9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – September 23rd, 2022

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• A census is not about counting sheep – on Issues related to census

GS Paper 2

• Analysing the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan conflict
• How China can be held accountable
• Telecom Bill: Innovation-unfriendly provisions must be revised
• Managing sports – sports administration in India
• Indian TV channel’s hate speech ecosystem and what the SC gets wrong about it
• The cow and the city: How Maldharis challenge Gujarat’s ideas of urbanisation
• Semiconductor shortage in Russia: India’s Russia Problem Will Grow
• Food waste: Be part of the solution and not the problem
• Internal democracy – The ECI is right in rejecting the notion of ‘leader for life’ in political parties

GS Paper 3

• Moonlighting is neither ethical nor a work trend

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill,2022
• Fact Sheet on Amendment in India’s export policy on Rice
• Why a NASA spacecraft will crash into an asteroid
• 100 years on, Nizam’s sword set to return from Glasgow
• Archaeological Survey of India finds 12,000-year-old artefacts near Chennai
• First consignment of plant-based meat products under Vegan food category exported to USA from Gujarat
• New account settlement system from October 1: what changes
• Sugar-coated pouches in body fluids can help detect cancer
• UNESCO inaugurates 2022 State of the Education Report for India: Artificial Intelligence in Education

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

A census is not about counting sheep – on Issues related to census

Context: Census is a very important exercise for a democratic country. Considering its importance, the timely organization and completion of the census must be a priority for the government.

India’s first Census was held in 1872. After that India has held its decadal censuses regularly from 1881 to 2011, despite any circumstances.

The recent census was to be held in the year 2021 but it was postponed due to pandemic and there are no explanations that when this census will be held.

What is census?

A census is storage of complete data about the country which is gathered openly, voluntarily, and with the use of public money, making it a social good.

Census counts each and every citizen, along with their certain data (age, religion, gender, etc.). This helps in connecting the nation with the people.

Census also provides ways to nation to fix and resolve the problems of its people and it also has many more advantages.

What are the advantages of census?

General Census

The census is vital and precious. It is a repository of complete data about the country which is gathered openly, voluntarily, and with the use of public money, making it a social good. It provides important information to the government on various social and economic parameters.

For example, Censuses of 1961 and 1971 highlighted the sharp decline in the gender ratio in India. It alerted how pre and post-natal factors were reflecting the ‘son bias’ and leading people to murder girls, born and unborn.

Also, the census in US in 1850 and 1860, showed the number of enslaved people in the U.S. to be rising. It strengthened the anti-slavery campaign ongoing there.

Census has also helped in clearing wrong assumptions and information. It was believed that population is increasing due to high reproductive rates in Muslims.

But census has provided that the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in Muslims is coming down and is on its way to stabilisation. The fall in TFR among Muslims is faster than in any community.

The 2011 Census also provided difference in divorce rate between city and rural India. The urban divorce rate (0.89%) is almost equal to the rural rate (0.82%).

Caste census

Caste census has been useful in providing identities of the people related to the caste. India had its last caste census in 1931.

A caste census was conducted after the general census of 2011 but it was not published due to socio-economic reasons.

What have been issues with the recent measures of counting of the people?

First, during pandemic while election rallies were allowed, the census practice was postponed.

Second, there is a negative feeling about the census among a few sections of the population. It is due to coupling the National Register of Citizens (NRC) with National Population Register (NPR), in few official government statements. It saw protests from the people.

These all complex issues created a lack of trust in the government by the people.

Third, the ability to hold a census peacefully has been the hallmark of a civilized state and state of affairs. Democratic Republic of the Congo was able to conclude its census recently, peacefully.

Fourth, Whereas, the countries like Afghanistan (1979), Lebanon (1932), Somalia (1985), Uzbekistan (1989), and the Western Sahara (1970) are the ones that failed to conduct a census since 1990. India surely won’t like to join the list of such countries.

Fifth, the government is enforcing the laws that are making it easy to collect citizen’s data. For example;

The Ministry of Home Affairs has just notified the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Rules, 2022. It provides for the procedure for taking body measurements to collect biological samples, retina scans, biometrics, etc.

