Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• The new discourse of the Global South
• Fallacy, fantasy, Global South
• G20 ministers agree to map global value chains, link MSMEs

GS Paper 3

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

The new discourse of the Global South

News: The article discusses the changing definitions of “developed” and “developing” countries. The terms are becoming outdated as many nations, like India, are showing rapid progress. The term “Global South” is introduced, emphasizing cultural differences rather than just economic. The focus shifts towards sustainable living and eco-friendly worldviews.

What’s the problem with the terms “Developed” and “Developing”?

Lack of Clear Definitions:

The World Trade Organisation says it doesn’t have definitions for “developed” and “developing” countries.

The United Nations categorizes Europe, North America, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand as the “developed world”, and the rest as “developing”, but without a clear definition.

Questioned by Prominent Figures:

Bill and Melinda Gates stated these terms have outlived their usefulness. Bill predicted almost no poor countries will exist by 2035.

Economic Inconsistencies:

Countries like Germany, classified as “developed”, face economic issues.

Mexico, with a GDP above $10,000, is considered “developing”, but it’s grouped with nations like Sierra Leone having a GDP under $500.

Population vs. GDP:

Latvia is “developed” with a GDP of $30 billion and a small population, while India’s larger GDP of $3.75 trillion but huge population of 1.4 billion keeps it “developing”.

How are India and China challenging this?

India’s Challenge:

India is rapidly progressing, competing with many developed nations on economic and technological fronts.

Examples include its significant GDP growth, transformational economic reforms, infrastructure development (metros, airports, waterways), and achievements in space exploration with Chandrayaan-3.

India’s introduction of the term “Global South” shifts the focus from just economic development to cultural and sustainable aspects.

China’s Challenge:

Despite being a global superpower, China still positions itself as part of the “developing world”.

President Xi Jinping’s statement at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg emphasizes China’s affiliation with the developing world, potentially for political reasons.

Why does the Global South mean?

Meaning of Global South:

New Terminology: It’s a term some leaders use as an alternative to “developing world.”

Beyond Economics: While the traditional labels focus on economic indicators, “Global South” emphasizes cultural and other differences.

Sustainable Vision: Countries in the Global South often have an eco-friendly worldview. For example, they prioritize sustainable living, ecological balance, and universal healthcare.

Cultural Distinction: The difference between Global South and Global North is more about cultural aspects than just economic or developmental ones.

Fallacy, fantasy, Global South

News: The article explains challenges with the Global South.

What does the term Global South mean?

The term “Global South” originated in 1969 in a journal during the Vietnam War. It was used to criticize the unfair global order created by the Northern hemisphere’s dominance over the Southern hemisphere.

This term evolved over time, and was also referred to as Third World and Developing World.

Does the term “Global South” accurately represent geographical and economic realities?

Geographically: The Global North-South division originated from the 1980 Brandt Report by former German Chancellor Wilhelm Brandt.

This report arbitrarily divided the world along the 30-degree north latitude line, passing through the Americas, Africa, Europe, and including China.

However, it left out Australia, New Zealand, developed countries of the Global South.

Therefore, the notion of categorizing the world into a prosperous North and an underdeveloped, struggling South does not align with geographical realities.

Economically: Around 78 nations fall under the Global South, including China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, and Bangladesh, collectively constituting a significant portion of its population.

However, economic inconsistencies emerge upon closer analysis. For instance, China, despite a per capita income exceeding $12,000, maintains its claim as a developing nation, which contradicts its categorization within the Global South.

Hence, the definition of the Global South also does not align economically.

Must Read: The Global South: origins and significance

What are the other issues with the term?

Several key allies of the “Global North” are situated in the Southern hemisphere, including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the Philippines, and even India.

Therefore, it becomes evident that a majority of India’s allies, economic interests, diaspora, and cultural connections are situated in the “Global North”, despite viewing it negatively.

How has India’s global position evolved over time?

In Nehru’s time, the division was East-West, viewing the West as exploitative and the Soviet Bloc as representing the East.

Nehru’s Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held anti-Western sentiments, later intensified by Indira Gandhi’s alignment with the Soviet Union.

However, China’s post-Cold War rise changed the global landscape, posing new challenges for India.

What are the challenges with India?

Russia’s decline and China’s challenge to American power have sparked new concepts of multilateralism and plurilateralism.

However, it is also necessary recognize that these alternative groupings could be influenced by China, as seen in BRICS and SCO.

Therefore, with China’s increasing influence, evaluating Global South’s leadership is crucial as it could also become a Chinese dominated bloc.

G20 ministers agree to map global value chains, link MSMEs

News– Recently, a two-day G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting took [place in Jaipur.

