Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• Refugees as assets to their new countries

GS Paper 2

GS Paper 3

• Indian Dollar Transfers That Beat Some GOI Welfare Spends
• The time for an honest and open dialogue on climate is right now
• On defaulters, RBI prioritises public interest
• Safety first – India’s regulators must ensure quality and safety of drugs
• Record-breaking temperatures: In the hot seat
• Rationalising prices – Excess use of urea should be contained

Prelims-Oriented Articles (Factly)

• The disappearing wild orchids of North Bengal
• Archaeologist finds Mesolithic-era rock painting in Andhra’s Guntur
• India gifts INS Kirpan to Vietnam, focuses on enhancing defence relations, security
• UN adopts first-ever agreement to protect marine life in the high seas
• India tops globally in LEED Zero certifications of green building projects
• GSI proposes ‘Geo Heritage’ tag for Jurassic age ‘Natural Arch’ in Odisha
• National Working Plan Code-2023 released for scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches
• Humans’ groundwater extraction has affected the earth’s rotation: study

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

Refugees as assets to their new countries

Source– The post is based on the article “Responsibility and the complexities of climate leadership” published in “The Hindu” on 20th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS1 – Population and associated issues GS3 – internal Security

News- The article explains the status of refugees across the world. It also explains the challenges faced by displaced people.

What is the status of refugees across the world?

103 million individuals who have endured forced displacement due to conflicts and unrest worldwide.

The ongoing wars in Ukraine, Myanmar and Sudan, and the protracted situations in Afghanistan, and Somalia present an unprecedented challenge.

South and Southeast Asia are not immune to the challenges of displacement. India is home to some 250,000 forcibly displaced persons. Women and children constitute half of that population.

What are the issues faced by Refugees and asylum seekers?

They face challenges in their legal recognition and in obtaining government-issued documents. It hinders their access to essential services, including financial support and health care.

They want opportunities, not handouts. They wish to be self-reliant and are eager to use their talents and passions to contribute to the communities hosting them.

There are examples where refugee youth have shown extraordinary resilience and talent when given the right opportunity.

Taslima, a stateless person and twice displaced Rohingya woman in India, could fulfil her dream of being educated with career support and strong will. She is now a role model for other girls in her community.

Ayesha, an Afghan refugee, is slowly making her way towards pursuing a career as an artist-designer. She designed a line of swimwear recently for an up-and-coming brand, which is now on sale through an online store.

What are some facts about the Global Compact on Refugees?

It acknowledges the magnitude of the displacement crisis. It calls for solidarity through a whole of society approach.

It is built on the understanding that the responsibility towards the forcibly displaced is not limited to governments. It extends to each one of us including individuals, the private sector, non-government organisations and community-based organisations.

It also recognises that the Global South is disproportionately affected and that host communities need assistance.

It strives to enhance the international response, support host countries, promote self-reliance, and explore long-term solutions such as resettlement and safe returns.

What is the way forward for the well-being of refugees?

There is a need to cater to the unique needs of refugee youth. Youth should be engaged and include youth in the realisation of the Sustainable Development Agenda.

Let us embrace the principle of equitable burden-sharing and fulfil our responsibilities to refugees. There is a need to ensure their well-being and the well-being of their generous host communities.

Global community should stand in unison with refugees and displaced persons. It should recognise their strength, indomitable hope, and untapped potential.

GS Paper 2

At the heart of Indo-US ties: Economics & Strategy

Source– The post is based on the article “ At the heart of Indo-US ties: Economics & Strategy” published in The Indian Express on 20th june 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2- International Relations

Relevance: Indo-USA relations

News- The article explains the engagements of Indo-USA relationship.

What is the news related to?

Narendra Modi heads to the United States for an official state visit on the invitation of President Joe Biden.

What lies ahead with regard to Economic engagements?

At the heart of the Indo-US strategic partnership is deepening economic engagement and a resolve on both sides to elevate the bilateral relationship to a “global strategic partnership”.

Modi’s visit comes at a time when the value of trade between the two countries has touched a record $191 billion, making the US India’s largest trading partner. For the US, India is the ninth largest trading partner.

American companies have invested around $60 billion in India in sectors ranging from manufacturing to telecommunications and consumer goods to aerospace.

Air India announced the purchase of more than 200 Boeing aircraft — a historic deal that President Biden said would “support over one million American jobs across 44 states”.

What are the Strategic underpinnings associated with the visit?

Central to this cooperation is also the post-pandemic consensus on diversifying and deepening supply chains with trusted countries.

Another strategic engagement is the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, primarily as a counter to China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean rim.

