Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• A ‘democratisation’ that is more a fallacy
• We should shed colonial legacy by creating content in mother languages

GS Paper 2

• Why not use Sanskrit as our first or second official language?
• Slow progress to creating a safe workplace for women
• Ladakh’s winter of discontent From cheering its UT status, the region is now mired in protest

GS Paper 3

• Budget and the growth process
• How Union budget 2023 may foster greater violations of privacy
• Reducing Army presence in J&K hinterland: A thaw in the Valley
• Be Africa, Not Las Vegas – The message from Himalayan belt is clear: India needs to nurture back wild nature in some parts, and stop the construction mania

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• Why the Centre wants to revisit the process for designating senior advocates at Supreme Court, High Courts
• Underwater noise emissions by ships pose threat to Indian marine species, says study
• Explained | How does the gut microbiome link to autism spectrum disorders?
• ‘Millions’ in India, Pakistan at risk of flooding from glacial lakes: What a new study says
• EPFO issues guidelines for employees, pensioners to opt for higher pension
• Digitisation of longest continuous solar observations can help explore impact of variations of the Sun on climate
• TRAI releases its recommendations on ‘Rating of Buildings or Areas for Digital Connectivity’
• Cooling earth with moon dust – a clever climate solution or making Frankenstein’s monster?
• Rhododendrons carpet Darjeeling, Sikkim Himalayas

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

A ‘democratisation’ that is more a fallacy

News- The Social media has democratised self-expression. But, it has mixed effects on the public sphere.

How has the social media landscape changed in recent times?

There is a trend towards increasing brevity and homogeneity.

The early days of online discourse centred around long-form text on blogs and message boards. It required conscious engagement from the writer and the reader. The reader spent time reading and making her/his own expression in her own words.

With the advent of social media, long-form text has changed to shorter versions. There is a shift from posts to tweets to retweets, likes, memes, and emojis.

One of the most striking things about online communication is little speaking by people.

Social media also forces brevity(accurate and shorter expressions) due to its format and the larger ecosystem associated with it.

What are the impacts of social media  on different spheres of life?

It puts constraints on the possibilities of what can be said. This limits the scope of self-expression.

The incentives of social media privileges antagonism, outrage over dialogue and reason. It compels individuals to become more antagonistic and outrageous. The effect is that the medium dictates the message.

The ability of social media platforms for short messaging is impacting the “creator economy”. In order to improve user engagement, social media platforms have started compensating users for original audiovisual content.

Platforms have increasingly moved to shorter video formats ranging from 15 to 60 seconds. There are many reports of creators trying to hack the algorithms.

With the emergence of generative AI such as ChatGPT for text and images, there is a high possibility that “self-expression” will be further diminished. It will  make it easy to generate content without requiring the individual to apply herself in any meaningful manner.

We should shed colonial legacy by creating content in mother languages

News- The article emphasis the need to overhaul the language of education system to make it more inclusive and diverse

What is the viewpoint of UNESCO on mother language?

In November 1999, UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day in response to the declining state of many languages all over the world.

This year’s theme, “Multilingual education — a necessity to transform education,”

UNESCO states, a monolingual system of education which relies on “providing education in only one language that is not necessarily shared by all learners may negatively impact learning performance, and the development of socio-emotional and foundational literacy skills.”

What are the challenges with colonial era learning?

Even as we Amrit celebrate Azadi ka Mahotsav, to mark 75 years of Independence, we have not been able to shed this colonial legacy of dependence on English.

Educators and parents continue to accord unquestioned primacy to English and, as a result, the child is compelled to study his or her mother tongue as a “second/third language” at school.

Our emphasis on English has, ironically, made the educational system exclusive and restrictive.

While limiting the acquisition of knowledge in technical and professional courses, to a select few, we made it inaccessible to a vast majority of our students.

What are government initiatives in this regard?

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a farsighted document which advocates education in one’s mother tongue right from the primary-school level.

