Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

GS Paper 3

• A stunted middle class: Role of the manufacturing, informal sectors
• IITs and the future of engineering: Why there’s hope amid the gloom
• Shelter From The Storm – As Biparjoy nears, note the quiet professionalism, also evident in Balasore, of India’s disaster management forces
• The right incentive – PLI scheme alone would not be enough

Prelims-Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Musings on the frictions in India-Canada ties

Source– The post is based on the article “Musings on the frictions in India-Canada ties” published in “The Hindu” on 14th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Bilateral groupings

Relevance- India and Canada bilateral relationship

News- During a pro-Khalistan parade on June 4 in Brampton, Canada, there was a tableau that depicted a lady clad in a white sari, who was bloodied, with two soldiers training their guns on her. The lady represented one of India’s ex-Prime Minister.

What is the role played by the Indian diaspora in Candian domestic politics and how is it effecting India-Canada relations?

The ethnic Indian community, including the Sikhs, plays an important role in Canada’s public life. There are currently some ethnic Indians in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet.

At the press conference, Mr. Jaishankar indirectly mentioned Canada’s indulgence of Khalistani elements and attributed it to ‘vote bank’ politics.

Mr. Trudeau commented on farmers’ agitation which was a purely domestic Indian issue.

Mr. Trudeau is critically dependent on the New Democratic Party for his government’s survival. Jagmeet Singh, the NDP leader, is a committed Khalistani sympathiser.

He had also asked Mr. Trudeau to intervene in the events in Punjab surrounding radical preacher Amritpal Singh’s activities.

What are the new Indian political class’s approaches towards the diaspora which has gained political, financial and professional success in many countries?

It has become a pillar of foreign policy, especially in the present dispensation. It also used Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity with a vast section of the diaspora to impress domestic public opinion.

Wherever the diaspora is politically important, local politicians want to use Mr. Modi’s popularity for their political purposes. The latest example is Mr. Modi’s diaspora rally during his recent visit to Australia.

Following Mr. Modi’s example, other Indian political players will also now play diaspora politics. The Congress’s Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to the United States is a case in point.

Tax law in the shadow of the higher judiciary

Source– The post is based on the article “Tax law in the shadow of the higher judiciary” published in “The Hindu” on 14th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Polity – Functioning of judiciary

Relevance– Issues related to taxation laws

News – Over the course of the last 12 months, there have been instances where the Supreme Court of India has undermined the basic precepts of taxation, by reversing well-reasoned judgments of High Courts.

What are the two central precepts that are the basis of India’s law of taxation?

First, on the idea contained in Article 265 of the Constitution. A tax may be imposed only with the authority of law.

Second, on a principle of sureness. Any levy ought to be clear, consistent, and predictable.

What are the recent instances where the Supreme Court of India has undermined the well-established principles of taxation?

ITO vs Vikram Sujitkumar Bhatia case–

The provision at stake is Section 153C of the Act. It stipulates the conditions under which a search made on a person’s premises could result in the opening of proceedings against other persons and entities.

Before an amendment to the law in 2015, Section 153C allowed the Revenue authorities to proceed against third parties to a search, if material seized belongs to a third party.

The law was amended in 2015. Section 153C now stipulated that assessments could be made against third parties to a search, even if the material seized pertains to the person or if information contained in those items relates to the person.

Gujarat High Court held that the amendment was not expressly retrospective. Such an application would impact the rights that had vested on persons by earlier provisions of the law.

The Supreme Court reversed this verdict by finding the new law declaratory. SC stated that it seeks to explain an earlier provision. Hence, it is retrospective.

Union of India vs Ashish Agarwal case–

The Court revived notices of reassessment that had been issued by the Revenue without any sanction of law. It reversed the Allahabad High Court’s judgement.

The issue at stake in the case was simple. With effect from April 1, 2021, Parliament had enacted a new regime to govern reassessments of completed income-tax proceedings.

But, despite the change in law, the Revenue continued to issue notices under a repealed provision. It derives authority from executive notifications that extended timelines during the COVID-19-inflicted period.

The High Courts declared these notices invalid. SC revived these quashed notices. Through this, the Court was encroached in the legislative domain. Court also invoked its power under Article 142 of the Constitution.