The I2U2, a grouping of India, Israel, the US and the United Arab Emirates, is focused on new initiatives in water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.

A new US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies started this january.

The two countries established a partnership to make the semiconductor supply chain more resilient through private sector cooperation.

What are the challenges in India-USA relationship?

The US still has significant export controls on India (instituted after the 1998 nuclear test), which inhibits the free transfer of technology.

Other trade issues that require resolution are visa delays and the revoking of India’s trade benefits under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) program in 2019.

India has signed up for three pillars of the Indo Pacific Economic Framework but has opted out of the fourth pillar (trade) citing reservations about the commitments required on environment, labour, digital trade, and public procurement.

There is growing disquiet within sections of the Union government over India not finding an entry into the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), a US-led partnership to secure supply chains of critical minerals that is aimed at reducing dependency on China.

Indian Dollar Transfers That Beat Some GOI Welfare Spends

Source: The post is based on an article “Indian Dollar Transfers That Beat Some GOI Welfare Spends” published in The Times of India on 20^th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Indian Diaspora

Relevance: benefits of remittances for India and associated challenges

News: India leads globally in remittance receipts, surpassing Mexico and China and it has reduced the cost of receiving remittances.

As per the World Bank, India has reduced the average cost of receiving remittances in the last 10 years from around 9% to 4.65% which is less than the global average of 6.30%.

Why is there a need for lowering the cost of receiving remittances?

Low-cost leads to higher spending power.

Remittances, for India, are a source of external finance larger in size than FDI, portfolio or development assistance flows.

They narrow the current account deficit and being less volatile, provide stability to inflow of forex from abroad.

Studies have shown that remittances play a significant role in poverty reduction and improve health and educational outcomes of the recipient households.

Some calculations have shown that in the last five years, India’s cost reduction has put an additional ₹1.2 lakh crores in the hands of predominantly low-income households.

This is almost double the annual budgetary allocation of NREGA or PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

What determines the cost of the remittances?

There are two components –1) Transaction fees; and 2) Foreign exchange margin.

Global analysis shows that transaction fees are the prime contributor to the overall cost.

However, after analyzing the cost of remittances in the countries like the US, the UK, it is found that the average foreign exchange margin costs are less than 1% in India.

Transaction fees get higher in cases where the sender and receiver do not have access to formal financial systems and when the services of an agent are involved in the collection or distribution of remittances.

However, globally, average costs are lower when Remittance Service Providers (RSPs) are mobile operators and when remitters/recipients use mobile money as payment instruments.

Further, several factors like regulatory compliance requirements, limited data exchange, non-interoperable technology platforms, and lengthy transaction chains can contribute to increased transaction costs. Insufficient competition among RSPs may also raise costs.

Must Read: Why remittance inflows growth could slow to just 0.2% in 2023

How is India overcoming these challenges?

PM Jan Dhan Yojana and use of direct benefit transfer have been transformative in fostering financial inclusion.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI), accompanied by accessible and affordable telecom services, is deepening the adoption of mobile mode for transactions.

The collaboration between the RBI and the Monetary Authority of Singapore has resulted in the establishment of interoperable linkages between the UPI in India and PayNow in Singapore.

What can be the way ahead?

The fintech sector in India has experienced significant growth which has caused innovative solutions and healthy competition. However, active support from other countries is crucial as one end of the transaction involves the country of the remitter.

Moreover, a significant reduction in transaction costs to 3% could save around $25 billion annually. More than 75% of these savings would benefit developing and least developed countries.

Countries can also learn from India in lowering the transaction cost and achieving the costs lower than the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 3%.

Grassroots peace – Free and fair elections to local bodies are not possible without peace

Source: The post is based on the article “Grassroots peace – Free and fair elections to local bodies are not possible without peace” published in The Hindu on 20th June 2023

Syllabus: GS 2 – Devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Relevance: About Local body elections in West Bengal.

News: Local body elections in West Bengal has scheduled for July. Ever since the notification of polls, seven persons from prominent political parties have died.

About the High Court order

In response, Calcutta High Court directed the deployment of central forces in all districts. The court said that, The State government and the State Election Commission (SEC) do not have enough resources at their disposal to conduct the mammoth exercise across the State on a single day. The court also clarified that the cost of the deployment will be borne by the Centre and not the State government.

Both, the SEC and the West Bengal government have approached the Supreme Court of India challenging the Calcutta High Court order.

What are the previous challenges with local body elections in West Bengal?

-In 2013, the SEC itself sought Supreme Court direction for the deployment of central forces.