A law now allows electoral rolls to be linked with Aadhaar.

There is a delay in enforcing data protection law for citizens

Thus, it should not be a problem in holding the census which displays its desire to connect with the people who ultimately comprise the nation.

GS Paper 2

Analysing the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan conflict

News:  The recent clash between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has killed around 100 people. A ceasefire was agreed which was brokered by Russia.

Both countries have a dispute over the 1,000-km long border.

What are the issues between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan?

One of the reasons behind the clash between the two countries is the border which is present from the Soviet-era. The borders of the two republics were divided under Joseph Stalin’s leadership.

Moreover, the creation of the Soviet Union saw the large-scale redistribution of livestock to collective and state farms. The Tajikistan territory saw their livestock increase with scarce grazing land.

Therefore, agreements were signed between the two nations over the utilisation of Kyrgyzstan territory by the Tajikistan’s livestock.

However, the collapse of the Soviet Union led the dissolution of the then existing water and land agreements. It created multiple smaller independent farms which led to an increase in water consumption patterns among the farmers of both nations.

Both countries share multiple water channels due to which small scale conflicts occur practically every year during the crucial irrigation period.

There have been regular talks to solve these issues. However, one of the crucial points of disagreement is over the map which should be used for demarcation purposes.

Almost 1000 km of area of border is of dispute between the two nations.

What can be further course of action?

First, the resolution of the conflict will require groups to agree upon a common map.

Second, the international community will have to make efforts to solve the dispute by involving elders in the communities.

Third, the informal small-scale governance mechanisms would also have to be further strengthened through a joint effort by both the countries.

How China can be held accountable

News:

There are around 10 million people forced into mass forced labour and living in internment camps in the western region of Xinjiang in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

This has led to the human rights issue concerning international importance.

However, there are multiple arguments that have been presented by different parties in the Uyghur’s case.

What is the Uyghur issue?

Chinese government is carrying persecution of Uyghurs in the guise of counter-terrorism and counter-extremism strategies in the Xinjiang region, as per many reports.

There have been credible indications of violations of reproductive rights through the coercive enforcement of family planning policies since 2017.

Why is it difficult to prove the persecution of Uyghurs as a genocide?

Bosnian Genocide case: It is very difficult to prove this allegation as seen from the verdict of International Court of Justice in the Bosnian Genocide case.

Definition of Human Rights Violation: Human rights defenders have argued that detention of an entire ethnic minority in camp-like and slave labour conditions cannot be called a violation of human rights.

Lack of data: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) also accepted the discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur as crimes against humanity. However, she admitted that “a lack of government data” disabled the OHCHR from concluding violations of reproductive rights. Therefore, she has recommended in her report that the Chinese government should take proper steps to release all those detained in training centres, prisons or detention facilities.

PRC is not a member of the 2002 International Criminal Court treaty (the Rome Treaty).  ICC’s jurisdiction over crimes against humanity requires a “nexus to armed conflict”. The crimes during peacetime do not come under its jurisdiction.

What international law actions are possible against China?

The 2019 ICC pre-trial chamber in the Myanmar-Bangladesh case concerning the Rohingyas gives some hope for the Uyghur’s issue. In the case the ICC has said that the Court may exercise jurisdiction over crime when part of the criminal conduct takes place on the territory of a State Party.

Rodney Dixon who presented the Uyghur matter to the ICC has argued that evidence shows that Chinese officials are coming onto Tajikistan territory (ICC party) and targeting, arresting and deporting Uyghurs back into China.

Therefore, those officials should be investigated by ICC and further investigation should be made with the officials of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan regarding Uyghurs.

Telecom Bill: Innovation-unfriendly provisions must be revised

News: The draft of India Telecommunications Bill, 2022 was released by the Department of Telecommunications recently.

Telecommunications Bill, 2022 is an attempt to consolidate three outdated laws — the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933, and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act of 1950.

What are the provisions in the bill?

The Bill proposes that the default mechanism for spectrum allocation in the telecom sector will be through auction.

It also specifies the limited administrative exceptions to this rule which may include the “backhaul” spectrum necessary for efficient 5G services.

