Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• Choose a new palette for India’s creative economy

GS Paper 2

• Potential gains – Govt is encouraging use of farm waste
• Who Will Be The +1 In China+1?
• Online education is inadequate for reasons we have long known
• How India can leverage its biggest strength

GS Paper 3

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

Choose a new palette for India’s creative economy

Source: The post is based on the article “Choose a new palette for India’s creative economy” published in “The Hindu” on 6th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 1 – Art and culture

News: The article discusses the challenges faced by Indian artists in promoting their art.

What is creative economy and what is its significance?

The creative economy refers to sectors of an economy that involve the creation and exploitation of creativity or knowledge. It includes areas such as art, music, film, design, and digital content creation. Its significance lies in its contribution to job creation, economic growth, tourism, and exports, and its role in fostering societal development.

Notably, the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2022) recognized culture’s economic importance and transformative power for sustainable development.

What are the challenges faced by Indian artistes?

Economic and market challenges: Indian artists struggle with issues related to economic sustainability and gaining adequate market access to monetize their work.

Preservation of traditional art forms: In the face of rapidly changing societal trends, preserving and promoting traditional art forms presents significant challenges.

Inequalities in representation and support: Artists often face a lack of transparency in the selection process for financial assistance and event organization. Those based outside cities are particularly disadvantaged.

Crime in the art world: Artists must contend with art-related crimes such as theft, forgery, and illicit trafficking. These crimes undermine cultural heritage, financial security, and public trust.

What are the solutions for the creative economy?

Promoting a collaborative cultural economy: Creating a collaborative model that supports the cultural economy is vital. This includes encouraging tech-based start-ups in the arts sector.

Capacity-building centre for artists: A capacity-building centre can offer guidance, technical support, infrastructure, and access to investors, contributing to India’s soft power.

Training and professional development: Artists need training, professional development, and market access. Networking within larger communities can also foster knowledge sharing.

Leveraging data analytics: Data analytics can be utilized to foster creative ecosystems that contribute to a sustainable world, highlighting emerging trends and informing policy recommendations.

Facilitation mechanism for artists and entrepreneurs: A facilitation mechanism can focus on fostering knowledge sharing, networking, and economic empowerment for individual artists and creative entrepreneurs. This can be achieved by offering business training, incubating innovative projects, and connecting them with global marketing platforms, tools, and practices. This platform can provide sustainable livelihood solutions for artists and artisans, leveraging the latest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to enhance their participation in the business ecosystem.

GS Paper 2

Potential gains – Govt is encouraging use of farm waste

Source: The post is based on the article “Potential gains – Govt is encouraging use of farm waste” published in Business Standard on 6^th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.

Relevance: About the policy changes and new guidelines for crop-residue management.

News: Recently, the agriculture ministry has introduced new guidelines for crop-residue management.

About the New Guidelines

The primary aim of the new guidelines is to promote economic uses of farm waste. It makes farm waste a source of income for farmers, rather than burning it as useless refuse.

For this, rural bodies like farmers’ producer organizations, cooperative societies, village panchayats, and private entrepreneurs will be collecting biomass from fields. Then, they will supply it to entrepreneurs engaged in producing various utility items from it.

The government will provide financial assistance in the form of 65% of the project cost, along with subsidies on machinery and equipment.

Assistance will be provided through the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Agriculture Infrastructure Development Fund (AIDF).

Moreover, amendments have also been made to the existing biomass co-firing policy.

What amendments have been made in biomass co-firing policy?

Along with a new set of guidelines, policy amendments have been made which include improving the norms for co-firing thermal power plants with pellets made of biomass.

The amended policy provides for benchmarking the prices of pellets, with the expectation that power units will establish sustainable biomass-supply chains.

Implementation of these measures can reduce the reliance on environmentally unfriendly fossil fuels in power generation.

These are consistent with a global trend of incentivizing the use of biomass as a feedstock for energy production and as part of measures to reduce economic development’s carbon footprint and combat climate change.

Why were these amendments and guidelines required?

It will address the issue of crop residue burning, which causes severe air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR) during October-November every year.