-In the 2018 local body polls, there was no deployment of central forces. But, more than one-third of the seats were won by the ruling party of the state without any opposition. This is because the opposition parties were not allowed to put up any candidate in these seats.

– In the upcoming polls, the Opposition parties have not been able to file nominations in about 50 of the 341 blocks of the State amid reports of the intimidation of candidates.

What should be done?

The Governor has established a peace room. It is a control room where citizens can register their grievances related to the polls. The grievances filed will be forwarded to the State government and the SEC. The Governor urged the state government to consider complaints of violence seriously. This should be done.

West Bengal was among the first States to have a three-tier panchayat system aimed at democratic decentralisation. So, all the stakeholders including political parties should ensure the exercise of electing panchayat functionaries does not turn into lawlessness and chaos.

Coach Red – Kota-type exam prep factories help students clear tough entrance tests, but at great future cost

Source: The post is based on the article “Coach Red – Kota-type exam prep factories help students clear tough entrance tests, but at great future cost” published in The Times of India on 20th June 2023

Syllabus: GS 2 – Education.

Relevance: About coaching factories.

News: India’s 23 IITs are its most internationally respected higher education brand. Of the around 11 lakh students who tried to make it into these elite institutions this year, around 43000 have crossed the JEE Advanced hurdle. With the pass rate being only 0. 04%. The toppers usually say that “Coaching has become a necessity now.”

How coaching factories have deeply penetrated India’s higher education and employment?

For Medicine, NEET exam is also like JEE. So, for a state like Tamil Nadu wants which wants to help more government school students clear NEET, free or heavily subsidised coaching programmes are part of their new-age education policy.

UPSC exam recruits central government’s ‘Group A’ officers with a sub 0. 5% success rate. This is also symbiotically tied to coaching factories.

What led to mushrooming of coaching factories?

The shortage of quality higher education forces parents to feel pressurised and put their children into the coaching factories.

Coaching factories are nimble and adaptive. For example, right after the BDesign course start trending among students, they came up with a coaching package in the market.

What are the issues posed by mushrooming of coaching factories?

-Though the rewards are high, the costs associated with coaching is significant. Not only money but also the toll coaching takes on the school years.

-By its very nature, groupthink limits goals and visions and thus achievements.

-They also prepare students for a professional life where professions may disappear one after another. For instance, Robotic coaching depends and demand more and more critical and conceptual thinking not rote learning.

So, for the government to create inventiveness, creativity, humanity back into learning processes is the great challenge in the education ecosystem.

GS Paper 3

Indian Dollar Transfers That Beat Some GOI Welfare Spends

Source– The post is based on the article “Indian Dollar Transfers That Beat Some GOI Welfare Spends” published in The Times of India on 20th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS3 – Indian Economy – Money and Banking

News- The article emphasis the importance of reducing the cost of remittances.

What is the news related to?

India crossed a milestone of achieving remittances inflow of more than $100 billion. India stands first globally in remittances receipts with a long lead over Mexico and China.

Another remarkable achievement is reducing the cost of receiving these remittances.

As per the World Bank, India has reduced the simple average cost of receiving remittances in the last 10 years from around 9% to 4. 65% for a typical $200 transaction. Which is cheaper than the global average of 6.30%.

What are the benefits of reducing costs?

Firstly, Cost saving = Higher spending power

Secondly, it reduce the current account deficit and being less volatile, provide stability to inflow of forex from abroad, and more importantly, remittances provide financial lifeline to families and relatives back home.

Thirdly, remittances play a significant role in poverty reduction and improving health and educational outcomes of the recipient households.

What are the challenges in reducing costs?

Global analysis shows that transaction fees are the prime contributor to the overall cost. It is typically higher, where the sender and the receiver are not able to access the formal financial system.

The costs are more where the services of an agent are used for collection or distribution of remittances.

Studies have pointed out that the frictions associated with verification, regulatory compliances, data exchange, non-interoperable tech platforms, and long transaction chains may cause the transaction costs to increase.

How is India overcoming these challenges?

PM Jan Dhan Yojana and pervasive use of direct benefit transfer under government programmes have been transformative in intensifying financial inclusion.

Zero cost, safe and efficient money transfer through digital public infrastructure in the form of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is deepening the adoption of mobile mode for transactions.

Interoperable linkages like UPI-PayNow achieved by RBI and Monetary Authority of Singapore will enable users of each of the two fast payment systems to make instant, low-cost fund transfers on a reciprocal basis.

With the emergence of 2,000-plus startups and 20-plus unicorns in fintech in India in the last few years, the vibrant fintech ecosystem lays the foundation for innovative solutions and healthy competition.

