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2.2. INDIA-EGYPT
Why in News?
Recently, Egyptian President was on a visit to India from 24 to 26
January 2023 as he was ‘chief guest’ for the 74th Republic Day
celebrations held in New Delhi.
Recent development in relation
• India and Egypt agreed to elevate their bilateral ties to
“Strategic Partnership” covering political, security, defence,
energy and economic aspects.
• Commemorative Postal Stamps to mark 75 years of
establishment of India-Egypt relations were also exchanged
between the two sides.
• As the President of G20, India has invited Egypt as a guest
country for the summit to be held in 2023.
Significance of Egypt for India
• Geopolitical: Egypt is a significant actor in West Asia and an
influential voice in the Arab world.
o Egypt holds a role of significant partner to deepen
India’s tie with Arab nations as part of the renewed
Indian focus on West Asia.
o Egypt accords great importance to multilateral forums that comprise developing countries, such as Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM) and the G77 considering their contributions to south –south cooperation.
• Geostrategic: Egypt is strategically located, making it a hub for trade routes between Europe, Africa, and Asia.
o Egypt connects the Mediterranean with the Red Sea through the Suez Canal as it is critical for India as part of
International trade systems.
o Approximately 12 per cent of global trade traverses through the Suez Canal.
• Economic: Bilateral trade registered a significant growth of 75 percent in 2021-22 to reach a figure of $7.26 billion
from around $4 billion.
o Egypt, one of the largest importers of wheat from Russia and Ukraine, had procured wheat from India after
conflict broke out between the two countries.
3.10.12. BROADCASTING
INFRASTRUCTURE AND NETWORK
DEVELOPMENT (BIND) SCHEME
• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved
BIND Scheme up to 2025-26.
Control of • Chief Wildlife Warden will manage and protect sanctuaries in accordance with the management plans
sanctuaries prepared as per guidelines of the central government.
• In case of sanctuaries falling under Scheduled Areas or areas where Forest Rights Act 2006 is
applicable, the management plan for such sanctuary prepared after due consultation with the Gram
Sabha concerned.
Increase in • For General violation increases to 1 lakh from Rs25,000.
Penalties • For specially protected animals increases to 25,000 from Rs10,000.
Exemptions for • Transfer or transport of live elephants allowed for a religious or any other purpose by person having
‘live elephant’ ownership certificates in accordance with conditions prescribed by the Central Government.
(section 43)
New section 42A • Any person having a certificate of ownership for captive animals or animal products, can voluntarily
for Surrender of surrender them to the Chief Wildlife Warden.
captive animals • No compensation to be paid to the person for surrendering such items and the items will become the
property of the State Government.
Relaxation of • Filmmaking (without causing any adverse impact to the habitat for wildlife) as one of the purposes for
certain restrictions which permits may be granted to enter or reside in a sanctuary.
• Certain activities such as, grazing or movement of livestock, bona fide use of drinking and household
water by local communities etc. allowed without a permit in a sanctuary.
Other Provisions • Central government empowered to regulate or prohibit the import, trade, possession, or proliferation
of invasive alien species.
• No renewal of any arms licences to be granted to any person residing within 10 kilometres of a
sanctuary except under the intimation to the Chief Wildlife Warden or the authorised officer.
• State Board for Wildlife permitted to constitute a Standing Committee.
Concerns about new Act
• Trade in elephants: Prior to 2022 act , the only way to
acquire a captive elephant was through inheritance, now
amended act may provide an open sale and purchase of
elephants thereby defeating the whole purpose of the
Wildlife Protection Act.
o In the existing law, commercial trade of elephants is
prohibited it may drive the live elephant trade
underground as traders switched to dressing up
commercial deals as gift deeds to bypass the 2003
amendment.
✓ In 2003, Section 3 of the WLPA prohibited trade in
all captive wildlife and any (non-commercial)
transfer across state boundaries without permission
from the concerned chief wildlife warden.
o The ambit of “any other purpose” in the present amendment will empower elephant traders, put wild
populations at greater risk of capture, and defeat the very purpose of law.
