Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• Our millennial attitudes are in uneven transition
• Reclaiming India’s past- Greater focus and investment are required to understand the evolution of India’s diverse and inclusive cultural heritage

GS Paper 2

• The 2047 Dream- Developed country? Provided India undertakes a tough but doable set of internal reforms
• So Much Data But Not Much Protection
• Consumption-based poverty estimates have relevance
• Why is the Cauvery water sharing issue flaring up again?

GS Paper 3

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

Our millennial attitudes are in uneven transition

News: In this article author discusses findings from a survey on Indian millennials’ views on population growth, family values, and social biases. It highlights their mixed feelings about India’s demographic changes and persistent prejudices, especially towards the LGBTIQ+ community.

What are the major findings of the latest Mint YouGov-CPR biannual millennial survey?

Views on population:

33% see India’s large population as a problem.

26% believe in India’s demographic advantage; 40% are neutral.

Only 31% are proud of India being the world’s most populous nation; 26% are embarrassed.

Economic Growth and Comparison to China:

49% of urban Indians believe India’s population can be an asset with the right investments.

Better education and factory jobs are viewed as essential for growth like China.

China is seen as having done better in population control, job creation, and poverty reduction.

Marriage and Family Values:

35% of millennials and 38% of post-millennials view marriage as important, compared to 55% of pre-millennials.

49% believe in children living with and caring for elderly parents.

28% want parents to be independent; 23% believe parents need support but shouldn’t live with children.

Social Biases:

55% of parents want their children to marry the opposite gender.

50% prefer marital partners without disabilities; 42% want marriages within their religion.

21% are uncomfortable with an LGBTIQ+ neighbor.

People from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, unmarried men, physically disabled, and other faiths are also subjects of bias.

Reclaiming India’s past- Greater focus and investment are required to understand the evolution of India’s diverse and inclusive cultural heritage

News: In this article, the author emphasizes India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, which has been influenced by various global interactions throughout history. The author also stresses the importance of recognizing and preserving this multifaceted legacy for a better understanding of the Indian identity.

What have shaped the India’s Cultural Tapestry?

Geographical Advantage: India’s strategic location at trade intersections enabled interactions with different countries. For example, its coastline connected it with the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

Cross-cultural Interactions: India witnessed a flow of traders, pilgrims, and invaders, leading to a fusion of cultures. This brought in influences from Central Asia, Iran, and beyond.

Linguistic Blends: Languages like Hindi and Urdu integrated foreign words. For instance, “akhbaar” in Hindi, meaning newspaper, is from Arabic.

Religious Diversity: India’s acceptance of varied spiritual paths, such as Sufism alongside traditional beliefs, added depth to its cultural tapestry.

Culinary and Material Exchanges: Elements seen as inherently Indian, like tea or potatoes, are in fact foreign introductions, highlighting the interweaving of diverse influences in India’s cultural fabric.

Why is it important to recognize and preserve the rich and diverse cultural heritage of India?

Identity and Unity: Recognizing India’s diverse heritage helps understand its unique identity. The integration of words like “akhbaar” from Arabic into Hindi showcases this blend.

Valuing Global Bonds: Appreciating India’s past interactions, like its maritime connections to the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, underscores its longstanding global relations.

Promote Inclusivity: Celebrating India’s varied influences, such as the acceptance of both Sufism and traditional beliefs, encourages mutual respect and unity among its diverse population.

Preservation of Knowledge: Retrieving and studying lost Indian texts, preserved in places like Tibet, helps in conserving ancient wisdom, as seen with the Samhita project’s endeavors.

Understanding Reciprocal Influences: Recognizing how India has impacted countries like Indonesia and China deepens appreciation for its cultural exports.

Encouraging Research: Acknowledging this rich tapestry can inspire further research, shedding light on India’s multifaceted history and its global interactions.

GS Paper 2

The 2047 Dream- Developed country? Provided India undertakes a tough but doable set of internal reforms

News: In this article author discusses India’s potential to become a developed nation by 2047. For this, he emphasizes the need for economic reforms, better opportunities for the young population, increased women’s workforce participation, improved global trade, and enhancing the overall quality of life.

What are the potential factors that could help India become a developed nation by 2047?

Young Population: India has the world’s largest population below 30, providing a large workforce.

Educated Women: More girls than boys are studying in STEM fields.

Global South Voice: India’s position allows it to represent developing nations after the pandemic.