Article 265 of the Constitution forbids taxation without legislation. However, the Supreme Court’s willingness to encroach in Parliament’s domain, goes against this provision.

Where anyone can be accused of sedition

Source– The post is based on the article “Where anyone can be accused of sedition” published in the “The Hindu” on 14th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Governance – Criminal Justice System

Relevance- Issues related to law having chilling impacts on fundamental rights

News– The 279th Law Commission Report, laid down the grounds for retaining sedition.

What are the significant recommendations of the Commission?

Section 124A of the IPC should be amended to incorporate the meaning of sedition which was laid down by the Supreme Court in Kedar Nath Singh v. State of Bihar in 1962.

The minimum sentence should be increased from three to seven years.

FIR in sedition cases should be registered only after a police officer, holding the rank of an Inspector or higher, makes a “preliminary enquiry”.

What is criticism against the recommendations by the Commission?

Tendency jurisdiction– The Commission claims that only those forms of expressions will be penalised which have a tendency to incite violence. “Tendency” means mere inclination to incite violence rather than proof of actual violence or imminent threat to violence.

The proposed amendment will not fundamentally alter the meaning of sedition.

Tendency’ is a vague term. It brought expressions which have no direct connection with public disorder under the ambit of law. The ‘tendency’ jurisprudence is an ambiguous standard for any judicial and executive.

Police enquiry– The Commission has proposed that the police should conduct a preliminary enquiry.

This is an even more ambiguous standard. Police have to now judge a particular act on mere inclination to violence. No proof of violence or even actual threat to violence is needed.

It paves the way further for more police power, especially where the FIR is the result of complicity with persons who have local, state, or national political clout.

Ground realities– The Commission also disregarded developments in foreign jurisdictions which have invalidated sedition laws. It has stated that the “ground realities” are different in other countries. In fact, it turns a blind eye to the ground realities in India.

The Supreme Court in 2021 admitted multiple petitions challenging the constitutionality of Section 124A due to confusion caused by the Kedar Nath Singh precedent.

Emphasis on colonial legacy– The Commission cites continuities from colonial times, such as the civil services and the police system, to justify sedition.

It fails to distinguish ‘colonial’ as a merely historical category from a political system impacted by domination, violence and inequality.

Why every Indian must learn about evolution

Source– The post is based on the article “Why every Indian must learn about evolution” published in “The Indian Express” on 14th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Issues related to development and management of education

Relevance- Issues related to curriculum

News– Textbooks published NCERT books for middle and high school classes in India have omitted some chapters. Among the most noticeable are the chapters on evolution and the chapter on the Periodic Table of Elements from the Class 9 and Class 10 science textbooks.

How there exists faith-based denial of Darwin’s theory of evolution across the world?

The creation of man by god has always been among the most preserved beliefs of several religions and religious societies.

Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Algeria and Oman do not teach evolution in schools or universities. In Egypt and Tunisia, evolution is taught but it is presented as an “unproven hypothesis”.

Some states in the United States had either banned the teaching of evolution or decided to teach it alongside “creationism”. Various judgements by the US supreme court blocked the restrictions on teaching evolution.

Why is the teaching of Darwin theory of evolution important for India?

India is facing the challenges of institutionalised caste and other forms of inequalities. Teaching evolution from an early stage helps to shape critical minds and sharpen arguments against institutionalised discrimination.

It is important to read and understand the evolution of humans beyond the purview of religious manuscripts.

Why does the NCERT approach of post-Covid rationalisation of curriculum appear irrational?

First, the teaching of evolution will be limited now to students who take up science in Class 11. The 75th round of NSSO data shows that 74% of the population, 18 years and above, dropped out of school before reaching Class 12.

Many young students could lose an opportunity to study evolution after the NCERT’s rationalisation exercise.

Teaching evolution to primary or secondary school children is about more than imparting scientific knowledge. It is part of the holistic scientific development of children.

Learning about the basics of evolution broadens the horizon of children to understand the process of life beyond the socio-religious sphere. It generates ideas and enhances rational thinking. It imparts the ability to question the status quo.

Science helps society by asking uncomfortable questions about itself and initiating debates.

