Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• Uncertain showers – on weather forecasting capabilities of India

GS Paper 2

GS Paper 3

• Biodiversity is us and we are biodiversity
• India sourcing: From hurdle to ambition
• Making India’s National Security 21st Century Compatible
• BIN: Build, Inaugurate, Neglect
• Mapping the climate transition by identifying policy interventions

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

Uncertain showers – on weather forecasting capabilities of India

Context: Despite the near-certainty of an El Niño this year, the IMD maintains its prediction of a ‘normal’ monsoon.

Why IMD is predicting a normal rainfall?

The IMD’s expectation of a normal monsoon despite El Niño is based on the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) phenomenon, which involves a temperature swing between the western and eastern Indian Ocean.

The IMD believes the IOD could favour rain development and offset the reduced rains from an El Niño.

However, it’s important to note that IODs are not as strongly linked to plentiful rains as El Niño is to reduced rains.

Why an accurate prediction of rainfall s necessary?

The distribution of rainfall, both spatially and temporally, will be crucial. Significant deficits during July and August, particularly in central India, could impact agricultural output. More accurate assessments can be derived from the IMD’s extended range forecasts that provide a fortnightly prognosis.

Therefore, States and the Centre must redouble efforts to convey accurate, timely information to farmers, using all available information channels, down to the block level.

GS Paper 2

Is India missing the graphene bus?

News– Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing and graphene will disrupt the existing human-machine interface in the next couple of decades.

Why is graphene an important material?

Graphene is the world’s thinnest, strongest, and most conductive material of both electricity and heat. It conducts electricity better than copper. It is 200 times stronger than steel but six times lighter.

It is almost perfectly transparent as it absorbs only 2% of light. It is impermeable to gases. It has the potential to revolutionise electricity, conductivity, energy generation, batteries, sensors and more.

Graphene composites are used in aerospace, automotive, sports equipment and construction.

It is used for high-performance batteries and supercapacitors, touchscreens, and conductive inks. Graphene-based sensors are used for environmental monitoring, healthcare and wearable devices.

Graphene oxide membranes are used for water purification and desalination. Graphene-based masks were made during COVID.

Graphene is important for defence and aerospace. Its exceptional strength makes it promising material for armour and ballistic protection.

Graphene has the potential to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic waves. So, it is valuable for developing stealth coatings and materials that reduce radar signatures and electromagnetic interference.

Graphene is highly sensitive to environmental changes. It can be used in sensing chemical and biological agents, explosives, radiation, and other hazardous substances.

What is the status of the graphene industry?

The global graphene market size was valued at $175.9 million in 2022. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 46.6% between 2023 and 2030. Over 300 companies are now producing graphene or its derivatives.

Among the leading countries in graphene research are China, the U.S., the U.K., Japan, South Korea, Russia, and Singapore.

Till 2012, graphene-related patent filing was dominated by the U.S. After 2017, China surged ahead. In 2018, China filed 218 patents while the other leading countries together filed 79. India had eight filings.

China and Brazil are global leaders in the commercial production of graphene. India produces about one-twentieth compared to China and one-third compared to Brazil.

What is the progress of India in the case of graphene?

The Centre for Nano Science and Engineering at IISc Bangalore along with KAS Tech produced a graphene-based system several years ago.

Some start-ups and foreign subsidiaries have started graphene or graphene derivatives in India. Tata Steel has succeeded in growing graphene. It has also mixed graphene with used plastic products to recycle them as new.

The IIT Roorkee-incubated Log 9 has patented a technology for graphene-based ultracapacitors, and the IIT Kanpur-incubated RF Nanocomposites has developed EMI shielding and stealth technology using graphene-based nanotubes.

The India Innovation Centre for Graphene has been set up in Kerala. It is being implemented by the Digital University Kerala in partnership with Tata Steel and C-MET, Thrissur.

What is the way forward to improve the performance of the graphene industry in India?

Governments will have to play a crucial role. China declared graphene a priority in its 13th Plan. India needs a national graphene mission. A nodal Ministry needs to be entrusted with this responsibility.

India needs to be a leader in graphene because we may experience the ‘winner takes the most’ situation here. its production may get concentrated in a few locations in the world, as in the case of semiconductors.