However, there are some unfriendly aspects to the current draft that are not in the national interest.

What are the problems with the draft bill?

First, Over-the-Top (OTT) apps that help in communication are being brought within the ambit of communication services in the Bill.

Second, this may be in response to some telecom firms that have lost a considerable amount of voice revenue to other forms of communication. This is backward-looking.

Third, Data-based calling and communication have replaced old-style voice calling everywhere. Therefore, firms should not seek to recover this lost revenue and the bill should not seek to help them.

Fourth, the provisions to give subjective powers to the government to waive fees, charges and penalties for the consumer’s interest and for fair competition are also puzzling. This should only be done in exceptional circumstances.

What can be the course of action?

It is also unnecessary to weaken the powers and responsibilities of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in the final law.

This would centralise all powers with the government and reduce the checks and balances in the system.

This centralization is not good for the telecom sectors as it provides administrative discretion to bureaucrats and politicians.

However, it is expected that these unfriendly provisions in the bill will be removed in the course of the consultation process.

Managing sports – sports administration in India

News– The article explains the issues faced by sports administration in India and ways to resolve the issue.

What are the issues faced by sports administration in India?

There are frequent resignations by sports administrators. Recently acting president Olympic Association of India, who assumed charge in July, resigned.

The IOC is complaining that elections are not being held. It will not accept an acting or interim President.

IOC could ban India if elections are not held by December.

Indian athletes will not be able to represent India at sports events if the IOC takes action.

What needs to be done?

Officials across athlete bodies need to accept the National Sports Development Code that was introduced by the central government in 2011.

The code puts a limit on tenure and age of sports administration. It stops the capture of sports administration by few people, especially politicians.

The sports administration should make way for new administrators with fresh ideas. It should allow more former international sportspersons in key administrative posts.

Indian TV channel’s hate speech ecosystem and what the SC gets wrong about it

News– The court explains the recent Supreme court intervention to check hate speech on visual media and issues related to court intervention.

What was the Supreme Court observation?

Recently the Supreme Court pulled up visual media for spreading hate speech and the role of anchors during TV debates.

Judges have proposed that guidelines like Vishakha can be put up until the government comes up with a new law.

What are the issues with judicial intervention on hate speech?

The first issue is related to Article 19. The Supreme Court has upheld the primacy of Article 19 and warned against state overreach in Romesh Thappar vs. The State of Madras,1950 and Shreya Singhal vs. Union of India, 2015 cases. Any overarching law or guidelines to regulate hate speech can violate the letter and spirit of Article 19.

Several IPC provisions meant to check hate speech including Section 153 (A) or 295 (A) are used by the state and its agencies to curb dissent.

The political economy of TV news thrives on hate speech today more than ever. There is little cost to pay for hate speech. There are few incentives for TV at prime time to be fair and accurate. Judicial intervention is unlikely to work.

The cow and the city: How Maldharis challenge Gujarat’s ideas of urbanisation

News– The article explains the commonly held assumption about urbanisation in India and contradictions that emerges from such type of assumption.

What is the controversy related to the issue of stray cattle?

In April, the Gujarat assembly passed the Cattle Control (Keeping and Movement) in Urban Areas Bill, which requires cattle owners to obtain licences for their animals and restricts their movement on urban roads.

The Maldharis, who own most of the cattle in urban Gujarat, are opposing the bill. The law has been withdrawn due to their opposition.

What was the rationale behind the introduction of such a bill?

Firstly, for the urban middle class, stray cattle are a longstanding problem that obstructs the smooth flow of traffic. It undermines road safety and tarnishes their desired image of a global city.

Secondly, Indian policymakers have been influenced by western notions of urbanisation. It assumes 2 things:

1) Urbanisation involves a physical break between the city and the village.

2) Urban and the rural are mutually exclusive domains consisting of opposite physical forms. The former is associated with industrialisation and the latter is related to agrarian underdevelopment.

It entails the dilution of community identity and the weakening of caste and community networks.

Semiconductor shortage in Russia: India’s Russia Problem Will Grow

News: Russia has recently ordered its first mobilisation since World War II to bolster its invasion of Ukraine. This shows that the war is not going according to plan for Moscow. But this will hamper Russia’s defence production capabilities and its ties with India.