In a consumerist world, nations work through optics. The government wants to appear good to the rest of the world. Therefore, the deletion of evolution from school textbooks is bad optics. Nature has done an editorial on the rationalisation exercises. It notes that in recent times India is taking pride in its ancient knowledge.

GS Paper 3

A stunted middle class: Role of the manufacturing, informal sectors

Source: The post is based on the article “A stunted middle class: Role of the manufacturing, informal sectors” published in The Indian Express on 14^th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Growth & Development

Relevance: reasons behind stagnant middle-class population

News: The article explains about the problems persisting with the middle class in India.

Why isn’t the middle class in India growing?

Employment in Informal Sector: The informal sector accounts for 90% of employment but generates only a third of the value added in the economy.

This sector faces numerous constraints, leading to limited efficiency and low productivity. Consequently, it hampers the development of a genuine middle class in India.

The informal workers either work as individual casual labour or in micro enterprises with very small operations with conditions of instability in both employment and income.

These conditions within the informal sector hinder the progress of informal workers in becoming part of the middle class.

Nature of Work in the Informal Sector: The nature of temporary work prevalent in the informal economy discourages employers from investing in productivity-enhancing tools and training workers to use them.

The informal sector not only hampers workers’ access to better tools and learning opportunities but also denies them the benefits of teamwork.

Further, even higher-skilled occupations like carpenters and tailors work independently in digital aggregator platforms, which lowers the efficiency of workers.

As per the International Labour Organization (ILO), in 2017, one-third of Indian workers in the informal sector were the so-called “own account workers”, leading to low productivity in the informal sector.

Other Issues with the Informal Sector: Informal workers and micro enterprises also face problems in accessing finance which further hinders their growth.

The ratio of domestic credit to GDP, is far lower in India than China or the United States. It has also been stagnant for a decade, while it expanded in all the key economies in the world.

Underdeveloped Manufacturing sector: The stunted middle class in India is also linked to the underdeveloped manufacturing sector, which consists mostly of small and micro enterprises. These lack efficiency required for growth and the creation of formal jobs. 

The manufacturing sector in the post-World War II United States allowed individuals with a high school education or less to earn a middle-class income.

However, manufacturing in India has not been able to achieve the same level of success thus far.

Moreover, India has seen success in the IT sector, which can expand the middle class.

Can the IT sector help in the expansion of the middle class in India?

According to NASSCOM, even when the IT industry is defined broadly, the total employment remains at 4.5 million, which is very low compared to the large workforce of India.

Even the rest of the service sector has not been able to create a large scale of jobs. The platform aggregators are also unlikely to create large scale jobs due to the nature of their business model.

What can be the way ahead?

The Indian economy can either opt for a policy push that delivers a large, vibrant and prosperous middle class, or a business-as-usual growth with a massive informal sector that increases consumption but does not create a genuine middle class.

However, in order to rapidly expand India’s genuine middle class, there is a need to create a large-scale manufacturing sector that can drive formal employment.

IITs and the future of engineering: Why there’s hope amid the gloom

Source: The post is based on the article “IITs and the future of engineering: Why there’s hope amid the gloom” published in The Indian Express on 14^th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Employment

Relevance: concern associated with employment in India

News: The director of IIT Madras has recently said in an interview that IIT graduates are not interested in taking core engineering jobs.

Should IIT graduates be allowed to take non-core jobs?

Even though society might not be ready to accept it, freedom should be given to the IIT graduates in pursuing their career choice.

Moreover, it is also a high salaried non-core jobs that attract the graduates.

Why are some non-core salaries so high for IIT graduates?

The optimistic answer is that core engineering education equips students with practical and transferable skills due to its emphasis on real-world applications, empirical truths, and attention to practicality.

This distinguishes it from non-core engineering disciplines (Physics, Economics) that may not have the same level of direct applicability and controlled experimentation.

However, the pessimistic answer is that employers only look for the tag of IIT and offer a high salary rather than looking at their education.

What is the current employment situation for other graduates in India?

There are many engineering colleges producing many engineering graduates in India every year. Many graduates from these colleges have been dismissed as “unemployable”. 

However, even if these colleges make their graduates more employable, there are not enough employers. Further, non-engineers’ graduates face more hurdles in getting employed.

Out of India’s 140 crore people, only three crore report salary income in their tax returns.

