Kalelkar Commission report from 1955 and the High-Powered Panel (HPP) on Minorities, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes report from 1983 provided support for both amendments.
• In 2019, the Union government rejected the idea that Dalit Christians could join SCs, citing a 1936 Imperial Order issued by the colonial government, which had first categorized a list of the Depressed Classes and specifically left out “Indian Christians”.

Conjugal Rights

Context: The State of Punjab has furthered the cause of the right to life and personal liberty of prisoners by allowing conjugal visits for inmates.

About:

• Broadly speaking, conjugal rights are rights created by marriage, that is, the right of the husband or the wife to the company of their spouse.
• In the context of prisons, however, conjugal visits refer to the concept of allowing a prisoner to spend some time in privacy with his spouse within the precincts of a jail.
• It is often argued that conjugal visits can have positive impacts in the form of psychological health benefits for prisoners, preservation of marital ties, and, reduction in the rates of homosexuality and sexual aggression within prisons.
• Aside from the above, it is also argued that conjugal visits are a fundamental right of the spouses of the prisoners.

International Rules:

• Prisoner rights are internationally recognized through the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, etc.
• Through such instruments, prisoners are guaranteed the right to life and inherent dignity.
• The right to maintain family relations including conjugal visits are included in these treaties.
• Most prison Acts and Rules across the country accept the importance of maintenance of continuity in family and social relations.

Punjab Model:

• The State guidelines clarify that conjugal visits are a matter of privilege rather than a right.
• It has been notified that the average time for conjugal visits shall be two hours, allowed once every two months.
• The visiting spouse will have to furnish proof of marriage and medical certificates declaring that he or she is free from HIV, any other sexually transmitted disease, COVID-19, or any other infectious disease.
• Moreover, such a facility will not be extended to high-risk prisoners, terrorists, child abuse and sexual offenders, death row convicts, prisoners who suffer from HIV, etc.

Personality Rights

Context: The Delhi High Court has passed an interim order to prevent the unlawful use of Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan’s name, image, and voice. The court through its order restrained persons at large from infringing the personality rights of the actor.

About:

• Personality rights are interpreted as the personal property of a well-known celebrity to guarantee his/her enjoyment of his own sense of existence.
• Personality rights are a celebrity's personal rights to use and control the use of their physical attributes in promotions and at any other place for which the celebrity's consent is required.

Does the use of a name on the internet affect personality rights?

• The Delhi High Court in 2011 made an observation in the case of Arun Jaitley vs Network Solutions Private Limited and Ors.
• In this case, the former finance minister filed a suit seeking a permanent injunction against the defendants for misuse and immediate transfer of the domain name www.arunjaitley.com.
• The Court stated that the popularity or fame of an individual will be no different on the internet than in reality.

Right to vote for undertrials

Context: Supreme Court (SC) has decided to examine the law depriving under trials the right to vote.

About:

• The decision to examine came on a petition challenging Section 62 (5) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951 which deprives prisoners of their right to vote.
•  This restriction does not apply to a person under preventive detention.
•  According to the latest National Crime Reports Bureau (NCRB) report, there are around 5.5 lakh prisoners in various jails across the country.
• The people who support prisoners' right to vote call this provision discriminatory as even the convicted persons are allowed the right to vote if they are on bail while even the undertrials are denied the same if they are in prison. 

Triple Test Survey

Context: After the Allahabad High Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to hold urban local body elections without reservation for OBCs because the ‘triple test’ requirement for the quota had not been fulfilled, the state recently set up a commission for this purpose.

About:

• The triple test requires the government to complete three tasks for the finalization of reservations to OBCs in the local bodies.
• These include:
• • To set up a dedicated commission to conduct a rigorous empirical inquiry into the nature and implications of the backwardness in local bodies;
  • To specify the proportion of reservation required in local bodies in light of recommendations of the commission, so as not to fall foul of overbreadth;
  • To ensure reservation for SCs/STs/OBCs taken together does not exceed an aggregate of 50 percent of the total seats.
• These triple tests/conditions were outlined by the Supreme Court in the case of Vikas Kishanrao Gawali vs. the State of Maharashtra and others, decided on March 4, 2021.
• This is the first time that the triple test exercise will be carried out in Uttar Pradesh.

Constitutional Provisions:

Appropriation Bill

Context: Recently, the Union Finance Minister moved the Appropriation (No.5) Bill, 2022, and Appropriation (No.4) Bill, 2022, in the Rajya Sabha.

About:

• The Appropriation Bill gives power to the government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the expenditure during the financial year.
• As per Article 114 of the Constitution, the government can withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund only after receiving approval from Parliament.
• The amount withdrawn meets the current expenditure during the financial year.

Procedure Followed:

• The Appropriation Bill is introduced in the Lok Sabha after discussions on Budget proposals and Voting on Demand for Grants.
• The defeat of an Appropriation Bill in a parliamentary vote would lead to the resignation of a government or a general election.
• Once it is passed by the Lok Sabha it is sent to the Rajya Sabha.
• Rajya Sabha has the power to recommend any amendments to this Bill. However, it is the prerogative of the Lok Sabha to either accept or reject the recommendations made by the Rajya Sabha.
• After the bill receives assent from the president it becomes an Appropriation act.
• The unique feature of the Appropriation Bill is its automatic repeal clause, whereby the Act gets repealed by itself after it meets its statutory purpose.
• The government cannot withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund of India till the enactment of the appropriation bill.
• However, this takes time and the government needs money to carry on its normal activities.
• To meet the immediate expenses the Constitution has authorized the Lok Sabha to make any grant in advance for a part of the financial year. This provision is known as the ‘Vote on Account’.
• A vote on account is defined in Article 116 of the Indian Constitution.
• During an election year the Government either opts for an ‘interim Budget’ or for a ‘Vote on Account’ as after the election the Ruling Government may change and so the policies.

Article 200 – Assent to Bills

Context: The Governors of various Opposition-ruled States take advantage of Article 200 of the Indian Constitution.

About:

• Article 200 of the Indian Constitution is an important provision that gives the Governor of a State the power to reserve certain Bills passed by the Legislature of a State for the consideration of the President of India.
• The President can then either give their assent to the bill or return it for reconsideration by the state legislature, with or without recommendations.
• This article plays a crucial role in the lawmaking process in India, as it provides a mechanism for the President to review and consider bills that may have significant implications for the country as a whole, or that may raise important constitutional or legal issues.
• The Governors of various Opposition-ruled States take advantage of Article 200 of the Indian Constitution to give assent to the bills.

Dialogues And Talks:

Singapore Declaration

Context: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted a declaration that urges countries to ensure labor protection.

About:

• The 17th Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) set ten-point priorities of national action under the Singapore Declaration.
• It seeks to draw the attention of the member countries to deal with the issue of dwindling wages of workers, inflation, and unemployment.
• It was adopted by the delegates representing governments, employers and workers governments, employers and workers in the regions.
• Members agreed that social dialogue is essential to address labor market challenges and find solutions in crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and economic uncertainty.
• Key points of the declaration include:
  • Ensure labor protection for all through the promotion of freedom of association.
  • Recognition of the right to collective bargaining, including for workers in vulnerable situations and workers in the informal economy, as enabling rights for decent work.
  • Closing gender gaps, increasing women’s labor force participation, promoting equal pay for work of equal value, balancing work, and responsibilities, and promoting women’s leadership.
  • Develop and implement inclusive labor market programs and policies that support life transitions and demographic shifts.
  • Pursue collective and determined efforts to promote and accelerate a smooth and sustained transition from the informal to formal economy.
  • Strengthen governance frameworks and respect for freedom of association for migrant workers.
  • Strengthen the foundation for social and employment protection and resilience.
  • Expanding social protection to all workers, guaranteeing universal access to comprehensive, adequate, and sustainable social protection for all.

Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP)

Context: Global efforts to bring India on board the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with G7 nations have failed to move forward.

About: 

• JETP  is an initiative of the rich nations to accelerate the phasing out of coal and reduce emissions.
• The JETP initiative is modeled for South Africa, to support South Africa’s decarbonization efforts.
• It aims to reduce emissions in the energy sector and accelerate the coal phase-out process.
• JETP makes various funding options available for this purpose in identified developing countries.
• The JETP was launched at the COP26 in Glasgow with the support of the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US), France, Germany, and the European Union (EU)
• Following that G7 announced a similar partnership in India, Indonesia, Senegal, and Vietnam.
• India’s stand – India didn't sign the JETP and argues that coal cannot be singled out as a polluting fuel, and energy transition talks need to take place on equal terms.

Geopolitical Events:

India holds the Presidency of UNSC for December 2022

Context: The UK, France, and UAE have extended their support for India's permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). India is holding the presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of December 2022.

About:

• On December 1, 2022, India assumed the rotating Presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
• This is the second time after 2021 that India will preside over the Council during its two-year tenure of UNSC as an elected member.
• On December 31, 2022, India’s 2021-22 term in the UNSC will end.
• With respect to India’s priorities while holding the UNSC Presidency, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj remarked, “For us, in the December Presidency, our priorities will be countering terrorism for which we have very successfully built a good narrative in these past few months as well as a focus on reformed multilateralism”. 
• The Ambassador also said that during India’s December Presidency of the UN Security Council, two high-level signature events would take place on December 14 and December 15 on ‘Reformed Multilateralism and Counter-Terrorism’ and it will be chaired by the Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.

About UNSC:

• The UNs Charter established six main organs of the UN, including the UNSC. Article 23 of the UN Charter concerns the composition of the UNSC.
• The other 5 organs of the UN are—the General Assembly, the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat.
• The UNSC has been given primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security and may meet whenever peace is threatened.
• While other organs of the UN make recommendations to member states, only the Security Council has the power to make decisions that member states are then obligated to implement under the Charter.
• The council is headquartered in New York.
• The UNSC is composed of 15 members, 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent.
  • Five permanent members: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • Ten non-permanent members: Elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.
• Each year, the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members (out of ten in total) for a two-year term. The ten non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis.
• The council's presidency is a capacity that rotates every month among its 15 members.
• Each member of the Security Council has one vote.
• Decisions of the Security Council on matters are made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members.
• A “No” vote from one of the five permanent members blocks the passage of the resolution.
• Any member of the UN who is not a member of the Security Council may participate, without a vote, in the discussion of any question brought before the Security Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of that member are especially affected.
• India as a Permanent Member:
  • India has been advocating a permanent seat in UNSC.
  • India has the following objective criteria, such as population, territorial size, Gross Domestic Product, economic potential, civilizational legacy, cultural diversity, political system, and past and ongoing contributions to UN activities, especially to UN peacekeeping operations.

China-Indian Ocean Region Forum

Context: On November 21, China’s top development aid agency convened the first “China-Indian Ocean Region Forum” in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming.