Global Influence: As G20 president, India addressed issues like the Global South’s debt crisis.

What does India need to become a developed nation by 2047?

Reevaluate Economic Classifications: India is currently a lower middle-income country as per World Bank. Relying solely on per capita gross national income might be misleading; Bermuda ranks higher than the U.S.

Address Underemployment: There’s a slow transition of youth from farms to industries. Focusing on productive sectors can create more opportunities for the young population.

Boost Women’s Workforce Participation: Women’s participation rate was only 24% in 2022, compared to the global average of 47%. Improved public safety and transport can enable more women to work.

Redefine Trade Policy: India is 18th in global merchandise export rankings. A shift from protectionist policies can promote cross-border trade.

Implement Internal Reforms: Embrace reforms to unshackle the economy’s potential. Improve human capital quality to support growth.

So Much Data But Not Much Protection

News: In this article, the author criticizes India’s new Digital Personal Data Protection Law. He believes that this law will weaken user data protection, favor data collection without proper consent, and provide the government with too much power and control, potentially compromising citizens’ privacy.

What are the limitations of India’s new Digital Personal Data Protection law?

Limitations of India’s new Digital Personal Data Protection law:

Weak Notice Provision:

Clause 5: Data collecting companies (data fiduciaries) don’t need to inform users (data principals) about sharing their data with third parties.

They aren’t required to specify how long the data will be stored. No information on data transfers to other countries.

Consent Issues:

While the ‘deemed consent’ was replaced, the new law still has issues.

Clause 7: Lists ‘legitimate uses’ of data, but they are vaguely defined.

Clause 4: Many uses don’t require user consent, including state functions and medical reasons, potentially undermining privacy.

Government Immunity:   

The law allows the government vast powers to gather and process citizens’ data.

Clause 17: Expands exemptions for the government. Data shared with certain government bodies remains exempt from the law, even if shared with non-exempt bodies.

Compromised Independence:

The Data Protection Board lacks independence as its members are appointed by the government.

Undefined Data Fiduciary Category:

Some entities, based on “volume and nature of personal data processed”, might get exemptions.

These “super significant data fiduciaries” won’t have to notify users about data collection, storage, or sharing.

The criteria for these exemptions are unclear, giving the government full discretion.

Overall Theme:

The law leans towards data collection and commercialization, rather than robustly protecting citizens’ rights and data privacy.

Consumption-based poverty estimates have relevance

News– A recent report by NITI Aayog on multidimensional poverty shows that the percentage of the poor has gone down from 25% in 2015-16 to 15% in 2019-21 and around 135 million people were lifted out of poverty during this period.

What is the comparison of poverty estimation of Multidimensional Poverty Index and survey based on consumption expenditure?

As per the report of the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2018, India has made significant progress in reducing multidimensional poverty.

The prevalence of multidimensional poverty witnessed a reduction of nearly 50% between 2005-06 and 2015-16. It dropped to 27.5%. In the last decade, the count of poor individuals in India decreased by over 271 million.

The calculations of poverty based on methodology recommended by the Tendulkar committee reveal that the number of individuals living in poverty decreased by 137 million between 2004-05 and 2011-12.

According to the approach suggested by the Rangarajan Committee, the reduction between 2009-10 and 2011-12 amounts to 92 million. It means an annual reduction of 46 million. Over a decade, this reduction surpasses the global Multidimensional Poverty Index.

In terms of absolute figures, the poverty rates calculated using the Tendulkar and Rangarajan Committee methods are lower than those estimated by the global MPI.

What are issues with the multidimensional poverty index?

As per Expert Group to review the Methodology for Measuring Poverty (2014), there are issues regarding the use of multiple indicators.

It is due to the various complexities like measurement challenges, the need for aggregation across indicators, and the availability of suitable data at reasonably frequent intervals.

These matters should be scrutinized and evaluated. For example, the child mortality indicator is calculated for a population group rather than individual households. So, aggregation of the 2 types of data is difficult.

Ideally, these indicators should remain distinct. For instance, an indicator like access to safe drinking water shouldn’t be combined with an indicator like child mortality.

It’s entirely possible to analyse the non-income indicators like education, health, sanitation, alongside income or consumption poverty. But transforming all these indicators into a single index presents numerous challenges.

For most individuals, wealth or poverty is associated with income levels. The various non-income poverty indicators fundamentally reflect insufficient income.