 AICTE’s landmark decision to permit BTech programmes in 11 native languages.

Government is looking forward for employment and job creation in mother languages ex-SSC.

What is the way forward?

Mother tongue as the medium of instruction gives confidence to youth.

Including mother languages in learning,we can fast-track methods to make quality education more accessible, equitable and inclusive.

Thus, steps need to be scaled up at all levels. We must involve all key stakeholders in education — policymakers, schools, colleges and universities, teachers, regulatory institutions and non-governmental bodies.

GS Paper 2

Why not use Sanskrit as our first or second official language?

News: The article discusses measures required to make Sanskrit an official language.

Why Sanskrit should be made official language?

Sanskrit is considered the mother of all Indo-European groups of languages. It is also considered as a secular language and is not associated with any specific religion.

Sanskrit is eminently suitable because Indians use a large number of Sanskrit words when they use their regional language.

Moreover, English is the official language of Courts. However, the counsel in court argue in Hindi. Even HCs of some states have allowed to file cases in Hindi.

English has become our second official language even though hardly 2-3% Indians have fluency over English.

Hence, Sanskrit along with Hindi shout be promoted by the government.

What measures are needed to make Sanskrit an official language?

The government should appoint a commission and committee of Parliament on official language as per Article 344.

Article 344 says it shall be the duty of this commission to make recommendations to the President for (a) the progressive use of the Hindi language for the official purposes of the Union; (b) restrictions on the use of English language for all or any of the official purposes.

Article 351 of the Indian Constitution states that it shall be the duty of the government to promote the spread of Hindi, wherever necessary or desirable promote Sanskrit and then other languages.

Further, Sanskrit language should be promoted through the way of education in its pure form and in phases.

Sanskrit can be introduced in the government’s services and at the university level while the English language could be retained for international relations and commercial agreements.

Therefore, we need to use a language which can be understood by all people in India and Sanskrit is the best for it.

Slow progress to creating a safe workplace for women

News- Recently, there were allegations of sexual harassment against higher authorities by some women sportpersons.

What are the reasons behind sexual harassment of women at workplace?

Sexual harassment at the workplace, is both direct and structural. The enabling environment for reporting direct violence has shown a gradual improvement.

But, indirect violence remains poorly addressed. It is embedded deep in our social and economic structures. It is more visible in the employment imbalance prevalent between men and women.

More men at the workplace feel entitled to take undue advantage of the historical fact that the society is still patriarchal and women occupy a few of the higher positions.

The number of women in leadership positions is not enough to generate confidence in the female subordinates. Women in lower positions feel reluctant to air their grievances.

The Periodic Labour Force Survey for 2020-21 shows that the participation of women in the total labour force was 25.1% in 2020-21. It is still much less when compared to men.

There is  absence of an enabling and safe working environment. Most women do not complain of sexual harassment. The current redress mechanism is either non-existent or ineffective.

Women are more vulnerable to exploitation by their employer due to the fear of job insecurity. Which makes them vulnerable to sexual favour by employers.

Whenever allegations of sexual harassment are levelled against superior authorities, the enquiry is not done properly. Instead, an accused either resorts to multiple litigation to stall the due process or attempts to bring disrepute to the victim.

What is the way forward to address the issues of sexual harassment of women at workplace?

It is the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe work environment.

The short-term goals may include providing the requisite women-friendly infrastructure, the

constitution of internal complaint committees, and the spreading of awareness about the law and procedure of grievance redress.

Medium-term goals may include the increase of female participation in the labour force,

improvement of tooth-to-tail ratio, and providing incentives to prevent drop-outs such as paid maternity leave.

In the long-run, it is essential to address the deep-rooted structural and cultural violence against women.

There is a need to develop the mindset of treating men and women as equals at an early stage of character formation during childhood. Parents should respect each other and treat their girl and boy child on a par in all respects.

