9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – December 16th, 2022

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Reflections on the fading principle of non-intervention
• Is the RTI Act fulfilling its purpose?
• The Indian Innovation That Can Change the World
• Line of Actual Control: Past tense, present uncertain
• Kota’s student suicides: A mismatch between rising aspirations, shrinking opportunities
• About tribal rights: How We Treat Our First Citizens
• Bangladesh: A cautionary tale
• A familiar script along the border

GS Paper 3

• New data protection bill: A step closer to protecting privacy rights
• We’re a step closer to an overhaul of our competition law

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• South Commission: The global south could’ve had its own economic club
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) now named as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan(PM VIKAS) Scheme
• Union Minister for Jal Shakti Inaugurates The 7th Edition of India Water Impact Summit
• Curbing air pollution in India needs efforts across South Asia: WB report
• Explained | Kerala Government’s Bills to remove the Governor as Chancellor of State Universities
• GLAAS Report: Extreme weather events continue to hamper access to potable water, sanitation; urgent action needed: WHO
• Tramjatra event: Come February, 150 years of Kolkata tram to be celebrated by users
• Union Minister says, ISRO has taken initiatives for feasibility studies on missions to Venus as well as Aeronomy studies
• Year End Review 2022: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY)
• Thoracic aortic aneurysm: Condition that killed football writer Grant Wahl during Qatar World Cup
• Atal Innovation Mission and UNDP India launch 5th edition of Youth Co:Lab for Young Entrepreneurs

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Reflections on the fading principle of non-intervention

News– The article explains the viewpoints on separation of powers put up by the President and Vice-President in their respective speeches.

What are the main excerpts from the President’s speech?

The Constitution outlines a map for good governance. The most crucial feature in this is the doctrine of separation of functions and powers of the three Organs of the State.

It has been the hallmark of our Republic that the three organs have respected the boundaries set in place by the Constitution. She cautions all organs against excessive zeal which may lead to transgressing the boundaries set for them by the Constitution.

What are the main excerpts from the President’s speech?

Democracy blossoms when its three organs adhere to their respective domains. The Doctrine of Separation of Powers, is realised when Legislature, Judiciary and Executive optimally function in tandem and togetherness.

Any incursion by one in the domain of another has the potential to upset the governance. We are indeed faced with this grim reality of frequent incursions.

Mr. Dhankhar basically focused on the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the 99th Constitutional Amendment for setting up the NJAC. He did not find the same as not being in consonance with doctrine of ‘Basic Structure’ of the Constitution.

He stated that we need to bear in mind that in democratic governance, the basis of any ‘Basic Structure’ is the primacy of the mandate of the people reflected in the Parliament. Parliament is the exclusive and ultimate determinative of the architecture of the Constitution.

What do these events signify?

The office of the Republic’s President is above politics. The Vice-President has to be fundamentally above politics too. Vice-president can only enter that arena when she has to exercise a casting vote in Rajya Sabha.

In the past, Vice-President’s have, in their addresses outside the House, given views on public policies. Mr. Dhankhar’s comments on NJAC also tends to give an impression that he has raised questions of the long-settled matter of the ambit of Parliament’s powers to amend the Constitution.

As the matter is sub judice, it would be improper to comment on the issues. Each organ should respect their boundaries. Political class should not intervene in judges’ appointments.

Is the RTI Act fulfilling its purpose?

News– The article explains the issues related to working of the RTI regime.

Is the RTI Act fulfilling its purpose?

It has been one of the most empowering legislations for people because it puts an obligation on the government to respond to them in a time-bound manner and to get them information to hold the government accountable. The law has tilted the balance of power in favour of those governed.

A majority of the RTI applications are filed by people who are asking about their basic rights and entitlements. So it has fulfilled its purpose to that extent.

People have used the RTI law to know what is happening with taxpayers’ money. This has enabled them to expose big-ticket scams such as the Adarsh, Commonwealth Games and Vyapam scams. They’ve also been able to expose human rights violations, and then force accountability in those cases as well.

The Act is still effective despite the widespread attempts to dilute its efficacy. Officers still think twice before replying to an RTI query, which reflects the seriousness with which it is taken.

Do you have to be an RTI expert to know how to properly file questions?

The law basically ensures that there is no set format in which an RTI application has to be filed. It’s a fairly straightforward, simple process. A very large percentage of RTI applications are filed by the poorest and the most marginalised.

But when one asks for complex information on large scams or cases of violations of the law or human rights, it has to be framed in a very detailed manner. Here expertise is required.