Defining poverty in terms of income or, when income data is unavailable, in terms of expenditure, appears most suitable. This is the method followed by most countries.

Official data on consumer expenditure beyond 2011-12 is lacking. It makes it difficult to compare trends with the multidimensional poverty index. The consumption expenditure survey conducted in 2017-18 has not been officially released.

In the absence of such data, several studies have been conducted on poverty using indirect methods and data sources like the CMIE and PLFS. It results in varying conclusions.

What should be done?

Past surveys have clearly demonstrated a substantial decrease in the poverty ratio during periods of robust economic growth. However, in recent years, including the period affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the growth rate has diminished.

It’s reasonable to suspect that the rate at which the poverty ratio is decreasing may have slowed down.

The current consumption expenditure survey is going on. To ensure consistency for comparison purposes, it’s advisable to adopt a single methodology. Hence, awaiting the publication of the survey results is the most prudent course of action.

It is crucial to complement the outcomes of consumption surveys with an examination of the influence of public expenditure on health and education.

The disparity in aggregated consumption estimates between the National Accounts Statistics (NAS) and the NSS data. Such disparities are not unique to India.

This discrepancy in India has been widening over time. It has escalated to 53.1% in 2011-12.

The National Statistical Office should investigate this issue and propose potential measures to enhance data collection through both avenues.

Why is the Cauvery water sharing issue flaring up again?

News– Recently, the Tamil Nadu government approached the Supreme Court to make Karnataka immediately release 24,000 cusecs water from its reservoirs and ensure the availability of the specified quantity at Biligundlu on the inter-State border for the remainder of the month.

How is the water being shared?

As per monthly schedule, Karnataka is obligated to provide Tamil Nadu with a total volume of 177.25 TMC during a standard water year spanning from June to May.

Out of this quantity, 123.14 TMC is slated to be transferred from June to September.

The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has been established to ensure the enforcement of the court’s decision.

Why has T.N. approached the SC?

During its session on August 11, the CWMA expressed the need for Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs of water at Biligundlu for the next 15 days.

Karnataka would be required to provide 0.86 TMC of water daily or a total of 12.9 TMC over the 15-day period.

Tamil Nadu was upset over Karnataka’s rejection of its commitment during the CWRC meeting, which was set at 15,000 cusecs for a 15-day duration.

Karnataka stated its intention to release only 8,000 cusecs.

How has Karnataka responded?

Karnataka has argued that decreased rainfall in the Cauvery catchment area has resulted in insufficient inflow into its reservoirs.

As per data from the Meteorological Department Kodagu district is experiencing rainfall deficit. It is the source of the Cauvery river.

What lies next?

The people of Tamil Nadu are eagerly anticipating Karnataka ‘s stand over the decision made by the Authority.

The current storage level of Tamil Nadu’s Mettur reservoir is critically low. This amount would only be sufficient for around 10 days. However, water will be required for at least one more month to sustain the ongoing short-term crop, kuruvai.

The perspective of the Supreme Court on this matter is yet to be determined. It remains uncertain how the Supreme Court will perceive the situation.

GS Paper 3

Express View on Himachal Pradesh tragedy: A slippery slope

News– recently cloudbursts and landslides in Himachal Pradesh claimed the lives of 50 people.

What are the reasons behind the recent disaster in Himachal Pradesh?

Floods and landslides are frequent occurrences in the Himalayan region. These youthful mountains are characterised by geological activity. The area has a prolonged history of landslides.

As per the ISRO’s Landslide Atlas of India, all twelve districts in Himachal Pradesh are vulnerable to landslides. However, recent years have witnessed an increase in the instability of the slopes.

According to data from the state’s disaster management records, the number of landslides surged by nearly sixfold between 2020 and 2022.

Climate change and the rise in instances of extreme rainfall events have aggravated the vulnerabilities. Indeed, the average temperature in the Himalayas is increasing at a faster pace compared to the rest of the country.

The ecologically insensitive development has compromised Himachal Pradesh’s ability to withstand adverse weather conditions.

Over the last decade, the state has been widening roads. A total of 69 national highway projects has gained approval during this period. Five of them are designated as four-lane highways.

Road development should consider the ecological vulnerabilities of the area. The road expansion initiatives have neglected to consider the stability of slopes.

Furthermore, there is minimal planning regarding the management of construction debris. The Himachal Pradesh High Court has expressed grave concerns about the “poorly executed construction” of roads within the state.