As per official estimates, switching from coal to biomass in thermal power units can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 38 million tones.

However, challenges exist due to the lack of infrastructure and resources for collecting, transporting, and processing biomass and farm waste.

Although the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022 mandates all thermal-power units to use renewable fuel as part of their feedstock, compliance with this provision is inadequate.

Who Will Be The +1 In China+1?

Source– The post is based on the article “Who Will Be The +1 In China+1?” published in “The Times of India” on 6th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Bilateral groupings and agreements

Relevance: India and China bilateral relationship

News- Rising tensions between the United States and China has brought the race among nations to become the +1 in the China+1 contest where India has many advantages over Southeast Asian countries.

What are the factors that are in favor of India?

First, it has by far the largest workforce. The UN Population Division estimates that working age population in India stood at 950. 2 million in 2021.

Second, India has lower wage rate because of the much larger workforce and the lower per-capita income. It because India’s 45% of the workforce is still in agriculture and its working age population is expected to grow more compared to Southeast Asia.

Third, India is internally a single market. It means there are no barriers to the movement of goods and services within. Whereas, Southeast Asia is even though connected by free trade area (FTA) agreement, the goods can only cross borders, once they satisfy the rules of origin criterion.

Fourth, India’s internal market is large. India’s GDP at $3. 4 trillion in 2022 is already significantly larger than $3 trillion of Southeast Asia minus Singapore which is in Southeast Asia but not a competing China+1 location.

What are the challenges in front of India?

One major concern is that the countries in Southeast Asia are already members of the Regional and Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Therefore, supply chains of SE Asia with China are already well established. It is a major advantage for them. Malaysia and Thailand are also members of the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which accounts for one-sixth of the world GDP.

India is not a member of either of the agreement and has limited engagement with Asian countries.

Upgradation of “Look East” policy to “Act East” would not be fruitful due to deterioration of relationship with China.

However, India should consider strengthening it’s relations with rest of Asia.

How can India strengthen its relations with Asian countries?

Thus, two main avenues to deepening the engagement with Asia are strengthening the existing FTA with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and seeking the membership of CPTPP.

Joining CPTPP with a 20-year implementation period negotiated as a part of the deal has a potential to make India a developed country by 2047.

Simultaneously, gaining duty-free access to this large market is bound to make us the number one China+1 destination.

Online education is inadequate for reasons we have long known

Source– The post is based on the article “Online education is inadequate for reasons we have long known” published the minton 6th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS2-Issues related to Education

Relevance: Online Education

News- Online education is unable to address core requirements of good education and that is why it has very limited effectiveness.

What are the limitations of online education?

The answers lie at the very core of what education is and how learning happens.

Education is about developing three kinds of things in the learner which are Capacities (reading, critical thinking,), Values and dispositions (Like empathy, non-discrimination) and Knowledge.

Online Education does not develop values and fundamental capacities but focuses on goals linked with knowledge.

Education provides 2 kinds of goals: 1) Know-How 2) Know-what

Know-what tells us the concepts and content knowledge, while Know-how provides the knowledge of how to do things.

Good education is often about developing know-how and not only the know-what. It is because an infinite amount of content is available, but if a student knows how to do things, he will automatically grab know-whats of the thing.

While know-what can be understood without a teacher, know-how is much more difficult to understand and requires a teacher. Online education is unable to cover the know-how system properly.

Why is the teacher unable to provide effective education online?

Attention and focus: In education, it’s about sustained attention which is lacking in online education.

Emotional state: Being excited, bored, or sad has a direct effect on learning.

Motivation: The learner’s desire is affected by a complex range of things in the learner’s immediate environment and life.

To ensure learning, the teacher must orchestrate attention and perseverance, understand and manage emotions and motivation. But this cannot be done online.

Further, different learners learn different things more effectively by listening, talking, doing, seeing and experiencing.

It’s about discussion, questioning, arguing, etc., and all this evolves organically in a group of students with a teacher. This again is nearly impossible online.