There are other issues related to RTI filing. If you file an application in Odisha, they have a particular format for filing. These sorts of rules create hindrances for people. There are some States where you can only file an RTI application within 150 words. Condensing the question becomes a challenge.

What are the challenges faced by the RTI Act?

Resistance by bureaucracy– The public information officers these days use excuses like this division does not have the information. So now they are putting the liability on the applicant to find out which officer and which office will hold that information.

Resistance to sharing of information– Within the government, asking for information is not encouraged. Government departments do not maintain datasets and information. They are reluctant to put information in the public domain. The 2021 census hasn’t happened, and the government is now saying it’s been indefinitely postponed.

Dilution of law– Successive governments have tried to whittle down this law. It began with the United Progressive Alliance itself. State governments have tried and are still trying to do it.

Two biggest and successful attempts have been made by the National Democratic Alliance government. Once in 2019, and the second now, by way of the Data Protection Bill which will most likely pass.

Vacancies– We have huge vacancies in information commissions. It means that appeals and complaints keep pending.

How will the Data Protection Bill will undermine the RTI Act?

The Data Protection Bill will set up a system of amending the RTI law in a manner that all personal information will be exempted.

The entire proactive disclosure scheme provided for under the RTI Act may be completely undermined.

The Indian Innovation That Can Change the World

News: The first two decades of the 21st century saw the tech giant Google, Amazon, Meta coming up with innovation and value creation in the market. However, India has taken a unique path for its development.

What path has been taken by India for development?

India has adopted Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in its governance. This has enabled India to lead the world and reduce the digital divide.

These public digital platforms are open source, have open APIs (application programming interfaces), open standards for interoperability and leverage public data for innovation.

These low cost and inclusive platforms are based on principles of consent-based data sharing and reduce the digital divide. They also create a level playing field through regulatory framework.

The platforms included in DPI are – JAM trinity which links Aadhaar, mobiles and bank accounts, DigiLocker for digital storage and documents, Bharat Bill Pay, etc.

These platforms are based on principles of openness, equity, inclusivity, fairness, transparency and trust. India has also been able to solve the challenge of digital inclusion with these platforms.

For example, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has seen an increase in the number of accounts operated by women from 15% to 56%, and 67% of the account holders are from rural and semi-urban areas. The average deposit per account has gone up by 71%.

A recent study by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) highlighted that India has made a remarkable progress in digital public infrastructure.

It is expected that this digital infrastructure will act as an economic divide amongst the nations of the world in the coming future.

Further, it has also led to development of top-class payment products on top of UPI like PhonePe, GPay, etc.

What is the future innovation being taken by India?

India is now democratising e-commerce through interoperability, i.e., the launch of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

ONDC will provide access and equity to small and medium-sized merchants, increasing choice and quality for customers, and ensure competitiveness and efficiency across the value chain.

It will revolutionize the transaction of people, empower MSMEs and provide with greater negotiation options. It will also help in democratising the digital platform to Indian retailers who have stayed away from it.

What can be the course of action?

India is taking over the G20 presidency and it is a great platform for India to create a complete package of these digital platforms and deliver them as an end-to-end e-governance service to digitally transform the world.

Line of Actual Control: Past tense, present uncertain

News: The article discusses the border dispute between India and China and the dispute of Tawang.

What is the current issue between the two countries?

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Tibet Autonomous Region and describes it as south Tibet. It views Tawang as an area of strategic importance for its control over Tibet and its Buddhist leadership.

Further, India and China have differing perceptions of the LAC at many places.

However, Tawang appeared as an agreed disputed point unlike Gogra, Hot Springs and Galwan where no overlapping has taken place.

Further, there has been a marginal increase in patrolling by the PLA in some areas. Chinese were also building housing infrastructure close to the LAC on their side which has enabled higher troop presence.

What has been the past disputes between India and China over McMahon Line?

India has always considered McMahon line as a settled boundary between the two nations but China rejects this border as it is a colonial border line imposed by the British India.

China offered India at the time of Nehru in 1960 that it would recognize McMahon Line if India accept the Chinese control of Aksai Chin but India rejected the offer.

Another offer was later given at the time of Indira Gandhi in 1982 to recognize the McMahon Line in exchange for India accepting the Chinese claims in Ladakh.

This kind of multiple offers given by China and rejection by India has caused border disputes from 1962 till today. However, in 1985, China specified that it wanted Tawang as a means of settling the border dispute.

What are the counter measures being adopted by India?

India has taken several steps to counter the Chinese troops at the border.

For example, the Sela Pass tunnel project is being developed by the Border Road Organisation. It will provide all-weather connectivity between Tezpur in Assam and Tawang.

