Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Rooftop Solar Photovoltaics (RTPV) for poverty alleviation
• The multiplier impact of more expressways
• Discipline and discussion – on discussions in Parliament
• Why Lok Sabha must have a Deputy Speaker
• Turn off the tap of urban bias in rural development
• A new chapter in defence and tech
• Badministrators -Nasty social media brawl between IAS & IPS officers points to a larger, worrying trend

GS Paper 3

• UPI promotion should not eclipse our e-rupee

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• India’s UPI and Singapore’s PayNow are now integrated: What it means, who benefits
• Education minister launches ‘Jaadui Pitara’ learning material for foundational years
• Brain-inspired image sensor can detect miniscule objects: IISc study
• Mega push for ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ to reach the target within year
• Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to begin the first synchronized vulture survey
• Explained | Vostro accounts and how they facilitate trade
• Tamil Nadu: Actor Robo Shankar fined Rs 2.5 lakh for keeping Alexandrine parakeets at home
• Russia suspends only remaining major nuclear treaty with US
• Children have a right to protect their genetic information from DNA tests: SC judgment

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Rooftop Solar Photovoltaics (RTPV) for poverty alleviation

Context: A detailed paper prepared by Infravision Foundation highlights the potential of Rooftop Solar Photovoltaics (RTPV) as the income generating source for lower income level segment.

The report proposes a Central government-sponsored scheme in the field of RTPV. It could be called Sooraj Se Rozgaari.

One such example is from China. Where, RTPV is one of the identified 10 initiatives rolled out by the government to lift rural households out of poverty.

Low-income household with limited roof space may receive a benefit anything from Rs 3,500 to Rs 6,000 per annum from the “free” sunlight.

Currently, the rooftop-subsidy programmes run by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy require consumers to bear about 60 per cent of the costs.

What is the proposed scheme for RPTVs?

The proposed scheme assumes a customer mix as shown in the image below.

Source: Business Standard

Government involvement in this scheme will be through Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).

IREDA empowered with government incentives, would be involved in the Bulk procurement of RTPV, through State Renewable Energy Development Agencies (SRDAs). It may reduce capital costs of RPTV due to bulk order.

SRDAs will secure state regulatory approvals on benchmark costs of RTPV, including state-specific grid-installation charges and a fair developer margin.

Local developers will market the scheme, attract the consumers, install the modules and give consumer maintenance for 15 years. Upon the consumer’s order, developers will request SRDAs for necessary modules and infrastructure.

Developers will receive a fixed installation fee and yearly maintenance fees from SRDAs for their services.

Consumers will have to bear a part of the benchmark costs depending upon the category.

• Low-income households do not have to pay for any share of the costs for RTPV installation and maintenance.
• Social/institutional/small businesses bear 80 per cent of the costs,
• The households with regular incomes bear 60 per cent.

Consumer will have to agree on the share of electricity for self-use from the electricity generated from RTPV. Rest of the generated electricity will be considered as sold to SRDAs.

SRDAs will gather electricity from all participating consumers and sale this power to other discoms, large consumers, and power exchanges to maximise it’s revenue.

Net financial assistance from the Central government will be calculated based on the  difference between the compensation paid to participating consumers and the realised sale price for electricity sold to other parties.

The proposed centralised scheme is expected to add 20 Gw of residential RTPV capacity over a five-year period.

The multiplier impact of more expressways

News: 246-km Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway was inaugurated last week. It will reduce the travel-time between Delhi and Jaipur to three hours.

The total length of 663 NHs(National Highways) has increased from about 91,287 km in March 2014 to about 144,983 km at present.

Bharatmala Pariyojana aims to develop 34,800 km of NH corridors. As of now, 11,789 km has been completed in the project.

Significance of Delhi-Mumbai expressway

• It is expected to halve the commute time between Delhi and Mumbai.
• Infrastructure development results in multiplier-benefit for the economic regions So, it could create opportunities for logistics, storage, transport and other related industries as well.
• It will boost domestic tourism. Tourism has a multiplier impact: Gramin Haats along the expressway can provide local farmers and craftsman a new window of opportunity.
• Capital expenditure is known to have a powerful multiplier effect of approx. 2.95 times.
• It also results in social infrastructure development for people living around highways, including education, healthcare, buildings for public use, shopping complexes etc.