What are important parts of outcome document from Trade and Investment Ministers of G20 nations?

1. Comprehensive framework within the G20 context for the purpose of mapping out global value chains is suggested.

The objective is to comprehend the existing issues and identify the necessary actions to enhance the inclusivity, sustainability, and resilience of these value chains.

2. It focuses on MSMEs. The declaration from Jaipur emphasizes the imperative of reinforcing the capabilities of MSMEs.

Due to their small scale, MSMEs face limitations in accessing critical information, financial resources, and market-related data points.

A worldwide trade assistance platform, overseen by the International Trade Centre, will be consistently upgraded through consultation with UNCTAD and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

This evolution aims to make the platform more inclusive and to offer comprehensive data to MSMEs.

3. The principles associated with the digitization of trade documents is important part of outcome document. The aim is to minimize the reliance on paper documents and remove obstacles that hinder the seamless movement of goods and services.

GS Paper 3

Remembering C R Rao: Man of statistics and science

News: The article praises C. R. Rao’s vital role in statistics, explaining his innovations, awards, and influence. It mentions his academic journey, mentorship, and lasting impact on global and Indian statistical communities.

What are the major roles of C. R. Rao in the field of statistics?

Major Roles of C. R. Rao in Statistics

Pioneering Tools: Rao formulated the Cramer-Rao bound in 1945, setting a benchmark for assessing statistical techniques. His Rao-Blackwellisation concept in 1948 improved estimator efficiency.

Influential Publications: Over his career, Rao authored roughly 500 papers and 14 books, addressing complex statistical problems.

Multivariate Analysis: Rao’s work in multivariate analysis, estimation theory, and differential geometry was groundbreaking. His Fisher-Rao metric is widely used in probability and physics.

Applications Across Disciplines: His innovations impacted various fields. For instance, geologists use Rao-Blackwellised estimates for rock dating, and biologists use Rao’s score test for genetic associations.

Education & Mentorship: Rao’s textbook, published in 1952, influenced many statisticians, and he supervised over 30 PhD students, fostering the next generation of experts.

What are the major achievements of C. R. Rao?

Renowned Publications: He authored around 500 papers and 14 influential books on complex statistical challenges.

Prestigious Awards: Rao received the Guy Medal in silver (1965) and gold (1993) from the Royal Statistical Society. India honored him with the Padma Vibhushan in 2001, and the U.S. awarded him the National Medal of Science in 2002.

Global Impact: Known as ‘Rao’s children’, his academic descendant’s number over 50, spanning the globe, attesting to his widespread influence.

Institution Building: Rao played a crucial role in establishing the Indian Statistical Institute as a top-tier research center, leaving a lasting legacy in India.

Indu Bhushan and Soumya Swaminathan write: India’s hidden adversary, lead poisoning

News: The author discusses the serious issue of lead poisoning in India, affecting many children. Despite global awareness, India’s old paints, water-pipes, and certain jobs expose people to lead. The author suggests legislative changes, monitoring, cleanup of contaminated areas, and public awareness as solutions to protect future generations.

Why lead poisoning a concern in India?

High Exposure in Children: A 2021 study found that about 20 crore children in India have blood lead levels exceeding the safe limit set by WHO.

Severe Health Impact: Lead poisoning can lead to learning disabilities, neurological impairments, stunted growth, and organ damage. Children are especially vulnerable.

Economic and Social Impact: The effects of lead poisoning account for a significant learning gap between rich and poor countries. Affected children might achieve less in education and work, impacting the nation’s productivity.

Prevalent Lead Sources: India has old paints and water-pipes releasing toxic lead dust. There’s also exposure from informal recycling of lead-acid batteries and certain occupations.

How did others countries address this?

U.S. Initiative with Gasoline: The U.S. successfully reduced blood lead concentration by over 90% between 1976 and 1995 by eliminating lead from gasoline.

Paint and Water-pipe Regulations: Globally, countries have introduced strict standards to ensure paints and water pipes are lead-free, reducing exposure sources.

Bangladesh’s Turmeric Solution: Turmeric adulteration was a major lead source in Bangladesh. By introducing strict regulations and educating consumers between 2017 and 2021, they reduced lead-tainted turmeric from 47% in 2019 to 0% in 2021.

How can India tackle this issue?

Clear Legislation: India needs a strong legislative framework defining health and safety standards, especially for manufacturing and recycling products containing lead.

Enforce Standards: It’s vital to strictly enforce regulations on paints and water pipes, given their contribution to lead exposure.

Monitoring System: Establish a system for blood lead level testing. Introducing such monitoring in household surveys can help identify affected populations.