A 1,500-km Frontier Highway project is also coming up. It will run from Tawang in the west to Vijaynagar in east Arunachal along the state’s frontier with China.

The infrastructure expansion in Arunachal Pradesh is taking place along five verticals: habitat, aviation, road infrastructure, operational logistics and security infrastructure.

Surveillance has also increased with deployment of ground-based cameras with night vision ability, surveillance drones, long distance surveillance UAVs, and better communication systems.

What is the way ahead?

Tawang is a major Buddhist pilgrimage centre. The Buddhist monastery in Tawang is India’s biggest monastery.

It is also one of 33 assembly segments in the West Arunachal Pradesh parliamentary constituency which has been represented in every Indian parliament since 1950.

Therefore, India should try to resolve the border disputes with talks, negotiations and dialogues. However, it also needs to be prepared for any kind of emergencies.

Kota’s student suicides: A mismatch between rising aspirations, shrinking opportunities

News: Recently, three students, in separate incidents, in Kota, Rajasthan had committed suicide. This highlights the pressure cooker atmosphere created in coaching centres.

The combination of a large population of young people with rising aspirations and an economy with shrinking opportunities has created a public health crisis that requires urgent attention.

About students suicides in India

The National Crime Records Bureau’s Accidental Deaths and Suicide in India report 2021 show that the number of students deaths by suicide rose by 4.5% in 2021. Students from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu committed more suicides. The report also mentioned that student suicides have been rising steadily for the last five years.

About short-sighted recommendations to prevent student suicides in India

Indian Institute of Science’s reported replacing ceiling fans in hostel rooms with wall-mounted ones to prevent suicides.

The guidelines issued by the Board of Intermediate Education in Andhra Pradesh in 2017 to ease the pressure on students recommended including yoga and physical exercise classes and maintaining a healthy student-teacher ratio.

What can be done to reduce student suicides in India?

India should address the larger issue of a punishing education system. India should accept that the education system of today is simply not designed to support young minds or prepare them for today’s economic realities.

India should learn from past failures to address the growing crisis and take urgent steps that involve all stakeholders — students, parents, teachers, institutes and policy makers.

India should fully realise the vision contained in the New Education Policy 2020, offering greater academic flexibility to reduce the pressure on students.

About tribal rights: How We Treat Our First Citizens

News: Tribals are still targeted by laws that evoke British Raj prejudice

What was the opinion of the constitutional assembly on Tribal rights?

Ambedkar opposed any reservation for tribal persons in legislatures because he felt that “they had not developed any political sense to make the best use of their political opportunities.”

Nehru, on the other hand, disagreed with the thoughts of Ambedkar and said that “Every care should be taken in protecting the tribal areas, those unfortunate brethren of ours who are backward through no fault of theirs.”

How tribal rights are ignored even today?

Firstly, there are many pre-Independence laws that exhibit prejudice towards tribals and continue to remain in force. For example, The Sonthal Parganas Act of 1855 was still remains in force. The Act was enacted as a response to the Santhal uprising against the East India Company.

The Act excludes certain districts in the erstwhile Bengal Presidency from the application of the ‘general Regulations and Acts of Government’. The Act is based on a simple premise – Santhals are too ‘uncivilised’ a people to be governed by the legal system.

Secondly, protectionism and prejudice continue with post-independence laws also. For example, the Habitual Offenders’ Model Bill of 1952 replaced the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 and served as the basis for state-level Habitual Offenders’ Acts.

With the repeal of this Act, the ‘criminal tribes’ came to be ‘de-notified’. In almost every state where Habitual Offenders’ Acts are in force, individuals belonging to the de-notified tribes have been disproportionately targeted.

Thirdly, the old colonial idea of primitivism continues under the impression of protecting cultural autonomy. The Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution lay out a set of special provisions for tribal areas.

Under this, governors are empowered to prevent or modify the application of both central and state laws to these scheduled areas. These areas were previously ‘typically and really backward tracts’ under the Government of India Act, 1919 and ‘partially and wholly excluded areas’ under the Government of India Act, 1935.

How India’s approach to tribal rights can be changed?

The duty of the government is to address the social and educational backwardness affecting members of the tribal population. It cannot be done by protection or assimilation, but with respect and equality.

Bangladesh: A cautionary tale

News: Economic difficulties in Bangladesh are exposing the political flaws within the country.

About the iconic economic growth of Bangladesh

For the past decade and a half, Bangladesh has been powering economic growth by linking its democratic dividend to global supply chains, especially for readymade garments.