• Companies including GM, Ford, Google would work 5.11.18. GLOBAL OVERTURNING
together to establish standards for scaling up use of CIRCULATION (GOC)
VPPs.
• GOC refers to equatorward transport of cold, deep
• VPP is a network of decentralized power generating
waters and poleward transport of warm, near-surface
units that pool together thousands of energy
waters.
resources like electric vehicles (EVs) or electric heaters.
o It is responsible for transport of carbon and heat
o VPPs use advanced software to react to electricity
among ocean basins and between ocean and
shortages with techniques like switching
atmosphere.
households' batteries from charge to discharge
• GOC is a system of two connected overturning cells:
mode or prompting electricity-using devices to
o Upper cell is linked to formation of North Atlantic
back off their consumption.
Deep Water (NADW) and its shallower return flow
• VPPs will enable grid planners to better manage
to form Atlantic Meridional Overturning
growing electricity demand and make sure grid stays
Circulation (AMOC).
reliable even in extreme weather challenges and aging
o Lower cell (referred as Southern Ocean Meridional
infrastructure.
Overturning Circulation) is associated with
5.11.17. DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) and
its return flow as Pacific Deep Water (PDW).
(DMP) FOR POWER SECTOR
• Studies have indicated that tectonically driven changes
• Central Electricity Authority released disaster in ocean gateways such as closure of Central American
management plan (DMP) for power sector. Seaway (CAS), since late Miocene period, had
• DMP provides a framework to utilities in power sector impacted GOC.
to evolve a proactive and integrated approach to o CAS is a body of water that once separated North
strengthen disaster mitigation, preparedness, America from South America.
emergency response, and recovery efforts. • Now, National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
o Growth of power sector is directly correlated with reconstructed Deep Water Circulation record of
economic growth of the country and any Indian Ocean and provided evidence in support of
disruption due to disaster creates severe hardship theory that closure of CAS led to evolution of modern
to human beings. form of GOC.
• Under Section 37 of Disaster Management (DM) Act, o Indian Ocean does not have any major deep-
2005 every Ministry/ Department of Government of water formations of its own. It acts only as a host
India shall prepare a DMP. for both GOC components.
o DMP is also consistent with Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), COP21 and PM’s 5.11.19. NEW PLATEAU TYPE
Ten Point Agenda for DRR. DISCOVERED FROM MAHARASHTRA
• A rare low-altitude basalt plateau has been discovered
• Key features of DMP in Thane region in Western Ghats (a global biodiversity
o A four-tier structure at Central, Regional, State hotspot and UNESCO World Heritage site in India).
and Local Unit Levels, with intervention and o This is the fourth type of plateau to be identified
response depending on severity of disaster in the region; previous three are laterites at high
/calamity. and low altitudes and basalt at high altitudes.
o Risk assessment of power infrastructure, i.e., o 76 species of plants and shrubs from 24 different
electric power generation stations, transmission families have been found.
distribution etc. to evolve methods for finding
• Plateaus are dominant landscapes in Western Ghats.
quantitative risk involved.
They are classified as a type of rocky outcrop.
o While uncertainty caused by climate change is
• Rocky outcrops are geological features that protrude
unavoidable, electric utilities can manage risks by
above the surface of surrounding land.
considering different climate scenarios and
o They are formed by weathering that happens at
potential impacts on their assets.
different rates, causing the less weathered rock to
o Use of social media for emergencies and disasters
remain exposed.
on an organizational level to disseminate
87 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS
o They are found on all continents, in most climate sites for colonial species such as seabirds, bats and
zones and vegetation types. swifts.
• Significance of rocky outcrops
o Support high levels of species diversity
and endemism.
o They have seasonal water availability, limited soil
and nutrients, making them ideal to study effects
of climate change on species survival.
o They provide critical breeding sites for many top
order mammalian and avian predators; nesting
Concerns in adopting AI
• Adverse impact on Society: The machine learning is indifferent to what is right or wrong in a society, it works on the
already existing set of data’s and there are chances of the existing biases, to be transferred to the AI as well.
• Lack of Accountability: There is no clear distinction of who is to be held accountable, in case there was an
unfavourable outcome as a result of generative AI.