Identify Contaminated Sites: Launch nationwide efforts to pinpoint lead-contaminated areas, prioritizing clean-ups near schools and residential zones.

Promote Sustainable Practices: Establish waste management practices and electronic waste recycling programs to minimize lead contamination.

Inter-departmental Coordination: Enhance collaboration between government agencies, NGOs, and international partners to address the issue cohesively.

Public Awareness: Raise awareness about lead’s dangers, targeting parents, workers in lead-related industries, schools, and healthcare professionals to ensure wide-reaching impact.

Guns ’N Rovers – Why sarkari Isro delivers but sarkari DRDO doesn’t

News: There has been an increasing disparity between the ISRO and the DRDO. DRDO is criticized for inefficiency.

What are the concerns with DRDO?

A recent CAG audit pointed out multiple delays in DRDO’s key projects.

According to SIPRI, India remained the largest arms importer from 2018 to 2022. This is because of insufficient coordination between DRDO and India’s armed forces, resulting in delays and increased costs.

The challenge of defense procurement can be seen as a trilemma, seeking high-quality, affordable, and quick delivery. These complexities have led to India becoming the leading arms importer.

Must Read: Is DRDO To Blame for India’s Acute Import Dependence? and CAG pulls up DRDO for delay in the completion of projects and failure to achieve key parameters

How can DRDO become efficient?

Global arms industry sees limited technology transfer. Hence, it becomes challenging for India to develop indigenous arms.

However, evaluating DRDO’s performance requires considering the requirements of the armed services and the budget constraints of the government.

Hence, for DRDO to succeed, the government should ensure effective cooperation with the armed services and stick to achievable projects. This effort must be supported by consistent investments, as globally failure rates are high.

A restructured approach can enable the establishment of a domestic high-tech defense foundation.

Rethink the dynamics of India’s fiscal federalism

News– The article explains the need for relook at the present system of fiscal federalism.

Why do emerging dynamics of India’s fiscal federalism need rethinking?

Fundamental shift from a centrally planned economy to a market-driven economic structure.

The conversion of a dual-tier federation into a multi-tier fiscal system following the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments,

The elimination of the Planning Commission and its substitution with NITI Aayog,

The enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act.

The implementation of the Goods and Services Act with authority vested in the GST Council,

The widespread utilization of cess and surcharges that impact the size of the divisible pool.

Why should the system of transferring resources between different levels of government be more focused on equity?

According to Chancel and Piketty (2019), the share of total income captured by the top 1% earners in India was less than 21% in the 1930s. It dropped to 6% in the early 1980s and then increased to 22% during the period of economic liberalization.

The recent measures like tax exemptions and concessions have disproportionately favored the affluent and have reduced the available pool of resources.

Per capita income in 16 major states from 1970-71 to 2020-21 reveals an increasingly divergent pattern.

The Human Development Index across 15 states exhibits convergence during the post-reform era. When examining data since 2005, the rate of convergence has decreased with a significant negative CAGR of -2.85%.

Why is there a need for reevaluating Article 246 and the Seventh Schedule to undertake a fresh division of powers, functions, and responsibilities?

India’s political landscape has evolved from the single-party governance of the post-Independence era to a genuinely multi-party system.

The dynamics of politics, society, technology, demographic composition, and even the development approach itself have undergone substantial changes.

In the new evolving framework, numerous central legislation, including the MGNREGA 2005, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009, and the National Food Security Act 2013 place an additional burden on the individual states.

During the process of constitution-making, the issues of division of responsibilities and taxation authority was not adequately addressed. It heavily borrowed from the Government of India Act 1935, and neglected the subsidiarity principle.

73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments provided an opportunity for reconsideration. But, no significant steps were taken. In fact, matters were complicated further by the introduction of Schedule XI and Schedule XII.

These schedules lack practical significance unless they are broken down into specific activities and sub-activities, similar to the approach adopted by Kerala and a few other states.

What are other issues related to fiscal federalism that should be considered by the Union government?

The persistent neglect in integrating the third tier of governance into India’s fiscal federal framework is a significant concern.

The lack of a consistent financial reporting system across all tiers of government presents a notable deficiency.

A comprehensive reevaluation of the off-budget borrowing practices of both the Union and the individual States is essential.

Such borrowings usually evade scrutiny and remain unreported. All financial transactions should be accounted for under appropriate budgetary allocations.

The central government should set a positive example. But, it is perhaps more culpable of resorting to off-budget borrowing than the States.

States are subject to restraint through Article 293(3) under the oversight of the Union and the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act. But, the Union frequently evades such checks.

