9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – October 6th, 2022

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Why Modi-Zelenskyy call is an inflection point
• Gubernatorial procrastination is unreasonable
• The fraying framework
• The criterion for SC status
• Election Commission’s political plunge erodes its role as a neutral watchdog

GS Paper 3

• The Agnipath challenge for India’s new Chief of Defence Staff
• Calamity-prone — urban India’s worrying storyline

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• India emerges as the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar and world’s 2nd largest exporter of sugar
• 6th edition of Asia’s largest telecom festival India Mobile Congress draws to end with grand success in Delhi
• A drug delivery solution can improve cancer management and treatment
• New research: Scientists engineer mosquitoes that can’t spread malaria, offer hope of eradicating disease
• Nobel for work on ‘click chemistry’ and quantum mechanics
• Nobel Prize in Physics: Breakthroughs in quantum tech
• Centre raises credit limit under ECLGS for airlines to 100% of debt up to ₹1,500 cr.
• Exhuming new light – Pääbo’s Nobel win should inspire biologists to shun academic straitjacket
• ‘Caves of Bandhavgarh not Buddhist’
• India, Nepal agree to take forward Sapta Kosi high dam project
• Ponniyin Selvan:1 puts focus on the Cholas: what happened during their rule?

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Why Modi-Zelenskyy call is an inflection point

News- The article explains the possibility of India’s role in reducing the tension between Russia and Ukraine. It also explains the consequences of war.

What has been India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine war?

Since the beginning, India has maintained a neutral position in the Ukraine war. It didn’t criticize Russia for the Ukraine invasion.

Recently, PM Modi rebuked Putin at the SCO summit in Samarkand. He told Putin that it is not a time of war. There was a phone call between PM Modi and the Ukrainian President. They discussed the nuclear threat by Russia.

It shows that ties between India and Russia have reached an inflection point.

How can India contribute to peace efforts?

Western countries have invested heavily in war in favour of Russia. China enjoys no limits friendship with Russia and has supported Russia in the war. India due to its neutral position is better placed to reduce tensions.

India has openly said that it will contribute to peace efforts.

It may not be able to stop the war. But it could attempt to avoid a nuclear attack by Russia.

What are the consequences of war?

There is blatant violation of international laws, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Russian invasion has led to western sanctions. It has created a fuel, food and fertiliser crisis.

The world is facing a looming global economic recession.

Europe is facing an energy crisis.

The US led move to cap Russian oil prices has created confusion everywhere in the world. India and China will unlikely to agree with these price caps.

Gubernatorial procrastination is unreasonable

News- The article explains the Governor role in case of Bills passed by the state legislature.

What are the examples of the Governor withholding assent to a Bill passed by the state legislature?

In Tamil Nadu, the Governor forwarded the Bill for exemption from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to the President after considerable delay.

The Kerala Governor publicly announced that he would not give assent to the Lokayukta Amendment Bill and the Kerala University Amendment Bill.

What are the constitutional provisions in this regard?

A Bill passed by the State Assembly becomes law only after the Governor gives assent.

Article 200 of the Indian constitution contains provisions related to the Governor giving assent to state bills.

He may give assent or he can send it back to the Assembly requesting it to reconsider. In this case, if the Assembly passes the Bill without making any change and sends it back to the Governor, he will have to give assent to it.

He may reserve the Bill for reconsideration by the President. Bill can be reserved for the consideration of the President only if it would endanger the position of the High Court.

He may withhold the assent. But it is not normally done by any Governor because it would be an extremely unpopular action. The legislature reflects the will of the people. It would be against the spirit of the constitution.

These provisions affirm the primacy of the legislature in the legislative exercise.

The Constitution does not fix any timeline for the Governor to give clearance to the Bill passed by the state legislature. It does not mean that the Governor can withhold assent for indefinite time. There is no such provision in Article 200. It is against the constitutional scheme.

What is international practice?

In Britain, assent by the monarch is necessary for a Bill to be passed by Parliament to become law. It has also the power to withhold the Bill. But it is a dead letter and not followed in Practice.

In the United States, the President is empowered to return a Bill to the House. But if the Houses again pass it with two third majority, the Bill becomes law.

