Current Affairs

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May, 2023

IA Chief Editor
B. Singh (Ex. IES)
CMD, MADE EASY Group
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Editor
Aniruddh Pratap Singh
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Contents
Heatwave............................................................................................................. 48
Relative Humidity.............................................................................................. 50
Nuclear Power: Debate.......................................................................................7
Green Deposits.................................................................................................. 51
Nuclear Safety.......................................................................................................9
Anti-Copying Law............................................................................................. 52
Nuclear Liability................................................................................................. 11
Kohinoor.............................................................................................................. 53

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Pokhran-II : 25th Anniversary.......................................................................... 13
Washington Declaration................................................................................. 14

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India-Japan Relations....................................................................................... 15
Free and Open Indo-Pacific............................................................................ 16 Unified Airport Security Force....................................................................... 54

India-Bhutan Relations.................................................................................... 17 Maitree Power Plant......................................................................................... 54

India-Germany Relations................................................................................ 18 Indiahandmade Portal..................................................................................... 54

India-Maldives Defence Relations................................................................ 19 LIBOR..................................................................................................................... 55

Polygamy............................................................................................................. 20 Pension Sector in India.................................................................................... 55

World Press Freedom Index........................................................................... 21 Fertilizer Subsidy............................................................................................... 56

Assam-Arunachal Border Dispute................................................................ 22 Draft Sagarmala Innovation and Startup Policy Released................... 56
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North East & Act East Policy........................................................................... 24 Project-SMART................................................................................................... 57

Article 142........................................................................................................... 26 Varieties of Mangoes........................................................................................ 57

Union Public Service Commission............................................................... 27

World Military Expenditure............................................................................ 28
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Model Prisons Act 2023................................................................................... 29
Kaliningrad.......................................................................................................... 59
Logistics Performance Index......................................................................... 30
Arab League........................................................................................................ 59
Gig Economy....................................................................................................... 31
Title 42.................................................................................................................. 60
Sanchar Saathi Initiative................................................................................. 32
California Anti-Caste Bill (SB 403)................................................................. 60
Deep Ocean Mission........................................................................................ 34
Laundromat Countries.................................................................................... 61
PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 Mission.......................................................................... 36
Persona Non Grata............................................................................................ 61
Indian Space Policy, 2023............................................................................... 37
Pakistan Political Crisis.................................................................................... 62
Reusable Launch Vehicle................................................................................ 38
Coronation of Charles III................................................................................. 62
WHO @ 75............................................................................................................ 39
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Kaladan Project.................................................................................................. 62
Right to Health (Rajasthan)............................................................................ 40
G7 Hiroshima Summit...................................................................................... 63
Dengue................................................................................................................. 41
India’s First Water Bodies Census................................................................. 42
State of the Global Climate............................................................................ 43
Sea Level Rise..................................................................................................... 44 MiG-21.................................................................................................................. 64

Great Pacific Garbage Patch........................................................................... 46 Storm Shadow Missiles.................................................................................... 64

ESG Framework.................................................................................................. 47 Guided Bombs.................................................................................................... 65

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iDEX; Mission Defspace; SPRINT................................................................... 65
Common Uniforms in Army........................................................................... 65
Military Exercises............................................................................................... 66
Dual Use Items................................................................................................... 66
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Competition Commission of India............................................................... 67
Death Penalty..................................................................................................... 67
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National Panchayati Raj Day.......................................................................... 68
Parkash Singh Badal......................................................................................... 68
Sovereignty......................................................................................................... 68
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)............................................................. 69
Karnataka Elections.......................................................................................... 69
Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi.................................................................................... 70
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CU-Chayan Portal.............................................................................................. 70
Pre-Term Births................................................................................................... 70
Mahila Samman Saving Certificate Account............................................ 71
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United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).... 71
Survey of OBCs in Odisha............................................................................... 72
Draft National Curriculum Framework for School Education............. 72
Juvenile Delinquency...................................................................................... 73
6 Environment
Gum Arabic......................................................................................................... 74
Black Tigers.......................................................................................................... 74
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark..................................................................... 74
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Meri LiFE App..................................................................................................... 75
Greenwashing.................................................................................................... 75
Permafrost........................................................................................................... 75
Harit Sagar Guidelines..................................................................................... 76
Gharials................................................................................................................. 76
Biosphere Reserves in India........................................................................... 77
List of National Parks in India........................................................................ 78
7 Science & Technology
Molecular Motor................................................................................................ 79
Multi-Drug Resistant-TB (MDR-TB)............................................................... 79
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).................................................................. 80
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)............... 80
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)........................................................ 81
National Medical Devices Policy, 2023....................................................... 81
Saksham............................................................................................................... 81
Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana........................................................................ 82
Psychedelics........................................................................................................ 82
PRET Initiative..................................................................................................... 83
Surrogacy............................................................................................................. 83
National Health Accounts Estimates for India (2019-20)...................... 83
Guaifenesin......................................................................................................... 84
Quasars................................................................................................................. 84
i-Drone Initiative................................................................................................ 85
Carbon Dating, Radiometric Dating, Cosmogenic
Nuclide Dating. . ......................................................................................85
Bard........................................................................................................................ 86
Bluesky.................................................................................................................. 86
Satellite Communication................................................................................ 87
Start Programme............................................................................................... 87
IBM’s New Geospatial Foundation Model.................................................. 87
ISRO Centres and Units in India.................................................................... 88
8 Geography
Galapagos Islands............................................................................................. 89
Zero Shadow Day.............................................................................................. 89
Anji Khad Bridge................................................................................................ 89
Places in News - World (Map)........................................................................ 90
Places in News - India (Map).......................................................................... 92
9 Culture & History
Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT)............ 94
Creation of Maharashtra and Gujarat......................................................... 94
Buddha Purnima................................................................................................ 95
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11 Miscellaneous
First Global Buddhist Summit....................................................................... 95
Santiniketan........................................................................................................ 95
Ananda Nilayam................................................................................................ 96 Diamond League.............................................................................................101
Mridangam.......................................................................................................... 96 Golden Globe Race.........................................................................................101

Samarth Ramdas............................................................................................... 97 Food Street Project.........................................................................................101

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Thirunelli Temple............................................................................................... 97
Thrissur Pooram................................................................................................. 98 12 Data Recap
Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam......................................................................... 98 ..............................................................................................................................102

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10 On this day in History
....................................................................................................................... 99-100 Subjective Questions.....................................................................................103
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 Current Affairs Cover Story
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 COVER STORY
NUCLEAR POWER: DEBATE
Germany has switched off its three remaining nuclear power plants as part of
a long-planned transition toward renewable energy.
About:
• Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an
atom. Atoms are tiny units that make up all matter in the
universe, and energy is what holds the nucleus together.
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There is a huge amount of energy in an atom's dense nucleus.
• Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear
decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority
of electricity from nuclear power is produced by nuclear fission
of uranium and plutonium in nuclear power plants.
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• Nuclear decay processes are used in niche applications
such as radioisotope thermoelectric generators in some
space probes such as Voyager 2.
• Generating electricity from fusion power remains the focus of
international research.
Global Scenario:
• The first commercial nuclear power stations started operation
in the 1950s.
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• Nuclear energy now provides about 10% of the world's
electricity from about 440 power reactors.
• Nuclear is the world's second largest source of low-carbon
power (26% of the total in 2020).
• Over 50 countries utilize nuclear energy in about 220 research
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reactors. In addition to research, these reactors are used for
the production of medical and industrial isotopes, as well as
for training.
Indian Scenario:
• India currently has 22 nuclear reactors with over a dozen
more projects planned. All the existing reactors are operated
by the state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Limited (NPCIL).
• Despite signing civil nuclear deals with a number of countries,
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including the U.S., France and Japan, the only foreign
presence in India is that of Russia in Kudankulam — which
predates the nuclear liability law.
Timeline for the Transition of Germany:
• Followed by the disasters like at Three Mile Island (1979,
United States), Chernobyl (1986, Ukraine-USSR) and Fukushima
(2011, Japan), Germany faced decades of anti-nuclear
protests which pressured successive governments to end the
use of a technology.
• During the Chernobyl reactor accident, Germany was hit
by radioactive fallout. A reactor accident would make large
Cover Story Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
parts of the country uninhabitable. Also, radioactive waste
management is still unsolved in Germany.
• In this background, the nuclear phase-out law was passed IN
2011 with a broad, nonpartisan majority.
• As energy prices spiked last year due to the war in Ukraine,
the closing of the nuclear plants as planned on Dec. 31, 2022
was extended and the final shutdown happened on April 15,
2023.
• Germany is focused on building out its wind and solar energy
production. By 2030, Germany aims to generate 80 percent
of its electricity from renewable energy sources like wind and
solar.
India's Three-Stage Nuclear Power:
• India's three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated
by Homi Bhabha, the well-known physicist, in the 1950s
to secure the country's long term energy independence,
through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the
monazite sands of coastal regions of South India.
• The ultimate focus of the programme is on enabling the
thorium reserves of India to be utilised in meeting the
country's energy requirements.
• Thorium is particularly attractive for India, as India has only
around 1–2% of the global uranium reserves, but one of the
largest shares of global thorium reserves at about 25% of the
world's known thorium reserves. However, thorium is more
difficult to use than uranium as a fuel because it requires
breeding, and global uranium prices remain low enough that
breeding is not cost effective.
Arguments in Favor of Nuclear Energy:
• Energy Security: Nuclear energy with its high power output
can solve the energy crisis that the world is facing today.
The fuel to power output ratio for nuclear energy is incredibly
high. A relatively small amount of uranium can be used to
fuel a 1000 Megawatts electric plant, thus providing enough
electricity to power a city of about half a million people.
• Clean energy: Nuclear power plants have a low greenhouse
gas footprint. The World Nuclear Association found that the
average emissions for nuclear power are 29 tonnes of CO2
per gigawatt-hour (GWh) of energy produced. This compares
favourably with renewable sources like solar (85 tonnes
per GWh) and wind (26 tonnes per GWh) and even more
favourably with fossil fuels like lignite (1,054 tonnes per GWh)
and coal (888 tonnes per GWh).
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• Stable Base Load Energy: It provides a stable base load of
energy. Nuclear energy is widely used in America and makes
up around 20% of all electricity generated in the United States.
This efficient energy source comes from the 98 nuclear power
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reactors dotted around 30 different states in the US.
• Low Operating Costs: Nuclear power produces very
inexpensive electricity and is cheaper than gas, coal, or
any other fossil fuel plants. The cost of the uranium, which
is utilized as a fuel in this process, is low, and it is needed
very little to produce massive power. Also, even though
the expense of setting up nuclear power plants is high, the
expense of running them is quite low.
Arguments against Nuclear Energy:
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• Risky source of energy: The risks of nuclear power are
ultimately uncontrollable. The Chernobyl disaster of 1986 and
Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011 have already shown the
dangers of nuclear power.
• Not Competitive: No one wants to invest in nuclear power
on a large scale “because nuclear power is uncompetitive.”
Building new nuclear power plants is very expensive, often
having to be co-financed by public money, and often plagued
by delays and local resistance to new projects.
• Not really renewable: Uranium, the nuclear fuel that is used to
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produce nuclear energy, is limited and cannot be produced
again and again on demand.
• Misuse of Nuclear Energy: Nuclear technology in the hands
of rogue states and terrorist organizations can create an
existential threat for the whole world.
• Environmental Impact: One of the biggest issues is the
environmental impact in relation to uranium. The process
of mining and refining uranium hasn’t been clean. Actually
transporting nuclear fuel to and from plants involves a
pollution hazard. Also, once the fuel is used, you can’t simply
take it to the landfill – it’s radioactive and dangerous.
• Radioactive Waste Disposal: A nuclear power plant creates 20
metric tons of nuclear fuel per year, and with that comes a
lot of nuclear waste. The greater part of this waste transmits
radiation and high temperature, causing damage to living
things in and around the plants.
Way Ahead:
• Considering security of supply, environmental and climate
protection, as well as competitiveness, having few nuclear
power plants would make more sense than none at all.
• It can be said that the Nuclear energy is here to stay in the
coming future, it is upon humanity to decide whether to use it
wisely or destructively.
 COVER STORY
Cover Story Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023