The substantial use of the National Small Saving Fund (NSSF) for financing central public sector undertakings and ministries through loans is not included in the Union’s fiscal deficits.

There is also a substantial domain of unique banking arrangements involving public sector banks to facilitate cash and credit circulation outside the bounds of budgetary allocations.

It is imperative for the Union, States, and local governments to act transparently and make all off-budget transactions transparent and publicly accessible.

Cleantech, for an inclusive green future in India

News– In his address to the nation on Independence Day this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about India showing the world how to combat climate change.

What is the concept of a green economy?

The concept of the green economy synchronises developmental progress with positive environmental results.

For example, the construction of a solar park or a station for charging electric vehicles contributes to the growth of essential infrastructure in an emerging economy. It also addresses climate change.

What are various cleantech initiatives in states to promote the green economy?

These efforts focus on providing access to clean technology solutions to support the livelihoods of the rural populace. For instance, in Andhra Pradesh, there are solar dryers that transform surplus tomatoes into sun-dried products.

In Maharashtra, biomass-powered cold storage facilities assist lemon farmers in achieving profits three to five times higher than the original prices.

What is the potential of cleatech for the Indian economy?

The rural economy of India consists of around 120 million farmers and 34 million microenterprises. It faces issues like unreliable access to electricity and a heavy reliance on costly imported diesel.

The clean technology solutions offer the potential to decrease India’s diesel imports, and prevent the spoilage of perishable food items.

It will improve opportunities for rural livelihoods. This presents an investment prospect valued at $50 billion for investors and financiers.

Research conducted by the CEEW indicates that merely 12 such clean technology solutions could potentially positively affect at least 37 million livelihoods, which corresponds to roughly 16% of the rural population.

What are various aspects of a comprehensive strategy to promote a green economy in India?

Leverage existing government programmes- The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana that extends collateral-free loans for microenterprises can be used to enable the adoption of cleantech solutions.

The Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises can be used to unlock support for solutions such as a solar dryer, an energy-efficient multipurpose food processor or a solar grain mill.

The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, which has only seen a 15% fund utilisation against a target of ₹1,00,000 crore, can support the adoption of biomass-powered cold storage and beyond.

Large-scale financing of cleantech solutions- It requires supporting bankers’ capacity on credit assessment for cleantech .

There is also a need to hedge their risks in the initial stages of the market through partial guarantees. Moreover, active engagement with financiers is important to structure loan products that are aligned with the cash flow scenarios of users.

Adopting some of these principles helped ‘Powering Livelihoods’, to unlock 300-plus loans for cleantech solutions to women, self help groups, farmer producer organisations and individual micro entrepreneurs in rural areas.

Multi-actor partnerships- Partnership between technology innovators, manufacturers, distributors and service providers, financiers, and market-linkage players to enable an overall ecosystem is required.

Cleantech manufacturers often need help bringing their products to customers. The challenges faced include low product awareness, high customer acquisition cost, and low density of customers for such products in a given area.

Users too struggle with limited after-sales service and market linkage of the final processed products.

There is a need for a holistic ecosystem where distributors work with manufacturers to enable technology access at the last mile, service providers ensure after-sales services, and market-linkage players enable the connection to the market.

Isro’s solar odyssey

News– The Indian Space Research Organisation is all set to launch the Aditya-L1 mission, dedicated to studying the Sun. It’ll be launched by ISRO’s PSLV rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR in Sriharikota.

What are the various details about the Aditya-L1 mission?

The Indian Space Research Organisation intends to position the observatory within a halo orbit encircling the first Lagrangian point (L1) within the Sun-Earth system. It is situated approximately 1.5 million km from Earth.

The journey will span nearly four months, and the mission’s planned duration extends to five years.

Lagrange points are locations in space where the gravitational forces of two celestial bodies, such as the Sun and Earth, balance the centripetal force necessary for a small object to move synchronously with them.

This phenomenon assists a spacecraft in minimising fuel consumption required to maintain its position.

Among the five Lagrange points, three are unstable (L1, L2, and L3), while two (L4 and L5) are stable.

A satellite positioned in the halo orbit around the L1 point offers a major advantage related to uninterrupted observation of the Sun without encountering any occultation or eclipse.

Through the Aditya L1 mission, ISRO scientists will scrutinise the Sun’s corona, and comprehend the mechanisms underlying the corona’s unusually high temperatures.

The mission’s objectives also encompass investigating the origins of solar wind and its implications on the heliosphere.

The observatory will delve into the study of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), massive ejections of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun’s surface.

Why is ISRO taking this ambitious mission?

The Sun functions as a dynamic laboratory for investigating various stellar phenomena. These include nuclear fusion, magnetic field dynamics, and the generation of solar wind.

