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India’s voters deserve a bond — of probity - Page No.6 , GS 2

Eliminating diseases, one region at a time - Page No.6 , GS 2
Ferocious friends - Page No.6 , GS 2
Centre notifies fact check unit to screen online content - Page
No.12 , GS 2,3
World Air Quality Report, 2023 - Prelims
2023 Warmest Year - WMO - Prelims
Model Code of Conduct - Value Addition

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Consider the following statements about Model Code of Conduct (MCC):

1. The MCC comes into force from the date the election schedule is
announced until the date that results are out.
2. It has no statutory backing.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (c)

• Explanation:

• Context: The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has been enforced by the Election
Commission of India (ECI) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, beginning from the
announcement of the election schedule until the declaration of results.
• This code regulates the behaviour of political parties and candidates during the
election period, aiming to ensure free and fair elections.
• It includes provisions regarding general conduct, meetings, processions, polling
day, polling booths, observers, the party in power, and election manifestos.
• Key restrictions imposed by the MCC include prohibiting the announcement of
policy decisions by the ruling party, using official positions for campaigning,
combining official visits with election work, using government resources for
campaigning, and making ad-hoc appointments that may influence voters.
• The MCC is not legally binding but is enforced through moral sanction or censure
by the ECI.
Consider the following materials:

1. sugar cane
2. corn
3. soybeans
How many of the above materials are used to make biofuels?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Ans: (c)

• Explanation:

• Biofuels are usually liquid fuels created using organic materials, such as
biomass and natural waste. Typical materials used to make biofuels are
sugar cane, corn and soybeans.

• “Most biofuels are used as transportation fuels, but they may also be
used for heating and electricity generation,” the US Energy Information
Administration says.
Consider the following statements about the Ganges Dolphin:

1. The Ganges river dolphin is the national aquatic animal of India.

2. It is listed as ‘endangered’ under the IUCN Red List Assessments.
3. The Ganges river dolphin can only live in freshwater and is essentially
blind.
How many of the given above statement(s) is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Ans: (c)

• Explanation

• Context: The National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC), India’s first

dolphin research facility, was inaugurated in Patna by Bihar.
• The centre aims to study Gangetic dolphins and understand the river
ecosystem. It is located on the Ganges within the Patna University
campus.
• Protection Status of Gangetic Dolphins:
• International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Endangered
• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES):
Appendix I
• Convention on Migratory Species (CMS):Appendix 1
Consider the following statements regarding Finance Commission of
India.
1. Finance Commission is set up under Article 280 of the Constitution.
2. Union Finance Minister acts as the ex officio member of the
commission.
3. The commission addresses the imbalances that arise between the
taxation powers and expenditure responsibilities of the centre and the
states, respectively.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Ans: (b)
Explanation
• FC is a body set up under Article 280 of the Constitution. Its primary job is
to recommend measures and methods on how revenues need to be
distributed between the Centre and states.

• There are no-ex officio members of the commission as such, because it is

constituted afresh every five years.

• Besides suggesting the mechanism to share tax revenues, the

Commission also lays down the principles for giving out grant-in-aid to
states and other local bodies.

• The commission has to take on itself the job of addressing the

imbalances that often arise between the taxation powers and expenditure
responsibilities of the centre and the states, respectively
Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Preamble.
1. The Indian Preamble, based on the Objectives Resolution, was moved by
M.N. Roy in the Constituent Assembly.

2. It signifies the principle of popular sovereignty, emphasizing that power

resides only with the citizens.

3. The words “socialist,” “secular,” and “integrity” were added through the
44nd Amendment Act.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Solution: d)

• The Indian Preamble, based on the Objectives Resolution, was moved by

Jawaharlal Nehru in the Constituent
• Assembly on 13 December 1946 and adopted on 26 November 1949. It
came into force on 26 January 1950,
• Republic Day. During the Indian emergency, Indira Gandhi amended it to
include the words “socialist,” “secular,”
• and “integrity.” (42nd Amendment Act of 1976).
• It signifies the principle of popular sovereignty, emphasizing that power
resides with the citizens, not just the
• government
Pg no. 6 GS 2
• In paragraph 143 of his Budget Speech 2017-18, the then Finance Minister
stated that the objective of his government was “to eliminate black
money”.

• The cause for the problem was stated to be donors’ “reluctance in

donating by cheque or other transparent methods as it would disclose
their identity and entail adverse consequences”.