Early Warning Systems designed to notify people about impending landslides are in their initial stages of development in the country. In Kangra, the EWS failed to effectively alert people about a landslide that occurred in the first week of this month.

Way forward-

Effectively addressing the uncertainties of weather will necessitate significant shifts in approaches and interventions at multiple levels.

The tragic incident in Himachal should serve as a cautionary signal for policymakers against deferring such initiatives.

Disaster in the Himalayas: No one likes to say that tourism brings trouble

News– Article discusses the effects of infrastructure developments for tourism industry on Himalayas.

What is the recent development in Amsterdam that sets an example for tourism industry?

The city’s mayor has decided to prohibit cruise ships from docking in the central area. A study conducted in 2021 revealed that a single large cruise ship emits as much nitrogen oxide in one day as 30,000 trucks.

Each cruise ship brings around 7,000 tourists, contributing to employment and local businesses in the city.

How development startegy adopted by Himalayan states are contributing to disaters?

The landslides along highways and the destruction of bridges has minimal influence on the economic strategies of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

There is a clash of narratives . On one side is the discourse of development, where tourism occupies a central role, particularly in hilly regions. On the opposing side, there is the outcry of nature conservationists.

Throughout the Himalayan region, hospitality sector has given little consideration to the disappearance of forests or the disposal of waste.

Rivers serve as the ultimate drainage systems. In the hills, landslides’ debris cleared periodically to alleviate traffic congestion on highways is deposited in rivers

The government prioritize reconstructing the damaged highway segments and bridge rather than rather than changing its strategy.

How attitude of tourism industry is threat to Himalyan ecology?

The prevailing policy is guided by the belief that the tourism industry is the linchpin of prosperity. Thers is underestimation of the ecological impacts of unrestricted tourism on Himalayan ecosystem.

Tourists’ behavior increasingly aligns with established stereotypes. They are often perceived as individuals seeking enjoyment.

Ensuring their lavish experiences is seen as a fundamental aspect of hospitality, even in pilgrimage destinations.

Occurrences like forest fires during the summer and the occurrence of landslides and floods during rainy seasons are now anticipated as potential disasters.

Tourists don’t appear to recognize that their style of travel can harm the mountainous regions. They seem to be oblivious to news about these incidents.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Metagenome sequencing is transforming pathogen surveillance

Source: The post is based on the article “Metagenome sequencing is transforming pathogen surveillance” published in The Hindu on 16^th August 2023.

What is the news?

Genome sequencing technologies have been useful in detecting the SARS-CoV-2 as the causative agent of COVID-19 as well as other diseases.

What is Genome Sequencing?

Click Here to Read

Genome sequencing allows scientists to rapidly and accurately detect pathogens from various sources like wastewater, air, soil, and animals.

What are the different genome sequencing technologies that help in surveillance of COVID-19 and other diseases?

Metagenomics rapidly studies the virus’s genetic information, without prior knowledge of the infectious agent. It helped in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 without going into the time-consuming microbiology route with the samples.

In Nigeria, the technique helped in finding 13 viruses causing illness, discovered human blood-associated dicistrovirus 2, and linked pegivirus C to Lassa fever severity.

CovidSeq assay is another genome sequencing technology developed by scientists.

GISAID is an online repository on which scientists can store the genetic information of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This shows that scientists are using high-throughput genome surveillance activities.

Note: High throughput refers to sequencing techniques that can process a lot of DNAs simultaneously, even an entire genome all at once.

What are other areas of application of genome sequencing?

Genome sequencing helped scientists to control the mpox virus and it is now helping with avian influenza surveillance.

Recently, experts have applied genome sequencing to quickly detect lumpy skin disease in cattle and the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis, along with other applications. Similar efforts have been suggested for Zika and dengue.

Not Just Moon: Isro’s Aditya-L1, India’s first Solar mission, reaches spaceport

Source: The post is based on the article “Not Just Moon: Isro’s Aditya-L1, India’s first Solar mission, reaches spaceport” published in The Times of India on 16^th August 2023.

What is the news?

India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1 is expected to be launched by late August or early September.

About Aditya – L1 Mission

Read Here: India’s first mission to study the sun and Objectives and importance of ISRO’S Aditya-L1 mission

-It is the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun.

-Aditya-L1 will be positioned 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth in a halo orbit around the L1 point. This location offers a significant advantage for observing solar activities and their impact on space weather in real time.