How India can leverage its biggest strength

Source: The post is based on the article “How India can leverage its biggest strength” published in “The Indian Express” on 6th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Issues related to development and management of Human Resources

News: India’s present demographic scenario is extremely favorable, with an average age of 29 years. This youthful population sets India apart from other populous nations and presents a unique advantage for the country’s economic growth.

What is the present demographic scenario in India and around the world?

India’s demographic advantage: India’s present demographic scenario is extremely favourable, with an average age of 29 years. This youthful population sets India apart from other populous nations and presents a unique advantage for the country’s economic growth.

The aging global scenario: Contrarily, the global scenario is characterized by aging populations, especially in developed countries. For instance, the average ages in the US, China, France, Germany, and Japan are significantly higher, ranging from 38 to 48 years. Moreover, these nations are expected to witness higher old-age dependency ratios by 2075, with Japan at 75.3%, France at 55.8%, the US at 49.3%, the UK at 53%, and Germany at 63.1%.

India’s golden opportunity: Given these circumstances, the next 25 years could be the golden era for India, leveraging its youthful workforce to drive economic growth and progress.

What are lessons from Asia’s Growth Stories?

Asia’s economic triumphs: Asian countries like China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore serve as ideal examples of leveraging demographic dividends. Notably, China, with an almost 10% annual growth rate over four decades, transformed its economy through labour-intensive manufacturing.

Key strategies: These nations strategically moved their labour force from agriculture to manufacturing and services, resulting in consistent growth and reduced old-age dependency. This shift was backed by structural transformations, including infrastructural development, labour law reforms, and trade facilitation measures.

Implication for India: These growth stories underline the necessity for India to focus on similar transformative strategies, especially in labour-intensive manufacturing sectors, to fully capitalize on its favourable demographics.

What are the Indian government’s initiatives to reap the demographic dividend in India?

Skill development initiatives: The government has launched programmes like Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme to improve employability through skilling, re-skilling, and up-skilling. These initiatives aim to make the Indian labour force more productive and efficient. The MSDE Vision 2025 further aims to improve the linkage between education and skill.

Healthcare reforms: The Ayushman Bharat and Swachh Bharat Mission seek to improve health equity in India. The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana aims to make drug prices affordable and accessible, enhancing overall public health.

Education policy: The National Education Policy 2020, alongside the Samagra Shiksha programme, is focused on providing inclusive, equitable, and quality education at all school levels, ensuring a productive labour force in the future.

Support for MSMEs: Recognizing MSMEs as the backbone of Indian manufacturing, the government has endeavoured to support them in improving competitiveness, achieving scale, digital infrastructure, technology upgrades, and branding.

Flagship programmes: The government has introduced flagship programmes like Skill India, Make in India, and Start-up India to enhance the productivity of the labour force and to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

What should be done?

India’s young demographic offers a unique advantage for economic growth. However, capitalizing on this opportunity requires several strategies: transitioning the labour force from agriculture to manufacturing and services, bolstering MSMEs, enhancing skilling programs, and improving health and education services. These steps, combined with accelerated policy reforms and effective execution of initiatives like Skill India, Make in India, and Start-up India, will enable India to fully harness its demographic dividend.

GS Paper 3

It will take nuclear energy for global shipping to hit net zero

Source: The post is based on the article “It will take nuclear energy for global shipping to hit net zero” published in Live Mint on 6^th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Infrastructure, Environment

Relevance: measures needed to achieve net zero in the maritime sector.

News: Shipping industry, which consumes about 5% of the world’s oil and emits about 3% of its greenhouse gases, is moving towards a net-zero target.

How is the shipping industry moving towards a net-zero target?

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations body responsible for regulating the maritime industry, is meeting in London to strengthen measures to reduce maritime carbon footprint.

A draft is being prepared that would commit the maritime sector to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. 

Rich countries along with Marshall Islands (operating one of the largest ship registries globally) are also supporting a carbon tax on shipping.

Whereas, China, a major global exporter, is working to rally developing nations to resist stricter measures on carbon emissions in the shipping industry.

What are the issues involved with the shipping industry in achieving a net zero?