The examination of the Sun’s interior using techniques like helioseismology provides valuable data for refining models of stellar evolution. These understandings contribute to our comprehension of the broader universe.

Missions dedicated to studying the Sun shed light on its role in shaping the potential habitability of planets within our solar system.

The fluctuations in the Sun’s energy emissions can exert long-term effects on Earth’s climate patterns. Scrutinizing these variations aids scientists in enhancing climate models and comprehending the interplay between solar radiation and atmospheric processes.

Intense releases of electromagnetic energy and particles can temporarily disrupt the upper atmosphere of Earth. it can lead to interference with signal transmissions.

Coronal Mass Ejections have the potential to cause electromagnetic and ground-level electrical disturbances, potentially harming power grids.

Preparedness and protective measures can be taken by individuals and organisations when provided with advance information about such events. The Aditya L1 mission represents a step toward this objective.

Comprehending these processes offers insights into the realm of plasma physics.

The data and information gathered from the Aditya L1 mission will have practical implications for space operations and terrestrial technology, ranging from optimising satellite functions to enhancing the accuracy of GPS systems.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

India and Greece pledge to upgrade ties to become strategic partners

Source: The post is based on the article “India and Greece pledge to upgrade ties to become strategic partners”  published in The Hindu on 26th August 2023.

What is the News?

The Prime Minister of India made an official visit to Greece. This was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Greece in 40 years.

What are the key takeaways from the Indian PMs visit to Greece?

Grand Cross of the Order of Honour: Indian PM was honored with the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour by the President of Greece, making him the first foreign Head of Government to receive this award.

PM visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front of the Old Royal Palace. It is a cenotaph dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during various wars.

Upgrade to Strategic Partnership: Both countries decided to elevate Greek-Indian bilateral ties to a “Strategic Partnership” level, focusing on expanding cooperation in political, security, and economic domains.

Doubling Bilateral Trade: Acknowledging the growth in bilateral trade, the leaders set a goal to double bilateral trade by 2030.

– The two-way trade between India and Greece has grown from $507 million in 2016-17 to $1.94 billion in 2022-23.

Institutional Dialogue Framework: They agreed to establish an institutional dialogue framework at the level of National Security Advisers to enhance collaboration in defense and security matters.

Agricultural Cooperation: An MOU was signed to facilitate sectoral cooperation in agriculture, including the creation of a Hellenic-Indian Joint Sub-committee on Agriculture.

Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreement (MMPA): Both leaders agreed the early finalization of a mobility and migration partnership agreement will be mutually beneficial, facilitating the free movement of workforce between the two countries. 

Why did Chandrayaan-3 land on the near side of the moon?

Source: The post is based on the article “Why did Chandrayaan-3 land on the near side of the moon?”  published in The Hindu on 26th August 2023. 

What is the News?

The controlled descent of the Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-3 made it one of the closest approaches of a lunar mission to the moon’s South Pole.

However, like most of the lunar-landing missions before, Vikram too landed on the near side of the moon. 

Hence, China’s Chang’e 4 mission is the only lunar mission to have successfully landed on the far side of the moon.

What are the moon’s ‘near’ and ‘far sides’?

Near Side: It refers to the portion of the moon — about 60% — that is visible to us. It is always the same side that is visible from Earth because the moon takes the same time to rotate about its axis as it does to circle around the Earth

Far Side: It is also known as the dark side area of the moon. It is called the dark side as it is facing away from the Earth. In reality it is no darker than any other part of the Moon’s surface as sunlight does in fact fall equally on all sides of the Moon. 

– It is only ‘dark’ to us, as that hemisphere can never be viewed from Earth due to a phenomenon known as ‘Tidal Locking’.

– The ‘dark side’ was mysterious and its various topographical features were hidden until the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 in 1959 photographed it and the Soviet Academy of Sciences released an Atlas of these images.

– Astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 mission of 1968 were the first humans to see the far side of the moon.

Is the dark side very different from the near side?

Firstly, the near side is smoother and has more large volcanic plains called ‘Maria’ compared to the far side. On the far side, there are large craters, likely from asteroid impacts.

Secondly, the near side has a thinner crust, which allows volcanic lava to flow and fill up craters over millions of years, creating flat plains. These plains make it easier for space missions as they offer a more even terrain for landers and rovers.

What is special about Chandrayaan-3 landing?

The Chandrayaan-3 mission, while still on the near side, has managed to land Vikram the closest ever to the lunar South Pole. The coordinates of Chandrayaan-3 at 69.36 S and 32.34 E make it about 600 km away from the South Pole.