Ladakh’s winter of discontent From cheering its UT status, the region is now mired in protest

News: Centre’s policies in Ladakh highlight the political risks of neglecting local aspirations.

What are the issues in Ladakh?

In 2019, Ladakhis celebrated the region’s demarcation from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and its creation as a Union Territory. But over the past three years, locals claimed that their rights are weakening under central rule. These include a) Removal of local protections for land and jobs, b) Earlier Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council directed the affairs of the region. But now, the Council has become less relevant and is governed directly by the centre, c) Region’s ethnic tribal demography would be overwhelmed by people from the plains settling in Ladakh in larger numbers, d) Increase in private investment from outside the region, and e) Industrial projects are apparently being approved without local consent and industry groups have explored the possibility of developing and extracting minerals found in the region. Such as gold, sulphur, borax, granite, limestone, and marble.

The Union home ministry had set up a committee to examine the above grievances. But reports suggest that little progress has been made.

What are the demands of the Ladakh people?

There are demands that Ladakh should be granted statehood, just as has been promised to J&K at some later date and brought under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution as a safeguard of local rights. The Sixth Schedule, which comes under Article 244, provides for the formation of Autonomous District Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.

In 2019, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes recommended that with tribes accounting for 97% of Ladakh’s population, its distinct cultural heritage needed protection under the Sixth Schedule.

Centre’s response to the demand: The Sixth Schedule is only for the North-east; for tribal areas in the rest of the country there is the Fifth Schedule, which applies to states with more than 50% tribal population.

What should be done?

The Centre could introduce a Bill to amend the Constitution to bring Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule. This will ensure trust among the locals and empower them as well.

GS Paper 3

Budget and the growth process

News: The article discusses the shortcomings of Budget 2023-24.

What are the shortcomings of the Budget 2023-24?

Expenditure: The Budget Estimates (BE) of expenditure for 2023-24 show an increase of Rs 3.16 trillion over the Revised Estimates (RE) for 2022-23.

The increase in interest payments and the increase in loans and grants to states account for 76 percent of the expenditure.

Subsidies: A major reduction in expenditure has happened in subsidies. This has resulted in the sharp drop in the provision for food, fertilizer, and LPG subsidies.

The budget has increased in the outlays for SC and ST welfare, youth welfare, and the gender budget. These taken together form a 9.2 percent increase but it is below the capital outlay.

The budget has also decreased the outlay for rural employment guarantee programme which was the need for the inclusive development.

Capital outlay: The Budget shows the capital outlay as Rs 10 trillion.

However, if the equity contribution to public enterprises and grants and loans to states are excluded, the capital expenditure from the Budget would be lower by about Rs 2 trillion.

Further, if one includes the capital expenditure of central public enterprises, the total would be about Rs 11.5 trillion. This is about Rs 2 trillion more than the RE for FY23.

This gives a growth rate of about 20 percent rather than the 33 percent stated in the Budget papers.

Moreover, most of the capital outlay is on the transport sector with special focus on the railways. The Budget presents a 50 percent increase in the capital outlay on the Railways.

However, when we combine the Budget outlay and extra-budgetary resources (EBR) from public enterprises for railway development, the increase is 6 percent not 50 percent.

Household Savings and Private Investments: Capital outlay is largely funded by public borrowing which depends on net household financial savings. The increase in the public capital outlay has been one of the reasons behind low private investments.

Further, the post-liberalisation budgets of the Centre and the states have not created sufficient space for the flow of funds to the private sector.

This is because of the very slow growth in the tax/GDP ratio and the continuing rise in the public expenditure/GDP ratio.

Even though there has been a five-fold increase in real GDP between 1992-93 and 2019-20, the gap between the expenditure of the Centre and the states and the tax revenue of the Centre and the states remained around 14 percent of GDP.

This year’s Budget also does not show a sufficient reduction in the draft of the central and state governments on household savings.

Hence, private savings and the stimulation of the credit market for private investment must become a major target for fiscal policy.