A parliamentary democracy or an executive democracy

News- The article explains the issue of executive dominance over legislature in case of Parliamentary democracy in India.

What are various safeguards in parliamentary democracies against executive dominance or abuse?

To enact its agenda, the executive must command a majority in Parliament. This opens the space for intra-party dissent. It provides an opportunity for ruling party parliamentarians other than cabinet members to exercise a check over the executive.

The Opposition itself is granted certain rights in Parliament, and certain limited control over parliamentary proceedings.

The interests of Parliament against the executive are meant to be represented by the Speaker. She is a neutral and independent authority.

Certain parliamentary democracies adopt bicameralism. A second “Upper House” acts as a revising chamber. The interests of minorities are represented.

How various safeguards in parliamentary democracies against executive dominance or abuse have been diluted in India?

The possibility of intra-party dissent within Parliament has been curtailed by the “anti-defection law”. The Tenth Schedule penalises disobedience of the party whip with disqualification from the House.

The Tenth Schedule has failed to curb horse-trading and unprincipled floor-crossing. It has strengthened the hand of the party leadership. Intra-party dissent is far more difficult when the price is disqualification from Parliament.

The Indian Constitution did not carve out any specific space for the political Opposition in the House. There is no equivalent of the Prime Minister’s questions, where the Prime Minister must face direct questioning.

The manner of proceedings in Parliament are under the complete control of the executive. There are no real constitutional checks upon how that control is exercised.

Speaker, in our system, is not independent. The Speaker is not required to give up membership of their political party, and not constitutionally obligated to act impartially.

Speakers at central and State levels are acting in a partisan manner to advance the interests of the executive over the interests of the House.

This has affected the quality of the deliberations in the lower house as the Speaker has control over the conduct of the House.

When the ruling party wishes to avoid effective scrutiny in the Rajya Sabha over Bills, the Speaker simply classifies the Bill as a “money bill”. This was seen in the case of the Aadhaar Act.

The role of the Upper House is undercut by the ordinance making power. An ordinance is used as a parallel process of law-making, especially when the executive wants to bypass the Upper House.

How has the constitutional design impacted the working of Parliament?

The only effective check upon the executive is fractured mandate and coalition government. In such a scenario, coalition partners can exercise checks upon the executive in Parliament.

When there is a single, majority ruling party, Parliament has limited powers.

The quality of parliamentary deliberations has declined. The situation resembles presidential systems with strong executives, but without the checks and balances.

Bills are passed with minimal or no deliberation. Parliament sits for fewer days in a year, and parliamentary sessions are often adjourned.

Getting multipolarity wrong

News– In his article C. Raja Mohan ‘India’s multipolar myths’ C. Raja Mohan has dismissed the long held view that the emerging structure of power among nation-states as “multipolar”. It is a myth.

What is criticism against the Raja Mohan viewpoints about multipolarity?

Raja Mohan is wrong to imply that the concept of multipolarity suggests an “even distribution of power between major powers”. The literature on multipolarity does not talk about even distribution of power.

Multipolarity suggests that no single nation-state or two nation-states have the capacity to exert their power globally. Hence, they must work along with other powers.

Raja Mohan is also wrong to presume that nations that advocate multipolarity have political resentment against US power or collective West.  This has certainly not been the case with Indian articulation, even during the Cold War era.

India’s refusal to join any military alliance was not based on anti-westernism or anti-communism. It was based on an Indian view that was against such a division of the world.

Even American scholars have not always viewed the concept of multipolarity as “anti-American”. Samuel Huntington has characterised the post-Cold War distribution of power in the 1990s as “uni-multipolar”, rather than “unipolar”.

Huntington proposed that global politics has now moved from a unipolar moment at the end of the Cold War into more uni-multipolar decades. It will culminate into a multipolar twenty-first century.

As per Raja Mohan, the world is once again “bipolar” — US and EU vs China and Russia. It underplays the space available for the articulation of national interests of “middle powers”. Many nations in Europe, Latin America and Asia assert their own national interests.

How has India taken an independent stance in foreign policy choices?