Can Governor take action to withhold the Bill challenged before the judiciary?

Article 361 of the Constitution prohibits the court from initiating proceedings against the Governor or the President for any act done in exercise of their powers.

Governor while withholding assent, will have to disclose the reason. The Governor cannot act in an arbitrary manner. If the grounds for refusal have malafide intentions, it could be struck down as unconstitutional.

Supreme Court in Rameshwar Prasad and Ors. vs Union Of India held that immunity granted by Article 361 does not take away the power of the Court to examine the validity of the action including on the ground of malafides.

The fraying framework

News- The article explains the founding framework for different political systems around the world and the crisis of legitimacy faced by these frameworks.

What is happening around the world?

There are extraordinary protests by women in Iran.

In China, state repressions are increasing to sustain the Communist Party Congress. Anxieties over the quality of liberal democracy are growing.

There is a looming political crisis in South Africa.

These developments suggest that we might be in the midst of a global legitimation crisis.

What are the foundational frameworks of political organisation across the world?

In the Western world and other countries like India, there is some version of liberal, representative constitutional democracy.

In Islamic world, it is modern Islamic constitutionalism. It reconciles the sovereignty of God with modern principles of politics.

In Africa, politics was shaped by the requirements of effective bulwark against the creation of the colour line and imperialism.

In China, Politics was shaped by the system of one-party rule.

These founding frameworks are embedded in different national traditions.

They are initial references to any political question.

What is the case with the Chinese framework?

Party would overcome the principal contradictions of society. All social mediation was to be carried out within the Party. The Party also represents a national identity as a whole.

Challenges– It will have to manage the principal economic contradictions. It will also require more control and repression to retain its grip on power.

What is the case with Islamic constitutionalism?

Theo-democracy was shaped by Maududi, one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. It was to reconcile formal sovereignty of God, with modern democracy, and a theological role for clerics.

challenges– The insistence on patriarchy is bound to face resistance. Its inability to handle the contradictions that come from an allegiance to blasphemy can produce conflict.

What is the case with liberal democracies?

There was no single party. The parties were organised around interests. Social stability could be secured by orderly competition and rotation of power. It provided individual liberty and less state coercion.

Challenges– In most democracies, including the US, we can no longer be as confident about peaceful transitions of power. There is impatience with individual liberty. These democracies are being controlled by oligarchies.

The criterion for SC status

News- The article explains the issues related to inclusion of Christian Dalits in category of Schedule Caste under Article 341 of Indian constitution.

The Supreme Court of India has sought the most recent position of the Union government on a batch of petitions challenging the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950. It allows only members of Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist religions to be recognised as SCs.

Who all are included in the Constitution Order of 1950?

In 1950, initially it included only Hindus as SCs.

The Order was amended in 1956 to include Dalits who had converted to Sikhism.

It was amended once more in 1990 to include Dalits who had converted to Buddhism.

Both amendments were aided by the reports of the Kaka Kalelkar Commission in 1955 and the High Powered Panel (HPP) on Minorities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in 1983 respectively.

Why are Dalit Christians excluded?

First, SC status is meant for communities suffering from social disabilities arising out of the practice of untouchability. It was prevalent in Hindu and Sikh communities.

Second, Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin had lost their caste identity by way of their conversion. The practice of untouchability is not prevalent in these religions.

Third, Dalits who converted to Islam or Christianity belonged to different sets of caste groups and not just one. They cannot be categorised as a “single ethnic group”, which is required by Article 341 for inclusion.

Fourth, Practice of untouchability was a feature of Hindu religion. Inclusion of Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians as SCs could result in being misunderstood internationally as India trying to impose its caste system  upon Christians and Muslims.

What are the arguments for for inclusion oc Christians and Muslims?

First Backward Classes Commission’s report in 1953, the Report of the Committee on Untouchability Economic and Educational Development Of the Scheduled Castes in 1969, the HPP report on SCs, STs, and Minorities in 1983, the Mandal Commission Report, the report of the Prime Minister’s High-Level Committee formed in 2006, a 2008 study conducted by the National Commission for Minorities, the Ranganath Misra Commission Report  have documented the existence of caste inequalities among Christian and Muslim dalits.