How Union budget 2023 may foster greater violations of privacy

News- The article emphasis  the need for robust data protection law.

What are provisions in the budget related to digitisation?

The 2023 Union Budget promises to be a landmark year for technology and digitisation in India.

The Digital India Programme  has been allotted Rs 4,795.24 crore

There is a 1,000 per cent increase in the funding for the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Intelligence Unit.

What are the potential risks associated with Digitisation?

Digitisation entails ever-expanding data collection, storage and sharing. This includes personal information such as biometrics and financial and health data.

Many of the initiatives announced with the budget reinforce the deep discord between the pace of digitisation efforts which will aggravate the existing privacy deficit in India.

What is current digital privacy protection legal concern?

Current anonymisation techniques are inadequate and do not guarantee privacy protection.

The Current Draft of Digital Data Protection Bill 2022 falls short and fails to incorporate safeguards.

This Draft 2022 is even weaker than Draft 2021.

The 2021 draft imposed a penalty for the intentional reidentification of an individual’s anonymised personal information. This provision has been done away with, amplifying concerns around insufficient limitations and safeguards for privacy.

What is the next initiative of the government?

A National Data Governance Policy will be brought out  to enable access to anonymised data (Union Budget 2023–24)

Anonymised data includes data that does not contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII) like name, age, phone number, address, etc, or data from which PII has been removed.

What is the way forward?

The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2023 finds that data privacy and cybersecurity regulations are effective for reducing cyber risks.

So for the potential of anonymised data to be unleashed without jeopardising people’s privacy, India first needs a robust data protection law.

As the country starts its G20 presidency and prepares to be a leader in this space, we should do well to prioritise the development of exemplary, rights-respecting privacy and cybersecurity regimes.

Reducing Army presence in J&K hinterland: A thaw in the Valley

News: Discussion has begun on reducing the presence of Army troops in civilian areas in the hinterland of Jammu and Kashmir. 

What are the reasons for withdrawing soldiers from J&K?

Excluding paramilitaries, the number of Army soldiers in J&K is said to be in the region of 1.7 lahks. This includes the soldiers posted along the 740-km Line of Control with Pakistan.

The reason for withdrawing soldiers are a) a big reduction in the number of terrorist incidents, b) stationing soldiers indefinitely to keep a check on civilians is not good for the Army or for the people and c) the February 2021 recommitment by the Indian and Pakistan armies to the LoC ceasefire.

It has been proposed that the CRPF can fill in for the Army.

What are the benefits of withdrawing soldiers from J&K?

In the year of India’s G20 presidency, a) The move could help India to counter international description of Kashmir as the “world’s most militarised region”, b) India can focus on the Line of Actual Control. Earlier, Rashtriya Rifles, a force raised by the Army specially for counter-insurgency duties in Kashmir was deployed in LAC.

What should be done along with withdrawing soldiers from J&K?

The security situation in J&K is far from resolved. A good start for troop thinning would be in areas with low violence levels.

The J&K police must put in place a regular crime control mechanism with an emphasis on investigations, which may have a salutary effect against terrorist activity.

The ultimate goal in J&K is political empowerment, and for this, the government must make plans to hold assembly elections at the earliest.

Be Africa, Not Las Vegas – The message from Himalayan belt is clear: India needs to nurture back wild nature in some parts, and stop the construction mania

News: Recently, there are large cracks appearing on the Badrinath highway. From Joshimath, to the river city of Karanprayag, to the eastern edges of Himachal, the disturbing shifts and slides of the ground pose big questions for the protection of the Himalayan ecosystem.

What is the present state of ecological damage in India?

The past century has seen the disappearance of almost a third of the country’s forest cover; many tree, plant and insect species are extinct or headed in that direction.

Millions of hectares of grassland and sanctuaries are encroached upon by either the local population or excessive tourism and commerce. For example, Mumbai’s mangroves and Deodar forests all across Himachal was destroyed for making roads  and apartment blocks respectively.