Discipline and discussion – on discussions in Parliament

Context: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar directed the Privileges Committee to investigate the disorderly conduct by 12 Opposition Members of Parliament. The disruption led to multiple adjournments during the first leg of the Budget session.

What are the other such examples of penalising over the discussions in Parliament?

Opposition’s slogans during Prime Minister’s 85-minute address, were blacked out.

An MP was suspended by the Chairmen for recording the proceedings on her mobile phone.

Chairman interrupted the speech of Leader of the Opposition during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, several times. He repeatedly directed to “authenticate” remarks.

6 parts of speech were expunged from the Rajya Sabha records. Similarly, the speech of another Congress leader got 18 cuts.

What are the issues associated with this penalisation?

It will be the mockery of parliamentary democracy if Opposition is penalised for seeking accountability from the government.

Government has availability of all the information, over which queries are raised in Parliament. It is duty of the government to validate the authenticity of the information or the lack of it provided by an MP.

Parliamentary discipline must ensure that discussions take place, and the government provides the answers and not the opposite of it.

Why Lok Sabha must have a Deputy Speaker

News: The Deputy Speaker has not been elected even after more than 3 years of this term of Lok Sabha. This matter has now reached the Supreme Court, which has reportedly sent notice to the Union government.

Significance of Deputy Speaker in the Lak Sabha

The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are described in the Constitution as officers of Parliament, which signifies their importance in the parliamentary system. As per article 93, Lok Sabha members elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, after the election.

The Deputy Speaker is equally significant as the House Speaker, based on history. The Deputy Speaker was designated Deputy President under the Government of India Act of 1919 since the Speaker was the president of the central legislative assembly.

Since the constitution has been enacted, every Lok Sabha had a Deputy Speaker who would be elected after a few days of the election of the Speaker.

Possible reason behind non-election of Deputy Speaker?

Constitutionally, as per Rule 8 of the Rules and Procedure of Lok Sabha, the Speaker fix the date of the election of the Deputy Speaker and government has no role in it. But in reality, government initiates the political process of the consultation with other parties and works out a consensus.

In the absence of speaker, Deputy Speaker has the same power as the Speaker. no appeal lies to the Speaker against a ruling given by the Deputy Speaker. He can also determine the petitions relating to disqualification under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. Therefore, a person from the opposition on this post also comes with risks to ruling party.

Turn off the tap of urban bias in rural development

News: The article discusses the increasing urban and rural disparity and the performance of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Tamil Nadu.

What are the reasons behind increasing urban rural disparity?

Biased Policies: The disparity has increased due to bias policies made by government and institutions for urban areas.

Spill-over effect: It refers to the development of rural areas which is dependent on larger urban areas.

Hence, rural areas which are far away from the urban areas not only suffer from a lack of development but also keep falling behind rural areas which are closer to the urban areas.

Therefore, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched by the government to reduce the disparity amongst the rural urban areas in access to tap water.

What is JJM?

Click Here to Read

The safe drinking water under JJM will a) improve health and nutrition and b) reduce the workload of women and girl children while ensuring their safety.

Further, “availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” is the sixth goal in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations to be achieved by 2030.

Moreover, the progress of JJM in ensuring safe tap water in rural areas of Tamil Nadu has also been influenced by urban factors.

What has been the performance of JJM in Tamil Nadu?

The data for 2022 reveal that there has been variation in the district wise coverage of tap water in Tamil Nadu.

For example, rural households in Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Vellore have better coverage of JJM, while rural households in Dharmapuri, Kallakurichi, Nagappatinam districts have not enough tap water connections.

It was found that the progress of JJM was better in those districts that have better percentage of urban population and districts with low urban population percentages were lagging in the implementation of the JJM.

Hence, it shows that urban rural bias exists even in accessing the basic facilities like tap water.

What can be the course of action?

The government must take additional measures to prioritise the implementation of the JJM scheme in districts with a high rural population in order to reach the goal of JJM.

This will not only help to correct urban bias but also meet the SDG goal with regard to tapping water connections by 2024.

A new chapter in defence and tech

News: India and the US have recently inaugurated the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET). The launch of ICET shows that the relations between the two nations are improving.

What is ICET?

Click Here to Read

How has the relations between India and the US transformed over the years?