The choice of being as close as possible to the South Pole was to get closer to a “permanently shadowed region” or where no sunlight ever reaches.

This would mean increasing the chances of encountering frozen water-ice along with several “interesting deposits” that can reveal more about the moon and its harvestable resources.

China-Bhutan hold first meeting on ‘delimitation’ of disputed boundary

Source: The post is based on the article “China-Bhutan hold first meeting on ‘delimitation’ of disputed boundary”  published in The Hindu on 26th August 2023.

What is the News?

China and Bhutan held the first meeting of the newly set-up joint technical team on the delimitation of their disputed boundary.

What is the Bhutan China Border Dispute?

China claims certain territories from Bhutan:

In the north: Pasamlung and Jakarlung valleys; Both of these places are culturally vital for Bhutan.

In the west: Doklam, Dramana, and Shakhatoe, Yak Chu and Charithang Chu, and Sinchulungpa and Langmarpo valleys. These places are pasture-rich and strategically located in the Bhutan-India-China trijunction, lying close to India’s Siliguri Corridor.

In 2020, China made new claims on Bhutan’s East in the Sakteng sanctuary.

What has been the history of boundary talks between China and Bhutan?

The boundary talks between Bhutan and China began in 1984, and the 24th round was held in 2016. 

The talks have largely focused on disputed areas to Bhutan’s north, and to its west, abutting the Doklam plateau.However, these have been stalled since 2016, especially after the 2017 Doklam stand-off.

In 2021, Bhutan and China signed an MoU on the Three-Step Roadmap for Expediting the China-Bhutan Boundary Negotiations.

What has happened now?

China and Bhutan has agreed to expedite and take simultaneous steps to implement the Three-Step Road Map” signed in 2021.

The two sides also agreed to hold the 14th Expert Group Meeting on the China-Bhutan Boundary Issues as soon as possible and maintain communication on holding the 25th Round of China-Bhutan Boundary Talk.

Indore best city, M.P. top State in Smart Cities contest

Source: The post is based on the article “Indore best city, M.P. top State in Smart Cities contest”  published in The Hindu on 26th August 2023.

What is the News?

The President of India will present the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC), 2022.

What is the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC)?

India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) is organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Aim: To recognize and reward cities, projects and innovative ideas that are promoting sustainable development across the 100 smart cities as well as stimulating inclusive, equitable, safe, healthy and collaborative cities leading to a better quality of life for all.

The ISAC award had a two-stage submission process consisting of ‘Qualifying Stage’, which involved overall assessment of the city’s performance, and the ‘Proposal Stage’ which required the smart cities to submit their nominations for six award categories.

This is the fourth edition of the ISAC awards with the previous ones held in 2018, 2019, and 2020.There were no awards in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What are the key takeaways from ISAC 2022?

Indore has been named as the best Smart City. Surat and Agra are the second and third place winners among cities.

Madhya Pradesh has been chosen as the top state. Tamil Nadu is the second in State category followed by Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

The award for the best Union Territory has gone to Chandigarh.

Committee of Experts to ‘Onshoring the Indian Innovation to GIFT IFSC’

Source: The post is based on the article “Committee of Experts to ‘Onshoring the Indian Innovation to GIFT IFSC”  published in PIB on 25th August 2023.

What is the News?

The Committee of Experts appointed by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to explore ‘Onshoring the Indian Innovation to Gujarat International Finance Tec-city International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC)’ has submitted its report.

About Committee of Experts to Onshoring the Indian Innovation to GIFT IFSC:

Chaired by: G. Padmanabhan, former executive director of the RBI

Mandate: To understand the reasons for shifting of Indian startups outside India and suggestions to avoid externalization of startups in the future and also to persuade startups that are presently externalized to redomicile back.

What are the recommendations given by the committee?

The committee has identified challenges and recommended measures for the development of the International Innovation Hub at GIFT IFSC.

It has recommended aligning the tax and regulatory laws within the IFSC with international best practices to create an environment that actively incentivizes and supports holding company structures. 

New brain-computer interface device gives voice to paralysed

Source: The post is based on the article “New brain-computer interface device gives voice to paralysed”  published in Deccan Herald on 25th August 2023.

What is the News?

Researchers have developed a brain-computer interface (BCI) that has enabled a woman with severe paralysis from a brainstem stroke to speak through a digital avatar. 

It is the first time that either speech or facial expressions have been synthesized from brain signals.

What is Brain-Computer Interface(BCI)?

A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), also known as a Brain-Machine Interface (BMI), is a technology that establishes a direct communication pathway between the human brain and external devices or computers. 

BCIs are designed to enable individuals to interact with and control these external devices using only their brain activity, bypassing traditional routes such as muscle movements or physical inputs.