Payloads: The spacecraft carries seven payloads for studying the photosphere, chromosphere, and outer layers of the Sun (known as the corona) by using electromagnetic and particle and magnetic field detectors.

-Out of seven payloads, four payloads will directly view the Sun and the remaining three payloads will carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at L1.

Scientists detect ‘microplastics’ in human heart for first time: Report

Source: The post is based on the article “Scientists detect ‘microplastics’ in human heart for first time: Report” published in Hindustan Times on 16^th August 2023.

What is the news?

Scientists at Beijing Anzhen Hospital in China found microplastics in the heart tissues of patients who had heart surgery.

They also found Polyethylene terephthalate, commonly used in clothing and food containers, as well as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is commonly used in window frames, drainage pipes, paint, and other applications.

What are the issues with the findings?

Microplastics have been suggested to have an indirect role in conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic liver disease by affecting the gastrointestinal tract.

Hence, the discovery of microplastics in heart tissues is concerning. Further research is needed to understand how these microplastics enter the heart tissues and their long-term impact on health after heart surgery.

What are Microplastics?

Click Here to Read

President Murmu pays tribute to Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Barua: Who were these freedom fighters

Source: The post is based on the article “President Murmu pays tribute to Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Barua: Who were these freedom fighters” published in The Indian Express on 16^th August 2023.

What is the news?

President Droupadi Murmu, in her speech on the eve of Independence Day, honored two women freedom fighters – Matangini Hazra and Kanaklata Barua.

Who was Matangini Hazra?

-She was born in 1869 in a village named Hogla, near Tamluk, West Bengal. She was the daughter of a poor farmer. She got married at the age of 12 and became a divorcee at the age of 18. She did not have any children.

-She followed the path of Mahatma Gandhi. Due to her love for Gandhi, she became to be known as Gandhiburi (the old Gandhian woman).

-She was arrested at the age of 61 for joining the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930 and Gandhi’s Salt March. During this period, she became an active member of the Indian National Congress and began spinning khadi, following Gandhi’s footsteps.

-She became more deeply engaged in the freedom movement during Gandhi’s Quit India Movement in August 1942.

-In September 1942, at 73 years old, Hazra led 6,000 mainly women protestors to take over Tamluk police station from the British. She clashed with the police, got shot three times, and fell, chanting ‘Vande Mataram’.

-Due to her sacrifice for the nation, in 1977, the first statue in the Kolkata Maidan was dedicated to Matangini Hazra. Several schools and streets in West Bengal have been named after her.

Who was Kanaklata Barua?

-She belonged to Assam. She was one of the youngest martyrs of the Quit India Movement.

-At the age of 17, she became the leader of a group of freedom fighters known as the “Mrityu Bahini“. She guided the group to hoist the Tricolour at Gohpur police station on September 20, 1942.

-This led to clashes between the protestors and the police. The police firing took the life of Barua.

-Despite being shot, Barua held onto the flag to prevent it from touching the ground. Mukunda Kakoty, another volunteer, also got shot while trying to support the flag.

-In 2020, the Coast Guard honored her memory by naming a Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) after her, known as the ICGS Kanaklata Barua.

PM announces new housing scheme for urban poor; low interest rate loans on offer

Source: The post is based on the article “PM announces new housing scheme for urban poor; low interest rate loans on offer”  published in The Hindu on 16th August 2023.

What is the News?

The Prime Minister has said that the government would soon launch a new scheme to help those living in rented houses in cities to build their own homes.

Under this scheme, they will receive relief in interest rates and loans taken from banks to construct their houses.

What is the existing scheme for housing shortage for urban poor?

Government already has a scheme to address the housing shortage for the urban poor called the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban (PMAY-U).

PMAY-U was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

The mission aims to address the urban housing shortage among the economically backward sections, including the slum dwellers by ensuring a pucca house to all eligible urban households by 2022.

The scheme period though now has been extended up to December 2024 to complete all the houses sanctioned.

Progress of PMAY-U Scheme: A total of 75.51 lakh houses have been completed out of which 71.39 lakh have been occupied till now under the PMAY-U.

– Uttar Pradesh had the largest number of houses followed by Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

What are the other schemes announced by the Prime Minister?

The Prime Minister has also announced that the Vishwakarma scheme will also be launched soon.

Aim of the scheme: To improve the quality, scale and reach of products and services of artisans and craftspeople and to integrate them with the domestic and global value chain. 