About:

• China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) which is Beijing’s new development aid agency organized the forum.
• “High-level representatives” from 19 countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, and Australia participated in the forum.
• Australia and Maldives did not participate in it.
• No representative from India was invited.
• The forum issued a “Joint Press Statement” that noted China’s proposal to establish a marine disaster prevention and mitigation cooperation mechanism between China and countries in the Indian Ocean region.
• All parties agreed to strengthen policy coordination, deepen development cooperation, increase resilience to shocks and disasters, and enhance relevant countries’ capacity to obtain economic benefits through the use of marine resources such as fisheries, renewable energy, tourism, and shipping in a sustainable way.

The Lusophone world

Context: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in partnership with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Government of Goa is organizing the International Lusophone Festival in Goa.

About:

• Lusophones are peoples that speak Portuguese as a native or as a common second language and nations where Portuguese features prominently in society.
• The Lusophone world is spread over nine countries across four continents and Portuguese is the most widely-spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Goa has had historical linkages with the Lusophone world.
• This has been nurtured through the presence of Portuguese cultural institutions like the Orient Foundation and the Camoes Institute which promote the Portuguese language and culture in India.
• As part of the festival, workshops on Lusophone music for artists and volunteers, as various workshops and exhibitions of unique Goan architecture, Goan handicrafts, and Goan furniture are being organized.
• The Lusophone Food and Spirits Festival will also showcase the culinary links between India and the Lusophone world.

Youth Co: Lab

Context: The 5th edition of Youth Co: Lab was jointly launched by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and UNDP India.

About:

• Youth Co: Lab was co-created in 2017 by UNDP and the Citi Foundation.
• Its aim is to establish a common agenda for Asia-Pacific countries to invest in and empower youth to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship.
• The Youth Co: Lab initiative has till now been implemented in 28 countries and territories.
•  It is Asia Pacific’s largest youth innovation movement.
• Youth Co: Lab was launched in India in 2019 by UNDP India in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog.
•  The fifth edition of Youth Co: Lab India will focus on identifying and supporting youth-led early-stage social enterprises or innovations working in the domains of:
  • Gender Equality and Women Economic Empowerment,
  • Digital and Financial Literacy for Youth,
  •  Developing FinTech Solutions focused on Biodiversity Conservation,
  •  Promoting Biodiversity-friendly Lifestyles through Technological Solutions in Finance,
  •  Accelerating Circular Economy through Upcycling Innovations and
  •  Behavioral Nudges for LiFE ( Lifestyle For Environment).

Group of Friends

Context: India has launched the ‘Group of Friends’ to promote accountability for crimes against peacekeepers.

About:

• The ‘Group of friends’ was launched during India’s current presidency of the U.N. Security Council.
• Co-chairs of the ‘Group of Friends’ – India, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco, and Nepal.
• Its aim is to Promote Accountability for Crimes against Peacekeepers and seek facilitation of capacity building and technical assistance to the host state authorities.
• Its main functions include:
  • Actively engage and share information with the Secretary-General.
  •  Assist the member states hosting or have hosted peacekeeping operations, in bringing to justice the perpetrators of such acts.
• For this, India will soon launch a database that will record all crimes against the Blue Helmets.
•  The Group of Friends will convene 2 meetings of its members per year, and organize and host one event per year involving Permanent Missions and other stakeholders.
•  The Group will be convened and moderated by the co-chairs (Permanent Missions).

India abstains on UN ECOSOC resolution

Context: India has abstained from the U.N. Economic and Social Council on a draft resolution to oust Iran from its principal global intergovernmental body (Commission on the Status of Women) dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment.

About:

• The Economic and Social Council adopted the draft resolution, introduced by the US, on the removal of Iran from the membership of the Commission on the Status of Women for the remainder of its 2022-2026 terms, citing its oppression of women and girls in the Islamic Republic.
• It said Iran continuously undermined and increasingly suppressed the “human rights of women and girls, including the right to freedom of expression and opinion, often with the use of excessive force, by administering policies flagrantly contrary to the human rights of women and girls and to the mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women, as well as through the use of lethal force resulting in the deaths of peaceful protestors, including women and girls.”

About the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) :

• The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
• A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it was established by the ECOSOC resolution of June 1946. The Commission comprises 45 Member States of the United Nations.
• The commission consists of one representative from each of the 45 member states elected by the Economic and Social Council on the basis of equitable geographical distribution.
• Members are elected for a period of four years.

Organizations And Conventions:

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU)

Context: Prasar Bharati, India’s Public Service Broadcaster, is hosting the 59th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) General Assembly 2022.

About:

• ABU was established in 1964 as a not-for-profit, non-government, non-political, professional association.
• It is the biggest broadcasting union in the world.
• It covers around 70 countries and 5 continents and has 250 members
• It covers eight regions: the Pacific, Asia(SE, North, South, Central), the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and North America.
• Indian members:
  • All India Radio / Prasar Bharati (AIR)
  • Doordarshan / Prasar Bharati (DD).
• ABU aims to:
  • Assist the development of broadcasting in the region.
  • Promotes the collective interests of television and radio broadcasters as well as key industry players and facilitates regional and international media cooperation.
•  The main functions of the ABU include:
  • ABU organizes key industries, regional and global conferences, and summits as platforms for exchanging ideas, experiences, and practices.
  • The ABU Media Academy is a center of excellence and learning, providing hundreds of courses and capacity-building activities annually.
  • It provides rights-free content acquisition for developing countries, negotiates rights for major sports events, and organizes coverage for the region.
  • It trains and equips media practitioners on the role of media in times of crisis.
  • It also discovers the latest trends and challenges, bringing together members of the journalistic community and academia from this vast region and engaging them in intense learning, discussions, exchange of ideas, and networking.

Paris Club

Context: Paris Club creditor nations are proposing a 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt and another 15 years of debt restructuring as a formula to resolve the Sri Lankan debt crisis.

•  Earlier this year, Sri Lanka had defaulted on its 51 billion dollars external debt in the midst of a spiraling political and economic crisis.
• India has provided emergency aid to the tune of four billion dollars.
• The Paris club has also called upon the Global north and south to take a similar haircut in the restructuring of Sri Lankan debt.

About:

• It is an informal group of official creditors from 22 wealthy countries who find sustainable solutions for challenges faced by debtor countries.
• It provides a platform for governments facing financial difficulties to reduce and renegotiate their debt repayments.
• Formed in 1956, it has signed more than 400 agreements to date, worth more than half a trillion dollars to about 100 countries.
• The “G20 Common Framework” is an initiative endorsed by the G20 together with the Paris Club.
• Other creditor nations are allowed to participate in negotiation meetings on a case-by-case basis if they meet certain conditions.
• The members meet in Paris once a month except for February and August.
• Each meeting includes a one-day ‘Tour horizon, during which creditors talk about the external debt situation of debtor nations, or issues regarding how those countries are managing their debts.
• The Paris Club invites debtor nations to a meeting with its creditors after it has concluded an appropriate program with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) that shows that the country cannot meet its external debt obligations, and therefore requires a new payment arrangement with its foreign creditors.
• Representatives of the World Bank, the IMF, and other international institutions, plus the relevant regional development bank, may also attend the meeting as observers.
• The debtor country’s representative is usually its Minister of Finance, who heads a team comprising officials from his or her ministry and the central bank.

Urban-20 Event

 Context: Urban-20 (U20) event being organized under the G20 presidency of India.

About:

• The event is being organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs from December 01, 2022, to November 30, 2023
• Provides a platform for cities from G20 countries to facilitate discussions on various important issues of urban development including climate change, social inclusion, sustainable mobility, affordable housing, and financing of urban infrastructure, and propose collective solutions.
• Bearing in mind the importance of cities as growth centers of development, the U20 strives to enhance the profile of cities on the global stage.
• This city diplomacy initiative facilitates a productive dialogue between the national and local governments and helps promote the importance of urban development issues in the G20 agenda.

G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (G20-DIA)

Context: Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launches the ‘Stay Safe Online’ Campaign and ‘G20 Digital Innovation Alliance’ as part of India’s G20 presidency.

About Stay Safe Online Campaign:

• The objective of the ‘Stay Safe Online Campaign’ is to raise awareness among citizens to stay safe in the online world due to the widespread use of social media platforms and the rapid adoption of digital payments.
• The exponential increase in the number of internet users in India and the rapidly evolving technology landscape have brought unique challenges.
• This campaign will make citizens of all age groups, especially children, students, women, senior citizens, specially-abled, teachers, faculty, officials of Central/State Governments, etc. aware of the cyber risk and ways to deal with it.
• The campaign will be carried out in English, Hindi, and local languages to reach a wider audience.
• The campaign involves the dissemination of multilingual awareness content in the form of infographics, cartoon stories, puzzles, short videos, etc., and amplifying the same through extensive use of the MyGov website ( https://www.mygov.in/staysafeonline ) and prominent social media platforms.
• Besides this, various publicity, promotion, and outreach activities would be carried out throughout the year through print, electronics & social media to reinforce the stay safe online message.
• In addition, collaboration and involvement of key stakeholders viz. Union Ministries / Departments, industry associations/partners, NGOs, civil society organizations, etc. would be sought for wider outreach of the campaign.

About G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (G20-DIA):

• The objective of the G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (G20-DIA) is to identify, recognize, and enable the adoption of innovative and impactful digital technologies developed by startups, from G20 nations as well as the invited non-member nations, which can address the needs of humanity in the critically important sectors of Agri-tech, Health-tech, Ed-tech, Fin-tech, Secured Digital Infrastructure, and Circular Economy.
• Startup products in the aforementioned six themes enabled through Digital Public Goods Infrastructure can create a global population-scale impact and reduce the digital divide and enable sustainable, and inclusive techno-socio-economic development.
• The G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (G20–DIA) summit which will be held in Bangalore on the sidelines of the Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) meeting will be a multi-day program where top nominated startups from each of the theme areas from all of the G20 countries and the non-member invited countries will showcase their solutions to the global community of investors, mentors, corporates, and other government stakeholders.
• The engagement of innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, corporations, investors, mentors, and other ecosystem stakeholders will lead to the speedy acceptance of the platform that India plans to offer through the G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (G20-DIA).
• The G20-DIA Summit will bring together the key players in the innovation ecosystem from both G20 member countries and the invited non-member countries in order to recognize and support startups creating cutting-edge digital solutions in the six themes that bridge the digital divide between different segments of humanity and advance the world economy.

Banking And Finance:

GDP and GVA

Context: Recently, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released India’s economic growth data for the second quarter of the current financial year (2022-23 or FY23).