Attempts to push India into a lonely corner, forcing it to make choices and enter into alliances have failed in the past. Then, it was a weaker and less developed nation.

A stronger and more self-confident India cannot be expected to fall in line. India’s relations with the US, China, Russia or any other nation, would be defined by her interests and values.

The new Parliament House: More than a building

News: The article explains the deteriorating role of Parliament and its increasing irrelevance.

How has the function of the Parliament deteriorated?

Reduction in the Number of Sittings: As per the PRS data, there has been a reduction in the average of annual sitting days of the Parliament.

For instance, the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019) had a scheduled sitting of just 337 days over a five-year period and lost 16 percent of that time due to adjournments.

Lack of Debates and Discussion: Mostly the proceedings in the Parliament have been stalled due to the ruckus created by the opposition. There is hardly any discussions or debate done on any important bill or a current issue of national importance.

Therefore, it is the duty of the Speaker to permit the Opposition to raise and discuss matters of national importance, even if they are not liked by the ruling majority.

Increasing Role of Executives: Instead of drafting and debating bills in the Parliament by the legislatures, the nation is now governed more by rules, notifications, circulars and guidelines, drafted by the executives.

Misuse of the Majority: The ruling party has misused its majority and downgraded the role of Parliament.

Article 110 requires that money bills must contain only provisions that relate to fiscal and tax issues. A money bill needs approval only in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha has a limited, recommendatory role.

However, since the ruling party has the majority in the Lok Sabha, they label any bill as a money bill and get it approved in the Lok Sabha.

For instance, in the Aadhaar Act, amendments to several tribunals through the Finance Act, 2017 were certified as money bills and enacted without the approval of the Rajya Sabha.

Degrading Role of Parliamentary Committees: The practice of referring bills to parliamentary committees has dropped sharply in the recent past — from a high of 60 percent to just 23 percent in the current Lok Sabha.

Finance Bills: Finance Bills these days are introduced on the Budget Day itself, which is an unhealthy practice. These bills are then passed without any debate or discussions.

For instance, in 2023, an entire chapter relating to GST tribunals was added and approved on the last date without any debate or discussion. Many of these provisions are violative of decisions of the Supreme Court.

Other Issues: The mandatory requirement under Article 93 of having a Deputy Speaker has not been fulfilled in the present Lok Sabha while the entry of journalists into Parliament has also been curtailed.

Must Read: Performance review: How Parliament has functioned till now

What can be the course of action?

Every member of the Parliament takes an oath under the Third Schedule of the Constitution, which requires them to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India.

Therefore, the greatness of Parliament is determined by the manner in which their occupants discharge their constitutional obligations.

Further, the constitutional role of our Parliament is to deliberate and enact laws that shape India. Therefore, the new Parliament will not serve the purpose unless the functioning of the Parliament is improved.

GS Paper 3

Biodiversity is us and we are biodiversity

News– The International Biodiversity Day was observed on May 22.

What is the importance of biodiversity?

Biodiversity is everywhere. It is inside our bodies, in villages, towns, and cities, and in well-organised ecological communities and ecosystems.

Biodiversity conservation can help to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Biodiversity helps in mitigation of climate change.

It also fulfils our basic needs for food, shelter, medicines, mental health, recreation, and spiritual enrichment.

There will be a need to rely more on solutions that draw upon biodiversity or nature to face the continuing decline in the quality of our environment. These are called nature-based solutions.

Biodiversity will restore our degraded lands and polluted rivers and oceans. It will sustain our agriculture in the face of climate change. Biodiversity forms the basis of a new sustainable green economy.

What is the way forward to preserve biodiversity?

Civil society must play a critical role in sustaining our biodiversity.

There is a need to change the way we manage our biodiversity. Currently, the main custodian of the natural world is the Indian Forest Service. But the term “Forest” to describe natural heritage is flawed.

India’s biodiversity is not only on land but also in water bodies, rivers, deltas, and oceans. Our ecosystems exist in the form of grasslands, savannas, alpine pastures, deserts, and other types of ecological communities.

In the 21st century, the basic terms “forests” and “wildlife” have limited meaning or usefulness.