NUCLEAR SAFETY
Ukraine has launched a counteroffensive to reoccupy the area near the Russian-occupied
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant raising safety concerns.

Nuclear Safety: • Catastrophic scenarios involving terrorist attacks, war, insider

• Nuclear Safety primarily refers to the measures taken to sabotage, and cyberattacks are also conceivable.
ensure the well-being of power reactors and other civilian
Risk from the release of Radioactive Material:
uses of nuclear energy.

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• The risk will depend on factors such as how much material is
• Nuclear safety therefore covers at minimum:
released and how it is spread by wind and weather. The level
 Extraction, transportation, storage, processing, and
of radiation would be highest close to the plant and reduce
disposal of fissionable materials
as it spreads, with those exposed potentially experiencing
 Safety of nuclear power generators
health impacts.
 Control and safe management of nuclear weapons,

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• For those exposed to very high levels of radiation, there is
nuclear material capable of use as a weapon, and other
a risk of acute radiation syndrome, which can be fatal in the
radioactive materials
worst cases. Lower levels of exposure can increase cancer
 Safe handling, accountability and use in industrial,
risks later in life.
medical and research contexts
 Disposal of nuclear waste Anti-Radiation Pills:
 Limitations on exposure to radiation • With fears of a nuclear disaster at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia
power plant growing, the European Union supplied 5.5 million
• Issues of nuclear safety came into prominence after the
anti-radiation pills to be distributed among residents.
Chernobyl meltdown.
• Background:
• Organisations like IAEA and WANO were formed to help
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After a radiation leak, radioactive iodine floats through the
ensure improved safety procedures.
air and then contaminates food, water and soil.
Nuclear Safety vs Nuclear Security: While radioactive iodine deposited during external
• Nuclear Security on the other hand refers to measures taken to exposure can be removed using warm water and soap, the
bigger risk is inhaling it. Internal exposure, or irradiation,
prevent the misuse of nuclear/radiological materials/weapons
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occurs when radioactive iodine enters the body and
including physical protection of sources, among others.
accumulates in the thyroid gland.
• Issues of nuclear security came into prominence in the
• Potassium Iodide (KI) tablets:
aftermath of 9/11.
 Potassium iodide (KI) tablets, or anti-radiation pills, are
• Events like the Nuclear Security Summit have sought to focus
known to provide some protection in cases of radiation
attention on these aspects. The IAEA’s Nuclear Security
exposure.
Fund (NSF) is another prominent initiative, in which India is a
 They contain non-radioactive iodine and can help block
significant partner.
absorption, and subsequent concentration, of radioactive
Threats to Reactors: iodine in the thyroid gland.
 KI pills taken a few hours before or soon after radiation
• Modern nuclear reactors are built to withstand considerable
exposure ensure that non-radioactive iodine in the
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shock and impact. They have several layers of reinforced

steel and concrete, and also elaborate fire security systems.
• Most of these reactors can survive earthquakes of magnitude
8 or higher. They are also designed to shut down automatically
• Limitations
when they sense major natural hazards.
• But the possibility of a major accident is still very real as
can be seen in disasters like at Three Mile Island (1979, US),
Chernobyl (1986, Ukraine-USSR) and Fukushima (2011, Japan).
• A perfect safety cannot be guaranteed. Potential sources of
problems include human errors and natural disasters events
that have a greater impact than anticipated.
medicine is absorbed quickly to make the thyroid “full”
and cannot absorb any more iodine – either stable or
radioactive – for the next 24 hours.
 KI pills are preventive only and cannot reverse any
damage done by radiation to the thyroid gland. Once
thyroid gland absorbs radioactive iodine, those exposed
are at a high risk of developing thyroid cancer.
 Anti-radiation pills do not provide 100% protection. Their
effectiveness depends on how much radioactive iodine gets
into the body and how quickly it is absorbed in the body.

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 The pills are not meant for everybody. They are
recommended for people under 40 years of age.
 While it can protect the thyroid against radioactive iodine, it
cannot protect other organs against radiation contamination.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
• Status: IAEA is an autonomous organization within the United
Nations system. Though governed by its own founding treaty,
the organization reports to both the General Assembly and
the Security Council of the United Nations.
CAG Report on AERB Activities (2012):
• The AERB’s legal status has continued to be that of an
authority subordinate to the central government, which
delegates powers to it. AERB does not have the authority
to frame or revise rules on nuclear and radiation safety.
The government should ensure that the nuclear regulator is
independent and empowered by creating it through law.
• The maximum fines were too low to serve as deterrents
against offences related to nuclear and radiation facilities.

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The maximum amount of fines that can be levied as per the
• Mandate: It has three main missions:
Atomic Energy Act may be reviewed.
 Peaceful uses: Promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear
• There were no mechanisms in place to ensure that: (a)
energy by its member states,
 Safeguards: Implementing safeguards to verify that radioactive waste had been safely disposed after utilisation;
nuclear energy is not used for military purposes, and (b) sources for which consents for transport of radioactive

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 Nuclear safety: Promoting high standards for nuclear material had been given had been disposed; (c) radioactive
safety. sources did not get out of regulatory control.

• History: The IAEA was created in 1957. The Agency’s genesis • There is no legislative framework in India for decommissioning
was U.S. President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” address power plants. CAG recommended that the timelines be
to the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1953. established for nuclear power plants to prepare and get
approval for their decommissioning plans.
• It is headquartered at the UN Office at Vienna, Austria.
• AERB can strengthen the process of regulatory inspections
• In 2005, the IAEA and its administrative head, Director General
of nuclear and radiation facilities by: (a) prescribing
Mohamed ElBaradei, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
timetables for inspections; (b) undertaking inspections under
• The IAEA Convention on Nuclear Safety was adopted in Vienna
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IAEA norms; and (c) ensuring timely issuance of regulatory
in 1994 and entered into force in 1996.
inspection reports.
World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO):
ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR PLANT
• The WANO is a non profit, international organisation with a
• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant is located in southern Ukraine
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mission to maximize the safety and reliability of the world’s
commercial nuclear power plants. on the banks of Kakhovka reservoir on the Dnipro river. It
is located 200-km from Russia-annexed Crimea, and 500-
• The organization’s members are mainly owners and operators
odd km from Ukraine’s capital Kyiv.
of nuclear power plants.
• The plant is Europe’s largest, and 10th biggest in the
• It was established on 15 May, 1989 following the nuclear
accident at Chernobyl (Ukraine). world. Before the war started, it produced half of Ukraine’s
power with a total capacity of 5,700 MW. The plant has six
• Headquarters London, United Kingdom
reactors with a capacity of 950 MW each.
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB):
• It was constituted in 1983 by the President of India by
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exercising the powers conferred by the Atomic Energy Act,

1962.
• The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and
notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962
and the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The headquarters is in Mumbai.
• The mission of the Board is to ensure that the use of ionising
radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue
risk to health and the environment.
• Currently, the Board consists of a full-time Chairman, an ex
officio Member, three part-time Members and a Secretary.