• As a solution, the Finance Minister proposed a reform, the EBS, which

“will bring about greater transparency and accountability in political
funding, while preventing future generation of black money”. The
outcome, he expected, was that this approach “will change the colour of
money”.

• contributions less than ₹20,000 each that did not require a disclosure of
the identity of the contributors.
• Section 7(4) of The Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018, the information
furnished by the buyer “shall be treated confidential by the
authorised bank and shall not be disclosed to any authority for any
purposes, except when demanded by a competent court or upon
registration of criminal case by any law enforcement agency”.

• A reasonable way forward can only be found through a well-

meaning consultative process and not through court fiats, or laws
and policies crafted in secret to deal with complex and vexed
problems.
Pg no. 6 GS 2
• The Carter Center, a leader in the global elimination and eradication of
diseases, recently reported that guinea worm disease was close to
eradication. From 3.5 million cases a year in 21 countries in 1986, the
number had come down to 13 in five countries in 2023, a reduction of
99.99%.

• This would be the second disease after smallpox to be eradicated and the
first one with no known medicines or vaccines.

• Ending the epidemics of malaria, tuberculosis and Neglected Tropical

Diseases by 2030 is one of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the
United Nations.
• The government must be prepared to invest in developing surveillance
systems capable of capturing every incidence of the disease, strengthening
laboratories for screening and confirmation, ensuring that medicines and
consumables are available, and training the workforce on the rigorous
requirements of an elimination strategy. Even after elimination is achieved,
surveillance has to be continued to detect reintroduction as the pathogen
would not have been eradicated.

• From this point of view, elimination of many of the diseases targeted by the
country may be difficult to achieve for the entire nation within the declared
time frame. But they are achievable for some diseases in some parts of the
country. For instance, kala azar is now limited to five States in India,
primarily prevalent in a few blocks in two States.

• India accounts for 40% of the global case load of lymphatic filariasis, which
was targeted for elimination by the World Health Assembly in a resolution in
1997. It is prevalent only in a few States and can be eliminated by a
combination of surveillance, vector control, drug administration and
morbidity management.
Pg no. 6 GS 2
• The relationship between dogs and their place in society opens up vexing
dilemmas in India. On one hand there is the problem of street dogs.

• An expert committee constituted by the Department of Animal Welfare

and Husbandry, Ministry of Agriculture, has recommended that certain
breeds of “ferocious dogs” be prohibited from being kept as pets.

• Such a committee was constituted after citizen groups complained of

attacks on people — sometimes fatal — by these dogs, which prompted a
petition in the Delhi High Court requesting it to ban certain breeds.

• These include mixed and crossbreeds such as Pit Bull Terrier, American
Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog,
Boerboel, Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd Dog, among others. These
rules are expected to be implemented by local authorities. Dogs that have
already been kept as pets must be sterilised to ensure that further
breeding does not happen.
Pg no. 12 GS 2,3
• Weeks ahead of the election, the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology on Wednesday notified the Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check
Unit as the designated body to flag misinformation about Central
government departments to social media platforms.

• Under the IT Rules, 2021, social media platforms could lose the legal liability
protections they enjoy for content posted by users, if they choose to keep
notified misinformation available online.

• Given the contentiousness of the idea, the Union government had held off on
formally notifying the Fact Check Unit as litigation was under way at the
Bombay High Court challenging the provision. This month, however, the court
declined to extend an interim stay that had prohibited the government from
enforcing the rules.

• The PIB Fact Check Unit has come under close scrutiny in the past, as it has
sometimes disputed journalists’ work by relying on denials from the
Ministries they have written about.
• In a Gazette notification issued today, the Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology (MeitY) notified the PIB FCU under
the provisions of the sub-clause (v) of sub-rule (1) of rule 3 of the
Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital
Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

• The Fact Check Unit under PIB was established in November

2019 with a stated objective of acting as a deterrent to creators
and disseminators of fake news and misinformation.

• It also provides people with an easy avenue to report suspicious

and questionable information pertaining to the Government of
India.
World Air Quality Report, 2023
• According to the World Air Quality Report 2023, New Delhi is
ranked the world’s most polluted capital city for the fourth
consecutive year since 2018, while India emerged as the third
worst country in terms of air quality.