About:

• India’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the July-September quarter (Q2) of the ongoing financial year 2022-23 slowed to 6.3 percent, as per provisional estimates released by National Statistical Office (NSO) recently.
• The GDP growth was dragged down mainly by the poor performance of the manufacturing and mining sectors.
• While the GDP had expanded by 8.4 percent in the corresponding quarter of 2021-22, it saw a growth of 13.5 percent in the preceding April-June quarter of 2022-23.
• The Reserve Bank of India in its report earlier this month projected a growth rate between 6.1-6.3 percent in Q2.
• Notably, India remained the fastest-growing major economy as China registered an economic growth of 3.9 percent in July-September 2022.
• As per the government data, the gross value added (GVA) at basic price at constant terms during the September quarter rose 5.6 percent. The GVA at basic price at current prices rose 16.2 percent in Q2 2022-23.
• As per the data by the NSO, the GVA of trade, hotels, transport, communication & services related to broadcasting witnessed a rise of 14.7 percent while that of financial, real estate & professional services climbed 7.2 percent.
• The construction segment grew by 6.6 percent while Electricity, gas, water supply & other utility services climbed 5.6 percent, and the agriculture, forestry & fishing segment witnessed a 4.6 percent rise in GVA, the data showed.
• The GVA in the manufacturing sector contracted 4.3 percent during the quarter from 5.6 percent growth during the year-ago period. GVA in mining also declined by 2.8 percent in the quarter compared to 14.5 percent growth. The GVA growth in the construction sector also decelerated to 6.6 percent in the quarter from 8.1 percent.
• Reflecting on the GDP numbers, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said the Indian economy is on track to achieve a 6.8-7 percent GDP growth in the current fiscal.
• He said the economic recovery momentum is continuing and the GDP is averaging the 2019-20 level.
• “In 2022-23, the economy is on track to reach a 6.8-7 percent growth in the current fiscal,” he said, adding festival sales, PMI, bank credit growth, and auto sales data show that the economy has maintained momentum despite global headwinds.

About GDP and GVA:

• The GDP measures the monetary measure of all “final” goods and services— those that are bought by the final user— produced in a country in a given period.
• The GVA calculates the same national income from the supply side.
• It does so by adding up all the value added across different sectors.
• According to the RBI, the GVA of a sector is defined as the value of output minus the value of its intermediary inputs.
• This “value added” is shared among the primary factors of production, labor, and capital.

First Loss Default Guarantee(FLDG) system

Context: Two months after the Reserve Bank issued guidelines on digital lending, banks, non-banking financial companies, and fintech players are still awaiting clarity on many aspects including the First Loss Default Guarantee(FLDG) system.

About:

• FLDG is a lending model between a fintech and a regulated entity in which a third party guarantees to compensate up to a certain percentage of default in a loan portfolio of the regulated entities (RE).
• Under these agreements, the fintech originates a loan and promises to compensate the partners up to a pre-decided percentage in case customers fail to repay.
• The bank/NBFC partners lend through the fintech but from their own books. FLDG helps expand the customer base of traditional lenders but relies on the fintech's underwriting capabilities.
• A report by an RBI-constituted working group on digital lending has laid down the risks of FLDG agreements with unregulated entities. The other concern is that FLDG costs are often passed on to customers.

Emotional Labor

Context: A survey shows emotional labor falls to women in the workplace and at home more than men.

About:

• Invisible unpaid labor, like doing the office tea rounds, falls disproportionately on women — who then have to manage their emotional response to carrying out unwanted tasks.
• Women are expected to do more non-work office tasks, such as organizing staff away days and cards and gifts for colleagues, than men. Even if a woman says no to a task like this, it’s likely that another woman will be asked in her place.
• Women are fearful of being seen as difficult and more likely to agree to take on the invisible and unpaid labor that detracts from their other responsibilities.
• They may think, “If I don’t do it, another woman will.” And women have to hide their displeasure or discomfort and pretend to be accommodating even at the cost of their own mental health.
• This process of managing, modulating, and suppressing one’s emotions to fulfill expectations from others or to achieve professional goals is called “emotional labor”.
• American sociologist Arlie Hochschild first introduced the concept of emotional labor in 1983 to mean that emotions have a market and exchange value in our capitalist society.
• People are required to regulate their emotions to fit in with the emotional norm and manage their emotions to ensure the smooth flow of business necessary to get a wage.
• Emotional labor was never intended to be a gendered term. But invisible unpaid labor, like doing the office tea round, falls disproportionately on women — who then have to manage their emotional response to carrying out unwanted tasks.

Public Financial Management System

Context: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), in its report, found that the tasks related to the implementation of the PFMS appeared to have been dealt with with a casual approach and there was no proper financial planning.

About:

• The Public Financial Management System (PFMS) is a web-based online software application developed and implemented by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• PFMS started in 2009 with the objective of tracking funds released under all Plan schemes of the Government of India, and real-time reporting of expenditure at all levels of Programme implementation.
• Subsequently, the scope was enlarged to cover direct payment to beneficiaries under all Schemes.
• Gradually, it has been envisaged that digitization of accounts shall be achieved through PFMS, and beginning with Pay & Accounts Offices payments, the O/o CGA did further value addition by bringing in more financial activities of the Government of India into the ambit of PFMS.
• The outputs/deliverables for the various modes/functions of PFMS include (but are not limited to):
  • Payment & Exchequer Control
  • Accounting of Receipts (Tax & Non-Tax)
  • Compilation of Accounts and Preparation of Fiscal Reports
  • Integration with Financial Management Systems of States.
• The primary function of PFMS today is to facilitate a sound Public Financial Management System for the Government of India by establishing an efficient fund flow system as well as a payment cum accounting network.
• PFMS provides various stakeholders with a real-time, reliable, and meaningful management information system and an effective decision support system, as part of the Digital India initiative of the Government of India.

Surety Bond Insurance

Context: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways recently launched one of India’s first-ever Surety Bond Insurance products.

About: 

•  A surety bond can be defined in its simplest form as a written agreement to guarantee compliance, payment, or performance of an act.
• A surety is a unique type of insurance because it involves a three-party agreement. The three parties in a surety agreement are:
• • Principal -The party that purchases the bond and undertakes an obligation to perform an act as promised.
  • Surety – The insurance company or surety company that guarantees the obligation will be performed. If the principal fails to perform the act as promised, the surety is contractually liable for losses sustained.
  • Obligee – The party who requires, and often receives the benefit of the surety bond. For most surety bonds, the obligee is a local, state, or federal government organization.
• Advantages:
  • It will act as a security arrangement for infrastructure projects and will insulate the contractor as well as the principal.
  •  The product will cater to the requirements of a diversified group of contractors, many of whom are operating in today’s increasingly volatile environment.
  •  The product gives the principal a contract of guarantee that contractual terms and other business deals will be concluded in accordance with the mutually agreed terms.
  • In case the contractor doesn’t fulfill the contractual terms, the Principal can raise a claim on the surety bond and recover the losses they have incurred.
  •  Unlike a bank guarantee, Surety Bond Insurance does not require large collateral from the contractor thus freeing up significant funds for the contractor, which they can utilize for the growth of the business.
  •  The product will also help in reducing the contractors’ debts to a large extent thus addressing their financial worries.

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)

Context: The Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently said that 656 Startups are Supported by Approved Incubators under Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS).

About:

• The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) was implemented with effect from 1st April 2021 with a corpus of Rs. 945 crores.
• The Scheme aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market-entry, and commercialization.
• As per provisions under SISFS, the Government has constituted an Experts Advisory Committee (EAC) which is responsible for the overall execution and monitoring of the SISFS.
• The EAC evaluates and selects incubators for funds under the Scheme.
• These incubators thereon select the startups based on certain parameters outlined in Scheme guidelines.
• 126 incubators have been approved and these incubators have selected 656 startups under the Scheme as of 30th November 2022.

Goods Trade Barometer

Context: Latest World Trade Organization (WTO) Goods Trade Barometer hints toward slowing of trade growth in the rest of 2022 and into 2023.

About:

• The Goods Trade Barometer, formerly the World Trade Outlook Indicator, is a leading indicator that signals changes in world trade growth two to three months ahead of merchandise trade volume statistics.
• The Services Trade Barometer is a coincident indicator that illustrates the current state of services trades slightly ahead of official statistics.
• Both barometers are intended to complement conventional trade statistics and forecasts.
• Its baseline value is 100. A value greater than 100 suggests above-trend growth while a value below 100 indicates below-trend growth.
•  The current Goods Trade Barometer Index reading is 96.2.

Agriculture:

Agriculture Investment Portal

Context: The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has inaugurated the Agriculture Investment Portal (Krishi Nivesh Portal).

About:

• Agri Invest is the investment portal under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, India.
• The portal is a one-stop solution for all investors who are looking to invest in India in the Department Of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare.
• The portal highlights the steps for ease of doing business in India, the market entry strategies, and the regulatory frameworks that are involved in setting up the operations.
• This portal enacts as the dedicated Investor Facilitation Cell of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has been supporting the ministry across different aspects.
• The aim of the Agri Invest:
  • Boost investments in the agriculture sector of India.
  • To ease the handholding process for the investors.
  • Tap the potential of all the sub-sectors in Agriculture.
  • To guide and assist the investors with the major infrastructure available in India.
  • Support investors and companies with the schemes, policies, and incentives given by the State and the Central Government.

GI Status for Kerala’s Five Agricultural Products

Context: Five agricultural products of Kerala- Attappady Attukombu Avara, Attappady Thuvara, Onattukara Ellu, KanthalloorVattavada Veluthulli, and Kodungalloor Pottuvellari have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status.

About:

•  Attappady Attukombu Avara:
  • It is a bean cultivated in the Attappady region of Palakkad.
  • It is curved like a goat’s horn as its name indicates.
  •  Its higher anthocyanin content compared to other dolichos beans imparts violet color in the stem and fruits. 
  • Anthocyanin is helpful against cardiovascular diseases along with its anti-diabetic properties.
  • Other than this, calcium, protein, and fiber content are also high.
  • The higher phenolic content also imparts resistance against pests and diseases making the crop suitable for organic cultivation.
  •  
• Attappady Thuvara:
  • It is a red gram having seeds with a white coat.
  • Compared to other red grams, its seeds are bigger and have higher seed weights.
  • It is used as a vegetable and dal.
  • It is rich in protein, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, and magnesium.
•   Kanthalloor-Vattavada Veluthulli:
  • It is garlic.
  • It is produced in areas from the Kanthalloor-Vattavada area of Devikulam block panchayat in Idukki.
  •  It contains a higher amount of sulfides, flavonoids, and proteins.
  • It is rich in allicin, which is effective against microbial infections, blood sugar, cancer, cholesterol, heart diseases, and damage to blood vessels.
  • The garlic cultivated in this area is also rich in essential oil.
• Onattukara Ellu:
  • It is a sesame oil famous for its unique health benefits.
  • It has a relatively higher antioxidant content which helps in fighting the free radicals that destroy the body cells.
  • Also, the high content of unsaturated fat makes it beneficial for heart patients.
•  Kodungalloor Pottuvellari :
  • It is a snap melon cultivated in Kodungalloor and parts of Ernakulam.
  • It is consumed as juice and in other forms.
  • It is harvested in summer and is excellent for quenching thirst.
  • It contains high amounts of Vitamin C.
  • Compared to other cucurbits, nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, fiber, and fat content are also high in this.