The size and duration of ships’ journeys make it difficult to adopt the same technologies used in green power plants and cars. Only smaller ferries with short routes have the potential to operate on batteries or solar power.

Wind power is also unpredictable and scarce to meet the needs of the shipping industry. Even wind-assisted ships currently under construction are unlikely to have a significant impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This means that there is a need for some sort of fuel for the shipping industry. Out of the various options being explored, nuclear power has the capability to make the shipping industry achieve a net zero.

How is nuclear power a suitable form of energy for the shipping industry?

Nuclear energy is already being used in powering numerous military submarines and aircraft carriers. This offers an established zero-carbon solution for the maritime sector.

Further, nuclear power would not be needed for all the merchant ships. Only about 17,000 large ships are responsible for around 80% of the sector’s greenhouse emissions.

According to a study, atomic ships were found to cost more by only 19% compared to the conventional vessels.

This makes them more competitive than other low-carbon fuel options and potentially cheaper than the current diesel-heavy fuel mix used in conventional vessels. However, there are also challenges present with nuclear energy.

What are the challenges present with adopting nuclear energy in the shipping industry?

Nuclear energy faces a significant challenge from the people, especially when it is related to oceans. For example, a protest emerged in Japan during the planned release of wastewater from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi atomic plant into the ocean.

Further, many countries restrict nuclear power on their territory. For instance, Italy and Denmark have strong anti-nuclear regulation.

Moreover, piracy risks for uranium reactors are also present because merchant ships don’t carry the arsenal that military vessels use to deter piracy. There are also issues with the leakage of the reactors, if any accidents happen.

What can be the way ahead?

There has been adoption of nuclear-powered ships which operate only on main routes between major ports. However, if achieving net-zero emissions in the shipping industry is a priority, nuclear energy needs to be adopted at large scale.

The universe’s hum and an opportunity to explore

Source: The post is based on the article “The universe’s hum and an opportunity to explore” published in “The Indian Express” on 6th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Awareness in the field of space

News: Recently, astronomers from various initiatives have reported the detection of ultra-low frequency gravitational waves, allowing to probe previously unseen parts of the universe.

What are gravitational waves?

Read here: What is LIGO-India, the Indian node in the global network of labs to probe the universe

How are scientists trying to detect gravitational waves?

Scientists are using a network of millisecond pulsars distributed across our galaxy as a giant detector of gravitational waves. Millisecond pulsars are very dense stars that rotate rapidly, emitting extremely regular pulses of radio waves. Scientists record the timing of these pulses over many years. If a gravitational wave passes through the space between the Earth and a pulsar, it will slightly change the time it takes for the pulses to reach us. By analyzing changes in these timing patterns, scientists hope to detect the presence of gravitational waves.

What is LISA and how does it work?

LISA, short for Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, is a future project (scheduled to be launched in the early 2030s) by the European Space Agency. It’s designed to detect gravitational waves from space.

LISA will work using three spacecraft. They will be arranged in a triangle, millions of kilometers apart. Each spacecraft will shoot a laser beam at the other two, forming three ‘arms’ of laser light.

If a gravitational wave comes through, the distances between the spacecraft change slightly. This makes the laser beams take a little longer or shorter to reach each other.

Scientists can measure these changes in time to detect the gravitational waves. LISA’s large size will help it in finding lower-frequency waves, possibly revealing new space events.

What is the significance and origin of “Nanohertz Waves”?

Nanohertz waves are ultra-low frequency gravitational waves. They are believed to originate from supermassive black holes orbiting each other, typically found at the center of galaxies. When these galaxies collide or merge, the black holes could pair off and produce these waves.

These waves could also come from other exotic events like cosmic strings or early universal expansion, known as inflation.

The detection of nanohertz waves, often referred to as the “hum” of the universe, could give us a way to study the earliest events in the universe and uncover mysteries of its formation and evolution.

What are the Challenges with Detecting Low Frequency Waves, like nanohertz waves?

Detecting low frequency gravitational waves like nanohertz waves presents unique challenges:

Need for larger detectors: Low frequency waves require larger detectors to be detected. For instance, to pick up nanohertz waves, a detector as big as a galaxy would be needed, which is practically impossible to build.