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 COVER STORY
NUCLEAR LIABILITY
The issues regarding India’s nuclear liability law continue to hold up the plan to
build six nuclear power reactors in Maharashtra’s Jaitapur.
Civil Nuclear Liability Laws:
• Laws on civil nuclear liability ensure that compensation is
available to the victims for nuclear damage caused by a
nuclear incident or disaster and set out who will be liable for
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those damages.
• The international nuclear liability regime consists of multiple
treaties and was strengthened after the 1986 Chernobyl
nuclear accident.
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Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC):
• The umbrella Convention on Supplementary Compensation
(CSC) was adopted in 1997 with the aim of establishing a
minimum national compensation amount.
• The amount can further be increased through public funds,
(to be made available by the contracting parties), should the
national amount be insufficient to compensate the damage
caused by a nuclear incident.
• Even though India was a signatory to the CSC, Parliament
ratified the convention only in 2016.
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Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act:
• To keep in line with the international convention, India
enacted the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA)
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in 2010, to put in place a speedy compensation mechanism
for victims of a nuclear accident.
• The CLNDA provides for strict and no-fault liability on the
operator of the nuclear plant, where it will be held liable for
damage regardless of any fault on its part.
• It also specifies the amount the operator will have to shell out
in case of damage caused by an accident at ₹1,500 crore
and requires the operator to cover liability through insurance
or other financial security.
• In case the damage claims exceed ₹1,500 crore, the CLNDA
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expects the government to step in and has limited the
government liability amount to the rupee equivalent of 300
million Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) or about ₹2,300 crore.
• The Act also specifies the limitations on the amount and time
when action for compensation can be brought against the
operator.
Supplier Liability: Global Scenario
• The international legal framework on civil nuclear liability,
including the annex of the CSC is based on the central
principle of exclusive liability of the operator of a nuclear
installation and no other person.
Cover Story Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• There are various reasons for accepting the exclusive
operator liability principle by various foreign governments:
 Firstly, excessive liability claims against suppliers of
nuclear equipment would make their business unviable
and hinder the growth of nuclear energy.
 This would avoid legal complications in establishing
separate liability in each case.
 Another reason was to make just one entity in the chain,
that is the operator to take out insurance, instead of
having suppliers, construction contractors and so on take
out their own insurance.
• Exceptions:
 Thus, it is an accepted practice for national laws of
countries to channel nuclear liability to the operators of
the plant with only some exceptions.
 Section 10 of the annex of the CSC lays down “only”
two conditions under which the national law of a country
may provide the operator with the “right of recourse”,
where they can extract liability from the supplier — one,
if it is expressly agreed upon in the contract or two, if the
nuclear incident “results from an act or omission done with
intent to cause damage”.
Supplier Liability: Indian Scenario
• India, going beyond these two conditions mentioned in the
annex of CSC, for the first time introduced the concept of
supplier liability over and above that of the operator’s in its
civil nuclear liability law, the CLNDA.
• The architects of the law recognised that defective parts were
partly responsible for historical incidents such as the Bhopal
gas tragedy in 1984 and added the clause on supplier liability.
• Apart from the contractual right of recourse or when “intent to
cause damage” is established, the CLNDA has a Section 17(b).
• Section 17(b) states that the operator of the nuclear plant,
after paying their share of compensation for damage in
accordance with the Act, shall have the right of recourse
where the “nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence
of an act of supplier or his employee, which includes supply
of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or sub-
standard services”.
Criticism of Supplier Liability clause on India:
• Foreign suppliers of nuclear equipment from countries as well
as domestic suppliers have been wary of operationalising
nuclear deals with India as it has the only law where suppliers
can be asked to pay damages.
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• Concerns about potentially getting exposed to unlimited
liability under the CLNDA and ambiguity over how much
insurance to set aside in case of damage claims have been
sticking points for suppliers.
• Suppliers have taken issue with two specific provisions in the
law, Section 17(b) and Section 46.
• Section 46 goes against the Act’s central purpose of serving
as a special mechanism enforcing the channelling of liability
to the operator to ensure prompt compensation for victims.
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• It provides that nothing would prevent proceedings other
than those which can be brought under the Act, to be brought
against the operator.
• In the absence of a comprehensive definition on the types of
‘nuclear damage’ being notified by the Central Government,
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Section 46 potentially allows civil liability claims to be brought
against the operator and suppliers through other civil laws
such as the law of tort.
• While liability for operators is capped by the CLNDA, this
exposes suppliers to unlimited amounts of liability.
View of Government of India:
• The central government has maintained that the Indian law is
in consonance with the CSC.
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• About Section 17(b), it said that the provision “permits” but
“does not require” an operator to include in the contract or
exercise the right to recourse.
• However, legal experts have pointed out that a plain reading
of Section 17 of the CLNDA suggests the supplier can be sued
if defective equipment provided or if it can be established
that the damage resulted from an act of intent.
JAITAPUR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
• Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project is a proposed nuclear
power plant in India.
• If built, it would be the largest nuclear power generating
station in the world by net generation capacity, at 9,900MW.
• The power project is proposed by Nuclear Power
Corporation of India (NPCIL) and would be built at Madban
village of Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra.
• The project has been stuck for more than a decade. The
original MoU was signed in 2009 with EDF’s predecessor
Areva for the construction of European Pressurized
Reactors and the supply of nuclear fuel for 25 years.
• In 2016, EDF and NPCIL signed a revised MoU, and in
2018, the heads of both signed an agreement on the
“industrial way forward”.
 COVER STORY
POKHRAN-II : 25 ANNIVERSARY
25 years ago, in May 1998, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced
that India had conducted three nuclear tests at Pokhran.
About:
• Pokhran-II (a.k.a Operation Shakti-98) is the name assigned to
the series of five nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by
India at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range in May 1998.
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• On May 11, 1998, India carried out three nuclear tests.
Two days later, India carried out two more tests. Of the five
detonations, the first was a fusion bomb and the remaining
four were fission bombs.
• Subsequently, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
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declared India a full-fledged nuclear state.
• The key men behind the triumph of ‘Operation Shakti’ were:
APJ Abdul Kalam, Chief of the DRDO; R Chidambaram, Chief
of the Atomic Energy Commission; K Santhanam, mission
Director; and Anil Kakodkar, Director of BARC.
• The three top politicians in the NDA Government who decided
to conduct the tests were Prime Minister AB Vajpayee; Defence
Minister George Fernandes and Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh.
Nuclear Doctrine:
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In the wake of the Shakti tests India released a draft nuclear
doctrine. Its salient features are:
1. India would maintain a minimum but Credible nuclear deterrence
(concerns about the possible disruption of peace requires a
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deterrence capability to ensure the pursuit of development).
2. To achieve this India did not require further testing and hence
it was accepting a voluntary moratorium on further nuclear
testing.
3. India would adhere to a 'no first use' doctrine as regards
nuclear weapons.
4. Finally, India continued with its commitment to global nuclear
disarmament.
Reasons for conducting it:
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• Nuclear adversaries as neighbours: By the late 1990s India was
faced with a situation in which two neighbours with whom it
had fought wars, Pakistan and China, already had nuclear
weapons. Post 1974, Pakistan had actively started acquiring
nuclear weapons with the help of China.
• CTBT: In the 1990s, India had come under pressure from the
US and Western nations to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty (CTBT) that sought to embargo all nuclear testing. That
brought in a tricky situation. If India signed on to CTBT, then
India would have been closing its nuclear option for ever. If
India refused to sign, then India would have to explicitly state
why it didn't want to sign.
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Edition: May, 2023
th
• Ending ambiguity: India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974
at Pokhran which was called a Peaceful Nuclear Explosion
(PNE). By conducting it, India demonstrated its capability to
produce a nuclear bomb. But it simultaneously stated that it
would not produce a nuclear bomb. This created a sense of
uncertainty about India's real intentions, which changed with
operation Shakti.
Significance:
• It is said that India got political freedom in 1947, economic
freedom in early 1990s and technological freedom post-1998.
• India’s stature globally has gone up. India is always cited as
a country that followed the rules by adherence to the non-
proliferation regime, despite not being a signatory to the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• Foreign policy impact: The tests also enabled a historic shift
in bilateral relations with the US. The single most important
outcome from 1998 tests came in the form of ‘Indo-U.S.
nuclear deal’.
• Nuclear Triad: At the strategic front, India has made impressive
advances toward deploying a nuclear triad of land, air, and
sea-based assets to build a Credible Minimum Deterrence
(CMD).
• Membership of MECR: India is now a member of three
out of four multilateral export control regimes (MECR) —
Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Wassenaar
Arrangement, Australia Group — and is in the reckoning for
membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
• Access to international technology: Prior to this happening,
even obtaining a high-end computer from abroad was a no-
no. This has all changed. Now there has been a growing
engagement on the high-tech sectors of defence, space and
atomic energy.
Is India responsible for a Nuclear Pakistan?
• Chagai-I is the code name of five simultaneous underground
nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan on 28 May 1998. It was
Pakistan's first public test of nuclear weapons.
• The argument that Pakistan would not have gone nuclear
if India had not tested does not hold. Pakistan had nuclear
weapons much before 1998 and it was in public knowledge.
• They had not tested because they did not need to, as they
received weapons of proven design from China. But India
needed to conduct tests as India was developing weapons
through its own R&D.
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 COVER STORY
Current Affairs Cover Story
Edition: May, 2023
WASHINGTON DECLARATION
On the occasion of 70th anniversary of U.S.-South Korea bilateral relations,
“Washington Declaration” was signed as a nuclear deterrence strategy.
About:
• In April 2023, President Joseph R. Biden of the United States
and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the South Korea celebrated
the 70th anniversary of the US– South Korea multidimensional
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‘Iron-clad’ alliance. President Yoon travelled to Washington
for the event.
• The Washington Declaration, signed during the visit of President
Yoon, reinforces the US–South Korea security alliance and
strengthens commitment towards nuclear deterrence against
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North Korea’s provocative missile launches.
Features:
• In the Declaration, the United States has committed to
consult South Korea with regard to potential deployment
or movement of nuclear assets in and around the Korean
Peninsula. In return South Korea expressed “full confidence”
and “enduring reliance” on US extended nuclear deterrence.
• According to the declaration, an American nuclear ballistic
submarine would be deployed in the Korean peninsula.
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• Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) will be established in order
to give effect to a cooperative decision making on nuclear
deterrence, information sharing and increased dialogues for
strategic planning.
• South Korea would receive Intel from the U.S. regarding
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nuclear advancements.