Tandur Red Gram

Context: The Tandur red gram of Telangana has got geographical indication (GI) tag. With this, the total number of GI registrations in the country has reached 432.

About: 

• Tandur red gram is a local variety of pigeon pea which is mainly grown in the rainfed tract of the Tandur and the nearby region of Telangana.
• The specific quality traits of Tandur Red Gram have been attributed to the fertile deep black soil with huge deposits of Attapulgite clay mineral specifically in the Tandur region along with huge limestone deposits.
• It contains about 22-24% protein, which is almost three times that of the protein content in cereals.
• It has good taste, better cooking quality as well as enhanced storage quality.
• Now with the GI tag and registration, individual farmers and dal mill owners of Tandur will have to register themselves as authorized users and start branding Tandur red gram with GI tag to get better prices as the tag is an assured symbol of quality.

Infrastructure:

SHAKTI Policy

Context: Ministry of Power has announced a Scheme for the Procurement of Aggregate Power of 4500 MW on a competitive basis for five years on a Finance, Own, and Operate (FOO) basis under B (v) of SHAKTI Policy.

About: 

• Ministry of Power has launched a scheme for procurement of aggregate power of 4500 MW for 5 years under SHAKTI Policy to help states that are facing power shortages and help generation plants increase their capacities.
• SHAKTI is an acronym for Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala Transparently in India.
• It was launched in 2018 to provide coal to stressed power units that lack the coal supply.
• It seeks to provide coal linkages to power plants that lack fuel supply agreements (FSAs) through coal auctions.
• Need for such policy:
  • SHAKTI is a policy designated by the government for the allocation of coal among thermal power plants in a transparent and objective manner.
  • It aims to transfer the benefits of linkage coal to the end consumers.
  • The scheme is supposed to be beneficial not just for the infrastructure sector, but also for the public sector banks which have huge loans unpaid at the end of the power companies.
  • The companies, which did not have coal linkages before the introduction of the Shakti Scheme, would benefit when they would get domestic fuel supplies through auction at competitive rates.
  • The scheme also aims to reduce the dependence on imported coal and promote domestic industries.

Wet Leasing of Aircraft

Context: In efforts to boost international air traffic, the civil aviation ministry has allowed Indian airlines to take wide-body planes on wet leases for up to one year.

About:

• Wet leasing means renting the plane along with the operating crew and engineers, while dry leasing refers to taking only the aircraft on rent.
• The technical term for wet leasing is ACMI which stands for aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance.
• These are the aspects of the operation that the wet lease airline takes care of, while the airline client will still be responsible for paying for direct operating costs such as catering and fuel as well as fees such as airport fees, ground handling charges, and navigation fees.
• Operations of an aircraft on wet lease are not encouraged by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as the crew is often not approved by Indian authorities. Also, wet leasing is generally a short-term arrangement, as it is more expensive than a dry lease.

Digi Yatra

Context: Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia recently launched Digi Yatra from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi for three airports in the country, namely New Delhi, Varanasi, and Bengaluru.

About: 

• The Ministry of Civil Aviation is adding a Digital experience for Air Travellers through the DigiYatra Platform.
• The 'DigiYatra' is an industry-led initiative coordinated by the Ministry in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's Digital India vision to transform the nation into a digitally empowered society.
• Digi Yatra – Digital processing of passengers at the airports.
• Passengers will be automatically processed based on the facial recognition system at checkpoints like; Entry point checks, Entry into Security checks, and Aircraft Boarding.
• Additionally, this will also facilitate self-Bag Drop and Check-in, using facial recognition to identify pax and data recall.
• Digi Yatra will facilitate paperless travel and avoid identity check at multiple points.

PM Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana

Context: Ministry Of Tribal Affairs has revamped the existing Scheme of ‘Special Central Assistance to Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsha Gram Yojana.

About:

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs has revamped the existing Scheme of ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) with the nomenclature ‘Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (PMAAGY)’, for implementation during 2021-22 to 2025-26, which aims at transforming villages with significant tribal population into the model village (Adarsh Gram)covering the population of about 4.22 crore (About 40% of the total Tribal Population).
• It is envisaged to cover 36,428 villages having at least 50% tribal population and 500 STs across States / UTs with notified STs.
• The main objective of this scheme is to achieve integrated socio-economic development of selected villages through a convergence approach.
• It includes preparing Village Development Plan based on the needs, potential, and aspirations.
• It also includes maximizing the coverage of individual/family benefit schemes of the Central / State Governments and improving the infrastructure in vital sectors like health, education, connectivity, and livelihood.
• The scheme envisions mitigating gaps prominently in 8 sectors of development viz. Road connectivity (Internal and Intervillage /block), Telecom connectivity (Mobile /internet), Schools, Anganwadi Centres, Health Sub-Centre, Drinking water facilities, Drainage, and solid waste management.
• A sum of ₹20.38 lakh per village as ‘Gap-filling’ has been provisioned for approved activities including administrative expenses under PMAAGY.
• Besides States / UTs are encouraged for convergence of resources as Central / State Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) funds and other financial resources available with them for saturation of gaps in the villages identified under PMAAGY.

India Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Context: The India Internet Governance Forum (IGF), a multi-stakeholder platform, conducted a three-day hybrid event from December 9 to December 11, 2022.

About:

• The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multistakeholder platform bringing together representatives from various groups, considering all to be at par to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet.
• India, with more than 1.4 billion citizens, 1.2 billion mobile users, and 800 million Internet users, demonstrates the growing Internet culture in the country.
• E-Governance and National Security becomes of paramount importance in India, especially with enhanced cyberspace.
• India IGF (IIGF) will provide the ability to facilitate discussions between intergovernmental organizations, private companies, technical communities, academic communities, and civil society organizations that are involved in Internet governance-related public policy issues.
• This policy dialogue is carried out on a co-equal basis through open and inclusive processes.
• This mode of engagement is referred to as the multistakeholder model of Internet Governance, which has been one of the key reasons for the Internet’s success.

Amrit Bharat Station scheme

Context: Ministry of Railways has formulated a new policy for the modernization of stations named the “Amrit Bharat Station” scheme.

About:

• Amrit Bharat Station scheme envisages the development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term vision.
• It is based on Master Planning for the long term and implementation of the elements of the Master Plan as per the needs and patronage of the station.
• Broad objectives:
  • The scheme aims at the preparation of Master Plans of the Railway stations and the implementation of the Master Plan in phases to enhance the facilities including and beyond the Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA) and aiming for the creation of Roof Plazas and city centers at the station in the long run.
  • The scheme shall aim to meet the needs of the stakeholders, and station usage studies as far as possible based on the availability of funds and inter-se priority.
  • The scheme shall cater to the introduction of new amenities as well as the upgradation and replacement of existing amenities.
  • This scheme will also cover the stations where detailed techno-economic feasibility studies have been conducted or are being conducted but the work for construction of Roof Plazas has not been taken up yet, ensuring the phasing of the Master Plan being suitably implemented and relocation of structures and utilities being given more emphasis in the phasing plans.

City Finance Rankings

Context: Recently, The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched two key initiatives – City Finance Rankings, 2022, and City Beauty Competition.

About: 

City Finance Rankings 2022:

• To evaluate, recognize and reward urban local bodies (ULBs) on basis of their strength across 15 indicators and 3 financial parameters: resource mobilization, expenditure performance, and fiscal governance systems.
• Evaluation will be done on the basis of the quality of current financial health and improvement with time in financial performance.
• Cities will be ranked at the national level on the basis of their scores under the following four population categories:
• • Above 4 million.
  • Between 1-4 million.
  • 100K to 1 million.
  • Less than 100,000.
• The top 3 cities in each population category will be rewarded.
• It will help ULBs to identify areas in their financial performance where they can make improvements and able to deliver quality infrastructure and services to its citizens.
• Rankings will motivate city/state officials and decision-makers, to implement municipal finance reforms.

City Beauty Competition:

• To encourage and recognize transformational efforts made by cities and wards in India to create beautiful, innovative, and inclusive public spaces.
• Wards and public places of cities would be judged against five pillars:
• • Accessibility
  • Amenities
  • Activities
  • Aesthetics and
  • Ecology.
• Most beautiful public places in cities would be awarded first at the State level and then will be shortlisted for an award at the National level.
• It will encourage urban local bodies to improve their basic infrastructure and make urban spaces beautiful, sustainable and inclusive.
• Participation in the City Beauty Competition is voluntary.

Species in news:

Binturong

• Context:
  • The police and forest officials in Manipur's Ukhrul town have been scanning “gambling dens” following reports of wild animals (dead or alive) such as Binturong being offered as prizes for raffle draws (a lottery in which the prizes are goods rather than money).
  • Different types of birds such as the grey-sided thrush and tragopans (often called horned pheasants) have also been spotted.
  • Blyth’s tragopan is the State bird of Nagaland.
• What are the Key Facts about Binturong?
  • Binturong, (Arctictis binturong), also called bear cat or cat bear, catlike omnivore of the civet family (Viverridae), found in dense forests of Southeast Asia.
  • It has long shaggy hair, tufted ears, and a long, bushy, prehensile tail. The colour generally is black with a sprinkling of whitish hairs.
  • The binturong is principally nocturnal and crepuscular (that is, active during twilight).
  • It is found most often among trees, using its prehensile tail as an aid in climbing. It feeds mainly on fruit, such as figs, but it also takes eggs and small animals.
  • In some areas, binturongs are tamed and have been reported as being affectionate pets.
• Distribution:
  • Its range extends from Nepal, India, and Bhutan southward to the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java and eastward to Borneo.
• Conservation:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES listing: Appendix III
  • Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
• Distribution:
  • Bhutan, China, India, Myanma.
  • Conservation:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES listing: Appendix I
  • Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Environment:

Kanger Valley National Park

• Context:
  • Around 200 bird species were documented during the Kanger Valley Bird Survey in state’s first-ever systematic inter-state bird survey.
• About:
  • It is located in the state of Chhattisgarh. The name of Kanger Ghati National Park is derived from the Kangar river, which flows in its length.
  • Kanger Valley got the status of a national park in the year 1982.
  • Kanger Valley National Park is a typical mixed humid deciduous type of forest, in which the Sal, Saugaun, teak and bamboo trees are available in abundance.
  • The most popular species in this area is Bastar Maina (The state bird of Chattisgarh).
  • This National Park is home to three exceptional caves – famous for their amazing geological structures of Kutumbasar, Kailash and Dandak- Stellagmites and Stalactites.
  • Tirathgarh Waterfall is located in Kanger Valley National Park.

Koundinya wildlife sanctuary

• Context:
  • An 18-member herd of all female elephants from the forests of Gudiyattam and Pernambattu of Tamil Nadu are currently on the prowl in the Koundinya wildlife sanctuary zone in Chittoor district, apparently “in search of mates”
• About Koundinya wildlife sanctuary
  • It is located in Palamner – Kuppam forest ranges of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, on the Andhra Pradesh – Chittoor road. 
  • This Sanctuary comes under Project elephant – a Countrywide Elephant Conservation Project taken up by the Government of India. 
  • Uniqueness: The only home for Asiatic elephants in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
  • Forest Type: Southern tropical dry deciduous forest, with patches of thorn, scrub, and grassy plains.