Complex data analysis: It is not easy to identify the tiny signal from the background noise. It involves collecting data over several years and performing intricate statistical analyses to confidently confirm the detection of a gravitational wave.

Compensation for variables: Other factors, like varying pulsar timings, have to be accounted for, making the detection process more complex.

Requirement of long-term observations: Patience is key. It takes meticulous long-term observations and massive collaborative efforts to confidently detect these elusive waves.

In Manipur, Army’s leadership has experience and ability to do its job

Source: The post is based on the article “Syed Ata Hasnain writes: In Manipur, Army’s leadership has experience and ability to do its job” published in “The Indian Express ” on 6th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Security challenges and their management in border areas

News: The Spear Corps of the Indian Army recently shared a video on social media that drew both praise and criticism. The video showed a group of activists, primarily women, blocking and surrounding Indian Army personnel during an operation. This incident highlights the challenges faced by the security forces in carrying out their duties amid local interferences.

Why is Manipur witnessing turmoil?

Manipur is witnessing turmoil due to rising tensions between two ethnic communities, the Meiteis and the Kukis.

Historical grievances have escalated, threatening the peaceful coexistence of these communities.

Additionally, segments of the local population, primarily women and children, are obstructing security forces in their attempts to maintain stability and order.

This method is causing significant concerns, as it hinders timely response during critical situations. The situation’s complexity requires careful handling to avoid it escalating into large-scale conflict.

What are the lessons from history?

The lessons learn from past conflicts in Rwanda, Jammu and Kashmir, and Sri Lanka are

1. a) From Rwanda (1994), the ethnic conflict between Hutus and Tutsis illustrates how majorities can oppress minorities, leading to long-lasting discord,
2. b) In Jammu and Kashmir (1989), the forced migration of Kashmiri Pandits warns us about the enduring wounds of ethnic cleansing,
3. c) Sri Lanka’s Tamil-Sinhala conflict highlights how ignoring minority sentiments can lead to protracted strife.

All these historical instances underscore that military victories alone can’t resolve deep-rooted issues. Achieving peace requires people-to-people understanding and reconciliation, as demonstrated by South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

What should be done to overcome this issue?

Building bridges: It’s essential to encourage dialogue between the Meiteis and Kukis to understand and address their grievances. Communication is crucial to prevent misunderstandings from escalating into full-blown conflicts.

Promoting reconciliation: Inspired by South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, similar initiatives could be considered. These platforms can help foster understanding and promote healing between conflicting groups.

Supporting security forces: Finally, it’s vital to ensure that security forces can perform their duties effectively. This includes preventing obstruction from sections of the population and providing necessary resources. The Indian Army’s balanced approach, respecting local sensibilities while maintaining order, should be upheld. Trust in their experience and wisdom can guide the region towards stability.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

RBI panel recommendations for internationalization of rupee

Source: The post is based on the article “RBI panel recommends measures for internationalization of rupee” published in Indian Express on 6th July 2023.

What is the News?

Reserve Bank of India(RBI) Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) has recommended several measures for Internationalization of rupee.

About RBI Inter-Departmental Group(IDG):

Reserve Bank of India(RBI) had set up an Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) under RBI Executive Director Radha Shyam Ratho.

Mandate: To review the position of the rupee as an international currency and to frame a road map for the internationalization of the domestic currency.

What is Internationalization of the rupee?

Internationalization of the rupee is a process that involves increasing use of the local currency in cross-border transactions.

What are the benefits of Internationalization of the rupee according to Inter-Departmental Group (IDG)?

The benefits are: limited exchange rate risk, lower cost of capital due to better access to international financial markets, high seigniorage benefits and reduced requirement of foreign exchange reserves.

Note: Seigniorage is the difference between the value of currency/money and the cost of producing it. It is essentially the profit earned by the government by printing currency.

What are the drawbacks of Internationalization of the rupee according to the RBI Inter-Departmental Group (IDG)?

The RBI group has cautioned that internationalization of rupee may result in increased volatility in the rupee’s exchange rate in the initial stages.