• The U.S. will strengthen South Korea’s nuclear deterrence
capabilities through joint military training programs and an
annual intergovernmental simulation.
• The declaration reaffirmed the Non-Proliferation Treaty implying
that South Korea would not venture into the creation of its own
independent nuclear capabilities and would instead focus on
deterrence measures through an alliance-based approach.
• It also mandates the U.S. President as the only ‘sole authority’
to use the nuclear arsenal of the U.S. in the event of a nuclear
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confrontation.
Reasons for North Korea:
• The Declaration comes in the backdrop of intensified calls for
nuclear acquisition in South Korea. Surveys note that more
than 70 per cent of South Korean population support having
nuclear weapons.
• In January this year, President Yoon stated that it is possible
that ROK will acquire tactical nuclear weapons or build them
on our own.
• President Yoon’s explicit remarks relating to nuclear
weapons acquisition was on expected lines given North
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Korea’s barrage of missile tests last year (above 70). North
Korea has conducted 30 tests so far this year, including the
most powerful solid-fuelled, Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile
(ICBM), Hwasong 18.
Reasons for United States:
• After AUKUS, under which US (along with UK) will provide
nuclear submarine technology to Australia, this signals the
US is further reinforcing its hard military power in the Indo-
Pacific and Northeast Asian waters.
• The US reinforcing security commitments has been
necessitated by last year’s unprecedented medium to Inter-
Continental Ballistic Missile tests by North Korea. Some
of these missiles landed within or near Japanese or South
Korean Exclusive Economic Zones.
• US concerns regarding Chinese military adventurism against
Taiwan have also been expressed in recent past. China has
also conducted military drills in the Taiwan Strait, in response
to US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022.
Why is the U.S. not interested on South Korea having
a Nuclear Arsenal?
• The U.S. wants to control global nuclear arms production. It
has been reluctant to allow South Korea to develop their own
nuclear arsenal as it would hinder the prolonged efforts of
controlling nuclear production in the world.
• The assurance that the U.S. and its nuclear weapons would
protect its allies by being responsible for maintaining
stability in the region aligns with the larger goal of non-
proliferation.
• The U.S. plays a major influence in South Korea’s foreign policy
objectives, and South Korea would rather not disappoint the
U.S. as they are a vital supporter of their cause.
Responses:
• The South Korean public are sceptic about U.S. support. With
an aggressive North Korea in the neighbourhood, they would
prefer to build their own nuclear weapons.
• North Korea criticised the provisions of the Washington
Declaration, referring to it as “vicious hostile policy” exposing
peace and security in northeast Asian region. North Korea
charged President Yoon with incompetence and blamed him
for putting “security in danger”.
• Russia and China also criticised the Washington Declaration as
a ‘Cold War mentality’ that will ‘jeopardise Korean Peninsula
peace and stability’.
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INDIA-JAPAN RELATIONS
In March 2023, PM of Japan, Kishida Fumio, visited India and held Japan-India
Summit Meeting with PM Modi. Key Highlights of the meeting are mentioned below.
Diplomatic Relations:
• This was Kishida Fumio’s first visit to India as the Prime Minister.
• The two sides celebrated the 70th anniversary of the
establishment of India-Japan diplomatic relations.
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• In 2023, India is chairing the G20, and Japan is chairing the G7.
Thus, the two leaders agreed for maximum utilisation of this
opportunity. PM Kishida extended his invitation to PM Modi to
participate in the G7 Hiroshima Summit which was accepted.
Strategic Partners:
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• Japan and India are “Special Strategic and Global Partners.”
• During the visit, Japan’s PM Kishida unveiled the Japan’s
New Plan for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific with India, as an
Indispensable Partner.
• India and Japan are also a part of the Quadrilateral Strategic
Dialogue (QUAD), alongside Australia and the United States.
Chinese Challenge:
• China is the biggest common challenge India and Japan face
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in protecting their territorial integrity and economic security.
There is China's assertion on Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh
in the Himalayas, and Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
• Japan is also wary of China's territorial-military claim on the
entire South China Sea which is crucial for global trade.
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Differing Views on Ukraine:
• Japan wants more sanctions against Russia. But as G-20
chair, India has prevented the forum from being used for any
such announcement.
• India has not blamed Russia for the Ukraine war, and also defied
the Japan-West bloc by purchasing cheaper oil from Russia.
Defence Cooperation:
• The second Japan-India Foreign Ministers and defence
Ministers Meeting (2+2) held in September 2022.
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• In November 2022, India took part in the International Fleet
Review in Japan and the Malabar exercise off the Coast of
Japan. This was preceded by the JIMEX between the two
navies in September 2022.
• The first fighter jet exercise "Veer Guardian" was successfully
conducted in January 2023. This was followed closely by the
4th "Dharma Guardian" army exercise, which was conducted
for the first time in Japan.
Economic Cooperation:
• The two leaders welcomed the steady progress made toward
the 5-trillion-yen target of public and private investment and
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
financing from Japan to India in the next five years, which was
set in March 2022.
• They also reviewed the India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness
Partnership, which was set up in 2019 for increasing the
competitiveness of Indian industry in areas such as logistics,
food processing, MSME, textiles, machinery and steel.
• The two leaders welcomed the signing of a 300-billion-yen
loan for the Project for Construction of Japan’s Shinkansen
system high-speed rail between Mumbai in Maharashtra and
Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
• The two leaders confirmed to promote energy security,
carbon neutrality and economic growth between the two
countries under the “India-Japan Clean Energy Partnership”
announced in 2022. They also confirmed their intention to
build a Joint Crediting Mechanism.
DO YOU KNOW?
• The bilateral trade between India and Japan stood at
USD 20.75 billion in 2022. Of this volume, India imported
Japanese goods worth $14.49 billion.
• Japan is the 5th largest investor in India.
• India is also the largest recipient of Japanese Official
Development Assistance (ODA).
Supply Chain:
• They also discussed on the importance of reliable supply
chains in semiconductor and other critical technologies.
• The Trade Ministers of India, Japan and Australia launched
the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) in 2021. The
initiative seeks to enhance the resilience of supply chains in
the Indo-Pacific Region.
North-Eastern Region:
• Cooperation on the development of the North-eastern region
of India, through the Japan-India Act East Forum.
• A decision was taken in the 2017 Summit to establish the
India-Japan Act East Forum to coordinate developmental
projects in North-East India in areas of connectivity, forest
management, disaster risk reduction and capacity building.
Culture:
• PM Kishida welcomed the amended MoU signed between
Japan and India for the promotion of the Japanese
LanguageEducation in India.
• Promotion of tourism exchanges by designating the year
2023 as the “Japan-India tourism exchange year” with the
theme "Connecting Himalayas with Mount Fuji".
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Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC
In March 2023, Japan’s PM Kishida unveiled the Japanese plan for a
Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) in concrete terms.
About:
• Free and Open Indo-Pacific is an umbrella term that
encompasses Indo-Pacific-specific strategies of countries
with similar interests in the region.
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• The "Indo-Pacific" emerged in the context of Weimar German
geopolitics in the 1920s-1930s.
• Former PM of Japan Shinzo Abe introduced the FOIP concept
and formally put it down as a strategy in 2016.
• In 2019 the United States published a document formalizing
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its concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• Since then, multiple countries in regions from the European
Union to Southeast Asia, have referred to the Indo-Pacific in
national security or foreign policy documents.
Japan's version of FOIP: March 2023
• In March 2023, Japan’s PM Kishida unveiled the Japanese
plan for a FOIP while delivering his speech entitled “The Future
of the Indo-Pacific-Japan’s New Plan for a ‘Free and Open
Indo-Pacific-Together with India, as an Indispensable Partner”.
T
• He explained that the concept of FOIP is important for
enhancing cooperation in the world community rather than
toward division and confrontation.
• Stability and prosperity in the international community can be
created by combining two continents — Asia and Africa —
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and two oceans — Pacific and Indian.
• He underlined that the core principles of the FOIP include
defending freedom and rule of law and respecting diversity,
inclusiveness, and openness. Under it, Japan plans to mobilise
a total of U.S. $75 billion in public and private funds by 2030.
Four Pillars of FOIP:
He announced the “New” four pillars of FOIP.
• The first pillar is the “principles for peace and rules for prosperity”.
It includes respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and
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opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo by force.
• The second pillar constitutes “challenges in an Indo-Pacific way”.
This pillar emphasises cooperation to face increasing challenges
to global commons such as climate and the environment, global
health, cyberspace and defending peace. For this, Japan
has decided to provide 50 mn USD in emergency food aid to
support vulnerable countries in Asia and Ukraine.
• The third pillar is “multi-layered connectivity”. It is the
core element of cooperation for FOIP and is important for
economic growth. Under this, Japan would focus on three
regions: (1) Southeast Asia, (2) South Asia with special focus
on Northeast India and (3) Pacific Islands region.
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• The fourth pillar is “extending efforts for security and safe use
of the sea to the air.” The aim is to free the oceans from the
growing geopolitical risks. States should clarify their claims
based on international law, should not use force or coercion,
and settle disputes by peaceful means.
ASEAN Centrality:
• Japan’s PM Kishida also underlines the importance of
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) centrality
and unity for stability and prosperity of the region as a whole.
• In his India visit, PM Kishida announced a new contribution of
USD 100mn to the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund.
Connectivity:
• Japan sees enhancing connectivity as an important way
through which ASEAN could be used as a hinge to secure
regional stability and achieve prosperity between Asia & Africa.
• Its major connectivity initiatives involve East-West Economic
Corridor, Southern Economic Corridor (South West Asia),
North East Connectivity Improvement Project (India), Bay of
Bengal Industrial Growth Zone, Mombasa/Northern Corridor, etc.
Role of India:
• Japan’s PM Kishida also remarked that to achieve the
objectives of FOIP, “India is an indispensable partner.” He
mentioned coordinating with India for projects as a part of a
“Bay of Bengal-Northeast India industrial value chain” concept.
• Japan’s concept of FOIP is like India’s concept of Indo-Pacific
Oceans Initiative (IPOI), which has seven pillars: Maritime
Security; Maritime Ecology; Maritime Resources; Capacity
Building and Resource Sharing; Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management; Science, Technology and Academic
Cooperation; and Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport.
• Broadly, both cover the same fields. Both aim at economic
growth of the region with a rule-based order governing the
region. Japan has also assured investment for infrastructure
development. The centrality of ASEAN is common in both
concepts.
Concluding remarks:
• Japan remains one of India’s closest friends in Asia given
their shared concerns over the aggressive Chinese activities.
It is also an important partner for investments in key projects.
• With Japan announcing its concept of FOIP, along with
necessary investments, it is hoped that soon there will be a
visible progress in reducing tension in the South China Sea,
which needs urgent attention in view of spiralling tensions.
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INDIA-BHUTAN RELATIONS
In April 2023, The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck paid an official visit to India.
Diplomatic Ties:
• Formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan were
established in 1968. The basic framework of India-Bhutan
relations is the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in
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1949 between the two countries, which was renewed in 2007.
• There have been regular high-level exchanges between the
two countries.
Economic Cooperation:
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• India is Bhutan’s largest trading partner. The 2017 Bilateral
Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India
and Bhutan provides for a free trade regime between the two
countries and also duty free transit of Bhutanese merchandise
for trade with third countries.
• The full interoperability of the flagship digital project RuPay
has been successfully completed in Bhutan. It became the
second country to launch the BHIM app.
• Guided by the philosophy of Gross National Happiness,
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Bhutan is set to graduate from the Least Developed Country
(LDC) category this year and embark on the path towards
becoming a high income economy. India assured that it
would remain a reliable partner of Bhutan on this journey.
• India has been extending economic assistance to Bhutan’s
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socio-economic development since 1960s. India has agreed
to provide funds to support Bhutan’s 13th Five Year Plan.
• India has agreed to Bhutan's request of Standby Credit Facility
(SCF) for a period of five years. It welcomed the additional
currency swap support of USD 200 Million provided by India.
• The two sides will explore arrangements for assured supply
of critical commodities to Bhutan such as petroleum, fertilizers,
and coal.
Hydropower cooperation:
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• Hydroelectric cooperation has been the cornerstone of India-
Bhutan bilateral economic partnership whereby Bhutan
receives steady stream of revenue from the sale of power from
hydropower plants which have been jointly developed and
India benefits from the assured supply of energy. Hydropower
projects totalling 2136 MW have been jointly set up.
• Both sides welcomed the recent handing over of 720 MW
Mangdechhu project to Bhutan. The 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-
II project is expected to be commissioned by 2024.
• Both sides expressed their commitment towards the proposed
trilateral hydropower cooperation among Bhutan, Bangladesh
and India.
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Non-Hydro Renewables:
• Both sides agreed to extend energy partnership in area of
non-hydro renewables and in green initiatives for e-mobility.
• The Indian side assured necessary technical and financial
assistance for projects in these areas.
Connectivity:
• The first Integrated Check Post along India-Bhutan border will
be setup near Jaigaon and Phuntsholing, through GoI support
along with development of mirror facilities on the Bhutanese side.
• Indian Railways will implement the project on cross border rail
link connecting Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Bhutan. This
will be the first ever rail link between India and Bhutan.
• Inland waterways connectivity will be developed to enhance
bilateral and regional trade.
• Additional Foreigners Check posts will be opened between
Bhutan and Assam to facilitate the entry and exit of third
country nationals between India and Bhutan by land route.
• The Third International Internet Gateway for Bhutan will be
operationalized soon, for which, GoI is extending a concessional
rate to reduce the cost of operations of the gateway.
Startups, Space and STEM Education:
• Bilateral partnership is expanding into new sectors of Space,
Startups and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) education.
• Both sides welcomed the recent launch of the first satellite
jointly developed by India and Bhutan and the inauguration
of the satellite’s ground earth station in Thimphu.
• They agreed to deepen the partnership in the space technology
sector by finalizing a Joint Plan of Action expeditiously.
Security Ties:
• Bhutan’s military is trained by the Indian Armed Forces, and
having no air force of its own, it relies on India for air defence.
• Bhutan has assisted India in quelling regional turmoil, most
famously in 2003 when its army dislodged rebels who had
been raiding Assam from Bhutanese territory.
• India also relies on Bhutan as a bulwark against Chinese
security threats in the Himalayas.
Cultural Ties:
• Buddhist Links: A number of Bhutanese pilgrims travel to
Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Sikkim, Udayagiri etc.
• Education: Over 950 scholarships are being provided annually
by GoI for Bhutanese students to study in India.
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Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
INDIA-GERMANY RELATIONS
The Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, paid a State visit to India in February 2023.
Key highlights of the visit:
• This was the first standalone visit of a German Chancellor
to India since the biennial Inter-Governmental Consultation
(IGC) mechanism commenced in 2011.
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• MoU was signed between Skill Council of Green Jobs and
Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V.
• Letter of Intent was signed for Cooperation in Green Hydrogen
and Clean Energy Technologies.
• It was announced that the next Asia-Pacific Conference of
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German Businesses (APK) will be hosted in India in 2024.
• Vision document to Enhance Cooperation in Innovation and
Technology was released with following five focus areas:
1. Energy partnership and clean technologies including
green hydrogen.
2. Strengthening the framework and ecosystem for
technology related industry to thrive.
3. Digital technologies including, fintech.
4. Artificial intelligence (AI).
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5. Collaboration on the next generation of telecom
technologies, i.e. 5G, 6G, etc.
Overview of Relations:
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• Diplomatic Ties: India was among the first countries to
recognize the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) after the
Second World War (WWII). Diplomatic relations between
India and the former FRG were established in 1952.
• The biennial Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) were
launched in 2011. It is a whole-of-government framework
under which Ministers from both countries hold discussions
in their respective areas of responsibility and report on the
outcome of discussions to the Prime Minister and Chancellor.
• Strategic Ties: India and Germany are 'Strategic Partners'
since 2001. A Track 1.5 Strategic Dialogue has been
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established to enable key stakeholders to engage annually in
an open exchange of views.
• Economic ties: Germany is India’s largest trade partner in
Europe and also among the top investors in India. Germany is
also India’s second largest development cooperation partner.
• Environment: The Green and Sustainable Development
Partnership (GSDP) was announced in 2022 during the visit
of PM Modi to Germany to provide guidance in climate action
and in the field of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Germany has joined the Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure (CDRI) and International Solar Alliance (ISA).
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• Education: Germany has emerged as a favoured destination
for Indians to pursue higher education, especially in Science
and Technology. The migration and mobility partnership
agreement was signed in December 2022 to enhance
people-to-people ties and connectivity of skilful talents.
• Culture: India and Germany also have strong cultural connect,
with a long tradition of German Indologists working on India.
Max Mueller was the first scholar of Indo-European languages
to translate and publish Upanishads and Rigveda. Indian films
and artists regularly feature at the Berlin International Film
Festival. Homeopathy is an alternative medical system that
was developed in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann in Germany.
• Historical Ties: The Berlin Committee, later known as the Indian
Independence Committee was an organisation formed in
Germany in 1914 during World War I by political activists residing
in the country to promote the cause of Indian Independence. It
came to be an integral part of the Hindu–German Conspiracy.
• Multilateral cooperation: Germany and India support each
other on UNSC expansion within the framework of the G-4.
India and Germany are increasing mutual cooperation under
the Triangular Development Cooperation for the development
of third countries.
MAKE IN INDIA MITTELSTAND (MIIM)
• A Market Entry Support Programme, the “Make in India
Mittelstand” (MIIM) for German Mittelstand (SMEs)
and Family Owned Businesses is being implemented
by Embassy of India, Berlin to support high potential
Mittelstand companies with medium to long term potential
for manufacturing in India.
• Mittelstand refers to a group of stable business enterprises
in Germany, Austria and Switzerland that have proved
successful in enduring economic change and turbulence.
Importance of Ties:
• The technological advances made by Germany and its
prowess in manufacturing makes it a natural partner for
India’s economic development and growth. India also sees
Germany as an important partner for trade and investment
and for scientific research and collaboration.
• Germany considers India as a regional & aspiring global power,
and a large market which acts as an alternative to China.
• In an increasingly uncertain world, Germany recognises the
importance of India as a democracy with shared interest in
multilateralism and a rules-based international order.
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INDIA-MALDIVES DEFENCE RELATIONS
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a three-day official visit to the Maldives in May 2023
to bolster the longstanding defence cooperation between the two countries.
Key Highlights of the Visit:
• He attended a formal ceremony to hand over an Offshore
Patrol Vessel, along with an assault landing craft and
inaugurate the India-assisted development project of the
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Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard
Harbour and repair facility at Sifavaru.
• Both sides agreed to explore additional avenues for
cooperation in the areas of defence trade, capacity building
and joint exercises.
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Timeline:
• The foundation of a strong defence and security cooperation
between the two countries was laid down in 1988 when India
launched “Operation Cactus” to provide military assistance
to thwart a coup attempt at the request of the government of
Maldives.
• The defence cooperation between India and the Maldives
has increased since 1988 and has only expanded with
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subsequent Maldivian governments.
• A Comprehensive Action Plan for Defence was signed
between the two countries in 2016 to consolidate the defence
partnership.
• However, the defence and security ties between the
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two countries reached a new level of dynamism and
unpredictability from last few years due to internal political
upheaval in Maldives and Chinese presence.
Areas of Defence Cooperation:
• India assists the MNDF with defence infrastructure and radars;
supplying military hardware and equipment; organising
institutionalised high-level engagements and joint-exercises;
joint patrolling and surveillance of Maldives’ EEZ; information
sharing, exchange programmes; frequent ship visits, and
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medical training and assistance to MNDF personnel.
• India also offers assistance with humanitarian and disaster
response, search and rescue operations, hydrographic
mapping, and maritime domain awareness.
• Both militaries also cooperate in platforms like the Indian
Ocean Naval Symposium, Indian Ocean Rim Association,
and Goa Maritime Conclave.
• Overall, India provides the largest training opportunities
for the MNDF cadres, meeting around 70 percent of their
requirements. In the past 10 years alone, India has trained
over 1,400 MNDF personnel.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
Reason for Defence Cooperation:
• The Maldives remains aware of its geographical vulnerabilities
and lack of capabilities to safeguard its Exclusive Economic
Zones (EEZs). It has continued to look upon its largest
neighbour, India, to assist with the same.
• As the Maldives witnesses increasing challenges of drug
trafficking and illegal fishing, India continues to be its
strongest defence partner.
• On the other hand, India uses this cooperation and assistance
to reinforce its influence as a regional power and net security
provider.
• It also provides an opportunity for India to keep a check on
China’s increasing activities in the Indian Ocean and also
mitigate transnational threats such as extremism, illegal
fishing, and drugs and arms trafficking.
Challenges:
• Things started to change during Yameen’s regime (2013-
2018) due to his de-facto pro-China policy.
• India’s criticism of Yameen’s emergency declaration in 2018
only worsened this equation.
• He used China to push back against India’s possible
intervention, attempted to establish a Chinese Observation
Station in the Maldives, and also discussed the possibilities
of joint patrols of the Maldivian EEZ with Pakistan.
• Following it, Yameen also asked India to withdraw its
helicopters and personnel from the Maldives. These
demands were triggered by China’s reservations against
India’s presence and influence in the island nation.
• But with Yameen in Opposition since 2018, India’s defence
partnership and assistance have been politicised more
than at any other time in the past. Yameen and his loyalists
launched the “India Out campaign” and have criticised India
and President Solih for breaching Maldives’ sovereignty
through this defence partnership.
Way Ahead:
• As the Maldives heads to elections in September, its polity
continues to witness some unpredictable winds of change.
Qasim Ibrahim, who has maintained a neutral stance during
the India Out campaign is running for the next presidency.
• The future of the cooperation will largely depend on India
and the Maldives’ capability to revert this cooperation to non-
partisan levels.
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 Polity & Gov
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023