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary

• Context:
  • Recently, the famous Tal Chhapar Blackbuck Sanctuary in Churu, Rajasthan received a protective cover against a proposed move of the State government to reduce the size of its Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ).
  • The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) has also taken up a major project for the conservation of raptors in the sanctuary, spread in an area measuring 7.19 sq. Km.
• What are the Key Facts about Tal Chhapar Sanctuary?
• About:
  • The Tal Chhapar Sanctuary is situated on the border of the Great Indian Thar Desert.
  • Tal Chhapar is a distinctive shelter of the most graceful Antelope seen in India, “the Blackbuck”.
  • It was given the status of a sanctuary in 1966.
  • Tal Chhapar was a hunting reserve of the erstwhile royal family of Bikaner.
  • The “Tal” word is Rajasthani word means plane land.
  • This Sanctuary has nearly flat territory and combined thin low-lying region. It has got open and wide grasslands with spread Acacia and Prosopis plants that offer it a look of a characteristic Savanna.
• Fauna:
  • Tal Chhapar is an ideal place to see Blackbucks which are more than a thousand in number here. It is a good place to see the desert animals and reptile species.
  • The sanctuary is host to about 4,000 blackbucks, over 40 species of raptors and more than 300 species of resident and migratory birds.
  • Migratory birds in the sanctuary are harriers, eastern imperial eagle, tawny eagle, short-toed eagle, sparrow, and little green bee-eaters, black ibis and demoiselle cranes. Other than that, skylarks, crested larks, ring doves, and brown doves can be seen throughout the year.
• What are Blackbucks?
  • The Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), or the Indian Antelope, is a species of antelope native to India and Nepal.
  • It is widespread in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and other areas throughout peninsular India.
  • It is considered as the epitome of grassland.
  • The blackbuck is a diurnal antelope (active mainly during the day).
  • It has been declared as the State Animal of Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.
  • Cultural Importance: It is a symbol of purity for Hinduism as its skin and horns are regarded as a sacred object. For Buddhism, it is a symbol of good luck.
• Protection Status:
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I
  • IUCN Status: Least Concern
  • CITES: Appendix III
• Threat:
  • Habitat Fragmentation, Deforestation, Natural Calamities, Illegal Hunting.
  • Related Protected Areas:
  • Velavadar Blackbuck Sanctuary – Gujarat
  • Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary – Tamil Nadu
  • In 2017, the Uttar Pradesh State Government approved the plan of setting up the Blackbuck Conservation Reserve in the trans-Yamuna belt near Prayagraj. It would be the first conservation reserve dedicated to the blackbuck.

Lion @ 47: Vision for Amrutkal

• Context:
  • Recently, the Project Lion document titled “Lion @ 47: Vision for Amrutkal” has been launched by the Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• More in news:
  • Gujarat's Barda Wildlife Sanctuary: It has been identified as a potential second home for Asiatic lions. 
  • It is located near Porbandar which is 100 kilometres from the Gir National Park. 
• About
• Project Lion: 
  • It envisages landscape ecology-based conservation of the Asiatic Lion in Gujarat by integrating conservation and eco-development. 
  • The Project is being implemented in the Gir landscape in Gujarat which is the last home of the Asiatic lion.
• Objectives:
  • To secure & restore lions' habitats for managing its growing population.
  • Scale up livelihood generation and participation of local communities.
  • Become a global hub of knowledge on big cat disease diagnostics and treatment.
  • Create inclusive biodiversity conservation through project lion initiative.
• Distribution:
  • They are now distributed in nine districts of Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Surendranagar, covering around 30,000 square kilometres, which is termed the Asiatic Lion Landscape. 
• Challenges:
  • Vulnerable to extinction: Efforts were being made since the 1990s to find a relocation site for the Asiatic lions within Gujarat and outside the state, considering that the species is vulnerable to extinction threats from epidemics because of low genetic diversity.
  • Geographic separation is the primary objective of translocation to establish a second free-ranging population of lions to mitigate conservation risks.

Pollution:

Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage

• Context:
  • NITI Aayog has recently released a study report on Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) Policy Framework and its Deployment Mechanism in India.
• About the Framework
  • The report explores the importance of Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage as an emission reduction strategy. 
  • The report outlines broad-level policy interventions needed across various sectors for its application.
  • India’s per capita CO2 emissions were about 1.9 tonnes per annum which is less than 40% of the global average and about one-fourth of that of China.
• What is Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)?
  • It aims to reduce carbon emissions by either storing or reusing it so that captured carbon dioxide does not enter the atmosphere.
  • It’s a three-step process involving: capturing the carbon dioxide produced by power generation or industrial activity, such as steel or cement making; transporting it; and then storing it deep underground.
  • It is the technology for decarbonising carbon dioxide (CO2) from high polluting sectors such as steel, cement, oil, gas, petrochemicals, chemicals and fertilisers.
  • Possible storage sites for carbon emissions include saline aquifers or depleted oil and gas reservoirs.
  • It would help in promoting the low carbon-hydrogen economy and in removal of the CO2 stock from the atmosphere.
• Major Challenges
  • High Cost: the key challenge would be to reduce the cost of the mechanisms to implement the technology.
  • The private sector is unlikely to invest in CCUS unless there are sufficient incentives or unless it can benefit from the sale of CO2 or gain credits for emissions avoided under carbon pricing regimes.
  • CO2 Transport and Storage Sites Could Be Dangerous: While accident rates during the transport of CO2 are relatively low, the potential for a dangerous leak still exists.
  • Security concerns: Because the gas is highly toxic and leakages in high quantity at such sites would render the air largely unbreathable.
• Significance of the move
  • Production of Clean products: CCUS can enable the production of clean products while still utilising our rich endowments of coal and reducing imports and thus leading to an Atmanirbhar Indian economy.
  • Decarbonising various sectors: Implementation of CCUS technology is certainly an important step to decarbonise the hard-to-abate sector.
  • The projects will also lead to a significant employment generation.
  • It estimates that about 750 mtpa of carbon capture by 2050 can create employment opportunities of about 8-10 million on full time equivalent (FTE) basis in a phased manner.
  • It can Reduce the Social Cost of Carbon: The social cost of carbon is a value of the estimated costs and benefits to society from climate change caused by one additional metric ton of CO2 released into the atmosphere in a year.
  • Circular economy: It can provide a wide variety of opportunities to convert the captured CO2 to different value-added products like: 
    • Green urea
    • Food and beverage form application
    • Building materials (concrete and aggregates)
    • Chemicals (methanol and ethanol)
    • Polymers (including bioplastics)
    • Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) with wide market opportunities in India, thus contributing substantially to a circular economy. 
    • Sunrise sectors: It has an important role to play in enabling sunrise sectors such as coal gasification and the nascent hydrogen economy in India.
    • Enrich concrete: Captured CO2 could be used to strengthen concrete, leading to increased infrastructure durability.
• Way forward 
  • There will be a positive impact on the economy if we are able to get value-added products such as green methanol, green ammonia that can be produced from this captured CO2.
  • India’s dependency on fossil-based Energy Resources is likely to continue in future and hence CCUS policy in Indian Context is the need of the hour.
  • Key to a successful CCUS implementation in India is to enact a policy framework that supports the creation of sustainable and viable markets for CCUS projects.
  • The policy should be carbon credits or incentives based to seed and promote the CCUS sector in India through tax and cash credits.
  • The policy should establish early-stage financing and funding mechanisms for CCUS projects.

The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022

• Context
  • Recently, The Rajya Sabha passed the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
  • The Bill seeks to amend the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.   
• About:
  • The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill mandates non-fossil sources of energy and establishes a domestic carbon market in India. 
  • The bill was also amended in 2010.
• Key provisions of the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill:
  • The bill seeks to mandate the use of non-fossil sources, including Green hydrogen, green ammonia, biomass, and Ethanol for energy and feedstock; 
  • Establish Carbon Markets; 
  • Bring large residential buildings within the fold of the Energy Conservation regime; 
  • Enhance the scope of the Energy Conservation Building Code; 
  • Amend penalty provisions; 
  • Increase members in the governing council of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE); 
  • Empower the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions  to make regulations for smooth discharge of its functions 
  • To put in place enabling provisions to make the use of clean energy, including green hydrogen, mandatory and to establish carbon markets.
• Details of the Bill
  • Carbon Credits:
    • Issuing credits:
      • According to Global Energy Monitor, the government will issue carbon credits to businesses or other institutions interested in the scheme. 
      • Industries could sell and buy credits to meet their carbon budget.
    • Selling Carbon Credits to other countries:
      • Carbon credits will not be sold to other countries. When we sell credits to other countries, we cannot add them to our NDCs. 
      • However, there is a provision to sell them to other countries when there is a surplus or a need to finance some cutting-edge technology.
• Scope for Energy Conservation Building Code:
  • The amended bill aims to bring large residential buildings under the Energy Conservation regime which enhances the scope of the Energy Conservation Building Code.
• Meaning of Energy Conservation Building Code:
  • According to the draft, “energy conservation building codes” means the norms and standards of energy consumption expressed per square metre of the area where energy is used. 
  • It also includes the location of the building.
• Carbon Market:
  • The Bill empowers the central government to specify a carbon credit trading scheme.
  • The proposed amendments aims to encourage the development of a carbon market by laying the framework for issuance of carbon credits against deployment of clean technology. 
  • Investment in clean technology will help corporations in greening their business profiles and the attached carbon credits will provide an additional revenue stream. 
  • Hence, the proposed amendments seek to address a prominent gap in the climate change narrative with respect to involvement of the private sector.
• Reducing the connected loads of states:
  • Bill aimed to bring large residential buildings, with a minimum connected load of 100 kilowatt (kW) or contract demand of 120 Kilovolt Ampere (kVA), within the fold of the Energy Conservation regime. 
  • States, if they wished, could bring down the connected load and contract demand.
• Criticisms:
  • Ultra vires of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001:
    • While the Energy Conservation Act, of 2001 deals with saving energy, the present Bill deals with saving the environment and conserving climate change due to the usage of fossil and non-fossil fuels while generating electricity. 
    • The scope and objective of the principal Act do not take in the purpose and object of the present Bill. 
    • The Bill relates to monitoring and controlling of carbon emission and climate change which is an aspect of the environmental laws
  • Lack of coordinated approach:
    • There is the Central Government discharging one set of roles, there are the State Governments which have been authorised under the Act to discharge a different set of roles. 
    • What is missing is a coordinated approach between the Central Government and the State Government.
  • Inadequate opinion in BEE:
    • The Bill proposes only five representatives of the States and it means that a majority of the States would not be able to register their opinion in the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. 
  • Legal infirmities:
    • It is being criticised that the Bill has a lot of legal infirmities which required re-consideration and re-introduction.
• Way Ahead
  • India is currently marching towards its target of reducing its carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030. This goal is a part of India’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
  • India needs to align public financial flows with announced targets on energy transition, to leverage private finance. This includes 
  • Shifting subsidies to clean energy, 
  • Mandating SOE (state-owned enterprises) investments in clean energy and Increasing targets on public finance for clean energy. 