How are employment conditions worldwide?

China: It has relatively few young people and proportionately fewer women. Hence, it has a smaller number of workforces requiring less jobs compared to India.

Western Europe: In Western Europe, several native populations are declining, which will eventually lead to lower employment demands.

US: It allowed “practical training” wherein graduating foreign students were given a year to find work. This helped many people stay on permanently. That period of practical training is now three years for STEM graduates.

However, even in the US, the students have shifted from opting core engineering to learning newer topics like AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning).

Since these fields are new, it attracts funding for the universities and tends to create more jobs.

What lies ahead?

The population of China is declining while Brazilians are inefficient in speaking English language. This provides India’ next generation opportunity to opt for core engineering as rewarding career plan.

Shelter From The Storm – As Biparjoy nears, note the quiet professionalism, also evident in Balasore, of India’s disaster management forces

Source: The post is based on the article “Shelter From The Storm – As Biparjoy nears, note the quiet professionalism, also evident in Balasore, of India’s disaster management forces” published in The Times of India on 14th June 2023

Syllabus: GS 3 – Disaster management.

Relevance: About India’s disaster management forces.

News: Due to India’s better disaster management in recent years, there’s little panic over the impact of cyclonic storm Biparjoy. Before the fall of Biparjoy, evacuation is nearly complete, shelter-food-medicine organised, and infrastructure too shored up as best can be.

Similarly, the first unit of Odisha’s rapid-responder team’s response to Balasore train tragedy has also limited the casualties.

How have India’s disaster management forces improved over time?

Odisha has been exemplary in training and equipping its disaster management authority. Odisha became India’s first to have such authority, it was set up after the 1999 supercyclone. Since then, it has engaged in countless missions including during floods and cyclones in Bengal and Andhra and up to Meghalaya to rescue miners.

Indian military’s relief work in large-scale disasters has helped India to work on disaster diplomacy. For example, in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia, India set up shelters and medical camps, supplied food and water, restored electricity and water supply, fixed bridges and so on. This approach is carried forward by NDMA and NDRF.

In Turkey, this February, NDRF and the Indian military formed the fourth largest contingent of the 80 nations on site after the temblor that killed over 50,000.

What India should do?

With adverse climate events and humanitarian crises almost the new normal, rescue missions are set to increase within India and overseas. India should require benchmark response protocols and invest in rescue tech such as faster logistics, faster processing of passports etc to meet such requirements.

The right incentive – PLI scheme alone would not be enough

Source: The post is based on the article “The right incentive – PLI scheme alone would not be enough” published in the Business Standard on 14th June 2023

Syllabus: GS 3 – Changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.

Relevance: About issues with PLI Scheme.

News: The government is planning to hold a first-of-its-kind meeting to address implementation issues being faced by producers under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.

About the PLI Scheme

The government cleared the first three PLI schemes in March 2020, while another 10 were approved in November that year. The allocation for the scheme was announced in Union Budget 2021-22, with the idea of creating national manufacturing champions, which would generate employment opportunities.

What are the challenges associated with the implementation of the PLI Scheme?

According to the latest numbers, the gross value added in manufacturing went up by just 1.3% at constant prices in 2022-23. This highlights that the schemes seem to have multiple issues. Such as,

Lack of clarity: In the auto industry, firms are looking for clarity on the incentives they are supposed to get. It has been reported that incentives could not be disbursed in 2022-23 because no auto company presented the required documents.

Lack of disbursements: Manufacturers are affected by disbursements in other sectors as well. For instance, in 2022-23, the government paid Rs. 2,874 crore to beneficiaries against a claim of Rs.3,420 crore. The outgo thus was about only 1.4% of the Rs. 1.97 trillion allocated for the scheme over a period of five years.

Aside from the documentation issues, the outgo has been low because the scheme has possibly not resulted in the kind of investment that was envisaged.

Affects competition: Investment and production in different sectors depend on a variety of factors. The state’s decision to select champions and provide fiscal incentives could affect competition. Like Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles scheme, manufacturers might use different ploys to take advantage of subsidies.

What should be done?

Policymakers should not excessively depend on the PLI scheme. It is not a way out of the inadequacies in the manufacturing sector.