The US has played a significant role in India’s development efforts since 1950. During the cold war, the US provided assistance to India in a range of areas.

The U.S. helped to build India’s first reactors for research and power. It also gave training to India’s nuclear scientists. However, the cooperation in nuclear areas came to an end after India’s first nuclear test in 1974.

The U.S. also aided to modernise Indian education, especially engineering and management in the 1960s to help India’s industrial growth. However, the Indian economy stalled in those times due to which growth wasn’t witnessed.

Agriculture was the area where India got long lasting benefits from the US technologies. American S&T helped trigger the Green Revolution and end an era of food shortages.

Moreover, the Bangladesh War of 1971 and the 1974 nuclear tests led to a decline in the relations between India and the US for almost three decades.

However, relations became better in 1984 when India-U.S. signed MoU on sensitive technologies, commodities and information.

In 1987, the U.S. agreed to assist India’s Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) programme and allowed the sale of front-line GE 404 engines to India.

However, the non-proliferation treaty acted as hindrance between the relations of the two nations.

The US reimposed sanctions on India again in 1988 following the nuclear test conducted by India. However, by this time, China emerged as the threat to the US.

Therefore, the US decided to improve its relationship with India and the nuclear proliferation treaty was replaced by the India-U.S. nuclear deal of 2008. The relations between the two nations started to improve after this deal.

Till now, India has purchased U.S. weapons and systems worth billions of dollars. It is now deemed to be a Major Defence Partner and a Major Non-Nato Ally of the US.

However, India has also faced pressure under CAATSA and on account of its oil trade with Russia.

Hence, ICET will help both the countries to move ahead together in critical and emerging technologies. It has also set up a range of ambitious goals for India.

Badministrators -Nasty social media brawl between IAS & IPS officers points to a larger, worrying trend

News: Recently, an IPS officer and an IAS officer from Karnataka has involved in a verbal debate on Social media. In effect, both officers were transferred. But the clash put focus on a larger, disturbing change that civil service ethos is undergoing through participation in social media.

Why the public sector is having low efficiency?

Less man power: The parliamentary standing committee last year said that there are 22% fewer IAS officers in the country than the sanctioned strength. The sanctioned strength is also not enough to begin with given the evolving needs of the Indian administration.

Not enough reforms and incentives: The government’s lack of reforms in incentives and penalties have helped incapacity, indifference and corruption creep in.

Lack of functional independence: The permanent executive suffers a lack of functional independence from the political executive.

Social media addictions: The self-aggrandisement stimulated by social media addictions is a new challenge to the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.

In social media, promoting work takes second place and promoting the self becomes the primary motto. Social media activities of some bureaucrats make short confessions of not just “political neutrality” but “courtesy and good behaviour”.

Not attractive private sector: The private sector still isn’t attractive and big enough for breaking the charm of government services such as prestige, power and job security. This is clearly visible by too much competition for government services.

What should be done?

Governments will have to recruit more to increase manpower. To reduce the reputational damage from the social media war, serving seniors and ministers must take note and tries to end them.

GS Paper 3

UPI promotion should not eclipse our e-rupee

News: Recently, India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was linked to Singapore’s version PayNow.

What are the benefits of the recent linking?

The link will a) Ease bank-to-bank fund transfers between Singapore and India, b) Facilitate commerce, c) A special boon for people of Indian origin abroad in need of a quick way to send money to India or receive remittances, and d) The transaction cost will be less than other legal channels. 

About India’s digital rupee

About India’s UPI

How UPI is linked to global payment systems?

UPI’s international subsidiary has been active in taking UPI mechanism global by forging foreign ties. It has pacts with European payment facilitator Worldline, the UK’s PayXpert, the UAE’s Neopay and France’s Lyra Network for UPI-compatible transfers. Some UPI payments can also be made in Nepal, Bhutan and Malaysia.

How successful is UPI in India?

UPI’s open architecture has got as many as 385 banks enrolled with more than 8 billion transactions logged this January worth nearly ₹13 trillion. This is up sharply from 4.6 billion worth ₹8.3 trillion in the first month of 2022.

Note: Only 2.4 crore of the retail digital rupee has been issued by RBI till 20 January. The wholesale CBDC has had only modest issuance of around ₹115.9 crore.