Environment Education, Awareness & Training (EEAT) Scheme

• Context:
  • Environment Education, Awareness, and Training (EEAT) is a central sector scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) that was launched in 1983-84. Its goal is to raise environmental awareness among all segments of society and to mobilise people's participation in environmental conservation. 
• What is Environment Education, Awareness & Training (EEAT) Scheme?
  • EEAT is a Central Scheme that was established during the Sixth Five Year Plan in 1983-84.
• The program's main goal is:
  • To increase environmental consciousness among all societal groups
  • Promote environmental education
  • To encourage student involvement in environmental protection
  • The Ministry has continued the programme since 2017 in light of the enormous potential of the scheme and the success attained in its implementation since its implementation.
• The three programmes that make up the EEAT scheme are:
  • The National Green Corps “Eco-club” programme.
  • The National Nature Camping Program
  • Activities for building capacity
  • Various organisations are given financial support through these programmes to carry out activities and raise awareness of the need to protect the environment in the nation.

Green Methanol

• Context:
  • Recently, the NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) has signed a non-binding MOU with Tecnimont (Italy) to explore production of green methanol.
  • The green methanol project involves capturing carbon from NTPC power plants and converting it into green fuel.  
  • NTPC comes under the ministry of power.
• About:
  • Green methanol is a low-carbon fuel that can be made from either biomass gasification or renewable electricity and captured carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Applications: 
• Green methanol has a wide range of applications:
  • Serving as a base material for the chemical industry
  • Storing renewable electricity
  • Transportation fuel. 
  • Maritime fuel: It is also considered a substitute fuel for maritime fuel applications.
  • Automotive industry: Methanol can be blended with gasoline in low-quantities and used in existing road vehicles, or it can be used in high-proportion blends such as M85 in flex-fuel vehicles or M100 in dedicated methanol-fuelled vehicles as a substitute for gasoline or diesel.
• Key benefits:
  • Low-emission fuel can be made from a variety of sources which will help reduce imports.
  • It will significantly contribute to India’s energy transition.

Space:

SpaceTech Innovation Network: ISRO

• Context:
  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed an MoU with Social Alpha, a multistage innovation curation and venture development platform to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN).
• What is SpIN?
• About:
  • SpIN is India’s first dedicated platform for innovation, curation, and venture development for the burgeoning space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
  • The SPIN platform would create a level playing field for various stakeholders to collaborate and contribute to the space ecosystem in the country.
• SpIN will primarily focus on facilitating space tech entrepreneurs in three distinct innovation categories:
  • Geospatial Technologies and Downstream Applications
  • Enabling Technologies for Space & Mobility
  • Aerospace Materials, Sensors, and Avionics.
• Significance:
  • Innovative technologies are expected to bring a paradigm shift in utilising the space applications to maximise the economic, social, and environmental benefits for the larger society.
• Innovation Challenge:
  • SpIN has launched its first innovation challenge for developing solutions in areas of maritime and land transportation, urbanization, mapping, and surveying.
  • The selected start-ups and innovators will be able to access both Social Alpha’s and ISRO’s infrastructure and resources as per the prevailing guidelines.
  • They will be provided active hand-holding in critical areas, including access to product design, testing and validation infrastructure, and intellectual property management.

Geminids Meteor Shower

• Context:
  • This year, the Geminids will peak around December 13-14, when, with a clear sky and away from bright city lights, you can watch scores of meteors streak across the sky.
  • This year however, the moon is bright, and so only 30-40 meteors per hour will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere.
• What are meteor showers:
  • Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from asteroids
  • Meteors are usually fragments of comets.
  • As they enter the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, they burn up, creating a spectacular “shower”.
  • When these objects come around the Sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them.
  • Every year Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colourful streaks in the sky
• About Geminids:
  • One of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers
  • With new moon and clear weather, the Geminids can produce approximately 100-150 meteors per hour for viewing.
  • The Geminids are unique because unlike most meteor showers, they originate not from a comet, but from an asteroid –3200 Phaethon.
  • As the 3200 Phaethon moves close to the Sun while orbiting it, the rocks on its surface heat up and break off.
  • When the Earth passes through the trail of this debris, the Geminids are caused.
  • The name Geminids – from constellation Gemini, from whose location in the sky the meteor shower appears to originate.
  • It serves to aid viewers in determining which shower they are viewing on a given night.
  • The constellation is not the source of Geminids.
  • Geminids are visible throughout the night sky, not just in Gemini constellation
• How to watch:
  • Chances of a successful viewing are higher from locations far away from the lights of cities.
  • Generally, pollution makes viewing meteor showers from India difficult.
  • But in areas where there is no light or air pollution, viewers do not need to use any special equipment to view the showers.
  • Make sure to give your eyes enough time to adjust to the darkness, which can take about 30 minutes.
  • Additionally, viewers should try to stay away from their phones, as looking at bright screens affects night vision.
• Asteroid 3200 Phaethon:
  • Discovered on October 11, 1983.
  • Named after the Greek mythology character Phaethon, son of the Sun God Helios.
  • It takes 4 years to complete one round of the Sun.
• Miscellaneous:
  • Gemini constellation is located northeast of the constellation Orion and between the Taurus and Cancer constellations.

Andromeda galaxy and Galactic Cannibalism

• Context:
  • Scientists discovered by studying a star cluster in Andromeda galaxy that Andromeda may be a cosmic cannibal.
  • The Dulais Structure is a dark stream of stars (globular clusters) in Andromeda. (Dulai means Black stream in Welsh)
  • The Dulais Structure is dark stream illuminated by star clusters that orbit unlike any other clusters in Andromeda.
  • This means the star clusters are from the leftovers of a massive feeding event called galactic cannibalism.
  • Galactic Cannibalism is a feeding event of galaxy in which larger galaxies consume smaller galaxies or globulars to grow.
• Andromeda Galaxy
  • The Andromeda Galaxy also known as Messier 31, is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky.
  • Andromeda is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth.
  • It is the largest galaxy of the Local Group, which also contains the Milky Way, the Triangulum Galaxy, and other smaller galaxies.

First Global Water Survey Satellite

• Context:
  • Recently, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) -led international satellite, Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) was launched from Southern California by SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
  • The satellite will take the first global survey of Earth’s freshwater systems from space.
• What is Surface Water and Ocean Topography?
• About:
  • SWOT is an advanced radar satellite that aims to provide scientists with a deeper understanding of the oceans and how climate change impacts them.
  • The rocket's payload, the SWOT, incorporates advanced microwave radar technology to collect high-definition measurements of oceans, lakes, reservoirs and rivers over 90% of the globe.
• Significance:
  • Using its radar, the satellite will be able to measure the water levels of ocean features ten times more accurately than is currently possible.
  • It will also be able to measure over a million lakes and rivers on Earth.
  • Through its observations, the satellite will also be able to improve the accuracy of flood forecasts and provide scientists with more precise monitoring of impending droughts, rising sea levels, and life on Earth.
  • One major thrust of the mission is to explore how oceans absorb atmospheric heat and carbon dioxide in a process that naturally regulates global temperatures and has helped to minimize climate change.
  • Oceans are estimated to have absorbed more than 90% of the excess heat trapped in Earth's atmosphere by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

Health:

Stiff-Person Syndrome

• Context:
  • French-Canadian singer Celine Dion has opened up about being diagnosed with Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS),
• About Stiff person syndrome
  • It is a rare autoimmune neurological condition that affects the central nervous system and can cause rigidity throughout the body and painful muscle spasms.
  •  It was first coined in the 1920s (as “stiff man syndrome”) after doctors described patients falling over like “a wooden man.”
  • It frequently affects women with a median onset of 35 to 40 years of age.
  • Causes: the cause behind SPS is not fully understood yet, “there have been reports that spasms occur at any random time and can be triggered by loud noises, touch, and emotional distress
  • Symptoms: Symptoms may include stiff muscles in the trunk (torso), arms, and legs; and greater sensitivity to noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms.
  • Treatment: Several symptoms improve with oral diazepam (an anti-anxiety and muscle relaxant drug) or with drugs that alleviate muscle spasms, such as baclofen or gabapentin.
  • Treatment involves the use of both symptomatic agents to enhance GABAergic influences and Immuno modulating treatment aimed at the autoimmune basis of the disease
  • Corticosteroids are rarely used as Immuno modulating agents in Stiff Person Syndrome because of a high incidence of concurrent diabetes mellitus.

Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

• Context:
  • The soccer journalist Grant Wahl collapsed and died suddenly while covering the World Cup in Qatar.
  •  The autopsy found that Wahl had an “ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm.
• About Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm
  • An aneurysm is a localised weakening of the wall of a blood vessel, which causes the vessel to bulge in that area — as a result of which the vessel may widen to more than 50 percent of its usual diameter. 
  • Aneurysms are more commonly seen in arteries than in veins.
  • The aorta is the main artery that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body; it is also the body’s largest blood vessel. 
  • An aortic aneurysm is a weakening and bulging in a portion of the aorta; “thoracic” refers to that section of the blood vessel that passes through the chest.
• Causes 
  • Degenerative disease that causes breakdown of the aortic wall tissue
  • Genetic disorders
  • Family history
  • Vasculitis, or inflammation of the arteries
  • Atherosclerosis, or the build-up of plaque on the walls of the artery. 
  • In rare cases, an infection can also trigger an aneurysm.
• Symptoms
  • Pain in the jaw, neck, chest, or upper back
  • Wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath (due to pressure on the trachea)
  • Hoarseness (due to pressure on the vocal cords); and
  • Trouble swallowing due to pressure on the oesophagus. 
• Threats 
  • An aneurysm increases in size over time, and the wall of the blood vessel gets progressively weaker in that area. 
  • The vessel may ultimately burst or separate, triggering a bleeding rush that can be life-threatening, and potentially lethal.
• Diagnosis and treatment
  • Treatment may include monitoring the size and rate of growth of the bulge through an MRI or CT, and managing risk factors such as quitting smoking, controlling blood sugar (for diabetics), losing weight (if overweight), and eating healthy. 
  • Surgical intervention may be needed if the aneurysm is large 

Zombie Virus

• Context:
  • European researchers have raised concerns of yet another pandemic after resurrecting a 48,500-year-old ‘Zombie Virus’ from a frozen lake in Russia.
  • The researchers warned that Climate change-induced thawing of the permanently frozen land (permafrost) in the Arctic could pose a new public health threat.
• What is a Zombie Virus?
• About:
  • 13 new pathogens have been characterized, what are termed ‘Zombie Viruses’, which remained infectious despite spending many millennia trapped in the frozen ground.
  • The virus emerged due to the thawing of permafrost as the global temperature is rising.
  • The new strain is one of 13 viruses, each of which possesses its own genome.
  • The oldest, dubbed Pandoravirus yedoma after the mythological character Pandora, was 48,500 years old, a record age for a frozen virus returning to a state where it has the potential to infect other organisms.
  • This has broken the previous record held by a 30,000-year-old virus discovered by the same team in Siberia in 2013.
• Causes:
  • One-quarter of the Northern hemisphere is underlain by permanently frozen ground, referred to as permafrost.
  • Due to climate warming, irreversibly thawing permafrost is releasing organic matter frozen for up to a million years, most of which decomposes into carbon dioxide and methane, further enhancing the greenhouse effect.
  • Part of this organic matter also consists of revived cellular microbes (prokaryotes, unicellular eukaryotes) as well as viruses that remained dormant since prehistoric times.
• Potential Impact:
  • All of the “zombie viruses” have the potential to be infectious and hence pose a “health danger” after researching the live cultures.
  • It is believed that pandemics like Covid-19 will become more common in the future as melting permafrost releases long-dormant viruses like a microbial Captain America.