The Union government refuses to accept the reports of the Commissions on the basis that these reports do not have enough empirical evidence to support their claims.

Election Commission’s political plunge erodes its role as a neutral watchdog

News: The Election Commission has recently decided to amend the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and for this it has sent proposal to the political parties.

This new amendment will require political parties to measure the cost involved in the promises made in the manifesto and explain the funding of these promises.

It will also require to assess the impact of the promises on fiscal sustainability of the state.

What does the existing guidelines under the MCC say?

The existing guidelines under the MCC require political parties and candidates to explain the logic behind the promises made and the possible ways to finance such promises.

But parties make routine declarations and do not provide enough information. Therefore, the new proposal will bring more changes in the MCC.

What is the new amendment?

It will require political parties to declare the extent of coverage of promises in terms of individuals/households along with expected expenditure.

Parties will be expected to provide details regarding all such promises separately.

They would also need to show the income source required to fulfil all electoral promises.

It is a welcome step as it will make more information public. However, there are many problems associated with the proposal.

What are the problems with the amendment?

Political parties: It would raise fear amongst the political parties to which expenditure to cut, or which assets to monetise or sell, or borrow for raising resources to fulfil a promise.

Demanding such detailed information would put opposition parties in a disadvantageous position as it would be easier for the party in power to get approval for the scheme.

All political parties would need to have expertise in fiscal issues to provide information in such detail which is even lacked in the government.

Election Commission: It will bring burden on the EC by bringing such disclosures a part of the Model Code of Conduct. It will also be difficult for the EC to judge on the feasibility of the promises parties make to voters. It can lead EC to dive in the politics.

Further, it is not clear how the EC will view this level of information as it does not have such capabilities.

Therefore, intervening into freebies and being a judge can lead to a negative image of the EC and it can endanger its hard-won credibility.

Why is this proposal against the previous stand of the Election Commission on freebies?

EC has stated in an affidavit to the Supreme Court that “irrational” and “freebie’ are subjective and open to interpretation. A promise of one political party may be a freebie for another and vice versa.

It also declined to be part of a committee proposed by the SC to look into the issue.

It further said that it would be difficult for it to become the arbiter of what is or isn’t a reasonable poll promise because of problems of definition.

Moreover, when the freebie issue was brought into the SC, the EC tried to stay away from the issue by saying that it lacks powers over state policy making.

It has also acknowledged in one of its affidavits that “freebies can have different impacts on society, economy, equity, depending upon the situation, context and time period.”

What can be the course of action?

First, the ECI should move cautiously and make sure that the level playing field in a democracy is not disturbed.

Second, it is important to have an independent fiscal body that has the expertise to evaluate Budget provisions for the Centre and the states. Finance Commissions set up in the past have recommended setting up such an institution.

Third, the judgment on freebies should be left on the people and EC should set aside itself. Moreover, FRBM Act ensure check and balances and encourage fiscal discipline in governance.

GS Paper 3

The Agnipath challenge for India’s new Chief of Defence Staff

News- The article explains the challenges related to military affairs before new CDS.

Recently General Anil Chauhan was appointed as second CDS of India

What concerns are raised about his appointment?

He has been chosen over and above the chiefs

He has been appointed as a CDS after a 10-month delay and not as the obvious first choice. There are concerns about the appointment of a retired officer as military chief.

What are the tasks ahead for new CDS?

First major task of national concern is to manage the Agnipath scheme.

Second challenge is related to capacity development. Supply Of arms and ammunition from Russia may get impacted. Defense capacity development under Atma Nirbhar Bharat has not been much successful.

Third challenge is to bring focus on jointness and formation of theatre commands.

Fourth challenge is to develop military credentials needed for the rise of India in global affairs. This task till now is mainly driven by the External Affairs Ministry and PMO.

Calamity-prone — urban India’s worrying storyline

News: There has been an increase in unfavorable weather phenomenon these days. Mostly urban cities suffer due to the lack of proper mitigation mechanism.

These weather calamities have impacted Delhi (2013, 2021), Mumbai (2005, 2017), Chennai (2015, 2021) in the past and the most recent one is Bengaluru.