What is the way forward?

Active support of other countries is critical to enable ease of validation, compliance and transmission.

India has been taking up this matter in various forums like G20, WTO and with its partners in free trade agreements.

Active pursuit of these strategies has delivered promising results till now and the future looks   India’s experience and strategies surely provide a pathway forward.

The time for an honest and open dialogue on climate is right now

Source: The post is based on the article “The time for an honest and open dialogue on climate is right now” published in Live Mint on 20^th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Climate Change, Energy

Relevance: concerns with Renewable Energies

News: Governments consider climate change as a serious challenge, but they tend to come up with normal solutions for fixing it rather than looking at the multifaceted angle.

What kind of solution is provided for climate change?

It is always thought that climate change can be fixed cheaply with solar and wind energy. This restricted thought fails to capture the complexity of the climate challenge and hinders progress in addressing its multifaceted challenges.

Therefore, it is important to consider the costs and feasibility of proposed solutions, weighing both the costs of climate change and costs of climate policy.

What are the different factors that need to be considered in tackling climate change?

It is not only climate change but population dynamics, age distribution, income levels, technological advancements, regulation and governance all play a role in shaping the supply and demand of economic goods and services.

As per a UN report, for most economic sectors, the impact of climate change will be small relative to the impacts of other drivers.

Moreover, many countries believe solar and wind power alone can solve their energy challenges.

However, while solar and wind can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, assessing their limitations and potential drawbacks is crucial.

What are the limitations of solar and wind energy?

Dependence on Geographical Factors: The effectiveness of renewable energy sources depends on geographical factors and available resources.

These sources require significant upfront investments, and their intermittent nature raises concerns about grid reliability and energy storage.

Employment Issues: Transitioning entirely to solar and wind power presents engineering challenges and may have adverse effects on industries reliant on fossil fuels, potentially leading to job losses and social disruptions.

Environmental Damage: The mining and processing of critical minerals and rare earths for renewable technologies can cause significant environmental damage and impact communities, traditions, and cultures.

Therefore, the cost of implementing renewable energy infrastructure and the potential impact on energy prices should be carefully evaluated, especially for low-income households and industries sensitive to energy costs.

Limited Battery Storage Capacity: The battery storage capacity for solar and wind energy storage is limited to a few minutes. This highlights the need for significant investments in battery technologies.

Must Read: The difficulty with renewables

What can be the way ahead?

First, to effectively address climate change, it is important to prioritize innovation and technological advancements rather than relying solely on government regulations and subsidies.

Second, investing in research and development of clean energy technologies, including nuclear energy and advanced carbon capture and storage can play a crucial role in tackling climate challenges.

Third, there is a need to acknowledge the opportunity costs and trade-offs associated with climate choices because solely relying on market mechanisms for emissions mitigation may not be sufficient.

Fourth, exploring complementary energy sources, such as hydroelectric or low-carbon traditional sources, can help bridge the gap between intermittent supply and consistent demand.

Fifth, it is also necessary to acknowledge that climate change is not the only problem and there is a need for broadening our perspective.

On defaulters, RBI prioritises public interest

Source– The post is based on the article “On defaulters, RBI prioritises public interest” published in “The Indian Express” on 20th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Indian economy and mobilisation of resources

Relevance- Issues related to banking system

News- On June 8, the Reserve Bank of India set out a framework for bank settlements with defaulters.

Why should banks settle with defaulters?

When there is a default, the primary objective of a bank is to recover as much of the loan as possible. Various options might be available to the bank.

The bank decides the best strategy based purely on commercial judgement.

Why is it wrong to think that the RBI has permitted something unusual?

One-time settlements are part and parcel of the business of banking. The RBI has simply given a formal regulatory structure to a standard banking practice.

Some of these settlements can indeed be with wilful and fraudulent defaulters. When trying to recover a loan, a bank should not make any distinction between wilful, and fraudulent default. It is up to the bank to decide whether a settlement is a better and quicker option. The sole motivation behind such a decision should be to maximise recovery.

The RBI circular makes it clear that banks can file cases against fraudulent or wilful defaulters.

As per circular, banks will undertake settlements “without prejudice to the criminal proceeding underway against such debtors”. In other words, the circular does not condone any crime.

What are some valid concerns raised by this circular?

Government control over public sector banks– The settlement process might be misused to favour politically connected defaulters at the cost of the banks’ commercial interests. It is the responsibility of RBI to allow commercially prudent decisions and prevent politically motivated ones.