POLYGAMY
Assam Chief Minister has said that the state government will move to
ban the practice of polygamy through “legislative action”.

About: • Section 495 of the IPC protects the rights of the second wife
• Polygamy is the practice of marrying multiple spouses. in case of a bigamous marriage by fraudulent means.

• When a man is married to more than one wife at the same Hindu Marriage Act, 1955:
time, sociologists call this polygyny.

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• Section 5 (“Conditions for a Hindu marriage”) of the Hindu
• When a woman is married to more than one husband at a Marriage Act lays down that “a marriage may be solemnized
time, it is called polyandry. between any two Hindus, if…[among other conditions] neither
• In contrast to polygamy, monogamy is marriage consisting of party has a spouse living at the time of the marriage”.
only two parties.
• Under Section 17 of the HMA bigamy is an offence, “and the

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provisions of sections 494 and 495 of the Indian Penal Code,
Prevalence in India:
1860, shall apply accordingly”.
• Traditionally, polygamy — mainly the situation of a man
• However, despite bigamy being an offence, the child born
having more than one wife — was practised widely in India.
from the bigamous marriage would acquire the same rights
• The National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-20) showed the
as a child from the first marriage under the law.
prevalence of polygamy was 2.1% among Christians, 1.9%
• A crucial exception to the bigamy law for Hindus is Goa, which
among Muslims, 1.3% among Hindus, and 1.6% among other
follows its own code for personal laws. So, a Hindu man in the
religious groups.
state has the right to bigamy under specific circumstances
• The data showed that the highest prevalence of polygynous
mentioned in the Codes of Usages and Customs of Gentile
marriages was in the North-eastern states with tribal
Hindus of Goa.
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populations. A list of 40 districts with the highest polygyny
rates was dominated by those with high tribal populations. Under Muslim Law:
Legal Status in India: • Marriage in Islam is governed by the Shariat Act, 1937.

• The issue is governed both by personal laws and the Indian • Personal law allows a Muslim man to have four wives. To
EX
Penal Code (IPC), 1860. benefit from the Muslim personal law, many men from other
religions would convert to Islam to have a second wife.
• The Special Marriage Act, 1954, was a radical legislation that
proposed the requirement of monogamy — subsection (a) of • Any move to outlaw polygamy for Muslims would have to be
Section 4 of the SMA (“Conditions relating to solemnization of a special legislation which overrides personal law protections
special marriages”) requires that “at the time of marriage… like in the case of triple talaq.
neither party has a spouse living”.
Judicial Verdicts:
• Parliament passed the Hindu Marriage Act in 1955, outlawing
• In a landmark ruling in 1995, the Supreme Court in Sarla
the concept of having more than one spouse at a time.
Mudgal v Union of India held that religious conversion for the
Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs are also included under the
sole purpose of committing bigamy is unconstitutional.
Hindu Marriage Code. The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act,
• This position was subsequently reiterated in the 2000
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1936, had already outlawed bigamy.

Indian Penal Code (IPC):
• IPC Section 494 (“Marrying again during lifetime of husband or
wife”) penalises bigamy or polygamy. This provision does not
apply to a marriage which has been declared void by a court
— for example, a child marriage that has been declared void.
judgment in Lily Thomas v Union of India.
Criticism and Way Ahead:
• In 2000, the United Nations Human Rights Committee
reported that polygamy violates the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

• The law also does not apply if a spouse has been “continually
absent” for the “space of seven years”. This means a
spouse who has deserted the marriage or when his or her
whereabouts are not known for seven years, will not bind the
other spouse from remarrying.
• The lack of "equality of treatment with regard to the right to
marry" meant that polygamy, restricted to polygyny in practice,
violates the dignity of women and should be outlawed.
• Having a a Uniform Civil Code as an alternative to personal
laws can address the issue.

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 Polity & Gov
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023

WORLD PRESS FREEDOM INDEX

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (3 May), the Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
released the 21st edition of the World Press Freedom Index.

Methodology: • Fake News: Due to the remarkable development of artificial

• Definition: The report defines press freedom as “the ability intelligence, the digital ecosystem’s fake content industry has
of journalists to select, produce, and disseminate news in severe impact on press freedom.
the public interest independent of political, economic, legal, • Propaganda Wars: In two-thirds of the countries, political actors

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and social interference and in the absence of threats to their were involved in massive disinformation or propaganda
physical and mental safety”. campaigns which is jeopardising the right to information.