Karnataka government announced a ₹900 crore project in November 2021 after flooding and this year they have announced an anti-encroachment drive.

However, these measures are not helpful and there is a need for proper climate consciousness in the planning process.

What are the impacts of extreme weather phenomenon?

It causes extensive losses to property and life.

For example, Mumbai reportedly lost ₹14,000 crore between 2005 and 2015 while the figure for Chennai was an estimated ₹15,000 crore in 2015 alone.

There are also social and human costs involved which is mostly borne by the poor section of the society.

What are the problems with climate action planning in urban cities?

Master plan: Urban cities in India lack master planning. For example, Bengaluru has not had a master plan to control its development since 2015.

65% of urban settlements in India do not have a master plan. The cities that have master plan usually do not address issues of environmental protection or mitigating climate change.

Local governments: The powers to prepare a master plan lie with the state government and the local governments are only reduced to stakeholders without much authority.

Old plans: The plans present in cities are old and some of them vary with the present mapping.

For example,

1. the Drainage Master Plan for Delhi was drafted in 1976 and a new plan is only just being implemented.
2. the drainage lines in Bengaluru as per the 2015 Master Plan vary significantly from the drains mapped by the municipality.

Moreover, there are problems associated with the new climate action plans also.

What are the issues with the present climate action plan being drafted?

City administrations of Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Nagpur among others have begun adopting climate action plans.

The Mumbai plan covers all aspects of the city’s environment from flooding to air pollution and aligns itself with the national goal of net-zero emissions.

However, the plan lacks statutory backing. It does not prescribe any regulatory controls and there are a series of recommended measures that can be adopted by the authorities/citizens.

These plans are made with the consultation of experts but there is hardly any public participation involved. This reduces the plan’s credibility.

What can be the course of action?

First, there is a need to create a comprehensive climate action plan for all major Indian cities.

Second, the plans should be given statutory backing by bringing them within the ambit of the city’s master plan.

Third, there is also need to involve public consultation in plan preparation process. This would be effective in highlighting issues of underserved neighborhoods which are often overlooked by decision-making bodies.

Fourth, there is also a need for an environmental protection agency to proactively tackle issues related to climate change.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

India emerges as the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar and world’s 2nd largest exporter of sugar

Source: The post is based on the article “India emerges as the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar and world’s 2nd largest exporter of sugar” published in PIB on 5^th October 2022.

What is the News?

Recently, India has emerged as the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar as well as the world’s 2nd largest exporter of sugar.

About the sugar season

In Sugar Season (Oct-Sep) 2021-22, a record of more than 5000 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) of sugarcane was produced in the country. Out of this, 35 LMT sugar was diverted to ethanol production, about 109.8 LMT was exported and 359 LMT sugar was produced by sugar mills.

These exports earned foreign currency of about Rs. 40,000 crores for the country. Further, more than 99.9% of cane dues are cleared.

The season has proven to be a watershed season for the Indian Sugar Sector. All records of sugarcane production, sugar production, sugar exports, cane procured, cane dues paid and ethanol production were made during the season.

What are the reasons for an increase in sugar production, export and consumption?

The government has been encouraging sugar mills to divert sugar to ethanol and also to export surplus sugar so that sugar mills may make payment of cane dues to farmers in time and also mills may have better financial conditions to continue their operations.

The ethanol production capacity of molasses/sugar-based distilleries has increased to 605 crore litres per annum and the progress is still continuing to meet targets of 20% blending by 2025 under Ethanol Blending with Petrol (EBP) Programme.

The diversion of sugar to ethanol and exports led to the unlocking of the value chain of the whole industry as well as improved financial conditions of sugar mills leading to more optional mills in the season.

6th edition of Asia’s largest telecom festival India Mobile Congress draws to end with grand success in Delhi

Source: The post is based on the article “6th edition of Asia’s largest telecom festival India Mobile Congress draws to end with grand success in Delhi” published in PIB on 5^th October 2022.

What is the News?

The 6th edition of Asia’s largest telecom festival, India Mobile Congress 2022 concluded with grand success.