There is ample evidence that private sector banks have been settling with wilful defaulters. So, questions arise about the need for this circular.

The answer possibly lies in the fact that two-thirds of the Indian banking system is owned by the government. The RBI circular gives these banks regulatory cover for settlement-related decisions.

Therefore, the circular merely levels the playing field. But the need for such a circular underscores the distortions that the Indian banking system suffers from government ownership of banks.

Regulatory governance– A year ago, the RBI recommended that the RBI place all draft instructions on its website for stakeholder comments. Exceptions should be made only in special circumstances.

There do not appear to have been any special circumstances surrounding the RBI circular related to settlement. There were no issues related to financial stability, or fiduciary duty, or confidentiality.

At the same time, the circular is of great public interest since it applies to entities against whom criminal proceedings are underway.

Hence, the draft circular should have been placed on the RBI’s website for public consultation along with a discussion paper clearly explaining its rationale.

Safety first – India’s regulators must ensure quality and safety of drugs

Source: The post is based on the article “Safety first – India’s regulators must ensure quality and safety of drugs” published in The Hindu on 20th June 2023

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

Relevance: About issues with Indian-made drugs.

News: Two patients have recently died after being given Indian-made anaesthetic drugs in Sri Lanka. This has raised questions about imported Indian drugs.

What are the recent issues highlighted in Indian-made drugs?

-A few months ago, the United States found a highly drug-resistant bacteria in Indian-made drugs.

-Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) linked the deaths of at least 70 children in the Gambia from acute kidney injury, to Indian-made cough syrups. Deadly chemicals such as diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol were used as a cheaper alternative for propylene glycol. A detailed causality assessment by the Gambia and independent investigations found a link between the deaths and the toxic chemicals.

Similarly, last year, Uzbekistan claimed that children died after consuming India-made cough syrup.

Note: Diethylene glycol-contaminated drugs have led to at least five incidents of poisoning in Chennai, Mumbai, Bihar, Gurugram and Jammu between 1972 and 2020.

-Earlier this year, WHO flagged the contaminated drugs found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia due to Indian-made cough syrup.

What should be done?

The Indian drug regulator has so far failed to institute measures to make sure drugs produced in India for export and domestic use are safe. To protect India as a pharmacy of the global south, the regulator should act as a watchdog to ensure drug safety, and not as a facilitator for the pharma industry.

Record-breaking temperatures: In the hot seat

Source: The post is based on the article “Record-breaking temperatures: In the hot seat” published in the Indian Express on 20th June 2023

Syllabus: GS 3 – Environment and Bio-diversity Conservation.

Relevance: About 1.5 degree Celsius mark.

News: Earlier, the World Meteorological Organisation warned that temperatures in at least one of the next four years would be higher than the pre-industrial era average by 1.5 degree Celsius. Now, the EU’s Earth Observation Arm, Copernicus, has reported that this threshold was breached in the first week of June. This is the first time that global mean temperatures have exceeded the 1.5 degree Celsius figure during a summer month.

What is the Copernicus programme?

What will be the impact of breaching the 1.5 degree Celsius mark?

The Paris Agreement refers to global mean temperatures over a 20- or 30-year period. But crossing the 1.5-degree mark frequently will make the cumulative effect of these increases a serious issue. For instance,

-A long-term breach of the 1.5 degree threshold could aggravate climate impacts, including heatwaves, floods and droughts.

-Living with such weather vagaries would require paradigm shifts, especially in the areas such as agriculture, urban planning, and disaster warning and mitigation systems,

What are the challenges in mitigation and adaptation financing at present?

Inadequate finances: The last IPCC report underlined, “finances for adapting to climate change have been particularly low”. The UNEP estimates that $340 billion will be needed every year for climate adaptation, but less than $30 billion gets allocated for the purpose.

Improper method of financing: An OECD assessment shows that 70% of public climate finance is provided through loans where the funder expects a financial return.

Investments provide no immediate return: Interventions such as disaster warning systems or building flood defences do not generate immediate revenue.

Disproportionate impacts: For instance, Pakistan contributes barely 1% of the world’s GHG emissions, but last year’s floods alone cost more than $30 billion for them.

Overall, the current financing structure does not address the challenges of a large majority of climate-vulnerable countries, they are also amongst the most resource-strapped.

What should be done?

France will soon hold an international summit “aimed at taking stock of the ways and means of increasing financial solidarity with the Global South.” The decisions taken at the meeting are likely to feed into the agenda of COP 28 in Dubai. So, the delegates should consider the recent rise in temperatures seriously.