From being one of the world’s poorest nations at independence in 1971, the country has reached middle-income status and is headed to exit the United Nations’ Least Developed Countries list by 2026.

For example, a) Poverty has declined from 43.5% in 1991 to 14.3%, b) Human development indicators outmatch most of its peers, especially in terms of women’s workforce participation and empowerment.

What is the present status of Bangladesh’s economy?

Bangladesh two years ago faced a balance of payments crisis. This made Bangladesh to approach the International Monetary Fund for a $4.5-billion bailout package. This made it the third South Asian nation to do so in the recent past.

What is the reason for the economic crisis in Bangladesh?

-Due to the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, global demand has been crimped and Bangladesh has seen a surge in inflation.

-Bangladesh’s economy has overwhelming reliance on a single item which is Ready-made garments. These garments alone account for over 80% of its exports.

-There is an absence of a dynamic domestic economy built on a wider economic base, skilled labour, and efficient infrastructure.

–Political reasons: This is one of the key structural limitations of Bangladesh. The present government was in power since 2009 and follows an authoritarian nature such as being intolerant of criticism, etc.

There have been accusations of electoral fraud, extra-judicial killings of critics, a rigged judiciary, and arbitrary arrests.

What can be done to overcome the economic crisis in Bangladesh?

The need for stable institutions, a robust social security system, implementation of rule of law, and general good governance can make the environment conducive to business investment. This can stabilise the economy in the long run.

A familiar script along the border

News: A clash between India and China occurred again this month at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Yangtse area of Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh.

About the clash at LAC

What is the Chinese strategy behind these transgressions and subsequent resolutions?

About the opacity in government information while confronting China

Three days after the occurrence of the incident, a video has been leaked in the media. On the following day only, the government briefed the incident at a “high-level meeting”.

When the clash in Galwan happened in 2020, that information was also not released as it should have been and when it should have been.

What is the reason for opacity in government information while confronting China?

The Indian government might have not been informed about the conflict due to reasons such as 1) The army might thought that this clash was not important enough to report to the political establishment, 2) The army might briefed previously, and held the second meeting something purely for media consumption, and 3) The government did not intend to communicate that the clash had happened to the people, and was forced to act only because the report leaked.

A British newspaper reported that “India is covering up the true extent of border clashes with China to avoid panicking the public,” and that “army officers are under strict instructions to keep quiet about the regular clashes between Indian and Chinese troops.”

About the historical opacity in government information while confronting China

Jawaharlal Nehru knew that the border on both the western sector (Ladakh) and eastern sector (Arunachal Pradesh) was problematic. He felt that the population— the Indian people— would not accept anything other than the lines that the maps showed, even though these were lines the Indian government unilaterally drew.

So, even after the 1962 war, India chose opacity. Nehru’s papers were hidden away as was the report on the war with China. Material that is important to understand why the war happened in the first place and the background to the border and its cartography is still not completely accessible.

How India can gain from transparency in government information while confronting China?

Transparency can expand India’s options because it will enable the full use of our democratic power.

GS Paper 3

New data protection bill: A step closer to protecting privacy rights

News– The article explains the provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022.

What are some provisions of the Bill?

Bill has two major stakeholders — the Data Principal and Data Fiduciary. Data Principal refers to the subject whose data is being processed. Data Fiduciary is an entity that processes this data.

In different spheres of the law, when one party owes a “fiduciary” duty towards another; the relationship between the two is guided by trust, assurance and good faith. The Bill seems to be affirming that the Data Fiduciary is responsible for safeguarding the interests of Data Principals.

Bill describes the obligations of the Data Fiduciaries towards Data Principals, the rights and duties of the latter. It provides for a regulatory framework through which data will be processed.

Which aspects of the Bill are noteworthy?

Safeguarding the data– The Bill has outlined a category of Significant Data Fiduciaries  that are required to comply with additional measures to safeguard the personal data of individuals. This in addition to the general obligations to prevent the misuse of the personal data of individuals.

This distinction is essential as only companies that process vast amounts of data or have a potential impact on the country’s sovereignty and integrity need to take such stringent measures.

Data localisation– Onerous provisions on “data localisation” in the previous versions of the Bill have been omitted. The reworked Bill permits the government to notify countries to which data transfers may be permitted. A balance has now been struck between the legitimate concerns of businesses and the protection of personal data of individuals.

What are the provisions of the Bill that require further elaboration?

Section 25 and Schedule I, that deal with penalties, require elaboration. Section 25 refers to the quantum of financial penalty that must be imposed on a person guilty of non-compliance in matters related to detail. The focus remains only on the nature and gravity of the violation.