About India Mobile Congress

IMC is considered the largest Digital Technology Forum in Asia for bringing together the industry, Government, academia, and other ecosystem players to discuss the latest industry technology trends around major themes such as SG, Artificial Intelligence (Al), Internet of things (loT) etc.

Concerned Ministry: Minister of Information Technology.

Organised by: Department of Telecommunications and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI)

What are the key highlights of India Mobile Congress 2022?

-The 4-day long grand event marks the historic launch of 5G services in India.

-The government urges organizers to set up a committee in 30 days to rebrand IMC and go global.

What are the reforms mentioned by the government during the India Mobile Congress 2022?

-Indian Government is going to set up 100 5G labs across the country. The government urged the telecom industry to convert a minimum of 12 of these labs into incubators to train students, promote innovation, research and experiment.

-Indian Government is working significantly towards simplifying the license regime for all telecom players.

What is the significance of the India Mobile Congress?

The endeavours of IMC are aligned with the vision of Digital India and promote Made-in-India technology to address the challenges in areas of commerce, healthcare, education, communication and financial inclusion.

Since its inception, IMC has been actively promoting India’s strength and position as a global hub for manufacturing technology products.

A drug delivery solution can improve cancer management and treatment

Source: The post is based on the article “A drug delivery solution can improve cancer management and treatment” published in PIB on 5^th October 2022.

What is the News?

A novel site-specific drug delivery method using gold nanoparticles can improve the management and treatment of cancer.

What are the challenges associated with cancer therapy at present?

More than 200 different types of cancers are currently being treated through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Many of these cancers can be cured if detected early and treated effectively. However, the available treatments are time-taking, expensive, and trigger numerous other side effects and the actual health benefits of the therapy do not reach cancer patients effectively.

How can the ‘gold nanoparticles’ solution developed, change cancer therapy?

Scientists have developed therapeutic agents with the help of nano-biotechnological approaches using a unique solution of ‘gold nanoparticles’. The research was extended toward lung cancer cells using functional silver nanoparticles and the selective anti-cancer effect originating from the surface chemistry of silver nanoparticles was also demonstrated.

This helps in a) Improving the site-specific drug delivery for cancer disease management and its effective treatment, b) Providing a deeper understanding of the mechanism of anti-cancer actions of the functional nanoparticles.

The study will open new opportunities for better cancer management and treatment, and pave a way for future nanomedicine even beyond cancer.

New research: Scientists engineer mosquitoes that can’t spread malaria, offer hope of eradicating disease

Source: The post is based on the article “New research: Scientists engineer mosquitoes that can’t spread malaria, offer hope of eradicating disease” published in Indian Express on 6^th October 2022.

What is the News?

Scientists have genetically modified mosquitoes to slow the growth of malaria-causing parasites in their guts — an advancement that can help prevent transmission of the disease to humans.

What is Malaria?

Malaria remains one of the most devastating diseases globally, putting at risk about half of the world’s population. In 2021, it infected 241 million people and killed 627,000 people.

It is caused by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito (vector) if the mosquito itself is infected with a malarial parasite. 

There are five kinds of malarial parasites — Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax (the commonest one), Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium knowlesi.

Click here to know more about the malarial parasites

What scientists have found?

The Malaria parasites develop into their next stage in the mosquito’s gut and travel to its salivary glands, ready to infect the next person it bites. Scientists have bioengineered the mosquitoes to produce compounds that slow the growth of malaria-causing parasites.

This genetically modified malaria-carrying species of mosquito in sub-Saharan Africa, Anopheles gambiae, produced antimicrobial peptides in its gut when it had a blood meal.

The innovation is so designed that it can be coupled with existing ‘gene drive’ technology.

What are the potential impacts of the findings?

The peptides impair the malarial parasite’s development and cause the mosquitoes to have a shorter life span.

The impact of genetically modified mosquitoes is found to be effective even where transmission is high. They dramatically reduce the possibility of malaria spreading in a lab setting, if proven in the real world it could offer a powerful new tool to help eliminate malaria.

What is Gene drive technology and how it can reduce malaria?

A gene drive is a natural process and technology of genetic engineering that propagates a particular suite of genes throughout a population by altering the probability.