Rationalising prices – Excess use of urea should be contained

Source: The post is based on the article “Rationalising prices – Excess use of urea should be contained” published in the Business Standard on 20th June 2023

Syllabus: GS 3 – Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices.

Relevance: About bringing urea under NBS.

News: Recently, the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) has recommended that urea should be brought under the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime, like all other fertilisers.

The Objective is to a) foster parity in the prices of fertilisers containing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and other plant nutrients, and b) ensure fertiliser applications are balanced and need-based.

What is the need for bringing urea under NBS?

Overuse of Urea: The unduly low price of urea, vis-a-vis other fertilisers, has resulted in the overuse of nitrogen and inadequate application of other equally essential nutrients, including some vital micro and secondary plant nutrients. This has consequently adversely affected the soil health and its fertility. For instance, the consumption of urea increased by over 33% since 2010. But other fertilisers registered only marginal gains. The latest estimates reckon the NPK use ratio at 13:5:1, instead of the ideal 4:2:1.

Increased fertiliser requirement: Due to the above issue, higher doses of nutrients are now required to get the same level of crop yields. Continuing this situation would severely impact farming, particularly profitability, which has already been severely eroded.

Increasing fertiliser subsidies: Farm scientists have been demanding the inclusion of urea under NBS ever since the mechanism of NBS was conceptualised in 2010. But successive governments have rejected it as urea pricing is a politically sensitive issue. As a result, fertiliser subsidies have touched a high of nearly Rs, 2.3 trillion in 2022-23.

Failure of other measures: Initiatives like mandatory neem-coating of urea, and the introduction of soil health cards were intended primarily to promote judicious use of plant nutrients. But these measures have failed to produce the desired results.

Considering the above points, rationalising prices seems the best way to restore the nutrient-use balance for the sake of sustainable agriculture.

Why it is the right time for bringing urea under NBS?

Due to the re-commissioning of three defunct fertiliser plants and the availability of innovative Nano urea, domestic production of urea has begun to increase and the need for imports is waning rapidly. Further, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has eased fertiliser prices. So, the government thus should take this opportunity to rationalise fertiliser prices, as advised by the CACP.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

The disappearing wild orchids of North Bengal

Source: The post is based on the article “The disappearing wild orchids of North Bengal” published in Down To Earth on 18th June 2023

What is the News?

Epiphytic orchids found in the Dooars and Darjeeling hills are dying out because of deforestation in their natural habitat.

What are Orchids?

Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae, a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.

Orchids are natural gauges of air quality because they don’t grow in polluted air. They draw pollinators like bees and other insects to their nectar and thereby help cross-pollination. 

Orchids are broadly categorized into three life forms: 1) epiphytic (plants growing on another plants including those growing on rock boulders and often termed lithophyte) These are not parasitic 2) Terrestrial (plants growing on land and climbers) and 3) mycoheterotrophic (plants which derive nutrients from mycorrhizal fungi that are attached to the roots of a vascular plant).

About Orchids in India

According to the Botanical Survey of India’s Orchids of India: A Pictorial Guide, India has over 1200 species of Orchids.

There are 388 species of orchids, which are endemic to India of which about one-third (128) endemic species are found in the Western Ghats. 757 (60%) of all orchids found in India are epiphytic, 447 are terrestrial and 43 are mycoheterotrophic.

The Himalayas, North-East parts of India and Western Ghats are the hot-spots of orchids.

The highest number of orchid species is recorded from Arunachal Pradesh followed by Sikkim and West Bengal. 

Protection status:

The entire orchid family is listed under appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and hence any trade of wild orchid is banned globally.

Archaeologist finds Mesolithic-era rock painting in Andhra’s Guntur

Source: The post is based on the article “Archaeologist finds Mesolithic-era rock painting in Andhra’s Guntur” published in The Hindu on 20th June 2023

What is the News?

Archeologists have discovered a Mesolithic period rock painting in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.

What have the archaeologists discovered?

Archeologists have discovered a Mesolithic period rock painting in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.

The paintings depicted a person tilling a piece of land. This is an indication of a semi-settled life pattern in which members of this community cultivated crops.

Several other paintings depicted a man catching a wild goat with his left hand while wielding a hook-like implement to control it. Another showed two couples standing with their hands raised while a child stood behind them.

The paintings were made with natural white kaolin and red ochre pigments.

Note: Ochre is a pigment composed of clay, sand, and ferric oxide. Kaolinite is a soft, earthy, and usually white mineral produced by the chemical weathering of aluminium silicate minerals like feldspar.

What is the Mesolithic period?