There is a need for multifunctional landscapes, where aspirations, beliefs, traditional knowledge, and direct participation of local communities are central to the conserving and sustaining life on earth.

In 2006, India enacted the Forest Rights Act. It called for an increase in the stake of indigenous groups in ownership as well as management of biodiversity. However, the Act largely remains on paper.

It is time to move beyond the Acts to fundamentally alter the management of biodiversity.

Biodiversity must be mainstreamed into our daily actions, in every development programme, in every government department, in every public and private institution.

It is time to decentralise the management of biodiversity by bringing together multiple stakeholders, especially local communities, through gram sabhas and biodiversity management committees.

What are some facts about the proposed National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing?

The mainstreaming of biodiversity is the goal of the proposed Mission. India’s Biodiversity Collaborative based in Bengaluru, conceptualised the idea.

The Mission will enable our country to meet critical challenges in climate change, natural and regenerative agriculture, and ecosystem and public health using biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The ultimate goal is to enhance and conserve biodiversity to foster human well-being, and to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. It will support an era of a new green economy.

People will be at the centre of the Mission. The goal of the Mission is to engage all citizens in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The Mission will integrate biodiversity in every development-oriented programme of the public and private sectors

India sourcing: From hurdle to ambition

Context: global brands are now finding it lucrative to produce in India. The article focusses on the factors that are contributing to this success.

Over the last decade, brands like Walmart, Amazon, Apple, and Ikea have increased sourcing of goods from India and have even set ambitious export targets.

What are the contributing factors?

In the past, industries were finding it challenging to comply with strict sourcing rules that mandated 30% sourcing of Indian products for any company with more than 51% FDI, from 1^st day. The rules have been updated, now companies need to comply with this norm within five years of setting up a single-brand retail business, instead of from day one of the earlier rules.

The ‘Make in India’ campaign, along with the production-linked incentive scheme, has strengthened the sourcing movement.

The conditions for FDI in single-brand retail were changed to include manufacturing as part of the 30 per cent mandatory sourcing.

What are the examples of success of government effort?

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon expressed the company’s goal to meet $10 billion worth of exports annually from India by 2027, up from about $3 billion currently.

Amazon is also increasing its sourcing from India through a scheme called Amazon Global Selling in India.

What are the remaining challenges in attracting companies to India?

India must address the challenges associated with supply chain logistics and wide infrastructure gaps.

Making India’s National Security 21st Century Compatible

Context: The article discusses the need for reform in India’s national security structures

National security structures worldwide, including India, are typically hierarchical, resistant to change, and only moderately accountable to the public. However, national security structures are needed to evolve with the changing global dynamics and rising multi-dimensional threats.

What are the factors that are necessitating the changes in security structure in India?

1) Multi-dimensional threats across land and maritime fronts from China, with Pakistan as a collusive proxy.

2) The need for full-spectrum security capability across multiple fronts and domains.

3) The urgent need to balance speedy indigenization of defense capability with the utilization of existing platforms and selective imports to ensure that capability gaps do not widen too much.

4) The blurring of lines between different instruments of statecraft necessitating a ‘whole of government approach’.

5) There is existing hesitancy in India to work with consultants from various disciplines due to ‘secrecy and security issues’.

6) Future conflicts will involve traditional warfare as well as new-age warfare waged in knowledge domains, social media, space, and cyberspace.

What should be done?

Traditional forms of planning, and execution should be used along with newer forms of cognitive thinking enabled by technologies like cloud computing, Internet of Military Things (IOMT), and AI.

A collaboration with outside experts from academia, industry, and the corporate sector, can be considered.

BIN: Build, Inaugurate, Neglect

Context: The article critically analyze the politics behind creating ‘edifice complexes’.

The term edifice complex was coined initially to describe the tendency of politicians to build physical structures for electoral gains. However, it is not always bad.

It can bring huge benefits to people as well.

What are the criticisms associated with building edifice complexes?

The edifice complex diverts attention away from priorities that contribute to a nation’s long-term growth and prosperity.

Investments in education and health are avoided due to long gestation projects, which is not feasible for one electoral cycle.

Politicians often prioritize new structures as they offer higher political payoffs than maintaining existing ones. It results in wastage of resources.