Gene drive in combination with drugs, vaccines and mosquito control can help stop the spread of malaria and save human lives.

Gene drive would cause the anti-parasite genetic modification to be preferentially inherited, making it spread more widely among any natural population of mosquitoes.

Nobel for work on ‘click chemistry’ and quantum mechanics

Source: The post is based on the following articles“Nobel Prize 2022: Making chemistry click” published in Indian Express on 6^th October 2022.

“Nobel for work on ‘click chemistry’ and quantum mechanics” published in The Hindu on 6^th October 2022.

What is the News?

Carolyn Bertozzi and Barry Sharpless of the United States and Morten Meldal of Denmark have been given the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for developing the relatively recent field of ‘Click Chemistry’ and demonstrating its vast potential in pharmaceutical and other industries.

Their work has made a strong case for adopting an alternative approach to producing new complex molecules in the laboratory or industry, which minimises waste and increases overall efficiency.

Note: Barry Sharpless has now won the Nobel Prize for the second time (First in 2001), making him only the fifth scientist to achieve this distinction.

What is the need for an alternative approach to producing complex molecules?

There are several naturally-occurring enzymes that facilitate complex biochemical reactions in living organisms during which a particular desirable molecule might be produced.

Human beings can replicate some of these reactions to produce the same desirable molecule, but for that to happen, they first have to access those enzymes.

Producing those enzymes can add several layers to the original objective of reproducing the biochemical reactions to get the desired molecule. This is time-consuming and can lead to wastage and cost escalations.

So, there is a need for an alternative approach to producing such enzymes.

What is Click Chemistry?

Barry Sharpless is the originator of the concept of ‘Click Chemistry’. The name ‘click ‘has been taken from the click sound that airline seat belts make when they are fastened.

The idea is that while trying to produce any particular compound or a complex molecule, one must look for starting molecules that easily react with each other.

In other words, scientists have to look for molecules that easily fit into each other, or ‘click’ with each other. It makes the resultant chemical reaction more efficient.

The reacting molecules should be in a made-for-each-other kind of situation for this particular reaction, so that the reaction was irreversible and 100% efficiency was achieved

This click approach emphasised the need to replicate nature’s efficiency, not its processes, or even products.

What are the applications of click chemistry?

The pharmaceutical industry uses a lot of naturally occurring but industrially synthesised molecules. Every kilogram of a drug produced results in the generation of nearly 25-100 kg of chemical waste. This can be reduced by click chemistry.

For instance, Sharpless discovered that the use of copper as a catalyst eliminated all the by-products to produce a nitrogen-containing cyclic compound and ensured only the desired chemical was produced.

Click’ Chemistry could work in the chemical processes happening in the living cells as well. This has shown the promise of treating advanced cancer. Cancer drugs based on this approach are now undergoing clinical trials.

Nobel Prize in Physics: Breakthroughs in quantum tech

Source: The post is based on the following articles

“This year’s Nobel winners in Physics provided evidence to suggest that entanglement was not just real, but could also be harnessed for solving problems” published in Indian Express on 6^th October 2022.

“Nobel Prize in Physics: Breakthroughs in quantum tech” published in Indian Express on 5^th October 2022.

“Nobel for work on ‘click chemistry’ and quantum mechanics” published in The Hindu on 6^th October 2022.

What is the News?

Alain Aspect of France, John Clauser of the US, and Anton Zeilinger of Austria have won Nobel Prize in Physics 2022. Their experiments have conclusively established that the ‘entanglement’ phenomenon observed in quantum particles was real, not a result of any ‘hidden’ or unknown forces.

What are the challenges posed by sub-atomic particles?

A few scientists observed that the behaviour of tiny sub-atomic particles like protons or electrons was not consistent with the classical Newtonion laws of physics. A group of mostly young physicists made a series of astonishing discoveries.

Together they strung together the Quantum Theory, which described the bizarre behaviour of sub-atomic particles with remarkable accuracy.

But Quantum Theory went completely against everyday experiences. It allowed a particle to exist simultaneously at multiple locations, a phenomenon known as quantum superposition.