The Mesolithic period also called the Middle Stone Age existed between the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), with its chipped stone tools, and the Neolithic (New Stone Age), with its polished stone tools.

The technological hallmark of this period are tiny stone tools or ‘microliths’. In addition, the Mesolithic people also used non-microlithic tools made of flakes and blades. 

Mesolithic people made a number of technological innovations like bow and arrow for hunting; querns, grinders and hammer stones for grinding and pulverizing plant foods like roots, tubers and seeds; and regular use of fire for Indian Mesolithic Cultures roasting meat, tubers, etc.

India gifts INS Kirpan to Vietnam, focuses on enhancing defence relations, security

Source: The post is based on the article “India gifts INS Kirpan to Vietnam, focuses on enhancing defence relations, security” published in The Hindu on 20th June 2023

What is the News?

India’s Defence Minister and his Vietnamese counterpart have agreed to enhance industry cooperation and maritime security, given China’s dominance in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region.

What are the key highlights from the India and Vietnam Defence Ministers meeting?

India gifted INS Kirpan to Vietnam: India has gifted the indigenously-built in-service missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam to enhance its naval capabilities.

– INS Kirpan is a Khukri class missile corvette displacing 1,350 tonnes and was commissioned into the Navy in 1991. 

– It has a displacement of close to 1,400 tonnes, a length of 91 metres, a beam of 11 metres and is capable of speed in excess of 25 knots. 

– The ship is fitted with a medium-range gun, 30 mm close-range guns, chaff launchers and surface-to-surface missiles.

Vietnam shows interest in Brahmos: Vietnam has shown interest in BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to augment its air defence systems and the talks are in early stages. 

Note: During the 2022 visit of India’s Defence Minister to Vietnam, India handed over to Vietnam 12 high-speed guard boats built under a $100 million Line of Credit granted to it by India.

UN adopts first-ever agreement to protect marine life in the high seas

Source: The post is based on the article “UN adopts first-ever agreement to protect marine life in the high seas” published in The Hindu on 20th June 2023

What is the News?

The United Nations has adopted the first-ever treaty to protect marine life on the high seas.

The treaty will be opened for signatures on September 20, 2023, during the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly, and it will take effect once it is ratified by 60 countries.

What is the UN High Seas Treaty?

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Why is the new high seas treaty critical for the world?

Fresh protection beyond borders: While countries are responsible for the conservation and sustainable use of waterways under their national jurisdiction, the high seas now have added protection from such destructive trends as pollution and unsustainable fishing activities.

Cleaner oceans: Toxic chemicals and millions of tons of plastic waste are flooding into coastal ecosystems, killing or injuring fish, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals, and making their way into the food chain and ultimately being consumed by humans.

– According to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) report, more than 17 million metric tons of plastic entered the world’s ocean in 2021, making up 85% of marine litter, and projections are expected to double or triple each year by 2040.

– The treaty aims at strengthening resilience and contains provisions based on the polluter-pays principle as well as mechanisms for disputes.

– Under the treaty’s provisions, parties must assess the potential environmental impacts of any planned activities beyond their jurisdictions.

Sustainably managing fish stocks: According to the UN, more than one-third of global fish stocks are over-exploited.

– The treaty underlines the importance of capacity building and the transfer of marine technology, including the development and strengthening of institutional capacity and national regulatory frameworks or mechanisms.

– This includes increasing collaboration among regional seas organizations and regional fisheries management organizations.

Lowering temperatures: Global heating is pushing ocean temperatures to new heights, fueling more frequent and intense storms, rising sea levels, and the salinization of coastal lands and aquifers.

– Addressing these urgent concerns, the treaty offers guidance, including an integrated approach to ocean management that builds ecosystem resilience to tackle the adverse effects of climate change.

– The treaty also recognizes the rights and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples and local communities, the freedom of scientific research and the need for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits.

India tops globally in LEED Zero certifications of green building projects

Source: The post is based on the article “India tops globally in LEED Zero certifications of green building projects” published in Business Standard on 20th June 2023

What is the News?

According to the U S Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI), India has emerged as a leading country in LEED Zero green building projects, surpassing the United States and China.

What is LEED Certification?

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most widely used green building rating system in the world.

Developed by: United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED certification is available for virtually all building types.

To achieve LEED certification, a project earns points by adhering to prerequisites and credits that address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health and indoor environmental quality. 

– Projects go through a verification and review process by GBCI and are awarded points that correspond to a level of LEED certification: Certified (40-49 points), Silver (50-59 points), Gold (60-79 points) and Platinum (80+ points).

What is LEED Zero?