What are the potential applications of Brain-Computer Interface(BCI)?

Assistive Technology: BCIs can empower individuals with paralysis or motor disabilities to regain communication and control over their environment.

Neurorehabilitation: They are used in therapy and rehabilitation programs to help patients recover lost motor functions after injuries or strokes.

Research: BCIs play a crucial role in neuroscience research, allowing scientists to study brain activity patterns and understand the brain’s functions better.

Enhanced Control: BCIs have applications in fields like gaming, allowing players to control characters or devices using their thoughts.

What are the concerns related to  Brain-Computer Interface(BCI)?

Some researchers have noted some concerns related to BCIs. For example, BCIs could be vulnerable to cyberattacks that expose brain data or interfere with a device’s function.

Reported costs of wearable BCIs range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, which may result in unequal access.

Further, translation of brain signals to speech by a BCI could cause harm if it is not accurate. For example, inaccurate translation might indicate legal or medical consent that the person did not intend to give.

National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE)

Source: The post is based on the article ““National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE)”  published in PIB on 25th August 2023.

What is the News?

The Government of India is implementing the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme to stop deaths of Sewers and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and to promote mechanization of cleaning operations with a vision to reduce hazardous cleaning and ensure safety of sanitation workers.

What is the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme?

Launched by: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)

Aim: To eliminate hazardous cleaning, stop deaths of sewer and septic tank workers and ensure their safety and dignity.

Type: Central Sector Scheme

Replaced by: The scheme has replaced the Self-Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS), which was started in 2007.

Coverage: The scheme is to be implemented in all 4800+ Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of the country, during the three years upto 2025-26.

Objectives of the scheme: Zero fatalities in sanitation work in India

– All sanitation work is performed by skilled workers

–  No sanitation workers come in direct contact with human faecal matter

– Sanitation workers are collectivized into SHGs and are empowered to run sanitation enterprise

– All Sewer and Septic tank  sanitation workers (SSWs) have access to alternative livelihoods

– Strengthened supervisory and monitoring systems at national, state and ULB levels to ensure enforcement and monitoring of safe sanitation work.

What are the key features of the Scheme to be Implemented in all ULBs?

Identification: NAMASTE envisages identifying the Sewer/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs).

Occupational Training and distribution of PPE Kits to SSWs.

Assistance for Safety Devices to Sanitation Response Units (SRUs).

Extending Health Insurance Scheme Benefits to identified SSWs and their families under the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

Livelihood Assistance: The Action Plan will promote mechanization and enterprise development by providing funding support and subsidy (capital +interest) to the sanitation workers, to procure sanitation related equipment.

IEC (Information Education and Communication) Campaign: Massive campaigns would be undertaken jointly by the ULBs & NSKFDC (National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation) to spread awareness about the interventions of NAMASTE.

Tele-Law 2.0 unveiled by Law Minister

Source: The post is based on the article “Tele-Law 2.0 unveiled by Law Minister”  published in PIB on 25th August 2023.

What is the News?

The Union Law Minister has launched the Tele-Law 2.0 initiative.

What is the Tele Law Initiative?

Click Here to read

What is the Tele-Law 2.0 initiative?

Tele-Law 2.0 entails the fusion of Tele-Law Services with Nyaya Bandhu pro bono legal services to improve citizen access to legal aid. 

This merger is seen as a significant step in making legal services more accessible to people throughout India, contributing to the democratization of legal assistance.

What is the Nyaya Bandhu Initiative?

Nyaya Bandhu’s (Pro Bono Legal Services) initiative was launched by the Minister for Law & Justice.

Aim: To establish a framework for dispensation of pro bono legal services across the country. 

Under Nyaya Bandhu, practicing advocates, interested to volunteer their time and services, are connected, via mobile technology, with eligible marginalized beneficiaries.

Who qualifies to be a beneficiary for Legal help under Nyaya Bandhu Initiative?

Beneficiaries or Applicants, in order to avail the benefits under this programme must belong to one of the categories mentioned under Section 12 of The Legal Services Authority Act of 1987. These include: 1) Member of a Scheduled Caste 2) Member of a Scheduled Tribe 3) Victim of trafficking in human beings or begar as referred in article 23 of the Constitution 4) Woman or a Child 5) Person with disability 6) Person in custody 7) An industrial workman 8) Victim of a mass disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or industrial disaster; 9) Person with annual income less than as specified under law and Others.

NIAS launches pilot project involving GEOAI and random forest tech to monitor air pollution in Bengaluru

Source: The post is based on the article “NIAS launches pilot project involving GEOAI and random forest tech to monitor air pollution in Bengaluru”  published in Indian Express on 25th August 2023.