Modern manufacturing depends on complex supply chains and giving fiscal incentives to one set of producers may not work. So, the government will have to work on improving the overall industrial environment.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Hiroshima AI Process (HAP) to take AI governance globa

Source: The post is based on the article “Hiroshima AI Process (HAP) to take AI governance global” published in The Hindu on 14th June 2023

What is the News?

The annual Group of Seven(G-7) Summit hosted by Japan took place in Hiroshima. The countries initiated the Hiroshima AI Process(HAP).

What is the Hiroshima AI Process(HAP)?

Hiroshima AI Process(HAP) is an effort by G7 to determine a way forward to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI).

It recognizes the need to immediately take stock of the opportunities and challenges of generative AI, which is increasingly prominent across countries and sectors.

HAP will also work in cooperation with the OECD and Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) and will discuss generative AI by the end of this year.

These discussions could include topics such as governance, safeguarding of intellectual property rights including copyrights, promotion of transparency, response to foreign information manipulation, including disinformation and responsible utilization of these technologies.

What are the likely outcomes of HAP?

HAP isn’t expected to address AI regulation from a state-centric perspective. Instead, it exists to account for the importance of involving multiple stakeholders in various processes and to ensure the latter is fair and transparent.

However, the task before the HAP is really challenging considering there are three ways in which the HAP can move forward:

– Firstly, it can enable the G-7 countries to move towards a divergent regulation based on shared norms, principles and guiding values;

– Secondly, it can become overwhelmed by the divergent views among the G-7 countries and fail to deliver any meaningful solution;

– Thirdly, it can deliver a mixed outcome with some convergence on certain issues and at the same time a lack of common ground on many others.

Global DPI Summit successfully organized

Source: The post is based on the article “Global DPI Summit successfully organized” published in PIB on 13th June 2023

What is the News?

The Global DPI (Digital Public Infrastructure) Summit was held as the side event of the third meeting of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group.

What is Digital Public Infrastructure(DPI)?

Click Here to read

What are the key highlights from the Global DPI Summit?

India launched the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) partnership to enable countries, especially low and middle-income brackets, to learn from its experiences in harnessing technology to improve governance, and for social, economic, digital and sustainable development.

India also introduced the idea to form an alliance of countries called One Future Alliance which would allow like-minded nations to use technology to improve people’s lives.

India signed MoUs with Armenia, Sierra Leone, and Suriname to share its successful digital solutions implemented at scale through the India Stack.

Draft Public Key Infrastructure(PKI) Mutual Recognition Framework has also been released by the Ministry of Electronics & IT, Government of India with an aim to take the lead on the subject of implementation and adoption of India’s DPI beyond the country’s borders.

Privacy: UNESCO to develop ethical framework on neurotech devices

Source: The post is based on the article “Privacy: UNESCO to develop ethical framework on neurotech devices” published in PIB on 13th June 2023

What is the News?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is all set to host an international conference to develop an ethical framework for the usage of neurotech devices that feed brain-wave data to computers through dry electrodes and implants.

What is Neurotechnology?

Neurotechnology encompasses any method or electronic device which interfaces with the nervous system to monitor or modulate neural activity.

Common design goals for neuro technologies include using neural activity readings to control external devices such as neuroprosthetics, altering neural activity via neuromodulation to repair or normalize function affected by neurological disorders, or augmenting cognitive abilities.

In addition to their therapeutic or commercial uses, neuro technologies also constitute powerful research tools to advance fundamental neuroscience knowledge.

Some examples of neuro technologies include deep brain stimulation, photostimulation based on optogenetics and photo pharmacology, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and brain–computer interfaces, such as cochlear implants and retinal implants.

What are the issues associated with Neurotechnology?

Unlike many other frontier technologies, neurotechnology can directly access, manipulate and emulate the structure of the brain, and with it produce information about our identities, our emotions, our fears.

Combined with artificial intelligence, its resulting potential can easily become a threat to notions of human identity, human dignity, freedom of thought, autonomy, (mental) privacy and well-being.

What is Deep brain stimulation (DBS)?

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) involves implanting electrodes within certain areas of the brain. These electrodes produce electrical impulses that regulate abnormal impulses or the electrical impulses can affect certain cells and chemicals within the brain.