Why Russia is facing challenges in the Ukraine crisis?

Russia is facing the inability to access semiconductor chips for defence platforms. After the Ukraine crisis, the US quickly banned selling semiconductors used in defence systems to Russia. Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, also banned the export of items through the export control list provided by the US. Russia also does not have the infrastructure to manufacture these chips domestically.

What are the issues with Russia’s present defence production?

Ukraine has put out an alleged shopping list of Russian defence sector desperate to purchase. A US-based media company found a) Lack of complexity in Russian equipment that college students majoring in electrical engineering could reverse engineer and build most of the electronics used, b) An examination of the remnants of the missiles Russia launched on Ukraine showed the usage of older technology parts with elementary GPS systems. Sometimes Russia even used chips taken out of dishwashers and refrigerators. Old versions of navigation systems used in Russian-guided missiles make them miss their mark.

How military mobilisation and the Russia-Ukraine war will hamper India’s defence capabilities?

India is the largest importer of Russian weaponry in the world. It is unlikely that the West will remove high-tech sanctions.

This has impacted India’s defence capabilities. For instance, a) Russia has delayed the delivery of two Talwar-class stealth frigates for up to six months, b) There is a short-term delay in the supply of S-400 Triumf missile systems and spares for Kilo-class submarines, MiG-29 fighters and Kamov Mi-17 military transport helicopters.

What Russia can do to improve its semiconductor productivity?

1) Russia could use chips from western manufacturers by indirectly sourcing them, 2) Russia can approach China and obtain the chips from them.

What India should do to improve its defence capability?

a) India must prepare for a sharp drop in Russia’s ability to deliver on defence purchase orders, b) Russian technology is dated, and the chips would come from the black market or China. So, India must 1) Diversify its weaponry in the short term, 2) Focus on local manufacturing over the long term, and 3) Utilise partnerships with the US, Japan, Australia, France, and Israel to secure defence equipment and chip supplies.

Food waste: Be part of the solution and not the problem

News: Almost 2.5 billion tonnes of food produced annually goes unconsumed. On the other hand, about 870 million people globally are undernourished. Growing more food isn’t necessary to end world hunger; reducing just 50% of food loss or waste could end it.

What are the various reasons for increasing food wastage?

1) According to a study, only 35% of consumers say they fully understand the difference between terms such as “best before”, “consume by” and “expiry date” seen on date labels.

2) Organizations are not paying enough attention to influence the entire food chain to reduce waste. Demand-driven production isn’t trickling down the entire food chain. This is because procurement agents and supply chains have very different performance goals.

Overall the cost associated with food waste is around 5.6% of total sales for organizations. Apart from the financial implications, food waste is a significant emitter of greenhouse gases, generating 8-10% of global emissions.

Along with raging food-price inflation and persistently high energy prices, food loss and waste constitute one of the most urgent and intimidating challenges in society.

What should be done to reduce food waste?

Engage consumers and employees in managing food waste: The world organisations need to bolster awareness-related initiatives. For instance, Unilever’s Use-Up Day campaign aims to cut food waste by one-third by encouraging consumers to use ingredients they already have at least once a week.

Ensuring comprehensible labelling: There is an urgent need for comprehensive labelling. Companies should also use information technology to promote waste avoidance among consumers.

Collaborate across the entire industry value chain: This can be done by 1) Building visible, agile and intelligent supply chains to enable transparency and strengthen the collaboration and data exchange with value-chain partners, 2) Using Internet-of-Things (IoT) solutions in cold chains can help organizations harness data-driven insights, enhance traceability and monitor the quality of perishables, 3) Boosting local supply chains, 4) Regionalizing and localizing the supplier base.

Monitor and report food waste-related benchmarks: Organizations need to set food waste reduction goals, establish relevant metrics, track and report progress against them. This will also help in reporting waste volumes and attaching a dollar value to it.

For instance, Sodexo has implemented a data-driven food-waste prevention programme that has already cut the organization’s food wastage by around half.