• As per the report conducted by Swiss organisation IQAir, 13 of

the 15 most polluted cities in the world in 2023 were in India
with Begusarai, Guwahati and Delhi being the top three.

• In 2023, only 10 out of the reporting 134 countries succeeded

in achieving the WHO annual particulate matter PM2.5
standards of 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3).
India’s Ranking as Most Polluted Countries:

• In 2023: 3rd

• In 2022: 8th

• In 2021: 5th

FACT: Exposure to PM2.5, one of

the key pollutants, leads to and
exacerbates numerous health
conditions, including asthma,
cancer, stroke and lung disease.
2023 Warmest Year - WMO
• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) declared 2023 as
the warmest year on record, with the years from 2014 to 2023 being
the warmest decade.

WMO Annual State Of Climate Report Highlights

• Global mean surface temperatures in 2023 were 1.45 degrees

Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average from the 1850-1900
period, indicating a significant 1.29 degrees Celsius increase from
pre-industrial times.

• Average global temperatures for the decade spanning 2014-2023

exceeded the pre-industrial average by 1.2 degrees Celsius.
Green Houses Concentration
• Carbon dioxide concentrations in 2022 were at 417.9 parts per
million, which is 150% higher than pre-industrial levels of 278 parts
per million.

• Methane concentrations reached 1,923 parts per billion, a

significant rise from pre-industrial levels of 764 parts per billion.

• Nitrous oxide levels were measured at 335.8 parts per billion,

surpassing the pre-industrial benchmark of 270 parts per billion.

• These greenhouse gases, which accumulate in the atmosphere and

are not readily absorbed by the oceans, exacerbate global warming
and contribute to ocean acidification and rising sea levels.
Ocean Heat and Sea-Levels
• The ocean heat content in 2023 was notably high, reaching a 65-
year high and thus amplifying the warming trend.

• The Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean experienced

unusually warm conditions, while the Pacific Ocean was subject to
a La Niña event.

• Land areas in the Arctic and Antarctic recorded warmer-than-

average temperatures, with the Antarctic suffering significant ice
losses.

• Approximately 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water; the

rise in sea surface temperatures is indicative of overall global
warming.
Extreme Weather
• Extreme weather conditions including heat waves, wildfires, and
floods have led to significant socio-economic challenges.

• Parts of Hawaii, Canada, and Europe were hit by wildfires, resulting

in fatalities, destruction of property, and extensive air pollution.

• Triggered by the Mediterranean cyclone Daniel, nations such as

Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Libya experienced devastating
floods, with Libya suffering a high death toll.

• Tropical cyclone Freddy emerged as one of the longest-lasting

tropical cyclones on record.

• The Horn of Africa, previously dry due to a prolonged drought,

faced severe flooding later in the year due to heavy rains
influenced by El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole.
Economic and Environmental Impact
• Hurricane Otis' Cost: Hurricane Otis was the costliest event of
2023, escalating to a category 5 hurricane and striking the
Pacific coast of Mexico.

• Increasing Marine Heatwaves: Marine heatwaves have grown

more common, severe, and prolonged, often triggered by El
Niño events in the eastern Tropical Pacific.
Concerns for Vulnerable Communities
• Food and Security Risks: Food insecurity and the
displacement of populations were pressing issues in 2023,
with climate-related hazards intensifying these problems
globally.

• Financing Gap in Climate Adaptation: The shortfall in climate

adaptation funding is expanding, notably lacking the annual
$212 billion estimated necessary for developing countries up
to 2030.
Future Steps for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

• Strengthening NMHS: Enhancing support for National

Meteorological and Hydrological Services is critical for providing
vital weather and water-related information.

• Science-Based NDCs: Nationally Determined Contributions should

be informed by scientific research to effectively reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and move towards renewable energy.

• Climate Finance at COP-29: At the upcoming COP-29 in Baku,

Azerbaijan, securing sufficient funds is essential to back national
climate strategies, including investment in mitigation, adaptation,
technology shifts, capacity building, and enhancing resilience,
especially for developing nations.
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
Mission:

• Authoritative voice within the UN system for matters related

to:

• Earth's atmosphere and its interaction with oceans.

• Climate and resulting water resource distribution.

• Promotes international cooperation in meteorology,

operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences.
 History:
• Established in 1950, succeeding the International
Meteorological Organization (founded 1873).

• Became a specialised agency of the UN in 1951.