Why edifice complexes are not always bad?

The structures such as Nagarjuna Sagar dam are beneficial for the people in the long run. It provided livelihood to millions of farmers.

New ‘Ambedkar Bhavan’ in Hyderabad ss an example that invokes a collective sense of pride and unity.

Mapping the climate transition by identifying policy interventions

News: In the Report on Currency and Finance, the RBI has highlighted various concerns associated with achieving desired growth rate while controlling the emission targets.

As per the report, if India wants to become a developed country by 2047-48, its GDP growth rate should be 9.6% per annum up to 2047-48.

Click Here to Read More About the Report

What are the commitments made by the countries towards achieving net zero target?

Click Here to Read

How can India align its growth with its net zero emission target?

As per the RBI report, India can – a) increase the level of energy efficiency i.e., reduce the energy used per unit of GDP and b) increase the greenness of energy i.e., reduce emissions per unit of energy.

At present, India’s energy efficiency has been improving at 2.3% per annum over the last 10 years. However, it needs to be accelerated to 5%.

Similarly, the share of green energy in primary energy has to be increased to 70% – 82% of the total by 2070.

How can India achieve these targets?

Prioritizing Areas: As per the RBI report, India needs to intervene in some major areas which needs to be implemented over the next 10 years.

Shifting power generation away from coal-based thermal power towards solar, wind and other green sources is the one of the priority areas because this will lead to almost half of the reduction in emissions.

Phasing down coal-based power plants:  As per the RBI report, the govt. should ensure that no new coal-based thermal power plants will be set up after a certain period.

Phasing down coal-based power plants may also lead to phasing out coal mines, which can have implications on employment and state finances. India needs to prepare itself for such challenges.

Investments: Raising the share of green energy to 70% or 82% of total energy by 2070 will involve massive investments in building electricity generation, storage and transmission capacity and also in developing infrastructure for green hydrogen.

Since a large part of investments will be taken by the private sector, there is a need for a policy environment that will encourage such investment.

Carbon tax or cap-and-trade system: The RBI report highlights the issue of imposing such a system. The Electricity Amendment Act makes provision for introducing a cap-and-trade system. However, whether an explicit carbon tax would be better needs to be carefully examined.

Moreover, either option would raise the cost of coal to users and this would be reflected in the price of coal-based electricity.

Such mechanisms might enhance the competitiveness of green electricity without implementing mandatory renewable purchase obligations on discoms.

However, despite such concerns, a big advantage of carbon taxation is that it raises revenue. 

Since both the central and state governments do not have enough fiscal space for the transitions, carbon taxation will provide required resources.

What can be the way ahead?

Improvements in energy efficiency are critical to reduce emissions. Therefore, there is a need to switch to more energy-efficient systems and implement more energy-efficient building designs.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

The world’s worst animal disease is killing frogs worldwide. A testing breakthrough could help save them

Source: The post is based on the article “The world’s worst animal disease is killing frogs worldwide. A testing breakthrough could help save them” published in The Hindu on 30th May 2023

What is the News?

For the past 40 years, a devastating fungal disease, called chytridiomycosis or chytrid, has been ravaging frog populations around the world. This is a “panzootic” – a pandemic in the animal world.

What is chytridiomycosis or chytrid?

The single-celled fungus enters a skin cell, multiplies, and then breaks back out onto the surface of the animal. This affects their ability to balance water and salt levels, and eventually leading to death if infection levels are high enough.

The high mortality rate and the high number of species affected make chytrid unequivocally the deadliest animal disease known to date.

Origin: Chytrid originated in Asia and spread to other continents through global travel and trade in amphibians.

The intensity of the disease: Chytrid has been devastating frog populations for the past 40 years, wiping out 90 species, including seven in Australia, and causing severe declines in over 500 frog species.

Many species’ immune systems were simply not equipped to defend against the disease, and mass mortalities ensued.

Note: In the 1980s, amphibian biologists began to notice sharp population declines. Only in 1998, the chytrid fungal pathogen was finally recognised.

Diagnosis of Disease: Researchers use a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test to detect chytrid in frogs by swabbing their skin.