Entanglement was another of several weird properties exhibited by these tiny particles. The seemingly instantaneous communication due to entanglement had the danger of further unravelling the foundations of physics. Einstein proposed that there was something missing, and that Quantum Theory was not yet complete.

What is quantum entanglement?

What are the contributions of Nobel Prize winners?

John Clauser: He was the first to set up an experiment to test entanglement. In 1972, his experiments produced results that were a clear violation of Bell’s inequality. But sceptics pointed to certain aspects of the experiment which could have influenced a favourable result.

Note: John Bell created the mathematical framework that made it possible to test entanglement. Bell’s inequality shows that no theory that satisfies the conditions imposed can reproduce the probabilistic predictions of quantum mechanics under all circumstances. 

Alain Aspect: Alain Aspect is credited with vastly improving the set-up of Clauser and removing all the loopholes critics had found.

Anton Zeilinger: He demonstrated for the first time that it was possible to ‘teleport’ the quantum states of a particle to another location without the particle moving anywhere and without a medium.

Their research has decisively demonstrated that entanglement was real and in accordance with the Quantum Theory.

What are the potential applications of quantum entanglement?

This could be utilised to make transformative technological advances in computing, such as building the next generation of computers, called quantum computers. It can also be used to ensure hack-free communications and the science fiction-like concepts of ‘teleportation’.

Centre raises credit limit under ECLGS for airlines to 100% of debt up to ₹1,500 cr.

Source: The post is based on the article “Centre raises credit limit under ECLGS for airlines to 100% of debt up to ₹1,500 cr.” published in The Hindu on 6^th October 2022.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Finance has raised the credit limit for airlines under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). This is the second time the government has liberalised the scheme for the aviation sector.

What is the need for the liberalisation of ECLGS?

Given the volatility in foreign exchange rates, high fuel prices and the recessionary fears in some of the key economies of the world, the aviation sector continues to remain under extreme pressure. So, the government has liberalised the ECLGS.

What is an “Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme”?

The scheme introduced for medium and small enterprises during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was extended till March 2023 and its guarantee cover expanded by ₹50,000 crores to ₹5 lakh crore.

What are the major changes in the ECLGS?

Earlier, airlines were eligible to borrow up to 50% of their credit outstanding up to ₹400 crores. But from now on they are eligible for a sum equivalent to 100% of their outstanding debt, up to a maximum of ₹1,500 crores.

Exhuming new light – Pääbo’s Nobel win should inspire biologists to shun academic straitjacket

Source: The post is based on the article “Exhuming new light – Pääbo’s Nobel win should inspire biologists to shun academic straitjacket ” published in The Hindu on 6^th October 2022.

What is the News?

Swedish scientist Svante Paabo has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology for the year 2022 “for his discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution”.

What are the major findings of Svante Paabo?

Brought Neanderthals as a centre of evolution: Neanderthals are believed to be among the many human-like species and losers of the evolutionary race. But the work of Pääbo brought Neanderthals to the centre of the question of human evolution. It is now known that Europeans and Asians carry anywhere between 1%-4% of Neanderthal DNA.

The first complete sequence of the human genome was only completed in 2003. Remarkably, Paabo and his colleagues published the first Neanderthal genome sequence in 2010.  Comparative analyses of the human genome demonstrated that the most recent common ancestor of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens lived around 8,00,000 years ago.

Denisova: In 2008, a 40,000-year-old fragment from a finger bone yielded DNA that turned out to be from an entirely new species of hominin called Denisova. This was the first time that a new species had been discovered based on DNA analysis.

He later found that Denisova too had interbred with humans and 6% of human genomes in parts of South East Asia are of Denisovan ancestry.

‘Caves of Bandhavgarh not Buddhist’

Source: The post is based on the article “‘Caves of Bandhavgarh not Buddhist’” published in The Hindu on 6^th October 2022.

What is the News?

The Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) has discovered remarkable archaeological remains in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Forest Reserve. The ASI said it documented second-century Buddhist caves and eighth and ninth-century Hindu temples in the region.

However, a professor explained that the caves are not Buddhist. The caves are not Buddhist. In Buddhist caves, there should be memorial stupas and carvings that have an overtly Buddhist character. These are absent in these caves.