– This would result in the economic empowerment of such workers, especially those belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Communities, women, transgender and other weaker sections of the society.

Russia’s Luna-25 sends back first images from space

Source: The post is based on the article “Russia’s Luna-25 sends back first images from space”  published in Indian Express on 16th August 2023.

What is the News?

Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft has successfully captured and transmitted its first images from space.

Even though the Luna-25 was launched weeks after Chandrayaan-3, it could land on the Moon two days earlier. 

What is the Luna 25 Mission?

Launched by: Russia

Aim: To execute a pinpoint landing near the moon’s south pole, a region that has garnered scientific interest due to its potential for revealing critical insights into the moon’s geological composition. 

Objectives: To collect geological samples which will give scientists the opportunity to study this unexplored region of the moon.

– To find water or at least its building blocks which could aid in establishing human colonies in the near future. 

Significance: Russia’s Luna-25 mission is a bid to reclaim some of its prestige back as one of the leaders in space exploration. 

– The last successful lunar mission was the Luna-24 probe launched by the Soviet space programme in 1976.This mission returned with geographical samples which showed the presence of water on the moon.

– Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia has tried to launch two landing missions to Mars–Mars-96 in 1996 and the Phobos Grunt in 2011.Both missions ended with the spacecraft crash-landing into the Pacific Ocean. 

How could Luna-25 reach the Moon before Chandrayaan-3?

Chandrayaan-3 was launched weeks before Russia’s Luna-25 and yet the Russian spacecraft could land on Moon earlier. 

The reasons for that are:

Firstly, Luna-25 weighs much less than Chandrayaan-3, so that it can travel faster. Compared to Chandrayaan-3 weighing 3,900 kg, Luna-25 weighs just 1,750 kg.

Secondly, Luna-25 can store more fuel, so it does not have any fuel efficiency concerns. 

How is Luna-25 different from Chandrayaan-3?

Rover: Apart from being lighter than the Indian mission, Luna-25 does not carry a rover. Chandrayaan-3 has a rover capable of moving around 500 meters.

Mission duration: The India mission is built to last only one lunar day or 14 earth days.This is because it does not have a heating mechanism to keep the electronics safe from the extreme cold temperatures during the lunar night.

– The Russian mission, on the other hand, will work for a year, meaning it has a heating mechanism as well as a power source other than just solar panels.

Kerala likely to face drought due to deficit monsoon

Source: The post is based on the article “Kerala likely to face drought due to deficit monsoon”  published in The Hindu on 16th August 2023. 

What is the News?

Kerala is facing a potential drought-like condition with the monsoon deficit widening.

Why does Kerala might face a potential drought-like condition?

Lack of Monsoon Rainfall: The southwest monsoon has been much weaker than expected, with only 56% of the normal rainfall received between June and August. This has raised concerns about water scarcity, especially considering low reservoir levels.

– Kerala has witnessed deficient monsoon only 14 times since 1901, with the last one in 2016.

Low Reservoir Levels: Reservoirs managed by the Kerala State Electricity Board are at only 37% of their total capacity, far lower than the previous year. 

Impact of El Nino: El Niño, a climate phenomenon, is contributing to the poor monsoon.Sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific are exceeding El Niño thresholds which is likely to continue until early 2024. 

– Additionally, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is currently neutral, further impacting monsoon conditions in Kerala.

– Among the 15 El Niño years India witnessed since 1951, only five El Niño years (1965, 1972, 1987, 2002, and 2015) affected the State. 

India accounts for 35% of cargo handled by Russia’s Arctic Murmansk port this year

Source: The post is based on the article “India accounts for 35% of cargo handled by Russia’s Arctic Murmansk port this year”  published in The Hindu on 16th August 2023.

What is the News?

India’s connection with Russia’s Arctic region has been growing, with a significant portion of cargo handled by the Murmansk port.

In the first seven months of 2023, Murmansk port handled 8 million tonnes of cargo, and 35% of this was from India, primarily coal destined for India’s east coast.

Where is Murmansk port?

Murmansk port is one of the largest ice-free ports in Russia. It is located on the Kola Peninsula at the coast of Barents Sea.

The port ranks fourth in Russia in terms of processed goods and is the second-largest port in northwest Russia (after the port of St. Petersburg). 

Where is the Kola Peninsula?

Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the extreme northwest of Russia and one of the largest peninsulas of Europe.