What is the News?

At the India Clean Air Summit (ICAS), National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), informed that it has launched a pilot project to monitor and predict the city’s air quality.

What is the India Clean Air Summit(ICAS)?

India Clean Air Summit(ICAS) is India’s premier event on air pollution.

Organized by: Centre for Air Pollution Studies (CAPS) at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP).

Aim: To understand the impact of climate change on air pollution in the light of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the actions required to deal with it. 

What is the National Institute of Advanced Studies(NIAS)?

National Institute of Advanced Studies(NIAS) is a premier institute in India engaged in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research in natural sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities.It was founded by J. R. D. Tata in 1988.

Located in: Bangalore

What is the project launched by NIAS  to monitor and predict the city’s air quality?

The pilot project has been launched in Bangalore. It combines geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) and random forest technology to monitor and predict air quality in the city.

The random forest algorithm combines data from various air quality monitoring stations to predict the Air Quality Index. 

GeoAI uses technology like artificial intelligence, satellite imagery, and mobile data to identify sources of air pollution.

This project will soon be launched in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.

Centre approves Rajasthan’s fifth tiger reserve in Dholpur-Karauli

Source: The post is based on the article “Centre approves Rajasthan’s fifth tiger reserve in Dholpur-Karauli”  published in Hindustan Times on 22nd August 2023.

What is the News?

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved the Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan.

This is India’s 54th tiger reserve and Rajasthan’s fifth tiger reserve after Ranthambore, Sariska, Mukundra Hills and Ramgarh Vishdhari.

How are Tiger Reserves notified?

Tiger Reserves are notified by State Governments as per provisions of Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 on advice of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Can tiger reserves be altered and denotified?

These processes are governed by Section 38W of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 whose provisions are as follows:

Section 38 W(1) says that “No alteration in the boundaries of a tiger reserve shall be made except on a recommendation of the Tiger Conservation Authority and the approval of the National Board for Wild Life”.

Section 38 W (2) says “No State Government shall de-notify a tiger reserve, except in public interest with the approval of the Tiger Conservation Authority and the National Board for Wild Life”.

What is the status of tiger population in India?

The number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of 6%.

Madhya Pradesh has the maximum number of tigers in the country (785), followed by Karnataka (563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444).

The number of tigers in Rajasthan has increased from 32 in 2006 to 88 in 2022.

Express View on Jadavpur University student death: End ragging

Source: The post is based on the article “Express View on Jadavpur University student death: End ragging” published in The Indian Express on 26th August 2023.

Syllabus topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education.

News: An 18-year-old student from Jadavpur University (JU) possibly died due to ragging. His family claims he faced abuse from senior students. The university and police are investigating, and 12 people have been arrested.

Why Ragging been a long-standing issue?

Tradition and Misguided Rituals: Ragging is often seen as a coming-of-age ritual on campuses.

Lack of Oversight: Universities sometimes fail to ensure the safety and well-being of new students. For example, reports suggest that even long-graduated students at JU still occupy hostels and intimidate freshers.

Deep-rooted Hierarchies: Seniority often mixes with caste, class, and gender privileges, worsening bullying.

Ineffective Implementation: Despite two Supreme Court verdicts against ragging, many institutions don’t adhere to guidelines. For instance, 25 students have committed suicide since 2018 due to ragging, as per UGC data.

What have courts said before?

2001 Directive: The Supreme Court instructed higher educational institutions (HEIs) to establish proctorial committees to address ragging complaints.

2009 Committee Formation: After the death of a 19-year-old medical student due to ragging, the Supreme Court formed a committee led by former CBI director R K Raghavan.

UGC’s Role: The same year, UGC accepted the committee’s recommendations and instructed HEIs to establish internal anti-ragging committees and promote positive interaction between new and senior students.

What should be done to overcome the issue of Ragging?

Strict Implementation: Universities must strictly enforce anti-ragging guidelines. Past negligence led to tragic outcomes, like the JU student’s death.

Increased Oversight: Campuses should monitor senior students and alumni, especially those wrongfully occupying hostels, as seen at JU.

Promote Positive Interaction: As the UGC advised, institutions should foster healthy interactions between newcomers and senior students.

Transparent Reporting Mechanisms: Create efficient internal mechanisms for ragging complaints, in line with the Supreme Court’s 2001 directive.

Regular Audits: Institutions should undergo periodic checks to ensure adherence to anti-ragging rules, addressing gaps like JU’s inadequate response on preventive measures.

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

7 PM Editorial of the day: India-Greece Relations – Explained, Pointwise