Moreover, forests are cleared regularly for industrial parks, mining, commercial plantations and grazing. Further, the tree cover of 10 million hectares is destroyed every year.

There is no institutional policy or active manpower push to contain the destruction and reverse ecological damage.

The damage inflicted is so pervasive and complete, in many cases, it is irreversible and may take many decades to repair.

What are the major reasons for ecological damage in India?

This is due to two environmentally destructive strategies, excess and instant gratification. For example, the fragile ecology of the Garhwal Himalayas is under tremendous stress due to a) Hydroelectric projects, increased traffic and construction activities which led to a breach in the carrying capacity of the Uttarakhand hills, b) Constructing a four-lane highway in the Himalayan region. Though four-lane highways seem like a major advance, such a development strategy is neither economically sound nor ecologically tenable.

How do other countries conserve ecology?

Bhutan’s ‘high value, low volume’ tourism strategy: The country charges foreign tourists a sustainable development fee of around $200 per person per night. Indian visitors also have to pay Rs 1,200 per day.

Central and South American countries:

a) Costa Rica’s Blue Flag Ecology Programme: The country accounts for 4% of the world’s biodiversity and relies on tourism for 10.3% of its GDP. A strict set of environmental criteria is laid down under the programme. Under it, all local stakeholders in the tourism industry work together to attain the coveted Blue Flag tag.

b) Chile: The tourism industry is allowed to operate only in sustainable ways within protected areas. Tourism stakeholders are then held accountable for any breaches in these agreements.

What should be done to protect the Himalayan ecosystem?

Cap pilgrimage count: Many countries around the globe cap pilgrim and tourist numbers. Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district administration has indicated there may be a cap on pilgrims. The government should implement this without hesitation.

Greening of the denuded sections of the landscape: This includes replanting along with multiple ecological plans to encourage bees, butterflies and birds, besides a wider variety of regional plants and trees.

Focus on all species: A calibrated study of varied animal and insect species is required to create a balanced ecosystem within forests.

In forest and rural areas, hyenas, wild hens, boar, foxes, deer, wolves and other animal species need to be nurtured; they have been grossly neglected, due to excessive focus on tigers, lions and cheetahs.

Promote deliberate underdevelopment in ecologically-sensitive regions: The rewilding of India must be closely tied to de-populating certain overburdened areas of the country.  But that should be accompanied by a clear policy on areas available for tourism, limited tourism, and no-go areas.

Find middle ground: India, wild like remote Africa, or India overbuilt like Las Vegas, it will take some serious steps to find a middle ground.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Why the Centre wants to revisit the process for designating senior advocates at Supreme Court, High Courts

Source: The post is based on the article “Why the Centre wants to revisit the process for designating senior advocates at Supreme Court, High Courts” published in Indian Express on 21st February 2023.

What is the News?

The Central government is seeking to change guidelines for the designation of senior lawyers. These guidelines were issued by the Supreme Court in the aftermath of its 2017 ruling in the case of ‘Indira Jaising vs. Union of India’.

How were advocates designated as senior advocates before the 2017 ruling?

The Advocates Act, 1961 states two classes of advocates – senior advocates and other advocates.

A senior advocate must be a deserving candidate in the opinion of the SC or an HC. It was the Chief Justice and the judges who designated an advocate as a ‘senior’ advocate.

What is the ‘Indira Jaising vs. Union of India’ case?

India’s first woman Senior Advocate Indira Jaising filed a petition in SC challenging the existing process of designation of senior advocate.

She termed this process as opaque, arbitrary and fraught with nepotism and sought greater transparency in the process of designating.

As a result, the Supreme Court decided to lay down guidelines for itself and all High Courts on the process of designating senior advocates.

The guidelines provide for the setting up of a “permanent committee” and a “permanent secretariat”.

Permanent Secretariat will be a body tasked with receiving and compiling all applications for designation with relevant data.