This would further have monetary implications as the obligation of a country to supply its currency to meet the global demand may come in conflict with its domestic monetary policies, popularly known as the Triffin dilemma.

What are the RBI panel recommendations for internationalization of rupee?

– Inclusion of the rupee in SDR (Special Drawing Rights) basket. The SDR is an international reserve asset created by the IMF (International Monetary Fund) to supplement the official reserves of its member countries. The value of SDR is based on a basket of five currencies—the U.S. dollar, the euro, the Chinese renminbi, the Japanese yen, and the British pound sterling.

– Adopting a standardized approach for examining the proposals on bilateral and multilateral trade arrangements for invoicing, settlement and payment in Indian Rupees(INR).

– Opening of INR accounts for non-residents both in and outside India should be encouraged. 

– Indian payment systems should also be integrated with other countries for cross-border transactions.

– Use of the existing bilateral and multilateral payment and settlement mechanisms such as ACU (Asian Clearing Union) to internationalize the rupee.

– Inclusion of Indian Government Bonds (IGBs) in global bond indices 

– Rationalization of the foreign portfolio investor (FPI) regime to facilitate a more conducive environment for foreign investments into the Indian debt markets (both government and corporate).

– Waiver of the withholding tax for masala bond issuances.

– Expansion of the RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) system for settling international transactions.

Iran’s induction in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Source: The post is based on the article “Iran’s induction in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation” published in The Hindu on 6th July 2023

What is the News?

Iran has joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as its ninth member.

What is Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?

Click Here to read

How has SCO dealt with bilateral issues between countries?

India and Pakistan joined the SCO as observers in 2005 and became full members in 2017. Despite their strained bilateral relations, both countries have actively participated in SCO meetings, including military and anti-terrorism exercises together. 

The SCO has also facilitated discussions between India and China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) border issue.

Why is Iran’s induction in SCO significant?

SCO’s original goals focused more on stability and security. But the recent focus has shifted towards connectivity in the region. 

In this context, Iran’s induction into SCO will help India build its connectivity strategy through Iran’s Chabahar port, where it operates a terminal and through the International North South Transport Corridor that goes through Iran and Central Asia to Russia. This will also help India circumvent land-based trade through Pakistan.

Additionally, Iran’s induction enables India to engage with the Central Asian region without getting entangled in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. 

Moreover, Iran’s historical ties with India and its shared concerns about terrorism from Pakistan and Afghanistan will enhance India’s call for action against terror safe havens.

What are the challenges for India after Iran’s induction into SCO?

Iran’s membership may deepen the perception of the SCO as an ‘anti-West’ forum. Both Iran and Russia face severe sanctions. The United States has also accused Iran of supplying weapons to Russia.

Further, the expected inclusion of Belarus next year in the SCO will further strengthen the image of SCO as an ‘anti-West’ forum.

Adding to these concerns. India’s growing ties with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) has made the Indian balancing act more difficult.

Pay half of fine to informer: court’s bid to spur animal protection

Source: The post is based on the article “Pay half of fine to informer: court’s bid to spur animal protection” published in The Hindu on 6th July 2023

What is the News?

A Sessions Court in Rajasthan has ordered the payment of half of the fine amount imposed on a convict in a chinkara killing case, to the informer as a prize for helping in the detection of crime against wildlife. 

The court said that this would make the society sensitive to wildlife protection.

What is the case about?

A person was arrested after police were tipped off by an informer that the former was seen on a camel cart with the carcass of a chinkara. 

The arrested person admitted that he hunted the chinkara with his licensed gun and had burnt its horns and some other parts of its body near the scene of the crime.

Following his conviction by the Magistrate’s court, he moved an appeal in the sessions court.

The court upheld his conviction and sentence and directed that 50% of the fine be paid to the informer as a prize. It would encourage the people to report the killing of endangered animals to the authorities.

What is Chinkara or Indian gazelle?

Source: Wikipedia

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Chinkara or Indian gazelle (Gazella bennettii) is a relatively small gazelle.

The range states of the species are India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan and possibly Afghanistan. 