• Ethical Concerns: Number of ethical issues related to equality, justice, and human dignity might pop up and the
responsibility of creators for the impact of their models should be ensured.
• Lack of Transparency: It will be difficult to explain on how a decision was made by the AI, as they can be designed
to act favourable to particular set and this can undermine the trust in the technology.
• Infringes Intellectual Property rights: Many artists have claimed that their artworks were indiscriminately recreated
by the AI, to create its own image rendering. Such acts infringe the Intellectual property rights and will curtail
creativity.
• Privacy Issues: The use of AI can raise concerns about the collection, storage, and use of personal data, as the
potential for misuse of this collected information is high.
Way forward
• Establish ethical principles and guidelines: The Government should focus on establishing ethical principles and
guidelines for the development and deployment of AI, to ensure it is used responsibly and in accordance with social
values and norms.
103 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS
• Regulate AI use: Instead of open access a regulated usage could be introduced and critical information data set can
be isolated from the advent of AI to ensure that the technology is used in a responsible manner.
• Better collaboration and cooperation: Technologies cannot survive in isolation, for a technology to be successful it
should collaborate with different stakeholders, including government, industry, academia, and civil society.
• Invest in research and development: Increase in the Investment of research and development of AI technologies that
prioritize social and ethical considerations of the AI usage.
• Promote diversity and inclusiveness: AI systems should be designed and trained on diverse and inclusive data to
minimize biasness and ensure equitable outcomes.
• Foster public trust and understanding: Improve the engagement with the public and educate them about AI to foster
trust and understanding of the technology, that it would be beneficial for them.
Conclusion
AI is a rapidly advancing field with the potential to transform many aspects of our lives and economies. However, to fully
realize the benefits of AI and avoid negative consequences, it is important to approach its development and deployment
with caution and consideration for ethical and social implications.
7.4. TRANSFAT
Why in News? About Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHO)
Recently, The World Health Organization (WHO) released a • Partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) are solid at room
report titled Countdown to 2023: WHO report on global temperature and prolong the shelf life of products.
• They are primarily used for deep frying and as an
trans-fat elimination 2022.
ingredient in baked goods.
More in News • PHOs were first introduced into the food supply in the
early 20th century as a replacement for butter and lard.
• This is fourth annual report which monitors global • They are not a natural part of the human diet and are
progress towards the 2023 target for global elimination fully replaceable.
of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFA).
• Key highlight of the report Global Initiative
o Mandatory TFA limits or bans on • REPLACE initiative: WHO has launched the REPLACE initiative, designed to
partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) support governments in ensuring elimination of industrially produced TFA
are currently in effect for 3.4 from the food supply by 2023.
billion people in 60 countries. • WHO Certification Programme for Trans Fat Elimination: to recognize
✓ Of these countries, 43 have countries that have eliminated industrially produced TFA from their national
best-practice policies in effect, food supplies.
covering 2.8 billion people
around the world, or
approximately 36% of the
world’s population.
o In 2022, three countries – India,
Oman and Uruguay –
implemented best-practice TFA
policies.
✓ This doubled the size of the
population that is protected
by best-practice TFA policies
to 2.8 billion people.
✓ More than 99% of the increase is contributed by the population in India alone.
o Five billion people globally are exposed to harmful trans-fat, increasing their heart disease and death risk.
Ahom Dynasty
• Ahom dynasty was founded by Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1228. He was a Lachit Barphukan (legendary general or
Shan prince of Mong Mao who came to Assam from Myanmar, crossing Commander in chief of Ahom dynasty)
the Patkai Mountains. In 1662, Army of Mughal Emperor
• Charaideo (east of Guwahati) was the first capital of the Ahom dynasty. Aurangzeb invaded Assam and captured
o Charaideo means dazzling city above the mountain. Guwahati. In the Battle of Saraighat (1671),
• In 16th century, under the rule of Suhungmung, Ahom captured Lachit Barphukan defeated Mughal force and
territories of the Chutiya and the Kachari kingdoms. recovered the territories which were
captured by Mughals.
Shetrunjay hill