The peninsula lies almost completely inside the Arctic Circle and is bordered by the Barents Sea to the north and by the White Sea to the east and southeast.

Where is the Barents Sea?

Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and divided between Norwegian and Russian territorial waters.

Where is the Northern Sea Route(NSR)?

The Northern Sea Route (NSR) connects the eastern and western parts of the Arctic Ocean.

It is the shortest shipping route connecting the western part of Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region.

For instance, Suez Canal route between Europe and Asia has a distance of 21,000 kilometres, the NSR has a distance of 13,000 kilometers, reducing the to and fro sailing time from one month to less than two weeks between Europe and Asia.

But there are challenges in navigating the NSR. The route includes the seas of the Arctic Ocean [Kara, Laptev, East Siberian and Chukchi] which remain icebound during most parts of the year.

275 bird species counted during survey at Corbett Tiger Reserve

Source: The post is based on the article “275 bird species counted during survey at Corbett Tiger Reserve”  published in The Hindu on 16th August 2023.

What is the News?

The findings of the survey conducted at Corbett Tiger Reserve has been released.

Who conducted the survey at the Corbett Tiger Reserve?

The survey was conducted by a team consisting of ornithologists, conservationists, volunteers from World Wide Fund (WWF) India, Tiger Conservation Foundation and Village Volunteer Protection Force.

Aim: To provide insights into the diverse bird species inhabiting at Corbett Tiger Reserve.

What are the key findings of the survey?

About 275 bird species were counted during the survey.

Two species namely White-rumped vulture and Red-headed vulture considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN have been documented in the survey.

Two endangered species — Pallas’s fish-eagle, Egyptian vulture were also counted by the researchers in the survey. 

Four vulnerable bird species — great hornbill, great slaty woodpecker, grey-crowned prinia and river tern — have also been counted in the survey.

Around 10 near-threatened bird species — river lapwing, red-breasted parakeet, oriental darter, lesser fish-eagle, Himalayan griffon, great thick-knee, gray-headed fish-eagle, black-necked stork, Asian woolly-necked stork and Alexandrine parakeet — have also been found at the reserve.

WHO and the Ministry of Ayush to host the first-ever Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

Source: The post is based on the article “WHO and the Ministry of Ayush to host the first-ever Global Summit on Traditional Medicine”  published in PIB on 14th August 2023.

What is the News?

The first WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit will take place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

About First WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit:

Organized by: World Health Organization (WHO) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Ayush.

Aim: To bring together various stakeholders, such as traditional medicine practitioners, policymakers, academics, and others on a common platform to share best practices, evidence and innovation related to how traditional medicine contributes to health and sustainable development.

Significance: Traditional and complementary medicine has been vital for health in communities for centuries and has influenced modern medical knowledge. 

– About 40% of today’s medicines have natural origins, including well-known drugs like aspirin and artemisinin.

– Currently, 170 countries have informed WHO about their use of traditional medicine, seeking evidence and data to guide safe, cost-effective, and fair policies and regulations.

About WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine:

In 2022, WHO with the support of the Government of India established the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

Mandate: The centre provides leadership on all global health matters related to traditional medicine as well as extending support to member countries in shaping various policies related to traditional medicine research, practices and public health.

Significance: It is the first and only global outpost for traditional medicine across the globe.

MeitY Secretary launches the ‘Graphene-Aurora Program’

Source: The post is based on the article “MeitY Secretary launches the ‘Graphene-Aurora Program’”  published in PIB on 14th August 2023.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology(MeitY) Secretary has launched the ‘Graphene-Aurora program’ at a function in Maker Village Kochi, Kerala. 

The program shall be implemented by Digital University Kerala with joint funding from MeitY and Government of Kerala and Industry partners.

What is the India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (I-GEIC)?

To be established in: Kerala

Purpose: The centre shall fill the gap between R&D and commercialization by providing a complete facility to startup and industry.

– It shall also nurture the deep/emerging Graphene technology & innovation ecosystem that can guide, develop, implement and support SMEs and startups to commercialize developed graphene technologies for scale adoption.

What is a Maker Village?

Maker Village is a pioneering startup initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India with Indian Institute of Information Technology, Trivandrum as the implementation agency and Kerala Startup Mission as the supporting partner. 

It is India’s largest electronic hardware incubator and ESDM (Electronics System Design & Manufacturing) facility.

What is Graphene?

Graphene is often referred to as a wonder material for its extraordinary electrical and electronic properties.