The chinkara inhabits arid areas, including sand deserts, flat plains and hills, dry scrub and light forest. 

They can go for a long time without water, so they are adapted to live in very dry areas. 

It is mostly a solitary animal, but sometimes forms small groups of 2 – 4 individuals.

Most of the global population is found in the Thar Desert of western India.It is also the State animal of Rajasthan.

Cabinet gives nod to Data Protection Bill

Source: The post is based on the article “Cabinet gives nod to Data Protection Bill” published in The Hindu on 6th July 2023

What is the News?

The Union Cabinet has approved the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill.

What is the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill?

Click Here to read

The Bill allows laypersons to complain to a Data Protection Board, consisting of technical experts, constituted by the government. The complaint will be accepted if they have reason to believe that their personal data has been used without their consent (for example, mobile phone numbers or Aadhaar details).

The bill has a clause for offering voluntary undertaking in case an entity wants to admit that a breach has occurred and pay penalty as mitigation measure to avoid court litigation.

The Data Protection Board of India could fine firms which do not protect user data with fines for individual offenses ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹500 crore, which may apply in case of data breaches.

What are the changes made in the bill?

The bill could allow cross-border data flows to all international jurisdictions, except the countries placed in the “negative” or “official blacklist”.

A provision on “deemed consent” in the previous draft could also be reworded to make it stricter for private entities, while allowing government departments to assume consent while processing personal data on grounds of national security and public interest.

What are the concerns related to the bill?

Right to Information activists have raised concerns on an amendment to the RTI Act, 2005 in the DPDP Bill that would prohibit government departments from sharing personal information, arguing government departments may refuse to share information that could hold public officeholders accountable.

What are the data protection laws in other countries?

Click Here to read

The risks of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant(NPP)

Source: The post is based on the article “The risks of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant(NPP)” published in The Hindu on 6th July 2023

What is the News?

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine has been a focus of concern since Russian forces took control over it.

Russia and Ukraine have accused each other over shelling near the plant that caused power outages.

A major concern is the working conditions of the 3,000 or so people at the plant, most of whom have refused to sign new employment contracts with their Russian employers.

What is the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant?

Source: BBC

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world.

The plant is located in south-east Ukraine in Enerhodar on the banks of the Kakhovka reservoir on the Dnieper River.

It is one of the four operating NPPs in the country and has been operating since 1984.

It accounts for about 40% of the total electricity generated by all the Ukrainian NPPs and one-fifth of Ukraine’s annual electricity production.

How is Zaporizhzhia NPP different from the Chernobyl power plant?

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is not similar to Chernobyl-type reactors.

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant are pressurized water reactors. The reactors are housed in thick steel reinforced concrete containment units which are built to withstand extreme explosions, such as an aircraft crash. 

In boost to ties, Taiwan to set up office in Mumbai

Source: The post is based on the article “In boost to ties, Taiwan to set up office in Mumbai” published in The Hindu on 6th July 2023

What is the News?

Taiwan has announced that it would open its third representative office in India in Mumbai, more than a decade after it last expanded its presence in India.

India-Taiwan Relations:

India and Taiwan do not maintain formal diplomatic ties, as India adheres to the One-China policy.

But in 1995, India and Taiwan established India-Taipei Association (ITA) in Taiwan and Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in New Delhi as de-facto Indian and Taiwanese embassies.

In 2012, Taiwan established Taipei Economic and Cultural Centres(TECC) in Chennai to conduct business. In the absence of an embassy, these offices represent Taiwan’s interests in India.

The opening of these offices by Taiwan in India did not create much of a fallout on India-China relations, despite Chinese sensitivities on Taiwan.

This is because India had conveyed to China that the offices would not be official and there would be no government-to-government engagement.

What are flight duty time limitation norms?

Source: The post is based on the article “Pilot refuses to operate Lucknow-Chennai flight due to fatigue: What are flight duty time limitation norms?” published in Indian Express on 6th July 2023

What is the News?

A recent IndiGo flight from Dehradun to Chennai was delayed by several hours as the pilot complained of fatigue.