What should be done to promote e-rupee?

UPI is currently part of India’s G20 showcase, but CBDC must not get eclipsed in the promotion. To avoid such issues the government must provide public clarity on the e-rupee’s role.

Banks used to promote bank-mediated transfers. But, e-rupee has sovereign backing. Unlike money held in an account whose safety depends on the particular bank’s solvency. Hence, CBDC holdings are safer. So, the RBI should look to secure the retail spaces of the Indian economy from potential bank-crisis contagion by averting over-reliance on UPI.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

India’s UPI and Singapore’s PayNow are now integrated: What it means, who benefits

Source: The post is based on the article “India’s UPI and Singapore’s PayNow are now integrated: What it means, who benefits” published in Indian Express on 22nd February 2023

What is the News?

India’s real-time retail payment system Unified Payments Interface(UPI) has been integrated with Singapore’s PayNow to enable faster remittances between the two countries at a competitive rate.

What is UPI?

Click Here to read

What is PayNow?

PayNow is a fast payment system in Singapore. It enables peer-to-peer funds transfer service, available to retail customers through participating banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NFIs) in Singapore. 

It allows users to send and receive instant funds from one bank or e-wallet account to another in Singapore by using just their mobile number, Singapore National Registration Identity Card (NRIC)/Foreign Identification Number (FIN) or VPA.

What is the UPI-PayNow linkage?

Cross-border retail payments are generally less transparent and more expensive than domestic transactions. 

The UPI-PayNow linkage is a significant milestone in the development of infrastructure for cross-border payments between India and Singapore and closely aligns with the G20’s financial inclusion priorities of driving faster, cheaper and more transparent cross-border payments.

How will it benefit the citizens of both countries?

The UPI-PayNow linkage will enable users of each of the two fast payment systems to make instant, low-cost fund transfers on a reciprocal basis without a need to get on board the other payment system.

It will also help the Indian diaspora in Singapore, especially migrant workers and students, through the instantaneous and low-cost transfer of money from Singapore to India and vice-versa.

Education minister launches ‘Jaadui Pitara’ learning material for foundational years

Source: The post is based on the article “Education minister launches ‘Jaadui Pitara’ learning material for foundational years” published in Hindustan Times on 22nd February 2023

What is the News?

Union Education Minister has launched an innovative learning material for foundational years of children called “Jaadui Pitara”.

What is Jaadui Pitara?

‘Jaadui Pitara’ or ‘Magic Collection’ is a play-based learning material for children in the age group of three to eight years.

It has been designed on the motto of ”learning through play”, as envisaged in the new National Education Policy(NEP).

It is developed under the curricular goals of National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) as recommended by the NEP 2020.

Features: The material comprises of playbooks, toys, puzzles, posters, flashcards, storybooks, and worksheets, as well as reflecting the local culture, social context, and languages.

– The resources on ‘Jaadui Pitara’ will be digitally available on DIKSHA platform – portal and mobile app. The pitara is available in 13 Indian languages.

Significance: It is designed to bring in curiosity and accommodate the diverse needs of learners at the foundational stage.

Brain-inspired image sensor can detect miniscule objects: IISc study

Source: The post is based on the article “Brain-inspired image sensor can detect miniscule objects: IISc study” published in The Hindu on 22nd February 2023

What is the News?

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have shown how a brain-inspired image sensor can go beyond the diffraction limit of light to detect miniscule objects such as cellular components or nanoparticles invisible to current microscopes.

Background

Since the invention of optical microscopes, scientists have been trying to surpass a barrier called the diffraction limit, which means that the microscope cannot distinguish between two objects if they are smaller than a certain size (typically 200-300 nanometers). 

Their efforts have largely focused on either modifying the molecules being imaged or developing better illumination strategies.

What have the researchers developed?

Researchers have developed a novel technique which combines optical microscopy with a neuromorphic camera and machine learning algorithms to detect miniscule objects such as cellular components or nanoparticles which are invisible to current microscopes.

The neuromorphic camera used for this technique mimics the way the human retina converts light into electrical impulses and has several advantages over conventional cameras. 

In a typical camera, each pixel captures the intensity of light falling on it for the entire exposure time that the camera focuses on the object, and all these pixels are pooled together to reconstruct an image of the object. 