The secretariat forwards these proposals to the permanent committee for scrutiny. The CJI-chaired committee was to consist of two senior-most SC judges, the Attorney General of India, and a member of the Bar nominated by the chair and other members.

The committee then interviews the candidate and makes an overall evaluation based on years of practice, pro-bono work undertaken, judgments, publications, and a personality test.

Once a candidate’s name is approved, it will be forwarded to the Full Court to decide on the basis of the majority.

If the candidate gets the apt votes, then s/he is allowed to be designated as a senior advocate but if rejected then the applicant can send the application again only after the lapse of two years. The Full Court can also recall the designation of a senior advocate.

Why is the Centre trying to modify the guidelines now?

The current requirements for designation are arbitrary and have resulted in ousting of otherwise eligible candidates.

The point-based system, which awards 40% weightage to publications, personality and suitability, is subjective, ineffective, and dilutes the esteem and dignity of the honour.

The application seeks to reinstate the rule of a simple majority by a secret ballot, where the judges can express their views about the suitability of any candidate.

Underwater noise emissions by ships pose threat to Indian marine species, says study

Source: The post is based on the article “Underwater noise emissions by ships pose threat to Indian marine species, says study” published in The Hindu on 21st February 2023

What is the News?

A study has been published titled “Measuring Underwater Noise Levels Radiated by Ships in Indian Waters”.

What are the key findings of the study?

According to the study, the rising man-made (anthropogenic) underwater noise emissions(UNE) from ships in the Indian waters are posing a threat to the life of marine mammals like Bottlenose Dolphin, Manatees, Pilot Whales, Seals and Sperm Whales.

The UNE or underwater sound pressure levels in the Indian waters are 102-115 decibels (dB). The East Coast level is slightly higher than that of the West. There is an increase by a significant value of about 20 dB.

What is the impact of underwater noise emissions(UNE) from ships on marine ecosystems?

Impact on mating and other activities: Marine mammals like Bottlenose Dolphins, Manatees, Pilot Whale, Seal and Sperm whales use sound for mating, communal interaction, feeding, cluster cohesion and foraging

However, the sound that radiates from ships on a long-term basis affects them and results in internal injuries, loss of hearing ability, change in behavioural responses and stress. 

Impact on migration route: The frequencies of ships’ underwater self-noise and machinery vibration levels are overlapping the marine species’ communication frequencies.

This is called masking, which could have led to a change in the migration route of the marine species to the shallow regions and also made it difficult for them to go back to the deeper water.

Explained | How does the gut microbiome link to autism spectrum disorders?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained | How does the gut microbiome link to autism spectrum disorders?” published in The Hindu on 21st February 2023

What is the News?

A study was conducted to understand the link between gut microbiome and Autism spectrum disorder(ASD).

What is Autism spectrum disorder(ASD)?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the term for a group of neurodevelopmental disorders.

According to the WHO, ASD affects one in 100 children. Children with ASD have impaired social interactions, lack verbal and non-verbal communication skills and display restricted and repetitive behaviours. 

These characteristics can adversely affect one’s cognitive abilities and over time diminish one’s quality of life.

At present, there are no known cures and therapeutic interventions available to treat or reverse ASD.

What is the link between the gut microbiome and ASD?

The gut microbiome is believed to have a big impact on immune modulation and metabolic activities in the human body. Immune modulation refers to the efforts of the immune system to ensure its response is proportionate to a threat.

The researchers found potential connections between the gut microbiome to ASD symptoms. They found dysbiosis — an imbalance — in the gut microbiome in children with ASD.

Based on these findings, they concluded that reinstating a balance in the gut microbiome and reversing gut dysbiosis among children with ASD could alleviate many problems they face and improve their quality of life.

‘Millions’ in India, Pakistan at risk of flooding from glacial lakes: What a new study says

Source: The post is based on the article “‘Millions’ in India, Pakistan at risk of flooding from glacial lakes: What a new study says” published in Indian Express on 21st February 2023.