Structure:
• World Meteorological Congress: Supreme body, sets policy and
regulations (meets every 4 years).

• Executive Council: Implements policy (36 members, meets

annually).

• Secretariat: Administrative centre, led by a Secretary-General

(appointed for 4 years).

• Six Regional Associations: Address regional weather and climate

issues.

• Eight Technical Commissions: Oversee specific areas of expertise.

Major Programs:
• World Weather Watch: Monitors weather conditions through a
global network.

• World Climate Programme: Monitors climate change, including

global warming.

• Atmospheric Research and Environment Programme: Promotes

research on environmental issues like ozone depletion.

• Membership: Currently consists of 187 member countries.

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

Model Code of Conduct
The political banners were removed in Delhi after the Model Code of
Conduct came into force.

• Nature of the MCC: The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was created
by the Election Commission of India (ECI) as a part of efforts to
ensure free and fair elections, based on a consensus among major
political parties.
• It lacks statutory backing, making compliance voluntary rather
than legally enforceable.

• Enforcement Authority: The Election Commission of India enforces

the MCC to ensure free and fair elections, as mandated by Article
324 of the Constitution of India.
Model Code of Conduct
• Enforcement Mechanism: The ECI enforces the MCC through
moral persuasion and censure, rather than legal penalties.

• Objective: The MCC aims to prevent the misuse of official

machinery for electoral purposes, electoral offences,
malpractices, and corrupt practices.

• Effective Period: It becomes effective from the announcement

of the election schedule by the Election Commission and
remains in force until the election process is concluded.
Model Code of Conduct
GEOGRAPHICAL APPLICABILITY:

• During Lok Sabha elections, the MCC applies nationwide.

• In the case of state Legislative Assembly elections, it applies

across the concerned state.

• For bye-elections, the MCC is applicable only within the

constituency undergoing the election.
Model Code of Conduct
Process for Alleged Breaches:

• The ECI can issue notices for alleged MCC breaches, either
suo motu or based on complaints.

• Accused individuals or parties must respond in writing,

acknowledging fault with an apology or contesting the
allegations.

• Guilty parties may receive a written censure, considered by

some as a minimal reprimand.
Examples of Enforcement Actions:
• In November 2023, during the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections
campaign, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra received a notice from the ECI
for a potentially violative statement, highlighting the MCC's
application.

• During the 2017 Gujarat elections, both BJP and Congress were
accused of MCC violations, demonstrating the MCC's role in
political discourse.

• In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the ECI banned Amit Shah and
Azam Khan from campaigning for violating the MCC, using its
powers under Article 324 of the Constitution. This action was lifted
following apologies and promises of compliance.
 What are the Restrictions Imposed?
GENERAL CONDUCT:

• Political parties and candidates must base their criticism on the

work record of their opponents, avoiding caste or communal
sentiments.

• The use of places of worship such as Mosques, Churches, Temples,

etc., for election campaigning is strictly prohibited.

• Practices such as bribing, intimidating, or impersonating voters are

forbidden.

• A 48-hour “election silence” period before the polling closes is

mandated to provide a campaign-free environment for voters to
reflect.
What are the Restrictions Imposed?
• Meetings: All political parties and candidates are to conduct their
meetings in a manner that does not disturb public order or violate the
MCC guidelines.

• Processions: The MCC dictates that processions must adhere to

predefined routes and times to avoid clashes and ensure public safety.

• Polling Day: Specific behaviours and actions are regulated on polling

day to ensure orderly and fair voting.

• Polling Booths: The conduct within and in the vicinity of polling booths
is closely monitored to prevent any form of influence or disruption.

• Observers: The MCC outlines the role of observers in ensuring the

integrity of the electoral process, requiring them to report any violations
of the code.
• Party in Power: The party in power is prohibited from using its official
position for campaign purposes. This includes:
• No announcements of policies, projects, or schemes that could
influence voter behaviour.
• Avoiding the use of public funds for campaign advertisements.
• Not using official government transport or machinery for
campaigning.
• Ensuring that public spaces and facilities like helipads are available
to opposition parties under the same terms as the ruling party.
• The ruling government is barred from making any ad-hoc
appointments that could influence voters.

• Election Manifestos: Election manifestos must be drafted and presented

in a manner that does not exploit communal or caste sentiments and
adheres to the overall ethical guidelines of the MCC.
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