In neuromorphic cameras, each pixel operates independently and asynchronously, generating events or spikes only when there is a change in the intensity of light falling on that pixel. 

This generates sparse and lower amounts of data compared to traditional cameras, which capture every pixel value at a fixed rate, regardless of whether there is any change in the scene.

Significance of this technique: This study presents a major step forward in pinpointing objects smaller than 50 nanometers in size.

Mega push for ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ to reach the target within year

Source: The post is based on the article “Mega push for ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ to reach the target within year” published in The Hindu on 22nd February 2023

What is the News?

Jal Jeevan Mission might not be able to achieve the target set for it of 100% tap water coverage for households by 2024, but the government is confident that it will come close.

This would mean nearly doubling the current coverage of 57% under the scheme launched in 2019 to about 90% by 2024.

What is the Jal Jeevan Mission?

Click Here to read

The budgetary allocation for Jal Jeevan Mission has been raised by 27% for the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) to ensure that there is no delay in the programme due to a paucity of funds.

What are the challenges faced by the Jal Jeevan Mission(JJM)?

Rise in Metal prices: Many of the tenders for JJM had become economically unviable after the Russia-Ukraine war led to a rise in metal prices. But this crisis has been overcome now.

State-level problems: There are states like Ladakh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Sikkim where the coverage is in the range of 50-75%. These states will achieve the target by 2024.

– But the bottom five states with coverage of less than 40% include Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.

– Among these states, Rajasthan with 32% tap water coverage is relying heavily on groundwater presently, a strategy not considered sustainable.

– West Bengal is dealing with the problem of contamination. So their focus is a lot on treatment and supply.

Operation and Maintenance: For this, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has asked states to come up with a plan and decide on a mix of user charges and government subsidies for the upkeep of the drinking water infrastructure. 

Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to begin the first synchronized vulture survey

Source: The post is based on the article “Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to begin the first synchronized vulture survey” published in The Hindu on 22nd February 2023

What is the News?

The Kerala Forest and Wildlife department along with its counterparts in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is preparing to organize the first synchronized vulture survey in select regions of the Western Ghats.

Note: The three States used to conduct separate surveys, which often resulted in duplication of data as the surveys were conducted at different time periods.

Where will the vulture survey be conducted?

The survey will be conducted simultaneously in three forest divisions including Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the South and North forest divisions. 

It will be conducted after dividing the Wayanad landscape, where bird species were frequently sighted into 10 locations. 

About Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1973. It is the second-largest wildlife park in Kerala. It was notified as an Elephant Reserve under Project elephant in 1991-92.

It is part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. 

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, contiguous to the tiger reserves of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu is the lone region where vultures thrive in Kerala. 

The sanctuary harbors nearly 120-­150 white ­rumped vultures and less than 25 red­ headed vultures.

About Vultures in India

Click Here to read

Vultures faced a catastrophic population decline during the 2000s when the species was exposed to the anti ­inflammatory drug diclofenac used as a painkiller for cattle.

South Asia had about four crore white­rumped vultures until the end of the nineties. But the population has come down to less than 10,000.

Explained | Vostro accounts and how they facilitate trade

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained | Vostro accounts and how they facilitate trade” published in The Hindu on 21st February 2023

What is the News?

Government officials informed that 20 Russian banks have opened Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVA) with partner banks in India.

What is a Vostro Account?

A vostro account is an account that domestic banks hold for foreign banks in the former’s domestic currency, in this case, the rupee. 

Domestic banks use it to provide international banking services to their clients who have global banking needs. 

It is an integral offshoot of correspondent banking that entails a bank to facilitate wire transfers, conduct business transactions, accept deposits and gather documents on behalf of the other bank.

What are Special Rupee Vostro Accounts(SRVA)?

SRVA is an additional arrangement to the existing system that uses freely convertible currencies and works as a complimentary system. 

For perspective, freely convertible currencies refer to currencies permitted by rules and regulations of the concerned country to be converted to major reserve currencies (like the U.S. dollar or pound sterling) and for which a fairly active market exists for dealings against major currencies.

How does the framework function?

The framework entails three important components, namely, invoicing, exchange rate and settlement. 

Invoicing entails that all exports and imports must be denominated and invoiced in INR. 