Note: The qPCR is a way to measure the volume of DNA from a species of interest.

Recently, Indian scientists have verified the qPCR test and reliably detects chytrid. This new qPCR test can detect strains of chytrid from Asia and another closely related species of chytrid that infects salamanders.

Immunity: So far, there is no clear trend between resistance and immune function.

Research in Asia: Asia is lagging behind the rest of the world in chytrid research.

Here is why you should plant babool

Source: The post is based on the article “Here is why you should plant babool” published in the DTE on 27th May 2023

What is the News?

Various studies have shown that arid plant babool has many benefits.

About Babool

It is a perennial, evergreen tree which is indigenous to Indian Sub-continent as well as in Tropical Africa, Burma, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and West and East Sudan. It occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of India.

India is home to at least three of nine subspecies of the tree, with natural babool forests found in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Karnataka.

Historically in India, the bitter babool has been used as a famine food in arid and semi-arid regions like Rajasthan.

What are the various benefits of Babool?

Almost every part of the babool tree is packed with medicinal properties.

Seeds: High in nutritional value such as Protein, fibre, fat, Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Iron, Manganese

Its seed oil can be an alternative to chemicals for controlling major farm pests.

Pods: Its pods have Antibacterial properties and are effective against gram-positive bacteria.

Its pods also act as a natural food preservative. Its pod extracts can replace synthetic food preservatives and inhibit microbial spoilage.

Leaves: Its young leaves improve digestion. Together with pods, leaves are used as feed for animals, providing comparable nutrition to cottonseed meal.

Stem and Bark: Woody stems keep teeth clean and gums healthy; Bark treats burns, skin diseases, and infected wounds.

Other benefits include,

Nitrogen-Fixing and Reclamation: Babool helps in the reclamation of degraded areas by fixing nitrogen and acting as a windbreak.

Biodiversity and Climate Resilience: Planting babool trees benefits biodiversity and helps combat desertification.

Cabinet approves Constitution and Empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for Facilitation of “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector”

Source: The post is based on the following articles

“Cabinet approves Constitution and Empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for Facilitation of “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector”” published in the PIB on 31st May 2023

“World’s largest grain storage plan: Centre to implement pilot project in 10 districts” published in The Hindu on 1st June 2023

What is the News?

Union Cabinet has approved the constitution and empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for the facilitation of the “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector.”

About the IMC for World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector

Chairman: IMC will be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Cooperation. Other Ministers will be part of the IMC.

Aim: a) To facilitate the ‘World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in the Cooperative Sector.’ b) To address the shortage of agricultural storage infrastructure in the country by creating infrastructure such as godowns, etc. for Agriculture and Allied purposes, at selected ‘viable’ Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).

Mode of work: The IMC will work on the convergence of various schemes of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Implementing strategy: Ministry of Cooperation will implement a pilot project in at least 10 selected Districts of different States/ UTs in the country.

What are the benefits of creating the World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan?

The creation of decentralized storage capacity will reduce food grain wastage and strengthen food security of the country.

It would prevent distress sale of crops by providing various options to the farmers. This enable the farmers to realise better prices for their produce.

It will reduce the cost incurred in the transportation of food grains to procurement centres and again transporting the stocks back from warehouses to FPS.

The Plan would strengthen PACS by enabling them to diversify their business activities, thus enhancing the incomes of the farmer members as well.

Host of other benefits: The plan will address not just the shortage of agricultural storage infrastructure, but also enable PACS to undertake various other activities. Such as, a) Can function as Procurement centres for State Agencies/ Food Corporation of India (FCI), b) Can serve as Fair Price Shops (FPS), c) Can set up custom hiring centres, and d) Can set up common processing units.

Cabinet approves City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0) from 2023 to 2027

Source: The post is based on the following articles

“Cabinet approves City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0) from 2023 to 2027” published in the PIB on 31st May 2023

“Cabinet nod for second phase of CITIIS programme” published in The Hindu on 1st June 2023

What is the News?

The Union Cabinet has approved the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0).

About the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0)

Aim: To support competitively selected projects, promoting circular economy with focus on integrated waste management at the city level, climate-oriented reform actions at the State level, and institutional strengthening and knowledge dissemination at the National level.