Graphene was discovered in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics for this in 2010.

Features: It is stronger than steel, very stretchable and can be used as a flexible conductor.Its thermal conductivity is much higher than that of silver. 

Applications: It can be used in touch screens, light panels and solar cells.

– It has a lot of additional applications such as: anti-corrosion coatings and paints, efficient and precise sensors, faster and efficient electronics, flexible displays, efficient solar panels, faster DNA sequencing, drug delivery and more.

SC plans expansion of infra; e-Courts to offer national link

Source: The post is based on the article “SC plans expansion of infra; e-Courts to offer national link”  published in The Hindu on 16th August 2023.

What is the News?

The Chief Justice of India has announced a plan to expand the Supreme Court with 27 additional courts and 51 judges’ chambers. 

Currently, the Supreme Court has 17 courtrooms and two registrar courts. Its judicial strength is 32 now.

Judicial Infrastructure in India:

Judicial infrastructure broadly includes dimensions such as physical infrastructure (courtrooms, lawyers’ chambers, and residential accommodation for judicial officers and their support staff), digital infrastructure which includes video-conferencing devices and internet connectivity and Human resources.

Physical Infrastructure of Judiciary: According to data from the National Judicial Data Grid:

– The sanctioned strength of judges is 24,280.At present, however, there are only 20,143 court halls available, of which 620 are rented.

– Only 2% of the lower and subordinate courts provide tactile pathways for the visually impaired, 20% have guide maps and 45% have help desks. 

– Further, a large 68% of lower courts do not have dedicated rooms for record-keeping, and nearly half of them do not have a library.

According to an in-depth report by the legal think tank Vidhi, a majority of lower court complexes in Gujarat, Sikkim, and Tripura are not accessible through public transport.

Less than half of the district and subordinate courtrooms surveyed (40 percent or 266 out of 665 court complexes) had washrooms that were fully functioning. 

Digital Infrastructure: A 2021 survey by the CJI office found that nearly 72% of lower court complexes had digital display boards, and only 41% of them had a studio-based video conferencing (VC) facility. 

– The same survey found only 38 percent of lower court complexes had video linkages with jails and 14 percent had video linkages with medical officers.

The Vidhi survey found evidence of a digital divide among the country’s states and regions.For example, all lower court complexes in Chandigarh and Delhi had websites that were more helpful to users, compared to those of court complexes in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland.

Human Resources: According to India Justice Report (IJR) 2022, India has about 20,076 judges for a population of 1.4 billion, indicating a vacancy of 22 per cent among the sanctioned posts. Among high courts, there is a 30 per cent vacancy of judges.

What are the steps taken by the government to address judicial infrastructure?

Government of India has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary since 1993-94.

The current fund-sharing pattern of the scheme stands at 60:40 (Centre: State) and 90:10 for the eight northeastern and three Himalayan States. The Union Territories get 100% funding.

However, the funds allocated under this scheme are severely underutilized, since it was introduced. 

e-Courts project

Less than 1% mitigation & adaptation funding went to world’s indigenous groups despite more commitment: Report

Source: The post is based on the article “Less than 1% mitigation & adaptation funding went to world’s indigenous groups despite more commitment: Report”  published in Down To Earth on 11th August 2023.

What is the News?

A report has been released on the initial phase of the Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI).

The report highlights that even though funding commitments have risen for Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IP and LC) to improve conservation.But their overall funding situation hasn’t really improved.

For instance, donors have given Indigenous Peoples and local communities less than 1% of the funds for addressing climate change impacts and adaptations.

What is the Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI)?

The Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI) was endorsed by Global Environment Facility (GEF) in 2022.

Aim: To enhance Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ (IPs and LCs) efforts to protect land, waters and natural resources to deliver global environmental benefits.

– The initiative will support enhanced Indigenous and community stewardship across 7.5 million hectares of landscapes, seascapes, and territories with high biodiversity and irreplaceable ecosystems.

Technical support and supervision by: Conservation International and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Significance: Indigenous Peoples and local communities make up just 5% of the world’s population. But they steward 25% of land and 40% of intact ecosystems on Earth. Yet, many have lacked financial support to improve and scale their sustainable management of these territories.

– This initiative will provide financial support to these Indigenous and locally-led initiatives.

The following today’s current affairs articles have been covered in 7 PM Explained section of the day:

7 PM Editorial of the day: Appointments to the Election Commission – Proposed changes: Explained, pointwise