What is the News?

A study has been published in the journal Nature titled ‘Glacial lake outburst floods(GLOF) threaten millions globally’.

What are Glacial Lake Outburst Floods(GLOF)?

Click Here to read

GLOFs have been taking place since the ice age. But the risk has increased multifold due to climate change.

According to a 2020 study, the number and total area of glacial lakes worldwide have increased by about 50% since 1990.

GLOFs can prove to be catastrophic as they mostly arrive with little warning and result in large-scale destruction of property, infrastructure, and agricultural land. They can also lead to the death of hundreds of people.

What are the key findings of the study?

Firstly, around 15 million people across the world face the risk of sudden and deadly flooding from glacial lakes. More than half of those who could be impacted live in four countries: India, Pakistan, Peru and China.

Secondly, glacial flood risks don’t only depend on the size and number of glacial lakes in an area. What also matters is the number of people living in the area, their proximity to the danger zone as well as the levels of social vulnerability.

– For instance, areas like Greenland and Canada, which have a large number of glacial lakes, have very few people who are vulnerable to GLOFs as their population and corruption levels are low.

– On the other hand, the number and size of glacial lakes in areas like India and Pakistan isn’t as large as in Greenland. But it’s that extremely large population and the fact that they are highly vulnerable means Pakistan and India have some of the highest GLOF danger globally.

EPFO issues guidelines for employees, pensioners to opt for higher pension

Source: The post is based on the article “EPFO issues guidelines for employees, pensioners to opt for higher pension” published in The Hindu on 21st February 2023.

What is the News?

In compliance with the Supreme Court’s November 2022 judgement, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has issued instructions to all its regional and zonal offices on the manner in which employees should apply for higher pensions.

What was the Supreme Court judgement on EPFO pension scheme?

Click Here to read

What are the guidelines issued by EPFO?

EPFO has issued instructions to all its regional and zonal offices on the manner in which employees should apply for higher pensions.

As part of the instructions, the EPFO has now allowed subscribers to go beyond the pensionable salary capped at Rs 15,000 a month on which employers deduct a sum equal to 8.33% of the ‘actual basic salary’ towards pension under the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS).

What this essentially means is that an employee and an employer can sign up together, requesting the EPFO to deduct 8.33% of the higher monthly basic salary, thus ensuring a larger accumulation towards pension over their work life.

Digitisation of longest continuous solar observations can help explore impact of variations of the Sun on climate

Source: The post is based on the article “Digitisation of longest continuous solar observations can help explore impact of variations of the Sun on climate” published in PIB on 20th February 2023

What is the News?

The longest continuous observations of the Sun taken from Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO) have been digitized and made available for community use.

What is the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory(KoSO)?

The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory is a solar observatory owned and operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. 

It is located on the southern tip of the Palani Hills 4 kilometers from Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu.

Achievements: The Evershed effect was first detected at this observatory in 1909. (The Evershed effect named after the British astronomer John Evershed is the radial flow of gas across the photospheric surface of the penumbra of sunspots from the inner border with the umbra towards the outer edge).

–The Solar data collected by the observatory is also the oldest continuous series of its kind in India.

What is the significance of the digitization of solar observations?

KoSO has been providing continuous and long-term uniform solar observations for over a century now, many of them taken in the form of photographic images.

Digitizing these observations can help scientists around the world strengthen their studies of solar variability and its impact on climate, spanning it over a longer timescale.

These historical observations can enable us to understand the behaviour of the Sun in its earlier phase, and based on that, one can predict its future. 

TRAI releases its recommendations on ‘Rating of Buildings or Areas for Digital Connectivity’

Source: The post is based on the article “TRAI releases its recommendations on ‘Rating of Buildings or Areas for Digital Connectivity” published in PIB on 20th February 2023

What is the News?