Prevent of food waste occurrence: Organizations at every stage of the food value chain need to manage waste better. Further, technology can also help in tracking and assessing food waste and enabling action at the right time, while enlisting consumers for the task of waste reduction.

Food waste is everyone’s problem. Everyone is part of the food-waste problem and everyone could be part of the solution.

Internal democracy – The ECI is right in rejecting the notion of ‘leader for life’ in political parties

News: Recently, a political party in Andhra Pradesh reportedly elected their present leader as their president for life. The ECI says such a step is inherently anti-democratic and rejected the idea of a ‘permanent president’ for a party.

What is the legal position on conducting internal elections within political parties?

There is no law that mandates elections within political parties. Nothing in Article 324, section 29A of Representation of People Act, 1951 regulates the internal functioning of parties.

Political parties are nowhere mentioned in the constitution. The definition of political parties was given in anti-defection law, for the first time. All rules and regulations apply more to candidates than to political parties in India.

What are the directions of ECI on the internal democracy of political parties?

The commission said that a) No individual should be elected leader for life, b) Any party that participates in a democratic process, and wants to govern and legislate, should include a formal and periodic election of office-bearers.

Why ensuring the internal democracy of political parties is challenging?

Nature of political parties in India: For instance, India has 1) Structured, cadre-based organisations that function towards an ideological goal or a principle. For Example, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist parties, etc. 2) More loosely structured collections of individuals with different strands of opinion functions within an association that has core ideals. For example, the Congress party, 3) Some other parties still reflect social or regional cleavages and so on.

Family politics and leader-driven politics: The fragmentation of India’s polity into a federalised, multi-party system has also given way to the domination of “charismatic” individuals or their families. These parties’ support and financing structures necessitate a centralised control by a single coterie or a family.

So, these parties do not conduct internal elections to secure their leadership. Even if they do, they lack sufficient contestation and only favourite leaders get promoted over the populist leaders. This reaffirms the dominance of the high command.

The election is seen as a zero-sum game: Political parties are reluctant to allow internal contest, fearing that this could foster disunity, as opposed to nomination and consensus-building on leadership.

For example, the election system in U.K. and U.S. are such that it leaves some negative feelings among party members, due to internal contestation, even after the elections.

The ECI lacks statutory power to enforce internal democracy: The ECI has periodically used guidelines issued for the registration of parties under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to remind parties to conduct elections and to ensure that their leadership is renewed, changed or re-elected every five years. But the commission does not have any statutory power to enforce internal democracy in parties or to mandate elections.

What are different viewpoints about state funding of elections?

Instead of state funding of elections, state funding of political parties can be considered.

Currently, political parties depend on funding from outside sources. The system favours the donors rather than voters. Corporates pressurize the political parties to have their favourable policy regime.

The law commission in its 1999 report also recommended it. The formula of state funding of elections is debatable. One objective criterion is the state providing some money to political parties for each vote polled in their favour.

What are the possible options to ensure the internal democracy of political parties?

ECI could act as a regulator. Rather than having a new law, ECI needs to re-interpret the existing laws.

ECI should try some milder options rather than taking harsh steps like deregistering the political parties.

GS Paper 3

Moonlighting is neither ethical nor a work trend

News: Wipro has sacked 300 employees it found guilty of working for its competitors. This triggered the ‘moonlighting’ debate.

What is moonlighting?

About the employee contracts in India

Indian economy runs on the trust that contracts will be honoured. An employee and employer are bound by the terms of a mutual contract. Accordingly, a full-time employee doing a side job for a rival is an unacceptable violation of that deal.

How did pandemic aid moonlighting?

Many persons doing ‘dual employment’ is clearly a post-covid phenomenon. This is because a) The workplace is now mobile, atomized, in our laptops and smartphones, b) Employers were happy to let their boundaries blur as long as work got done.

What should be done?

IT firms oppose moonlighting as they often work with client data that must be kept secure and employees who moonlight could also create a larger credibility risk for them.

A gig economy need not turn out to be more worker-friendly. Corporate values and mission alignment matter in setting one company apart from another. Further, job securities provide superior value addition and better job satisfaction. So the employees should understand moonlighting is neither ethical nor a work trend.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill,2022

Source: The post is based on the article “Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill,2022” published in PIB on 22nd September 2022

What is the News?