The pilot refused to operate the flight, citing flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms.

What is Pilot Fatigue?

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) defines flight fatigue/pilot fatigue, as a physiological and psychological state of tiredness and weariness. It can be caused by prolonged periods of wakefulness and/or insufficient restorative sleep.

Pilot fatigue is a cause of real concern. It can cause a pilot to make wrong decisions or even fall asleep inside the cockpit, leading to a fatal crash.

What are Flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms?

The flight duty time limitations (FDTL) are laid down by the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). 

It ensures adequate rest timings for pilots and flight attendants and prevent fatigue-related safety issues. 

The DGCA mandates that all airlines follow FDTL norms. Norms include rules such as all crew members can fly a maximum of 8 hours in a day, 35 hours in a week, 125 hours in a month and 1,000 hours in a year. 

Other rules include that every crew member shall be given rest, which will be pro-rata twice the flight time, subject to a minimum of 10 hrs in any 24 consecutive hours.

What is the responsibility of airlines?

Every airline is required to formulate its own FDTL scheme, which must be compliant with the regulations issued by the DGCA.

The FDTL scheme needs to be approved by the DGCA and must be a part of the airline’s operations manual.

The DGCA rules prohibit airlines from asking flight crew to operate a flight if the prescribed time limitations are exceeded. 

In addition, carriers are not supposed to ask a crew member to operate a flight if it is known or suspected that the flight crew member is fatigued to the extent that the safety of flight may be adversely affected.

Chandrayaan-3 integrated with launch vehicle LVM3

Source: The post is based on the article “Chandrayaan-3 integrated with launch vehicle LVM3” published in The Hindu on 6th July 2023

What is the News?

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that it has successfully integrated the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft with the launch vehicle, Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3), at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

What is Chandrayaan-3?

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Why has Chandrayaan-3 been integrated with LVM3?

The Chandrayaan-3, which consists of a lander, rover and propulsion module, can’t travel to space on its own. 

It needs to be attached — like any satellite — to launch vehicles or rockets, like the LVM3 in this case. 

Rockets have powerful propulsion systems that generate the huge amount of energy required to lift heavy objects like satellites into space, overcoming the gravitational pull of the Earth.

What is LVM3?

LVM3 is India’s heaviest rocket with a gross lift-off weight of 640 tonnes.

It is essentially a three-stage launch vehicle, including two solid boosters (S200), the core liquid fuel-based stage (L110), and the cryogenic upper stage (C25).

It can carry up to 8 tonnes of payload to the lower earth orbits (LEO), which is about 200 km from the Earth’s surface. 

But when it comes to the geostationary transfer orbits (GTO), which lie much further ahead, up to about 35,000 km from the Earth, it can carry only about four tonnes.

LVM3 made its first journey into space in 2014 and also carried the Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. In March, 2023, it placed 36 OneWeb satellites, weighing about 6,000kg in LEO showing its capabilities to deliver multiple satellites into space.

Ambergris worth Rs 4 crore found in dead whale: what is this rare substance, what it is used for

Source: The post is based on the article “Ambergris worth Rs 4 crore found in dead whale: what is this rare substance, what it is used for” published in Indian Express on 6th July 2023.

What is the News?

A pathologist has recently discovered Ambergris in a dead whale, which could be worth nearly Rs 4 crore.

What is Ambergris?

Ambergris is a waxy substance that originates from the digestive system of protected sperm whales.

It is produced in the gastrointestinal tract of some sperm whales for the passage of hard, sharp objects that are ingested when the whale eats large quantities of marine animals.

What are the uses of ambergris, and why is it so expensive?

Ambergris is a rare substance, which contributes to its high demand and high price in the international market. 

Traditionally, it is used to produce perfumes which have notes of musk. In the past cultures, it was used to flavour food, in alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

Is the trade of ambergris legal in India?

There is a ban on the possession and trade of ambergris in countries like the USA, Australia and India. But in several other countries, it is still a tradable commodity.

In the Indian context, sperm whales are a protected species under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Possession or trade of its by-products, including Ambergris and its byproducts, is illegal under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.