The Bill must ensure that the penalties imposed are proportionate to the size and operations of a company. Fines must not drive companies into economic loss. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation levies penalties in accordance with the total turnover of companies.

What are the positive aspects of the Bill?

The Bill safeguards individual data. It also promotes cooperation between data fiduciaries and the government.

It draws upon the best practices of foreign jurisdictions, such as Europe and Australia. It has also been drafted in a manner that is tailor-made to India’s requirements.

Even the exemptions granted to the Centre are extremely restrictive and in sync with past judicial precedents and Article 19(2) of the Constitution.

We’re a step closer to an overhaul of our competition law

News– The article explains the issues related to Competition(Amendment) Bill,2022. It also explains the standing committee report of this bill.

What are key provisions of this bill?

Deal value threshold for CCI FIling– One of the key proposals of the bill is introduction of a deal-value based threshold. Currently, a deal triggers CCI filing requirements when certain thresholds based on parties turnover are met.

The bill proposes a mandatory CCI filing requirement for all deals valued above 2000 crore rupees. Such a deal should have substantial business operations in India. This requirement for business presence is called the local nexus requirement.

However, there is no clarity on how the deal value would be calculated and what quantum of local nexus would trigger a filing.

Settlement of cartel cases– The Bill has excluded the cartels from the settlement mechanism. It is most pernicious violation of the competition law and settlement procedure for them would send a wrong signal.

What are recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance on this bill?

Local nexus requirement should apply to target and not to acquirer. Calculation of deal value and nature of local nexus has been left to CCI.

It proposed to expand the scope of settlement mechanisms to cartels also. Admission of guilt may not be mandatory for settlement. It allowed the provision of compensation for consumers affected by cartels

Allowing a dominant company to impose reasonable conditions necessary to protect IPR.

Using the rule-of reason approach to assess the abuse of dominant position.

Limiting the scope of hub and scope cartels to exclude those who do not intend to actively participate in furtherance of a cartel, such as online platforms acting only as intermediaries.

Not raiding or recording the statement under oath made by external legal counsels or independent advocates, which would compromise the principle of attorney-client privilege.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

South Commission: The global south could’ve had its own economic club

Source: The post is based on the article “The global south could’ve had its own economic club” published in the Livemint on 16^th November 2022.

What is the News?

At the time India has stepped into the presidency of the G20, India can bring together the economies of the southern hemisphere (excluding those of rich Australia and New Zealand) into an economic club as advised by the South Commission.

About South Commission’s attempt to create a southern economic club

A South Commission was set up in 1987 and worked from 1987 to 1990. The commission was chaired by former president of Tanzania Julius Nyerere. The commission’s member secretary and lead writer was India’s former prime minister Manmohan Singh. The commission has 26 members.

Based on: The work of the Brandt Commission led to the development of the European Union. In many ways, the South Commission hoped to create a similar framework, with an institutional set-up for former colonies to strengthen south-south trade and take a collective bargaining approach in world affairs.

Function: The commission visited countries of the south and met their leaders and people to get a pulse of how to escape the mesh of colonization, learn from local experiences, gain strength from ideas and offer a united front.

Note: At the time Portuguese colonizers liberated Mozambique, there was only one educated person in the whole country. Further, They also cut pipelines under buildings, leaving infrastructure unusable.

What were the recommendations of the South Commission?

The report was published as a book, Challenge to the South, in 1990.

The commission published a report with ideas, prescriptions for uniting and strengthening the countries now called the Global South. The commission also recommended creating its own economic philosophy and strategies for the south to overcome poverty and other disabilities.

On mutual trade: The commission recommended procuring among themselves. For instance, if a truck from Germany was cheaper than one from Mahindra in India, African countries should buy Mahindra vehicles, as former colonies had to encourage each other’s efforts.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) now named as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan(PM VIKAS) Scheme

Source: The post is based on the article “Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) now named as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan(PM VIKAS) Scheme” published in PIB on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

The Minister of Minority Affairs has informed that the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) has now been named as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme. 

What is the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme?

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Minority Affairs

Type: Central Sector Scheme

Aim: To improve livelihoods of the minorities, particularly the artisan communities, using the components of skill development, education, women leadership & entrepreneurship. 

Merged schemes: The scheme combines ​​five (5) existing schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs under this: Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil.

Components of the scheme: There are four components under the scheme: 1) Skilling and Training, 2) Leadership and Entrepreneurship, 3) Education and 4) Infrastructure Development.

– These components complement each other in the ultimate objective of the scheme to increase the incomes of the beneficiaries and provide support by facilitating credit and market linkages.