To leverage and scale up the learnings and successes of CITIIS 1.0.

Launched by: CITIIS 2.0 is conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the European Union (EU), and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).

Note: CITIIS 1.0 was launched jointly in 2018 by MoHUA, AFD, EU, and NIUA. 

Duration: The program will run for a period of four years, i.e., from 2023 till 2027.

Components:

Component 1: Financial and technical support for developing projects focused on building climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation in up to 18 smart cities,

Component 2: The States will be provided support to (a) set-up/strengthen their existing State climate centres/ Climate cells/ equivalents (b) create State and city level Climate Data Observatories (c) facilitate climate-data driven planning, develop climate action plans and (d) build capacities of municipal functionaries, and

Component 3: Interventions at all three levels; Centre, State and City to further climate governance in urban India

Significance:

-CITIIS 2.0 will supplement the climate actions of the Government through its ongoing National programs such as National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, AMRUT 2.0 and Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, etc.

-CITIIS 2.0 will also contribute positively to India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and Conference of the Parties (COP26) commitments.

Central Electricity Authority notifies the National Electricity Plan for the period of 2022-32

Source: The post is based on the article “Central Electricity Authority notifies the National Electricity Plan for the period of 2022-32” published in the PIB on  31st May 2023

What is the News?

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has notified the National Electricity Plan (NEP) for the period of 2022-32.

About the National Electricity Plan (NEP)

As per section 3(4) of the Electricity Act, 2003, Central Electricity Authority has been mandated to prepare a National Electricity Plan (NEP) in accordance with the National Electricity Policy and notify such plan once in five years.

What are the key features of the National Electricity Plan (NEP) 2022-32?

Timeline: The plan includes a review of the last five years (2017-22), a detailed plan for the next five years (2022-27) and a prospective plan for the next five years (2027-32).

Peak demand and requirements: The projected All India peak electricity demand and electrical energy requirement is 277.2 GW and 1907.8 BU for 2026-27 and 366.4 GW and 2473.8 BU for 2031-32.

Note: The Energy Requirement & Peak Demand are inclusive of the impact due to increased adoption of Electric Vehicles, Installation of Solar roof tops, Production of Green hydrogen, Saubhagya scheme etc.

Fund requirements: The total fund requirement for generation capacity addition for the period 2022-2027 is estimated to be more than Rs. 14.54 lakh Crores and for the period 2027-2032 has been estimated to be more than Rs. 19.06 lakh Crores. Overall, funds to the tune of Rs. 33.60 lakh crore needed for power generation capacity addition from 2022-2032.

Increase in non-fossil-based energy: The share of non-fossil-based capacity is likely to increase to 57.4% by the end of 2026-27 and may likely to further increase to 68.4% by the end of 2031-32 from around 42.5% as on April’2023.

Reduction in emissions: The average emission factor is expected to reduce to 0.548 kg CO2/kWhnet in the year 2026-27 and to 0.430 kg CO2/kWhnet by the end of 2031-32.

What are the challenges ahead in implementing National Electricity Plan?

OTT platforms mandated to show anti-tobacco warnings

Source: The post is based on the article “OTT platforms mandated to show anti-tobacco warnings” published in The Hindu on 30th May 2023

What is the News?

Union Health Ministry has recently amended the rules under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2004. The amendment made it mandatory for over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings as seen in movies screened in theatres and TVs.\

What are the recent amendments to the rules under the COPTA?

Publishers of online curated content displaying tobacco products, or their use will be required to display anti-tobacco health spots at the beginning and middle of the programme.

They shall also be required to exhibit an anti-tobacco health warning as a prominent static message at the bottom of the screen when tobacco products or their use are displayed during the programme.

The anti-tobacco health warning message as specified in clause(b) of sub-rule (1) shall be legible and readable, with font in black colour on white background and with the warnings ‘Tobacco causes cancer’ or ‘Tobacco kills’. Health spots and audio-visual disclaimers will have to be in the same language as used in the show.

If the publisher of online curated content fails to comply with the provisions, then an inter-ministerial committee shall issue notice to the OTT platforms.