The exchange rate between the currencies of the trading partner countries would be market ­determined. 

To conclude, the final settlement also takes place in Indian National Rupee(INR). 

How will this benefit?

The Economic Survey (2022-­23) argued that the framework could largely reduce the “net demand for foreign exchange, the U.S. dollar in particular, for the settlement of current account related trade flows”. 

It added that the framework would also reduce the need for holding foreign exchange reserves and dependence on foreign currencies, making the country less vulnerable to external shocks.

Note: As per the Bureau for International(BIS) Settlements Triennial Central Bank Survey 2022, the U.S. dollar was the most dominant vehicle currency accounting for 88% of all trades. The INR accounted for 1.6%.

Tamil Nadu: Actor Robo Shankar fined Rs 2.5 lakh for keeping Alexandrine parakeets at home

Source: The post is based on the article “Tamil Nadu: Actor Robo Shankar fined Rs 2.5 lakh for keeping Alexandrine parakeets at home” published in Indian Express on 22nd February 2023

What is the News?

The Tamil Nadu Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has imposed a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh on the actor for keeping two Alexandrine parakeets at his residence in Chennai.

What are Alexandrine Parakeets?

The Alexandrine parakeet (Psittacula eupatria) is a medium-sized parrot in the genus Psittacula of the family Psittaculidae. 

Named after: It is named after Alexander the Great, who transported numerous birds from Punjab to various European and Mediterranean countries and regions, where they were prized by the royalty, nobility and warlords.

Distribution: They are widespread in South and South-East Asia where they live in forests, woodlands, agricultural lands, and mangrove forests.

IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Wildlife Protection Act,1972: Schedule IV

Russia suspends only remaining major nuclear treaty with US

Source: The post is based on the article “Russia suspends only remaining major nuclear treaty with US” published in The Hindu on 22nd February 2023

What is the News?

The Russian President has announced that Russia is suspending its participation in the New START treaty, the only remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia.

What is the New START Treaty?

The New START Treaty is officially known as – the “Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms”.

The treaty was signed by the then-US President and then-Russian president in 2010. The treaty came into force in 2011 and was extended in 2021 for five more years.

The treaty limited both sides to 1,550 warheads on deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine ballistic missiles and heavy bombers. Both sides met the central limits by 2018.

How is compliance with the treaty ensured?

Detailed procedures for the implementation and verification of the central limits, and all treaty obligations, are part of the treaty terms.

The treaty provides for 18 on-site inspections per year for US and Russian inspection teams.

Note: Regular inspections mandated by the agreement have not been held for the past three years — initially because of the coronavirus pandemic, and later because relations soured after Russia invaded Ukraine.

What does this Russian President’s announcement mean?

The Russian President said that the country is not withdrawing from the treaty entirely. But Russia will not allow NATO countries to inspect its nuclear arsenal.

Analysts believe it is entirely symbolic since Russia had not been permitting inspections anyway. As per them, the move appears to be aimed at pressuring President Biden and his allies.

Children have a right to protect their genetic information from DNA tests: SC judgment

Source: The post is based on the article “Children have a right to protect their genetic information from DNA tests: SC judgment” published in The Hindu on 22nd February 2023.

What is the News?

The Supreme Court has recently held that children cannot be mechanically subjected to DNA tests in each and every case between warring parents as a shortcut to establishing proof of infidelity.

About the case

A petition was filed by a man who questioned his second child’s paternity while accusing his wife of an adulterous relationship. But the mother declined to subject the child to a paternity test.

What are the Supreme Court’s observations?

The court held that 1) “a child’s genetic information is part of his fundamental right to privacy.” This is because genetic information is personal and intimate and the genetic information goes to the very heart of who she or he is. 2) Children are not to be regarded like material objects, and be subjected to forensic/DNA testing, particularly when they are not parties to the divorce proceeding, 3) Children will face psychological trauma when his or her legitimacy was put under a cloud through DNA tests.

The court noted the rights of privacy, autonomy and identity recognised under the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Note: The Convention acknowledges the control that individuals, including children, have over their own personal boundaries and the means by which they define who they are in relation to other people. 

The court also held that permitting DNA tests will also harm the reputation and dignity of the mother. So, family courts should direct a DNA test only in reasonable situations and in the interest of justice, as a last resort.