Union Minister for Jal Shakti Inaugurates The 7th Edition of India Water Impact Summit

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister for Jal Shakti Inaugurates The 7th Edition of India Water Impact Summit” published in PIB on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

Union Minister for Jal Shakti has inaugurated the 7th Edition of the India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) at New Delhi.

What is the India Water Impact Summit?

Organized by: National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG) along with the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies(c-Ganga).

Aim: To impart impetus towards developing water and environmental infrastructure to protect rivers and water bodies in India.

Theme: ‘Restoration and Conservation of Small Rivers in a Large Basin’ with emphasis on ‘Mapping and Convergence of 5Ps’ – People, Policy, Plan, Programme and Project.

What is cGanga?

Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) was established at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK) in 2016. 

Purpose: The Centre is a Centre of Excellence for data collection,  the creation and dissemination of knowledge and information for the sustainable development of the Ganga River Basin. 

The centre acts in the capacity of a comprehensive think-tank to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

Curbing air pollution in India needs efforts across South Asia: WB report

Source: The post is based on the article “Curbing air pollution in India needs efforts across South Asia: WB report” published in The Hindu on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

The World Bank has released a report titled “Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia”.

What are the key findings of the report?

Air Pollution in South Asia: South Asia is home to 9 of the world’s 10 cities with the worst air pollution.

Currently, over 60% of South Asians are exposed to an average 35 µg/m3 of PM2.5 annually. In some parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) it spiked to as much as 100 µg/m3 – nearly 20 times the upper limit of 5 µg/m3 recommended by the World Health Organisation,

Exposure to such extreme air pollution has impacts ranging from stunting and reduced cognitive development in children to respiratory infections and chronic and debilitating diseases. This drives up healthcare costs, lowers a country’s productive capacity, and leads to lost days worked.

What are the recommendations given by the report to reduce air pollution in South Asia?

Airsheds in South Asia: Air pollution travels long distances— crossing municipal, state, and national boundaries—and gets trapped in large “airsheds” that are shaped by climatology and geography. 

India has six large airsheds, some of them shared with Pakistan, between which air pollutants move. 

For instance, when the wind direction was predominantly northwest to southeast, 30% of the air pollution in Indian Punjab came from the Punjab Province in Pakistan and on average, 30% of the air pollution in the largest cities of Bangladesh (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Khulna) originated in India. 

This means that even if Delhi were to fully implement all air pollution control measures by 2030 while other parts of South Asia continued to follow current policies, it wouldn’t keep pollution exposure below 35 µg/m3. 

However, if other parts of South Asia also adopted all feasible measures it would bring pollution below that number. 

Hence, based on these findings the report recommends India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries establish a dialogue on air pollution to tackle it with an ‘airshed approach’. 

Explained | Kerala Government’s Bills to remove the Governor as Chancellor of State Universities

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained | Kerala Government’s Bills to remove the Governor as Chancellor of State Universities” published in The Hindu on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

Kerala Assembly has passed the University Laws (Amendment) Bill,2022.

What are the University Laws (amendment) Bill?

The Bill amends the statutes of 14 universities established by legislative Acts in Kerala and removes the Governor as the Chancellor of those universities. 

The Bill will supplant the Governor and give the government power to appoint eminent academicians as Chancellors of various universities, thus ending the Governor’s watchdog role in university administration. 

The Bills also provide provisions to limit the term of the appointed chancellor to five years. However, it also says that the serving chancellor can be reappointed for another term.

Why has the State Government introduced this Bill?

The State government has claimed that the bill was brought to implement the recommendation of the Punchhi Commission on Centre-State Relations.

The commission had recommended refraining from burdening the Governor with positions and powers which are not envisaged by the Constitution and which may lead the office to controversies or public criticism.

What are the arguments against the bill?

The Bills would give the State Government more leeway in appointing its own nominees as VCs of State Universities. This would mean a transfer of power over university administration from the Governor and the UGC to the State Government. 

How can this issue be settled while maintaining the autonomy of State universities?

A probable solution to the tug-of-war between the Governor and the State government regarding the governance of State universities was put forward by the M. Anandakrishnan Committee set up by the Kerala State Higher Education Council in 2009 to review the Acts of Universities of Kerala. 

The committee recommended that universities should have complete autonomy in academic and administrative matters.

It suggested creating statutory structures that would distance the Governor [as Chancellor] and Minister for Higher Education [as Pro-Chancellor] from the day-to-day administration of the universities.