The Department of Telecommunications(DoT) has issued the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022. 

What is the purpose of the Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022?

The Bill consolidates three separate acts that govern the telecommunications sector — Indian Telegraph Act 1885, Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933, and The Telegraph Wires, (Unlawful Protection) Act 1950.

What are the key provisions of the Bill?

Inclusion of OTTs in the definition of Telecommunications services: The Bill proposes to bring over-the-top (or OTT) communications services such as WhatsApp, Telegram, satellite-based communication services and the internet into the definition of telecommunication services.

– So, OTT communication services have to take a license now and be subjected to the same conditions governing telecom players in India, like the quality of service and security rules, etc.

Assigning of Spectrum: The Bill laid down a clear statutory framework and regulations on assigning spectrum. It says spectrum should primarily be given through auction. 

– For specific functions related to the government and public interest like defence, transportation and research, the Bill proposes assignment through the administrative process.

Trading of Spectrum: The Bill enables sharing, trading, leasing, surrender of spectrum assigned and a process to return unutilised spectrum.

– The government will also have the power to terminate spectrum allocations partly or in full if it determines that the assigned spectrum has remained unutilised for insufficient reasons over a period of time.

— Moreover, the bill says that if a telecom entity in possession of spectrum goes through bankruptcy or insolvency, the assigned spectrum will revert to the control of the Center. 

Right of Way(ROW): The Bill tries to achieve through law a ‘right of way’ (ROW) enforceable at the state- and at the municipal-corporation level.

– It lays down a framework in which a public entity that owns the land has to grant ‘right of way’ permission expeditiously unless it gives a substantive ground for refusal.

Cyber Security: To prevent cyber fraud, the Bill provides that the identity of the person sending a message through telecom services shall be available to a user receiving it.

Telecommunication Development Fund(TDF): The Bill proposes to replace the Universal Service Obligation Fund(USOF) with the Telecommunication Development Fund(TDF). 

– USOF is the pool of funds generated by the 5% Universal Service Levy that is charged upon all telecom fund operators on their Adjusted Gross Revenue. 

– The USOF has largely been used to aid rural connectivity. However, with the TDF, the objective is also to boost connectivity in underserved urban areas, R&D, skill development etc.

Fact Sheet on Amendment in India’s export policy on Rice

Source: The post is based on the article “Fact Sheet on Amendment in India’s export policy on Rice” published in PIB on 23rd September 2022

What is the News?

Recent changes in India’s rice-export rules have helped keep a check on domestic prices without reducing the availability for exports. 

What are the changes made in the rice export rules?

India has banned the export of broken rice and imposed a 20% export duty on non-Basmati rice except for parboiled rice to boost domestic supplies amid a fall in area under paddy crop in the current kharif season.

It has not made any changes in the policy relating to par-boiled rice and Basmati rice.

What was the need for these changes?

Significant rise in export of broken rice: There has been a rise in global demand for broken rice due to the geopolitical scenario which has impacted the price movement of commodities including those related to animal feed. 

Meet domestic requirements under Ethanol Blending Programme: Food Corporation of India has been allowed to sell rice to ethanol plants for fuel ethanol production. However, in the current year, there has been a shortage of broken rice which impacted ethanol production.

Contain impact on poultry sector due to rising prices: Domestic price of broken rice has increased. Due to this, the poultry sector and animal husbandry farmers were impacted the most due to the price hike of feed ingredients as about 60-65%inputs cost for poultry feed comes from broken Rice. 

The domestic prices of Rice are showing an increasing trend and they may continue to increase due to the low production forecast of Paddy and an 11% increase in export of Non-basmati compared to the corresponding period of last year.

Why a NASA spacecraft will crash into an asteroid

Source: The post is based on the article “Why a NASA spacecraft will crash into an asteroid” published in Indian Express on 23rd September 2022

What is the News?

On September 26, 2022, NASA’s DART spacecraft will intentionally crash into a small asteroid named Dimorphos, however, the asteroid poses no threat to earth. 

What is a DART?