• It uses five indicators for Press Freedom: (1) political context, Indian Scenario:
(2) legal framework, (3) economic context, (4) sociocultural
• With a score of 36.6 (Very Serious Category), India’s ranking
context and (5) safety. has slipped by 11 places to 161 out of 180 countries. In 2022,

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• Coverage: The index ranks 180 countries and territories. India was ranked at 150.
• Scores: A score ranging from 0 to 100 is assigned to each • Comparison with Neighbours Rank: Bhutan (90), Nepal (95),
country or territory, with 100 being the best possible score Maldives (100), Sri Lanka (135), Pakistan (150), Afghanistan
(the highest possible level of press freedom) and 0 the worst. (152), India (161), Myanmar (173) and China (179).
• Press Freedom Map: It offers a visual overview of the scores of • Media Landscape: The Indian media landscape is huge and
all the countries in the index. The colours and classifications densely populated with more than 100,000 newspapers
are as follows: (including 36,000 weeklies) and 380 TV news channels. But
there is concentration of ownership, with only a handful of
85 - 100 points Good (Green)
sprawling media companies at the national level.
70 - 85 points Satisfactory (Yellow)
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• Ranking on Indicators: (1) political context – 169, (2) legal
55 - 70 points Problematic (Light Orange) framework – 144, (3) economic context – 155, (4) sociocultural
40 - 55 points Difficult (Dark Orange) context – 143 and (5) safety – 172.

0 - 40 points Very Serious (Dark Red) • Political Context: Indian journalists who are too critical of the
government are subjected to harassment and attack campaigns.
EX
Thus, many journalists are forced to censor themselves.
REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS (RSF) The other phenomenon is the acquisition of media outlets by
• RSF is an international NGO whose aim is to defend and oligarchs who maintain close ties with political leaders.
promote media freedom. • Legal Framework: Indian law is protective in theory but charges
• HQ: Paris, France. of defamation, sedition and contempt of court are increasingly
• Status: It has consultative status with the United Nations, used against journalists critical of the government. These
UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the International repeated violations undermine media self-regulatory bodies,
Organization of Francophonie (OIF). such as the Press Council of India (PCI) and the Electronic
Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC).
• Activities: It annually releases the World Press Freedom
Index. It also maintains an online Press Freedom Barometer, • Economic Context: Media outlets largely depend on
advertising contracts with local and regional governments.
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monitoring the number of journalists killed or imprisoned.

Some other initiatives are Journalism Trust Initiative and
Information and Democracy Initiative.
Global Scenario:
• Top 3: Norway is ranked first followed by Ireland and Denmark.
• Bottom 3: The last 3 places are occupied by Asian countries:
Vietnam (178th); China (179th), and, North Korea (180th).
• The situation of Press Freedom is “very serious” in 31
countries, “difficult” in 42, “problematic” in 55, and “good” or
“satisfactory” in 52 countries.
Thus media executives often adjust their editorial policy
according to business needs.
• Sociocultural Context: Mostly, men from upper castes hold
senior positions in journalism or are media executives ­– a
bias that is reflected in media content. Fewer than 15% of the
participants in major evening talk shows are women.
• Safety: Journalists are exposed to all kinds of physical
violence including police violence, ambushes by political
activists, and deadly reprisals by criminal groups or corrupt
local officials. Hatred campaigns are often conducted against
women journalists on social media.

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 Polity & Gov
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
ASSAM-ARUNACHAL BORDER DISPUTE
In April 2023, Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh signed a MoU over the disputed
areas in 123 border villages (in 12 districts of AP and 8 districts of Assam).
Timeline of Arunachal Pradesh:
• Arunachal shares around 800 km long boundary with Assam.
• Before North East Frontier Agency or NEFA (former name of
what is now Arunachal Pradesh) was carved out of Assam in
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1954, a sub-committee headed by then Assam Chief Minister
Gopinath Bordoloi submitted its recommendations in 1951 in
relation to the administration of NEFA.
• Subsequently, around 3,648 km2 of the “plain” area of
Balipara and Sadiya foothills were transferred from NEFA to
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Assam’s then Darrang and Lakhimpur districts.
• When Arunachal was made a Union Territory in 1972, it refused
to accept the 1951 notification as the basis of boundary
delineation as it contended that several forested tracts in the
plains that had traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs and
communities were unilaterally transferred to Assam.
Tripartite Committee:
• In 1979, a high-powered tripartite committee was constituted
to delineate the boundary on the basis of Survey of India
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maps, as well as discussions with both sides.
• While around 489 km of the 800 km were demarcated by
1983-84, further demarcation could not take place because
Arunachal objected to the 1951 notification.
EX
• Assam objected to this and filed a case in the Supreme Court
in 1989, highlighting an “encroachment” made by Arunachal.
Local Boundary Commission:
• To resolve the dispute between the states, the Supreme court
appointed a local boundary commission which submitted its
report in 2014.
• Several recommendations were made and it was suggested
that both states should arrive at a consensus through
discussions. However, nothing came of it.
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Border Level talks of 2022: Decisions
• Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh commenced
held talks over this border issue and in April 2022, they made
some key decisions.
• The first was that the border issues between both the states
would be confined to a list of 123 villages which Arunachal
Pradesh had claimed before the Local Commission in 2007.
• The second was that a boundary line delineated by the high
powered tripartite committee in 1980 would be taken as
the notified boundary and all realignment would be done in
relation to it.
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• The third decision laid down how this resolution would take
place. It was decided that both states would set up 12 regional
committees covering the 12 districts of Arunachal and the 8
counterpart districts of Assam for joint verification of the 123
villages. The committees were to make recommendations
keeping in view “historical perspective, administrative
convenience, contiguity and people’s will”.
Namsai Declaration on 71 Villages:
• The dispute over 37 of these 123 villages had been resolved
on July 15, 2022, itself with the signing of the Namsai
Declaration between the both CMs, where they “agreed in
principle” over them. This effectively reduced the number of
disputes to be resolved to 86.
• Through the MoU, the dispute over another 34 villages has
been “amicably resolved”.
• Of the 71 villages over which an understanding has been
reached, the following has been decided:
 One village in Arunachal Pradesh as per the notified
boundary will be included in Assam.
 10 villages in Assam as per the notified boundary will
remain with Assam.
 60 villages in Assam as per the notified boundary will be
included in Arunachal Pradesh.
Other Villages:
• The village boundaries of 49 of the remaining villages are
unresolved, and the MoU states that in these the Regional
Committees will finalize the boundaries within a period of six
months “through continuous dialogue”.
• Another three villages are located partially within the Indian
Air Force’s bombing area in Dullong. The MoU states that
the matter regarding these three villages will be taken up by
Arunachal Pradesh with the GoI and the Indian Air Force.
Future Claims?
• Both the state governments agree that no new claim area or
village will be added in the future beyond these 123 villages.
• It also states that both the state governments “agree to
effectively prevent any new encroachment in the border
areas” and that they agree that the MoU is “full and final” in
respect to the 123 villages.
NOTE TO READERS
“Inter-State Disputes Settlement Mechanism”, refer
Page 14 of Jan. 2023 edition of Current Affairs Magazine.
 Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023

BORDER DISPUTES IN NORTHEAST

Assam–Mizoram Border Dispute: of the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam, Arunachal
• Mizoram was carved out of Assam and established as a Pradesh and Myanmar.
Union Territory in 1972 and as a full-fledged state in 1987.
Assam–Meghalaya Border Dispute:
The two states share a 164.6 km-long border.
• Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as an autonomous state
• The boundary between the two states is defined in the North-
in 1970 and became a full-fledged state in 1972. Assam
Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act of 1971, which in turn is
shares an 884.9 km long border with Meghalaya.
based on Notification of 1933.

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• Like in the case of Arunachal Pradesh, in April 1951, on the
• The dispute between Assam and Mizoram stems from the
recommendations of the Bordoloi Committee, Blocks I and II
latter’s refusal to accept the present boundary with Assam as
of Jaintia Hills were transferred to the Mikir Hill (Karbi Anglong)
notified in 1933 arguing that it was a decision imposed upon
District of Assam and areas in Garo Hills to Goalpara District
them by the British.
of Assam. The contiguous areas in Ri Bhoi District were also
• Mizoram suggests that the Inner Line Reserved Forest, as

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transferred to the Kamrup District of Assam.
described in the 1875 notification under the Bengal Eastern
• The Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 reiterates
Frontier Regulation Act of 1873, should be the basis for
these transfers and accordingly defines the boundary of
delineating the border. In all, Mizoram claims 819.15 sq. km
Meghalaya.
of forested territory from Assam.
• The border dispute stems from the Meghalaya government’s
• Assam government’s contention is that the 1875 notification
refusal to accept the Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act
mentioned the Inner Line, which was only a line limiting the
of 1969. There are at present 12 points of dispute along the
administrative extent of the Assam government and was never
Meghalaya–Assam border covering an area of 2,765.14 sq. km.
meant as a boundary line between Cachar and Lushai Hills.
• Meghalaya claims that these areas originally belong to the
• At present, the situation remains tense along the border.
Khasi–Jaintia Hills and that the inhabitants belong to the
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Assam–Nagaland Border Dispute: Khasi Pnar tribe, therefore, these areas should belong to
Meghalaya. It also claims that some of these territories were
• Assam and Nagaland share a 434 km-long border.
also lost to the British by the Khasi chieftains.
• After the signing of the 16-Point Agreement between the
• To resolve the disputes, a committee headed by Justice
Union government and the Naga People’s Convention (NPC)
EX
Y.V. Chandrachud was constituted in 1985. The committee
in 1960, the Government of India conferred statehood to the
submitted its report in 1987 and reportedly upheld the claims
Nagas in 1963 under the State of Nagaland Act, 1962 which
of Assam. The Meghalaya government however rejected the
defined its borders based on the 1925 notification.
committee’s report.
• The Nagaland government did not accept the boundary
delineation and demanded that Nagaland should comprise
the erstwhile Naga Hills and all Naga-dominated areas in
North Cachar and Nowgong (Nagaon) districts, which were
part of the Naga territory in 1866.
• In all, Nagaland demands 12,488 sq. km of Assamese
territory, all of which comprise 10 Reserve Forests. The refusal
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of Nagas to accept the notified boundary saw large forested

tracts of Assam encroached upon by the Naga rebels in the
1960s, which were used as hideouts.
• As encroachments increased, tensions between Assam and
Nagaland flared up and since then, violent clashes along the
Assam–Nagaland border have become a regular feature,
with major armed conflicts reported in 1965, 1968, 1979,
1985 and the latest in 2014.
• The resolution of the Assam–Nagaland border dispute also
hinges upon the outcome of the overall Naga peace process
and their idea of Greater Nagalim which involves the unification