GLAAS Report: Extreme weather events continue to hamper access to potable water, sanitation; urgent action needed: WHO

Source: The post is based on the article “Extreme weather events continue to hamper access to potable water, sanitation; urgent action needed: WHO” published in Down To Earth on 14th December 2022

What is the News?

The World Health Organization(WHO) and UN-Water have released the Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water(GLAAS) report.

What is the GLAAS Report?

The GLAAS 2022 report compiles new data on drinking-Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) from 121 countries and territories and 23 External Support Agencies(ESAs).

It serves as a global reference to inform commitments, priority-setting and actions during the second half of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and for the 2023 Conference for the Review of Implementation of the United Nations Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018–2028).

What are the key findings of the GLAAS Report?

Human Resource for WASH Tasks: Less than one-third of countries reported maintaining enough human resources to manage essential Water, Sanitation and Hygiene(WASH) tasks.

Drinking water and Sanitation Targets: 45% of countries are on track to meet their drinking-water coverage targets, but only 25% are meeting their sanitation targets. More acceleration is needed to achieve national targets.

Inadequate resources: While WASH budgets in some countries have increased, a significant portion — more than 75% of them — reported having inadequate resources to carry out their WASH plans and objectives.

Climate Change and WASH: Most WASH policies and plans do not consider climate change threats to WASH services, nor do they take the climate resilience of WASH technology and management systems into account.

What are the recommendations given by the report?

Urgent action is required at global and local levels to ensure universal access to WASH in order to avert catastrophic effects of infectious diseases on the health of millions of people.

In many countries, progress must be accelerated to meet United Nations-mandated (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) six — ensuring universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.

Governments must also target underserved populations and settings – such as people living in poverty or in remote or hard-to-reach areas – to ensure they also have access to safe, sustainable WASH services.

Tramjatra event: Come February, 150 years of Kolkata tram to be celebrated by users

Source: The post is based on the article “Come February, 150 years of Kolkata tram to be celebrated by users” published in The Hindu on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

Kolkata will witness Tramjatra event that will celebrate 150 years of its iconic tram and renew hope that this non-polluting mode of transport does not become entirely extinct in February, 2023.

What is Tramjatra?

Tramjatra (tram’s journey) is a moving tram carnival that was started back in 1996 jointly by enthusiasts from Melbourne and Kolkata.

At that time, Kolkata, the only Indian city where the tram still runs, was home to about two dozen routes. Today the number of routes that remain operational has shrunk to just two.

What is the objective of Tramjatra event 2023?

Objective: To educate people, particularly the younger generation, about climate change, air pollution, and sustainable development objectives with a focus on green mobility and Kolkata’s tram legacy.

Theme: Heritage, Clean Air and Green Mobility.

Union Minister says, ISRO has taken initiatives for feasibility studies on missions to Venus as well as Aeronomy studies

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister says, ISRO has taken initiatives for feasibility studies on missions to Venus as well as Aeronomy studies” published in PIB on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) has taken initiatives for feasibility studies on missions to Venus as well as aeronomy studies.

What is Aeronomy?

The term aeronomy was coined and introduced about 60 years ago. It refers to the scientific study of the upper atmospheric regions of the Earth and other solar system bodies. It covers the chemistry, dynamics and energy balance of both neutral and charged particles.

What is the ISRO’s mission to Venus?

Shukrayaan-1 is a planned mission to Venus by ISRO to study the surface and atmosphere of Venus. 

The mission is expected to be launched in 2024. The mission would include an orbiter and an atmospheric balloon probe.

Why should we study Venus?

Click Here to read

Year End Review 2022: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY)

Source: The post is based on the article “Year End Review 2022: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY)” published in PIB on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY) has launched several initiatives and schemes in 2022.

What are the schemes and initiatives launched by MeitY in 2022?

Aadhaar: It is the world’s largest digital identity programme that provides biometric and demographic-based unique digital identity that can be authenticated anytime, anywhere and also eliminates duplicate & fake identities. It provides an identity infrastructure for the delivery of various social welfare programmes. As of 2022, 129 crore Aadhaar has been issued.

Common Services Centres (CSCs)

DigiLocker

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance)

National AI Portal: It has been developed to provide all information related to Artificial Intelligence to all stakeholders in a single place and promote awareness and communication on AI in the country. 

AarogyaSetu

GST Prime: It is a product to help tax administrators to analyze and monitor tax collection and compliance within their jurisdiction. 

e-Taal 3.0 (Electronic Transaction Aggregation & Analysis Layer): It provides a real-time aggregated view of the volume of eServices being delivered across different agencies of the Central, State and local Governments in India.