DART stands for Double Asteroid Redirection Test.

Launched by: DART mission is being developed and led for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

Purpose: It is the first-ever mission dedicated to investigating and demonstrating one method of asteroid deflection by changing an asteroid’s motion in space through kinetic impact.

Target: DART’s target is the binary asteroid system Didymos, which means “twin” in Greek (and explains the word “double” in the mission’s name). 

– Didymos is the ideal candidate for humankind’s first planetary defense experiment, although it is not on a path to collide with Earth and therefore poses no actual threat to the planet.

What is the significance of this mission?

DART is a spacecraft designed to impact an asteroid as a test of the technology. DART’s target asteroid is NOT a threat to Earth. 

This asteroid system is a perfect testing ground to see if intentionally crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid is an effective way to change its course, should an Earth-threatening asteroid be discovered in the future.

100 years on, Nizam’s sword set to return from Glasgow

Source: The post is based on the article “100 years on, Nizam’s sword set to return from Glasgow” published in The Hindu on 22nd September 2022

What is the News?

A 14th century ceremonial sword that was sold in Hyderabad to a British General in the early 20th century is set to return to India.

About the Ceremonial Sword

The ceremonial sword is of Indo-Persian design and is shaped like a snake and has serrated edges and a damascene pattern with gold etchings of an elephant and tiger that is dated circa 1350 CE.

The sword was exhibited by Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI, Nizam of Hyderabad (1896-1911) at the 1903 Delhi or Imperial Durbar, a ceremonial reception held to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra as Emperor and Empress of India.

The sword was later sold or gifted by Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad, the Prime Minister of Hyderabad to General Sir Archibald Hunter, Commander-in-Chief, Bombay Command in 1905.

The sword was then donated to Glasgow Life museums collections in the UK in 1978 and was kept there.

Archaeological Survey of India finds 12,000-year-old artefacts near Chennai

Source: The post is based on the article “Archaeological Survey of India finds 12,000-year-old artefacts near Chennai” published in TOI on 23rd September 2022

What is the News?

Archeological Survey of India has discovered 12000-year-old artifacts at the Vadakkupattu village in Tamil Nadu.

What did the ASI discover?

The ASI discovered signs of four civilizations at the Vadakkupattu village in Tamil Nadu:

Mesolithic Period: ASI discovered hand axes, scrappers, cleavers, and choppers from the Mesolithic period. They were recovered 75 cm from beneath the surface.

Sangam Era: They discovered Sangam era (almost 2,000 years ago) artefacts including rouletted pottery, Roman amphora sherds, and glass beads suggesting active commerce with Rome.

Early and Later Pallavas: They discovered sculptures ranging from the early Pallava period (275 CE) to the late Pallavas on the floor inside the surrounding space (897 CE).

What is the significance of this discovery?

With these discoveries, Vadakkupattu village site has now become a culturally and archaeologically important site. 

First consignment of plant-based meat products under Vegan food category exported to USA from Gujarat

Source: The post is based on the article “First consignment of plant-based meat products under Vegan food category exported to USA from Gujarat” published in PIB on 22nd September 2022

What is the News?

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the export of the first consignment of plant-based meat products under the Vegan food category from Gujarat to the United States of America (USA).

What are Plant Based meat products?

Plant-based meat is basically meat derived from plants. It is manufactured to taste, look, and feel like traditional meat from animal products. 

Plant-based meat is healthier than regular meat as it is lower in calories and saturated fats.

Significance of the Plant-based meat industry

According to Forbes, India is the largest producer of pulses in the world, accounting for 25% of the total output; however, more than 70% of the people in India are protein deficient. 

Deficiency can be caused by a lack of awareness and less consumption of a sufficient amount of protein on a regular basis.

Plant-based protein sources can play a vital role in treating deficiency as they not only offer varieties but are also pocket-friendly.

What is the difference between Plant-based and cultured meat?

Plant-based meats are made of plant-derived ingredients but are designed to look and taste like real meat.

Cultured meat, on the other hand, is a fairly new concept that refers to meat grown in a lab from a small sample of cells taken from an animal.