New Technology:

ChatGPT Chatbot

• Context:
  • Recently, OpenAI has introduced a new chatbot called ChatGPT, which is a ‘conversational’ AI and will answer queries just like a human would.
• What is ChatGPT?
  • About:
  • The ChatGPT can answer “follow-up questions”, and can also “admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests.”
  • It is based on the company’s GPT 3.5 series of language learning models (LLM).
  • GPT stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 and this is a kind of computer language model that relies on deep learning techniques to produce human-like text based on inputs.
  • The model is trained to predict what will come next, and that’s why one can technically have a ‘conversation’ with ChatGPT.
  • The chatbot was also trained using Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF).
• Usage:
  • It can be used in real-world applications such as digital marketing, online content creation, answering customer service queries or as some users have found, even to help debug code.
  • The bot can respond to a large range of questions while imitating human speaking styles.
  • It is being seen as a replacement for the basic emails, party planning lists, CVs, and even college essays and homework.
  • It can also be used to write code, as examples have shown.
• Limitations:
  • The chatbot displayed clear racial and sexist biases, which remains a problem with almost all AI models.
  • The chatbot gives answers which are grammatically correct and read well– though some have pointed out that these lack context and substance, which is largely true.
  • ChatGPT occasionally produces inaccurate information and that its knowledge is restricted to global events that occurred before 2021.
• What is a Chatbot?
  • About:
  • Chatbots, also called chatterbots, is a form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) used in messaging apps.
  • This tool helps add convenience for customers—they are automated programs that interact with customers like a human would and cost little to nothing to engage with.
  • Key examples are chatbots used by businesses in Facebook Messenger, or as virtual assistants, such as Amazon's Alexa.
  • Chatbots tend to operate in one of two ways—either via machine learning or with set guidelines.
  • However, due to advancements in AI technology, chatbots using set guidelines are becoming a historical footnote.
• Types:
• Chatbot with Set Guidelines:
  • It can only respond to a set number of requests and vocabulary and is only as intelligent as its programming code.
  • An example of a limited bot is an automated banking bot that asks the caller some questions to understand what the caller wants to do.
• Machine Learning Chatbot:
  • A chatbot that functions through machine learning have an artificial neural network inspired by the neural nodes of the human brain.
  • The bot is programmed to self-learn as it is introduced to new dialogues and words.
  • In effect, as a chatbot receives new voice or textual dialogues, the number of inquiries that it can reply to and the accuracy of each response it gives increases.
  • Meta (as Facebook's parent company is now known) has a machine learning chatbot that creates a platform for companies to interact with their consumers through the Messenger application.
• Advantages:
  • Chatbots are convenient for providing customer service and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • They also free up phone lines and are far less expensive over the long run than hiring people to perform support.
  • Using AI and natural language processing, chatbots are becoming better at understanding what customers want and providing the help they need.
  • Companies also like chatbots because they can collect data about customer queries, response times, satisfaction, and so on.
• Disadvantages:
  • Even with natural language processing, they may not fully comprehend a customer's input and may provide incoherent answers.
  • Many chatbots are also limited in the scope of queries that they are able to respond to.
  • Chatbots can be expensive to implement and maintain, especially if they must be customized and updated often.
  • The challenges of AI metamorphosing into sentient are far in the future; however, unethical AI perpetuating historical bias and echoing hate speech are the real dangers to watch for.

Deepfake Technology

• Context:
  • The Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s cyberspace watchdog, is rolling out new regulations to restrict the use of deep synthesis technology and curb disinformation.
  • The policy requires deep synthesis service providers and users to ensure that any doctored content using the technology is explicitly labelled and can be traced back to its source.
• What is Deep Synthesis?
  • Deep synthesis is defined as the use of technologies, including deep learning and augmented reality, to generate text, images, audio and video to create virtual scenes.
  • One of the most notorious applications of the technology is deepfakes, where synthetic media is used to swap the face or voice of one person for another.
• Deepfakes are getting harder to detect with the advancement of technology.
• What is Deepfake Technology?
• About:
  • Deepfake technology is a method for manipulating videos, images, audios utilizing powerful computers and deep learning.
  • It is used to generate fake news and commit financial fraud among other wrong doings.
  • It overlays a digital composite over an already-existing video, picture, or audio; cybercriminals use Artificial Intelligence technology.
• Origin of the Word:
  • The term deepfake originated in 2017, when an anonymous Reddit user called himself “Deepfakes.”
  • This user manipulated Google’s open-source, deep-learning technology to create and post pornographic videos.
• Misuse:
  • Deepfake technology is now being used for nefarious purposes like scams and hoaxes, celebrity pornography, election manipulation, social engineering, automated disinformation attacks, identity theft and financial fraud etc.
  • Deepfake technology has been used to impersonate notable personalities like former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, etc.
• What are other Countries doing to Combat Deepfakes?
• European Union:
  • The European Union has an updated Code of Practice to stop the spread of disinformation through deepfakes.
  • The revised Code requires tech companies including Google, Meta, and Twitter to take measures in countering deepfakes and fake accounts on their platforms.
  • They have six months to implement their measures once they have signed up to the Code.
  • If found non-compliant, these companies can face fines as much as 6% of their annual global turnover, according to the updated Code.
  • Introduced in 2018, the Code of Practice on Disinformation brought together for the first-time worldwide industry players to commit to counter disinformation.
• United States:
  • The U.S. introduced the bipartisan Deepfake Task Force Act to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to counter deepfake technology.
  • The measure directs the DHS to conduct an annual study of deepfakes assess the technology used, track its uses by foreign and domestic entities, and come up with available countermeasures to tackle the same.
  • California and Texas have passed laws that criminalize the publishing and distributing of deepfake videos that intend to influence the outcome of an election. The law in Virginia imposes criminal penalties on the distribution of nonconsensual deepfake pornography.
• India:
  • In India, however, there are no legal rules against using deepfake technology.
  • However, specific laws can be addressed for misusing the tech, which include Copyright Violation, Defamation and cyber felonies.
• Way forward
  • As media consumers, we must be able to decipher, understand, translate, and use the information we encounter.
  • The best method to deal with this problem is with technical solutions supported by artificial intelligence that can recognize and block deep fakes.
  • Prior to resolving the issues associated with deep fakes, media literacy has to be improved.
  • There is also a need for easy-to-use and accessible technology solutions to detect deep fakes, authenticate media, and amplify authoritative sources.
  • On the part of society, to counter the menace of deep fakes, there is a need to take the responsibility to be a critical consumer of media on the Internet, think and pause before sharing on social media, and be part of the solution.

Natovenator Polydontus

• Context:
  • Recently, Natovenator polydontus was seen in the news.
• About Natovenator polydontus:
  • It is part of the dinosaur group called theropods – sharing traits including bipedalism – best known for large meat-eaters including Tyrannosaurus, Tarbosaurus, and Giganotosaurus. 
  • It lived about 72 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period and was built like a diving bird with a streamlined body while possessing a goose-like elongated neck and a long flattened snout with a mouth bearing more than 100 small teeth. 
  • Characteristics: It measured about 18 inches (45 cm) long, with a skull about 3 inches (7 cm) long. 
  • Its front limbs appeared somewhat flattened, perhaps as an adaptation for paddling and swimming. 
  • The streamlining of its body is shown by ribs that point toward the tail, as in diving birds, an arrangement that reduces drag in the water and allows efficient swimming.
  • “Natovenator – which means ‘swimming thief’ – is an amazing little animal for several reasons. 
  • It is small and delicate. It looked more like a lizard or mammal skeleton than a dinosaur. 
  • It is very specialized for living in an environment not typical for an animal related to Velociraptor and its other relatives. 
  • It was adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle in a freshwater ecosystem, perhaps floating on rivers and lakes, paddling with its front limbs, and using its flexible neck to catch fish and insects or diving underwater to capture its prey
  • it was a cousin of the speedy little predator Velociraptor.
  • A close relative of Natovenator named Halszkaraptor, described in 2017, lived a similar lifestyle at roughly the same time in the same region. 
  • Both had a very bird-like appearance and were closely related to the bird lineage.
  • Its well-preserved remains – a skeleton about 70% complete – were unearthed in the Gobi Desert, which over the decades has been a treasure trove for dinosaur fossils.

Strep A bacterial infection

• Context:
  • The number of Strep A infection cases has increased recently in the UK, especially after COVID-19 restrictions are no longer mandatory.
• About:
• What is Strep A?
  • Strep A, also known as Group A Streptococcus, is a bacterium found in the throat and on the skin.
  • It can cause many different infections, ranging from mild to serious. Some of these diseases include Strep throat, Scarlet fever, Impetigo, Necrotizing fasciitis, Cellulitis etc.
  • These are communicable and can spread through coughs, sneezes and close contact.
  • These infections usually tend to be fairly harmless but in very rare circumstances when the bacterium produces a toxin it can gain access to the bloodstream and cause really serious illness.
  • Antibiotics are usually effective at treating Strep A or iGAS infections. Currently, there is no vaccine available to prevent them.