DBS is approved to treat a number of conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, epilepsy and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

However, the possible side effects of DBS are frequently underestimated. Complications of DBS fall into three categories: Surgery complications, hardware (device and wires) complications and stimulation-related complications.

India, U.S. to diversify semi-conductor supply chain: Sullivan

Source: The post is based on the article “India, U.S. to diversify semi-conductor supply chain: Sullivan” published in The Hindu on 14th June 2023

What is the News?

India’s National Security Adviser (NSA) and U.S. NSA has attended a round table on “Advancing India-U.S. Initiative on critical and emerging technologies (iCET)”.

What is the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)?

Click Here to read

What is the significance of the iCET Initiative?

Click Here to read

What is the progress made by the US and India on the iCET Initiative?

Under the iCET, India and the US have so far kick-started a Quantum Coordination Mechanism, signed an MoU on semiconductors and were engaging with various stakeholders to further collaboration in Open RAN, 5G, 6G and other critical technology.

What is Strategic Trade Dialogue?

India and the US have launched a Strategic Trade Dialogue.

The dialogue aims to propel strategic technology and trade collaborations envisioned under the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).

It will address export controls, explore ways of enhancing high-technology commerce, and facilitate technology transfers.

LAUNCH OF ‘SANSHODHAK’, FOURTH SHIP OF SURVEY VESSEL (LARGE) PROJECT AT M/s L&T, KATTUPALLI

Source: The post is based on the article “LAUNCH OF ‘SANSHODHAK’, FOURTH SHIP OF SURVEY VESSEL (LARGE) PROJECT AT M/s L&T, KATTUPALLI” published in PIB on 13th June 2023

What is the News?

The fourth ship of the Survey Vessels (Large) (SVL) Project, named ‘Sanshodhak’ was launched at Kattupalli, Chennai.

What is Sanshodhak?

Sanshodhak is the fourth of four ships of the Survey Vessels (Large) (SVL) Project being built by L&T/ Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy.

The first three ships of the project, Sandhayak, Nirdeshak and Ikshak were launched in 2022.

SVL ships will replace the existing Sandhayak Class survey ships, with new-generation hydrographic equipment, to collect oceanographic data.

Functions: The primary role of the ships would be to undertake full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys of Ports and navigational channels.

– The ships would also be deployed for collecting oceanographic and geophysical data for defence as well as civil applications. 

– In their secondary role, the ships are capable of providing limited defence, HADR and can serve as Hospital ships during emergencies.

Significance: The Survey Vessel (Large) ships are made from indigenously developed DMR 249-A steel manufactured by Steel Authority of India Limited.

– The ships have over 80% indigenous content by cost, ensuring defence production by Indian manufacturing units with a spin-off in employment generation and warship-building capability in the country. 

What is El Nino and how it impacts the monsoon

Source: The post is based on the article “What is El Nino and how it impacts the monsoon” published in The Hindu on 13th June 2023

What is the News?

Any discussion on the Indian monsoon these days invariably has references to the El Nino phenomenon.

What is El Nino?

Click Here to read

How does El Nino impact the Monsoon?

El Niño refers to the warming of the ocean surface, specifically the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, which leads to above-average sea surface temperatures. 

This warming effect influences atmospheric patterns, causing changes in weather systems and circulation. 

In the case of India, El Niño has been associated with a weakening of the monsoon circulation, resulting in a reduction in rainfall during the monsoon season.

Historically, India has experienced below-average rainfall during most El Niño years. This can have significant consequences for the country’s agricultural sector and water resources. Insufficient rainfall can lead to drought conditions, impacting crop production and necessitating restrictions on food grain exports.

Note: The El Nino conditions this year follow three consecutive La Nina years. La Nina, which is the opposite of El Nino, typically brings good rainfall during the monsoon season.

About El Nino and Climate Change

In general, El Nino has a warming effect on the planet, while La Nina tends to cool it down. The warmest years in a decade are usually the El Nino years. 

The warmest-ever year on record, 2016, was part of one of the longest and strongest El Nino episodes ever, dubbed the Godzilla El Nino.

El Nino thus accentuates the global warming phenomenon, and contributes to climate change.