The procedure requires the extraction of stem cells from a donor animal, which then proliferate to produce animal tissue structures.

New account settlement system from October 1: what changes

Source: The post is based on the article “New account settlement system from October 1: what changes” published in Indian Express on 23rd September 2022

What is the News?

From October 1, 2022, the new account settlement system for the stock broking industry will kick in under the new guidelines issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

What is Settlement of Accounts?

The SEBI mandates stockbrokers to settle i.e., transfer the available credit balance from trading account to bank account, at least once in a quarter (90 days) or 30 days.

The process of transferring the unutilised funds back into the bank account is called ‘Running Account Settlement’ or ‘Quarterly Settlement of Funds’.

The funds are transferred back to the primary bank account of the customer that is linked to the trading account.

What are SEBI’s new settlement guidelines?

SEBI has issued new guidelines on running accounts of client funds and securities lying with the broker.

As per the guidelines, the settlement of running accounts of clients funds will be done by the trading members after considering the end of the day (EOD) obligation of funds.

In cases where the client has opted for a monthly settlement process, then the running account shall be settled on the first Friday of every month.

How will these guidelines impact investors and traders?

Changes in settlement brought in by SEBI over the last few years have had the aim of protecting the investor and preventing the misuse of money lying in trading accounts of investors for long periods. Hence, SEBI’s move will give certainty to investors and trading members.

It will also help brokers develop a system just like banks that credit interest in the accounts of their customers at the end of the quarter.

Sugar-coated pouches in body fluids can help detect cancer

Source: The post is based on the article “Sugar-coated pouches in body fluids can help detect cancer” published in PIB on 22nd September 2022

What is the News?

A team of scientists have recently developed a new molecular biosensor for easy detection of the cancer microenvironment.

Cancer Cells

Cancer cells secrete small pouches namely extracellular vesicles(EV) covered with sugar molecules called Hyaluronan(HA) which have a direct link to tumour malignancy and are considered a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of colon cancer. 

These EVs are abundant in body fluids (blood, faeces etc) and all types of cells secrete these EVs into the extracellular matrix. 

Cancer cells secrete at least two times more EVs into the body fluids than normal cells. Therefore, these EVs could be isolated non-invasively from a patient’s body for early cancer diagnosis.

What has the study found out about Cancer cells?

Scientists have found that single cancer cell-derived EV is coated with very short chain HA molecules (contour length less than 500 nanometers) using single molecule techniques.

These short-chain HA-coated EVs are significantly more elastic than normal cell-derived EVs. 

This intrinsic elasticity of HA-coated EVs in cancer helps them to withstand multiple external forces during extracellular transportation, uptake, excretion by cells, adhesion to cell surfaces, etc.

These findings will help in the easy detection of cancer.

UNESCO inaugurates 2022 State of the Education Report for India: Artificial Intelligence in Education

Source: The post is based on the article “UNESCO inaugurates 2022 State of the Education Report for India: Artificial Intelligence in Education” published in TOI on 21st September 2022

What is the News?

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched its State of the Education Report for India: Artificial Intelligence in Education. The report is the fourth edition and is an annual flagship report.

What are the key findings of the report?

India has the highest relative AI skill penetration rate (over 3 times the global average)

AI Market in India is likely to reach US Dollar 7.8 billion by 2025 at the rate of 20.2% compound annual growth.

To match India’s curriculum to make the students ready for the AI economy, National Education Policy(NEP) 2020 lays a big emphasis on the need to impart the necessary technical knowledge and the integration of AI in Education.

Challenges with AI in education in India: 1) India lacks policies for AI in education, 2) Lack of resources and infrastructure affect expansion of Al in Education, 3) Increasing use of AI for fakes, cheating and 4) Focus on memorization-based education (instead of critical thinking).

Recommendations: 1) Consider ethics of Al in Education as an utmost priority, 2) Rapidly provide an overall regulatory framework for AI in Education, 3) Create effective public-private partnerships, 4) Ensure that all students and teachers have access to latest technology, 5) Attempt to correct algorithmic biases and resulting discrimination, 6) Improve public trust in Al and 7) Request private sector to better involve students and educationists in developing Al products.