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India(TRAI) has released its recommendations on “Rating of Buildings or Areas for Digital Connectivity“.

What is the purpose of these recommendations?

The emphasis of these recommendations is on providing a framework for the creation of an ecosystem for Digital Connectivity Infrastructure(DCI) to be an intrinsic part of building development plans similar to other building services such as water, electricity or Fire Safety Systems.

What are the key recommendations given by TRAI?

Firstly, Digital Connectivity Infrastructure(DCI) is to be co-designed and co-created along with building development through collaborations among various stakeholders including Property Managers (owner or developer or builder), service providers, infrastructure providers, DCI Professionals and authorities at various urban/local bodies. 

– This will open job opportunities for young professionals to become DCI Professionals.

Secondly, a new chapter on ‘Digital Connectivity Infrastructures in Buildings’ should be included in Model Building Bye Laws 2016.

Thirdly, develop a framework for Rating of the buildings for digital connectivity, which will add value to the property. 

Cooling earth with moon dust – a clever climate solution or making Frankenstein’s monster?

Source: The post is based on the article “Cooling earth with moon dust – a clever climate solution or making Frankenstein’s monster?” published in The Hindu on 21st February 2023.

What is the News?

In search of solutions to counteract the consequences of climate change, a group of astrophysicists has proposed that dust could be extracted from the moon and used as a shield to put it around the Earth and thus block the Sun’s rays.

What is Moonlight Cooling?

The idea of using lunar dust to cool the Earth’s temperature is based on a natural phenomenon called “moonlight cooling.”

When the Moon’s surface reflects the sun’s rays, it cools down rapidly after sunset.

Scientists believe that a thin layer of lunar dust could be used to create a similar effect on the Earth’s surface.

The proposal suggests launching a spacecraft to the Moon to collect dust particles, which would then be transported to the Earth’s atmosphere and released.

Is Moonlight Cooling a new idea?

This is not a new idea. In fact, it has been proposed before as a way to combat global warming, and several studies have been conducted to explore its feasibility.

One study published in the journal Earth’s Future estimated that the technique could reduce the Earth’s temperature by 1.5 degrees Celsius, which is a significant amount in the context of climate change.

What are the risks associated with this idea?

Firstly, this article draws a comparison between the proposed use of moon dust and the story of Frankenstein’s monster, in which a scientist creates a monster that ultimately causes destruction and chaos.

– The analogy suggests that the use of moon dust could have unintended consequences that are difficult to predict and that such large-scale climate interventions should be approached with caution.

Secondly, the dust could harm the environment or respiratory health if it is not properly controlled.

Thirdly, collecting enough dust to make a significant impact on the Earth’s temperature would require a significant investment of resources, including launching multiple spacecraft to the Moon.

Rhododendrons carpet Darjeeling, Sikkim Himalayas

Source: The post is based on the article “Rhododendrons carpet Darjeeling, Sikkim Himalayas” published in The Hindu on 19th February 2023

What is the News?

According to the Botanical Survey of India, Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas are home to more than one-third of all types of rhododendrons found in India.

What are Rhododendrons?

Rhododendron means rose tree in Greek.

Distribution: Rhododendrons are native to many regions of the world, including Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia.

– In India, it is found mainly in Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas and Nilgiris. 

– Some plants of Rhododendron are evergreen and some are deciduous in nature. They range from dwarf shrubs to large trees.

Uses: Rhododendrons are popular ornamental plants and are often grown in gardens and parks

– They have been used in traditional medicine for their medicinal properties. In some regions, the bark, leaves, and flowers of these plants are used to treat a range of ailments, including fever, headache, and inflammation.

Significance: It is considered an indicator species for climate change. 

State Tree: It is the state tree of Uttarakhand and the state flower of Nagaland

–  Rhododendrons blooming in the Garhwal Himalayas is celebrated as ‘Phool Sankranti’, a festival of flowers.

Threats: They are facing a high threat due to anthropological pressures and climate change.