What has been discovered by ASI at Bandhavgarh Forest Reserve?

Caves created by command man: There are caves near the Chakradhara meadow, on the hill ridges and near the plateau. These were caves created mainly by men of commerce and craftspeople, and very occasionally by kings.

One epigraph describes the cave as a sarthika lata or cave for caravan people. The creators also made tanks near the caves and one cave was described as a vayamasala or gymnasium.

Hindu religious Temples: Temples in large numbers, dedicated to Shiva, were built atop the plateau, on the hill slopes below and in the flatlands. Sculptures depicting the 10 avatars of Vishnu were also described.

A couple of centuries later, a minister in the court of King Yuvarajadeva got a Vishnu image (the Seshshayi) and several avatars of Vishnu — Varaha, Matsya and Kasyapa — with inscriptions in their vicinity.

What is the significance of the findings at the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve?

They are the first dwellings systematically created in the forest in the 2nd century BCE. The findings will explain the significance of ancient and medieval relics.

India, Nepal agree to take forward Sapta Kosi high dam project

Source: The post is based on the article “India, Nepal agree to take forward Sapta Kosi high dam project” published in Indian Express on 24^th September 2022.

What is the News?

Recently, India and Nepal have agreed to take forward the Sapta Kosi high dam project through further studies.

About Sapta Kosi high dam project

Sapta Kosi High Dam is a multipurpose project proposed to be constructed on the Saptakoshi River of Nepal.

The project is primarily aimed to control floods in southeast Nepal and northern Bihar and to generate hydropower. The project will provide irrigation, control floods and generate 3,000 MW of electricity.

About the Mahakali treaty

The Mahakali Treaty was signed in 1996 over the integrated development of the Mahakali River, including Sarada Barrage, Tanakpur Barrage and Pancheshwar project.

Mahakali River is also known as Sharda River or Kali Ganga in Uttarakhand. It joins the Ghagra river in Uttar Pradesh, which is a tributary of the Ganga.

Ponniyin Selvan:1 puts focus on the Cholas: what happened during their rule?

Source: The post is based on the article “Ponniyin Selvan:1 puts focus on the Cholas: what happened during their rule?” published in Indian Express on 6^th October 2022.

What is the News?

The Tamil Movie Ponniyin Selvan-1 brought the focus to the 10th-century Chola Kingdom.

About the era of the Cholas

The Chola kingdom stretched across present-day Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Founded by: The dynasty was founded by the king Vijaylaya, described as a “feudatory” of the Pallavas by historian Satish Chandra in the book ‘The History of Medieval Era’.

Wars: The Chola King Rajadhiraja came to power in 1044, he was able to “subdue” Pandyan and Kerala kings, and presumably to celebrate these victories performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice.

The Chola rulers sacked and plundered Chalukyan cities including Kalyani and massacred the people, including Brahmans and children. They destroyed Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of the rulers of Sri Lanka”

Society under the Cholas

Naval supremacy: One of the biggest achievements of the Chola dynasty was its naval power. Cholas had strong ties with merchant groups and this allowed them to undertake impressive naval expeditions. This allows them to go as far as Malaysia and the Sumatra islands of Indonesia in their conquests.

Chola inscriptions: Cholas cultural sophistication is reflected in the meticulous records kept by them in the form of inscriptions on the walls of temples built by them, and on copper plates.

This is one of the reasons why so much is known of the Cholas as compared with their contemporaries.

Infrastructure: The construction of grand trunk roads and public ferries during the time of Cholas are mentioned in books.

The practice of building grand temples: Temple building was ramped up in an unprecedented way by the Cholas. The grand Brihadeeswara temple of Thanjavur, built by the Cholas, was the largest building in India in that period.

Note: Earlier, the Rashtrakutas had built the Kailasanatha temple in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad — the largest monolith structure (carved from a single rock) of its time.

Arts and sculptures: Artworks and sculptures were commissioned by Chola kings and queens. The most famous of them is the bronze Nataraja idols.

Role of women: The role of women in the royal family is being brought to focus given their impact on public life, but that is not to suggest that ordinary women wielded equal power as men. There were instances where cities were named after women.