ServicePlus: It is a Metadata Based e-Service Delivery Framework which helps in making all Government services accessible to the common man in his locality through common service delivery outlets. 

Open Government Data (OGD 2.0): It has been set up to provide proactive access to Government owned shareable data, along with its usage information in open/machine-readable format.

E-Government Development Index(EGDI): The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) has been publishing the EGDI and survey report since 2001.

MeitY is the nodal ministry for EGDI along with two-line Ministries/ Departments Viz. Department of Higher Education and Department of School Education and Literacy (DHE and DoSEL).

It is a composite measure of three important dimensions of e-government, namely: Online Service Index, the Telecommunication Infrastructure Index and the Human Capital Index.

The latest EGDI 2022 edition indicates the e-government development status of all 193 United Nations Member States. India has ranked 105th in EGDI 2022.

Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)

Future Skill PRIME

Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme 

Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS)

Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme

Next Generation Incubation Scheme(NGIS): It aims to support the domestic software product ecosystem and address significant objectives of the National Policy on Software Product (NPSP). 

Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)

MeitY Startup Hub (MSH)

TIDE (Technology Innovation Development for Entrepreneurs) 2.0: MeitY is engaged in promoting tech entrepreneurship through TIDE 2.0 Scheme, which includes financial and technical support to incubators engaged in supporting ICT startups using emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, Blockchain, Robotics etc.

Fab Lab at STPI Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Bhashini, the National Language Technology Mission (NLTM)

National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)

Microprocessor Development Programme (MDP)

AgriEnIcs: National Programme on Electronics and ICT Applications in Agriculture and Environment: It is a national-level programme initiated to reform the agriculture and environment sectors with the interventions of IoT, ICT, machine learning and robotics technology.

Development of Electric Vehicles (EVs) Sub-System: It has been initiated with a broad objective to develop Electric Vehicle sub-systems in the areas of Electric motors, controllers, converters, Chargers etc., ranging from small to large vehicles etc., indigenously.

Cyber Surakshit Bharat (CSB)

Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy”

Thoracic aortic aneurysm: Condition that killed football writer Grant Wahl during Qatar World Cup

Source: The post is based on the article “Thoracic aortic aneurysm: Condition that killed football writer Grant Wahl during Qatar World Cup” published in Indian Express on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

The American football writer Grant Wahl died last week due to an “ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm” a weakening of the blood vessel that often goes undetected. 

What is Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm?

An aneurysm is a localized 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% 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.

Aneurysms occur more often in the portion of the aorta that runs through the abdomen rather than the chest (causing what is called an “abdominal aortic aneurysm”).

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.

What are the causes of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm?

Among the possible causes of thoracic aortic aneurysm are (i) degenerative disease that causes breakdown of the aortic wall tissue; (ii) genetic disorders; (iii) family history; (iv) vasculitis or inflammation of the arteries; and (v) atherosclerosis or the build-up of plaque on the walls of the artery. In rare cases, an infection can also trigger an aneurysm.

What are the symptoms of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm?

The symptoms may include (i) pain in the jaw, neck, chest, or upper back; (ii) wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath (due to pressure on the trachea); (iii) hoarseness (due to pressure on the vocal cords); and (iv) trouble swallowing due to pressure on the oesophagus.

These symptoms are not unique to thoracic aortic aneurysms, which may delay focused medical attention.

Is there a treatment for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm?

When aneurysms are caught and treated early, they can be repaired.

Atal Innovation Mission and UNDP India launch 5th edition of Youth Co:Lab for Young Entrepreneurs

Source: The post is based on the article “Atal Innovation Mission and UNDP India launch 5th edition of Youth Co:Lab for Young Entrepreneurs” published in PIB on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

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

What is Youth Co:Lab?

Youth Co:Lab was co-created in 2017 by UNDP and the Citi Foundation.

Aim: 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.

Coverage: Youth Co:Lab initiative has till now been implemented in 28 countries and territories.

Significance: It is Asia Pacific’s largest youth innovation movement 

When was Youth Co:Lab launched in India?

Youth Co:Lab was launched in India in 2019 by UNDP India in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog.

What will be the focus of the fifth edition of Youth Co:Lab India?

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: 1) Digital and Financial Literacy for Youth, 2) Gender Equality and Women Economic Empowerment, 3) Developing FinTech Solutions focused on Biodiversity Conservation, 4) Promoting Biodiversity-friendly Lifestyles through Technological Solutions in Finance, 5) Accelerating Circular Economy through Upcycling Innovations and 6) Behavioral Nudges for LiFE ( Lifestyle For Environment).