LEED Zero recognises projects that have reached a net-zero or net-positive status in the categories of carbon, energy, water, or waste. 

Note: Net zero refers to a state in which the greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere are balanced by removal from the atmosphere. 

What did the U S Green Building Council (USGBC) say about India’s progress in LEED Zero projects?

India has emerged as a top country with LEED Zero green building projects, outperforming the United States of America and China.

Out of 150 LEED Zero certified projects, India has 45% or 73 such projects, with Haryana and Tamil Nadu leading the race in certifications.

GSI proposes ‘Geo Heritage’ tag for Jurassic age ‘Natural Arch’ in Odisha

Source: The post is based on the article “GSI proposes ‘Geo Heritage’ tag for Jurassic age ‘Natural Arch’ in Odisha” published in New Indian Express on 18th June 2023

What is the News?

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has proposed declaring the ‘Brahmani Natural Arch’ in the Sundargarh forest division of Odisha as a Geo Heritage Site.

Once declared, it will be the biggest natural arch of the country to have the Geo Heritage tag.

Note: India currently has two other natural arches, located at Tirumala hills in Tirupati and Andaman and Nicobar, but both are smaller than the one in Sundargarh.

About Brahmani Natural Arch

Located in: Kanika range of Sundargarh forest division of Odisha 

Key Features: The oval-shaped arch has a base length of 30 meters and a height of 12 meters.

– The natural arch is composed of ferruginous sandstone from the Upper Kamthi Formation.

– It dates back to the lower to middle Jurassic age, approximately 184 to 160 million years old.

– The site showcases primary sedimentary structures and is believed to have formed due to fault activities and sub-aerial weathering.

– Research on the geological significance of the site began in 2017 after its discovery during coal exploration in the district.

National Working Plan Code-2023 released for scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches

Source: The post is based on the article “National Working Plan Code-2023 released for scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches” published in PIB on 18th June 2023

What is the News?

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has released the “National Working Plan Code-2023” for the scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches. 

What is the National Working Plan Code?

National Working Plan Code is the main instrument through which the scientific management of Forests is being achieved in India.

The code was first adopted in 2004 with a subsequent amendment in 2014.

What are the key provisions of the National Working Plan Code 2023?

Aim: To act as a guiding principle for State Forest Departments in preparation for the working plan for different forest divisions in the country.

– It also deals in detail with the essentials of forest management planning, incorporating the principles of sustainable management of forests.

For the first time, the 2023 code has prescribed state forest departments to engage in continuous data collection and its updation in a centralized database.

The “Indian Forest Management Standard” which is a part of this code, takes into account the diverse forest ecosystem in our country, while trying to bring in uniformity in management.

– This standard would facilitate the State Forest Departments to measure the effectiveness of the management practices against prescriptions of Working Plans.

– The Standards for Sustainable Forest Management have also been codified in the Indian Forest Management Standard, based on long-term experiences of scientific forest management in India and in sync with international criteria and indicators.

Humans’ groundwater extraction has affected the earth’s rotation: study

Source: The post is based on the article “Humans’ groundwater extraction has affected the earth’s rotation: study” published in The Hindu on 20th June 2023

What is the News?

A study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters reveals that extensive groundwater extraction by humans has resulted in the earth’s axis tilting nearly 80 cm to the east.

How groundwater extraction influences Earth’s rotation?

Earth’s geographic north and south poles are where its axis intersects the surface. But these poles are not fixed. 

The axis and hence the poles fluctuate due to variations in the Earth’s mass distribution.

In the past, the poles drift was only caused by natural forces like ocean currents and the convection of heated rock deep beneath the Earth. 

But the research in 2016 showed how the movement of water around the world influences the Earth’s rotation.

Like adding a tiny bit of weight to a spinning top, the Earth spins a little differently as water is moved around.

What did the researchers now find out?

Between 1993 and 2010, the excessive pumping of groundwater caused the planet’s rotational pole to shift eastward by approximately 80 centimetres. 

They also found that pumping groundwater from mid-latitude areas would impact the drift the most. The most amount of groundwater redistribution took place in northwest India and western North America both situated at mid-latitudes. 

About Groundwater Depletion in India

Groundwater depletion has been a particular concern across India since the last decade. About 95% of India’s groundwater depletion was traced to north India where groundwater is primarily used for irrigation. 

Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh have critical groundwater levels due to the indiscriminate use of groundwater, while Rajasthan and Gujarat have low groundwater levels due to the arid climate. 

Groundwater availability is also low in parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh due to the crystalline nature of the aquifers found here.