Gaslighting

• Context:
  • Recently, Merriam-Webster, America's oldest dictionary publisher, has chosen “Gaslighting” as its Word of the Year.
  • Searches on its website for the word have spiked by 1,740% in 2022, according to the company.
• What is Gaslighting?
  • About:
  • Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gaslighting as “psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time, that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, the uncertainty of one’s emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator.”
  • Gaslighting involves an imbalance of power between the abuser and the person they’re gaslighting.
  • Abusers often exploit stereotypes or vulnerabilities related to gender, sexuality, race, nationality and/or class.
• The emergence of the Word:
  • The term “Gaslighting” comes from the title of the 1938 play “Gas Light” by Patrick Hamilton, and the movie is based on that play, the plot of which involves a man attempting to make his wife believe that she is going insane.
• Impact on Mental Health:
  • Gaslighting is meant to provoke uncertainty and self-doubt, which is often harmful to a victim’s mental health.
  • A victim of gaslighting may experience Anxiety, Depression, Disorientation, and Lowered self-esteem.
• What are Some Common Signs of Gaslighting?
  • The “Twilight Zone” Effect:
    • Victims of gaslighting often report feeling like a situation is surreal, it’s happening on a different plane from the rest of their life.
    • Being told that the victim is exaggerating.
    • Feeling confused and powerless after leaving an interaction.
  • Isolation:
    • Many gaslighters make efforts to isolate victims from friends, family and other support networks.
  • Tone Policing:
    • A gaslighter may criticize the tone of voice if the person challenges them on something. This is a tactic used to flip the script and make them feel that they are the ones to blame, rather than the abuser.
  • A Cycle of Warm-Cold Behavior:
    • To throw a victim off balance, a gaslighter may alternate between verbal abuse and praise, often even in the same conversation.
• What is the Significance of Gaslighting in Modern Times?
• Gaslighting of Misinformation:
  • In this age of misinformation—of “fake news,” conspiracy theories, Twitter trolls, and deepfakes—gaslighting has emerged as a word for Modern Times.
• Gaslighting and Gender:
• Gaslighting in Medicine:
  • Some women are gaslighted by their doctors, who may use the stereotype that women are irrational and convince a female patient that nothing is actually wrong with her.
• Public or Collective Gaslighting:
  • Many women experience the effects of public gaslighting, also called collective gaslighting, when statements by a public figure or an ordinary person that are widely shared on social media can lead women as a collective to second-guess themselves.
• Gaslighting of Transgender People:
  • A gaslighter may try to convince a transgender person that they have a mental health disorder.
• Gaslighting in the Legal System:
  • The legal system becomes a critical site of gaslighting when abusers gain control of the narrative and ‘flip’ stories, drawing on stereotypes about women as irrational and aggressive.
• Gaslighting and Race:
  • The political, social, economic and cultural process that perpetuates and normalizes a white supremacist reality through pathologizing those who resist is the prime example of Gaslighting and Race.
• Gaslighting in the Workplace:
  • If a person in a position of power causes one to question themselves in a way that is negatively affecting their career or confidence in their abilities, they may be experiencing gaslighting.
• Gaslighting in Politics:
  • In modern times, it’s not uncommon for a politician or political entity to use gaslighting as a tactic to divert public discourse and use manipulation to garner support for or against a certain viewpoint.

Goblin Mode

• Context:
  • ‘Goblin Mode’ is Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2022. 
• About Goblin Mode
  • It is a “slang term”.
  • Meaning: “a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations”.
  • Usage:  often used in the expressions ‘in goblin mode’ or ‘to go goblin mode’ 
  • The first Oxford word of the year to be chosen by public vote.
• Oxford’s Word of the Year 2022
• About:
  • It is a word or expression that has attracted a great deal of interest over the last 12 months. 
  • Decided every year
  • Reflects the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of that particular year and has lasting potential as a word of cultural significance.
  • Second place: Metaverse
  • Third place: #IStandWith

Badri cow

• Context:
  • Recently, Uttarakhand planned genetic enhancement of its indigenous Badri cow.
  • This includes Sex-sorted semen and embryo transfer technology to improve the production of cattle as part of the ten-year State plan. 
• About Badri cow:
  • Badri/Pahari desi cow is a native cow species of Uttarakhand.
  • Badri cow is the first registered cattle breed of Uttarakhand which has been certified by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).
  • It grazes on the medicinal herbs of the Himalayas. 
  • It is far away from toxic pollution, polythene, and other harmful things that cows in the plains eat.
  • Its milk has rich medicinal content and high organic value.
• Issue related to the breed 
  • Its milk production capacity is quite less as it gives one to three liters of milk per day.
• Measures were taken by the Government 
  • The state will promote Badri ghee.
  • Marketing of gaumutra ark (distilled cow urine)and cow dung.
  • Panchgavya (the five products of the cow, including milk, curd, ghee, dung, and urine). 
• New methods to be implemented:
  • Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer (MOET): a conventional embryo flush which is the most common procedure used in advanced cattle breeding.
  • Ovum pickup in vitro fertilisation (IVF): It will be used to increase the yield per animal.
  • Introducing Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART).
• Some Indigenous cattle breeds in India
  • Alambadi, Amritmahal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Sahiwal, Bargur, Hallikar, Kangayam, Pulikulam

Ikki Jathre

• Context:
  • Recently, a Kerala-based organisation, Thanal launched the Ikki Jathre or the Festival of Rice in tribal parlance whereby 300 climate-resilient varieties of traditional rice were planted at Panavally, Wayanad.
  • Thanal initiated the Rice Diversity Block (RDB) at Panavally under the Save Our Rice campaign in 2009, with a collection of 30 varieties of rice which now expanded to 300.
• What is Ikki Jathre?
  • The initiative aims to sensitise people to the significance of conserving traditional crops that have the ability to withstand harsh climatic conditions.
  • The festival also sets the stage for knowledge sharing and co-creation of knowledge between tribal farmers and experts.
  • For the RDB, most of the varieties were collected from Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
  • Also, there are three traditional rice varieties from Vietnam and Thailand.
• What is the Save Our Rice Campaign?
• About:
  • Save our rice campaign is a people’s movement to protect the diverse rice cultures, and knowledge, and ensure food sovereignty.
  • In India, it started in 2004 and empowers communities to build sustainable food security and livelihood.
• Functions:
  • Establishing community RDBs and seed banks, conserving and promoting indigenous varieties of paddy seeds.
  • Creating awareness about the value of rice diversity among urban consumers.
  • Facilitating the adoption of agroecological farming in rice ecosystems, and encouraging farmers, states and local governments to adopt indigenous seeds.
  • Enabling active discussions in the media about indigenous seeds and agro-ecological farming.
• What are the Key Facts About Rice?
  • Rice is a staple food for most of the population in India.
  • It is a Kharif crop which requires high temperature, (above 25°C) and high humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm.
  • In areas with less rainfall, it is grown with the help of irrigation.
  • In southern states and West Bengal, the climatic conditions allow the cultivation of two or three crops of rice in an agricultural year.
  • In West Bengal farmers grow three crops of rice called ‘aus’, ‘aman’ and ‘boro’.
  • About one-fourth of the total cropped area in India is under rice cultivation.
  • Leading Producer States: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab.
  • High Yielding States: Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal and Kerala.
  • India is the second-largest producer of rice after China.

Bihar Hooch Tragedy

• Context:
  • Recently, the Bihar government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe deaths due to the consumption of spurious liquor in the Saran district which took 82 lives as of now.
• More about the news
  • State Subject: Although the prohibition of alcohol use is encouraged in the constitution of India (Article 47, DPSP), alcohol policy is a state subject. 
  • States are having full control of alcohol-related legislation, excise rates and the production, distribution and sale of alcohol. 
  • The sale and consumption of alcohol were banned in Bihar in 2016.
  • Bihar continues to witness liquor sales on the black market and deaths owing to the consumption of locally made spurious liquor.
• History of Hooch tragedies
  • Increasing trend: The number of hooch-related deaths has been on a rise in the country. 
  • 3 people on average die every single day due to spurious liquor poisoning in the country. 
  • Top states: Recently, the Lok Sabha released a detailed report of the top 5 states that reported the greatest number of deaths due to the consumption of illegal and spurious liquor in the year 2016 to 2020 with Bihar and Chhattisgarh topping the list. 
  • Data: According to the data, over 6,000 deaths were reported between 2016 and 2020 due to the consumption of spurious liquor with the lowest number of deaths in 2020 at 947.
• What is spurious liquor? 
  • Spurious liquor means liquor which has been adulterated with an object to bring intoxication and is harmful to consumers. 
  • It is cheap and is mostly used by the lower strata of our society. 
  • It contains a higher percentage of methyl alcohol which is poisonous. 
  • Consumption of such liquor may cause blindness, other serious health problems and even death. 
  • Sometimes even other chemicals are mixed with the ethyl alcohol so that the consumer gets a feeling of intoxication. 
  • Even these are highly poisonous and can cause severe damage to the body and even death can occur.
• Why do people fall prey to such liquor?
  • Demand-supply relation: It is a result of a simple demand vs supply problem, and the cost adds to the complication. 
  • Liquor ban: Several instances of hooch tragedies can mostly be traced back to incidents that occur in states where liquor is banned. 
  • Cheap alternative: People tend to look for a cheap alternative out of desperation. 
  • They are also easy targets for bootleggers trying to make quick money by selling cheap, low-quality liquor that they sell in a bid to make good profits.
• Arguments in favour of Liquor ban
  • Not a loss of revenue: it is possible to have a robust economy even without selling liquor. If the government ensures that there are zero tax evasions, black money stashed abroad is brought back to the country and corruption is controlled in the government.
  • DPSP: the state government has a responsibility to safeguard public health. The Directive Principles of State Policy clearly say that the State is responsible for raising the level of nutrition, the standard of living and public health.
  • Injurious to Health: It is known to everyone that liquor is injurious to health and no doctor has ever suggested that liquor will improve a person’s health. It causes damage not only to the liver but also hampers the functioning of the entire body.
  • Affects poor people: In poor households where a person is addicted to alcohol, a major share of the household income which should have been spent for the betterment of the standard of life goes into liquor.
  • Social Issues: Liquor is also the reason behind perpetuating domestic violence, hampering family bonds, couples getting divorced and children getting neglected.
  • Addiction and rise in crimes: With the easy availability of liquor youngsters are getting addicted. As far as crimes are concerned, it appears that a large percentage of crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol.
  • Crime rate: If the government prohibits liquor it will also result in a decline in the crime rate.
• Arguments against Liquor ban
  • Revenue for the Government: The government argues that the sale of liquor provides it with good revenue in terms of excise duty and that the money is required to develop the economy.
  • The Legal Angle: A rise in crime due to withdrawal symptoms and an inability to find and consume alcohol would be a major problem.
  • Rise in violent crime: This is indicative because if someone wants to consume alcohol under prohibition, then they will have to employ illegal methods. This is the fear that is there behind prohibiting alcohol.
  • Right to Liquor: The arguments that support the contention that the Fundamental Rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution include the right to consume and trade liquor mainly pertain to Articles 21 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.
• Way Forward
  • Not a fundamental Right: Presently, no Indian citizen has the fundamental right to consume and trade liquor. Respective state governments have a monopoly over the liquor market in India. 
  • Awareness: Experts continue to advocate awareness and not a prohibition to be the way to go especially in states where the law already prohibits the use of it.
  • Inelastic behaviour: Experts continue to argue that alcohol consumption is inelastic, and this is true for states that don’t have a ban on liquor and yet see a huge spike in deaths due to spurious liquor consumption.