Country’s first Dimethyl Ether fuelled tractor ushers a new era clean fuel applications

Source: The post is based on the article “Country’s first Dimethyl Ether fuelled tractor ushers a new era clean fuel applications” published in PIB on 13th June 2023

What is the News?

India’s first 100% Dimethyl Ether (DME) fuelled tractor/ vehicle for on- and off-road applications has been developed by IIT Kanpur that exhibited higher thermal efficiency and lower emissions than the baseline diesel engine.

What is Dimethyl Ether(DME)?

Dimethyl ether, also known as methoxymethane, wood ether, dimethyl oxide or methyl ether, is the simplest ether. 

It is a colourless, slightly narcotic, non-toxic, highly flammable gas at ambient conditions, but can be handled as a liquid when lightly pressurized. 

Uses of Dimethyl Ether(DME)

It is used extensively in the chemical industry and as an aerosol propellant.

It is also a suitable alternative to diesel since it is renewable. It can be produced indigenously and several countries, like Japan, USA, China, Sweden, Denmark, and Korea, are already using DME to power their vehicles. 

What have researchers developed?

IIT Kanpur researchers have developed India’s first 100% Dimethyl Ether (DME) fuelled tractor/ vehicle for on- and off-road applications.

The researchers tackled the challenge of a lower calorific value of DME and higher compressibility than baseline diesel by developing a customized high-pressure mechanical fuel pump of higher pressurization capacity. 

Thus, DME technology offers a viable and eco-friendly alternative for conventional diesel engines in agriculture and transport sectors.

Indian Drugs Controller approves first indigenously developed animal-derived tissue engineering scaffold for healing skin wounds with minimum scarring

Source: The post is based on the article “Indian Drugs Controller approves first indigenously developed animal-derived tissue engineering scaffold for healing skin wounds with minimum scarring” published in PIB on 13th June 2023

What is the News?

Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the first indigenously developed tissue engineering scaffold from mammalian organs called Cholederm.

What is Cholederm?

Cholederm is a wound healing material developed by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), a Thiruvananthapuram-based autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

It has been derived from the extracellular matrix of de-cellularized gall bladder of pig and tissue engineered as membrane forms of scaffold.

Cholederm healed different types of skin wounds including burn and diabetic wounds in rats, rabbits or dogs faster than similar products currently available in the market, with minimal scarring. 

Significance: The concept of using animal-derived materials as advanced wound care products is not new. 

– However, indigenous technology was so far not available for fabricating quality products that satisfy the requirements of the Drugs Controller General.Therefore, such products were imported making them expensive.

Global Slavery Index 2023: G20 nations fuelling modern slavery

Source: The post is based on the article “Global Slavery Index 2023: G20 nations fuelling modern slavery” published in Business Standard on 13th June 2023

What is the News?

The Global Slavery Index 2023 has been released.

What is the Global Slavery Index?

Global Slavery Index(GSI) provides national estimates of modern slavery for 160 countries.

It is presented by Walk Free, a human rights organization and is based on data provided by the Global Estimates of Modern Slavery which, in turn, is produced by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Walk Free, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

What is Modern Slavery?

It refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, or abuses of power.

It is an umbrella term and includes a whole variety of abuses such as forced labour, forced marriage, debt bondage, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery-like practices, forced or servile marriage, and the sale and exploitation of children.

Note: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations resolve to end modern slavery. Target 8.7 of the SDGs states: “Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025, end child labour in all its forms”.

What are the key findings of Global Slavery Index 2023?

Prevalence of Modern Slavery: An estimated 50 million people were living in modern slavery on any given day in 2021, an increase of 10 million people since 2016.

– Among these 50 million (of which 12 million are children), 28 million suffer from forced labour and 22 million from forced marriages.

Modern Slavery among countries: There are three sets of key findings: 

– The first set consists of countries that top in terms of the prevalence of modern slavery. The prevalence refers to the incidence of modern slavery per 1,000 population. On this count, the following 10 countries are the worst offenders: North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tajikistan, the UAE, Russia, Afghanistan and Kuwait.

– The second set consists of countries with the lowest prevalence. The list includes countries such as Switzerland, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, Japan, and Finland.

– The third set consists of countries hosting the maximum number of people living in modern slavery. The list is as follows: India, China, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey, Bangladesh, and the US.