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 Polity & Gov
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
NORTH EAST & ACT EAST POLICY
Integration of India's North Eastern Region within the Act East Policy framework is
crucial for unlocking the region's potential and strengthening bilateral ties.
Act East Policy:
• The Act East Policy, a proactive turn to Look East Policy was
initiated by the Indian government in 2014.
• It seeks to strengthen economic, political, security and
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cultural ties with Southeast and East Asia, with the North
Eastern Region (NER) serving as a crucial gateway.
Strategic Significance of NER:
• Geographic Location: The NER shares borders with Bhutan,
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China, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh amounting to almost
one-third of total land frontiers of India (approximately 5,385
kms out of 15,200 kms).
• Siliguri Corridor: It is a narrow stretch in West Bengal that
connects the NER with the rest of India. The Corridor's
proximity to China, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh adds to its
geostrategic significance.
• Ethnic Ties: The NER is home to diverse ethnic communities,
many of which share cultural & historical ties with neighbouring
countries. This ethnic contiguity provides opportunities for
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cross-border exchange and economic integration.
• Territorial Disputes: China's territorial claim on Arunachal
Pradesh, which it refers to as ‘South Tibet/ Zangnan’, has been
a matter of concern for India’s security and foreign policy.
EX
• Resources: The NER is rich in resources like water and minerals.
Challenges Faced by NER:
• Insurgency: Since Independence, the region has remained
a hotspot of insurgency. Although incidents of insurgency
in the region have reduced by 80 per cent in the last eight
years, peace still eludes this resource-rich region.
• Insurgent Camps in Myanmar: The porous border between
India and Myanmar has allowed various Indian insurgent
groups to establish camps in Myanmar which serve as safe
havens for insurgents to plan attacks on the Indian soil.
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• Arms and Drug Trafficking: The region experiences a conflict
economy, driven by arms and drug trafficking due to its
porous borders and strategic location (including proximity to
Golden Triangle). This further fuels instability in the region.
• Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA): Imposition of AFSPA
in parts of the NER grants excessive powers to security
forces, leading to human rights violations and a climate of
fear and mistrust among the local population.
• Peace Accords: Over the years, the Indian government has
entered into various peace accords with insurgent groups in
the NER. Some of these agreements had a limited success
24
due to factors like lack of inclusivity, feeble enforcement and
enduring ethnic tensions.
• Governance: Inadequate representation of diverse ethnic
and cultural groups in governance structures deepens the
grievances, while interstate boundary disputes contribute to
conflicts between states and communities.
• Social: The sense of alienation experienced by the people
of the NER, due to historical neglect and perceived cultural
differences undermines integration with the rest of the country.
GOLDEN TRIANGLE
• This is the area where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and
Myanmar meet at the confluence of Ruak and Mekong rivers.
• Along with Afghanistan in the Golden Crescent, it has been
one of the largest opium-producing areas of the world.
Key Recommendations:
Improving Governance:
• Enhancing digital connectivity can facilitate efficient
governance by improving communication and promoting
transparency in public administration. Resolving inter-state
boundary disputes can help to mitigate tensions.
• Rehabilitation of the surrendered insurgents and their
community participation in decision-making can foster a
sense of responsibility among citizens.
Social Integration:
• Incorporating the history of the NER into school curricula can
foster a better understanding of the region's diverse cultural
heritage and mutual respect.
• Opening up higher education institutes will further bridge the
gap between the NER and rest of India.
• Leveraging the region's sports potential can help nurture
local talent and promote national integration.
Economic Development:
• Controlling the conflict economy and providing alternative
livelihood opportunities for those affected by conflict.
• Streamlining land laws can promote efficient land use and
encourage investments.
• Investing in communication infrastructure such as roads,
railways, and air connectivity, can facilitate trade and tourism.
• Designating the NER as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) can
attract domestic and foreign investments.
• Measures to optimise energy sources such as hydropower and
crude oil, can make the region energy-efficient and self-reliant.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
Peace and Stability:
• According to the data provided by GoI (in January 2023),
there has been a 74% reduction in insurgency incidents, 60%
reduction in incidents of attacks on security forces and 89%
reduction in civilian deaths since 2014. About 8,000 youth
have surrendered and have joined the mainstream.
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• Further, agreement with the National Liberation Front of Tripura
in 2019, The Bru and Bodo Agreement in 2020, and Karbi
Agreement in 2021 were agreed upon. The Assam-Meghalaya
and Assam-Arunachal border disputes have also almost ended.
• In April 2023, Govt. of Assam and Dimasa National Liberation
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Army signed a peace accord for permanent peace.
Connectivity:
• Air connectivity: Airports at Rupsi, Tezu, Tezpur, Pasighat,
Jorhat, Lilabari, Shillong, Pakyong, Itanagar & Dimapur
involving 64 routes have been operationalized under
Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)- UDAN (Ude Desh ka
Aam Nagrik) of Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• Road connectivity: Major ongoing Capital Road Connectivity
projects in NER include 4 laning of Dimapur-Kohima Road in
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Nagaland; 4 laning of Nagaon bypass to Holongi in Arunachal
Pradesh; Alternate two-lane Highway from Bagrakote to
Pakyong (NH-717A) in Sikkim; 2 laning of Aizawl–Tuipang
NH-54 in Mizoram; 4 laning of Imphal–Moreh section of NH-
39 in Manipur.
EX
• Waterway connectivity: Now 20 waterways are declared as
national waterways in NER. Comprehensive Development of
NW-2 (River Brahamputra) and NW-16 is underway.
PM-DevINE:
• In October 2022, the Union Cabinet approved a new Scheme,
Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region
(PM-DevINE).
• PM-DevINE is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% Central
funding and will be implemented by Ministry of Development
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of North Eastern Region (MDoNER).
• The PM-DevINE Scheme will have an outlay of Rs.6,600 crore
for the four year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 (remaining
years of 15th Finance Commission period).
• The objectives of PM-DevINE are to:
 Fund infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM Gati
Shakti;
 Support social development projects based on felt needs
of the NER;
 Enable livelihood activities for youth and women;
 Fill the development gaps in various sectors.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
District Level NER SDG Index:
• MDoNER had launched the country’s first district level
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index for the eight
North East Region States as a collaborative effort with NITI
Aayog, with technical support from UNDP.
• The SDG NER index is aligned to the SDG India Index and is
based on a north-east specific District Indicator Framework,
comprising of 84 indicators to measure progress of NER
across 15 SDGs.
• The first edition of the NER District SDG Index Report was
released in 2021.
• Out of the 103 districts considered for ranking, 64 districts
belonged to the Front Runner category while 39 districts were
in the Performer category in the composite score and ranking
of districts.
• All districts in Sikkim and Tripura fall in the Front Runner
category and no districts in the Aspirant or Achiever categories.
• East Sikkim [Score 75.87] ranks first in the region followed
by districts Gomati and North Tripura [Score 75.73] in the
second position.
Other Initiatives:
• There is a step-jump in the budget outlay for the Ministry of
Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) during the
Financial Year 2023-24. The total B.E. 2023-2024 allocation is
Rs. 5892.00 crore; well over twice (~114% higher than) the
RE 2022-23 allocation of Rs. 2755.05 crore.
• MDoNER monitors and keeps track of expenditure by all
non-exempted Central Ministries / Departments (currently
55) mandated to spend at least 10% of their Gross Budgetary
Support (GBS) of Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored
Schemes for NE Region.
• In April 2023, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched a new
Central Sector Scheme “Marketing and Logistics Development
for Promotion of Tribal Products from North -Eastern Region
(PTP-NER)” for the benefit of Scheduled Tribes of North-
eastern Region. The scheme will apply to the states of
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
• GoI has undertaken “Yuva Sangam” initiative to strengthen
people-to-people connect specially between youth belonging
to NER and other States under five broad areas of Paryatan
(Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development),
Prodyogik (Technology) and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-
people connect).
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 Polity & Gov
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
ARTICLE 142
The Supreme Court held that a court can directly grant divorce under Article 142 of
the Constitution, in cases where the marriage has irretrievably broken down.
About:
• Title of Article 142: Enforcement of decrees and orders of
Supreme Court and orders as to discovery, etc.
• Article 142 (1) says: The Supreme Court has the power to may
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pass an order to do “complete justice” between the parties,
where, at times, the law or statute may not provide a remedy.
• Article 142 (2) says: Subject to the provisions of any law made
in this behalf by Parliament, the Supreme Court shall have
the power to make any order for the purpose of securing
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the attendance of any person, the discovery or production
of any documents, or the investigation or punishment of any
contempt of itself.
Significance of Article 142:
• Prevents Injustice: It provides a special and extraordinary
power to the Supreme Court to do complete justice to the
litigants who have suffered traversed illegality or injustice in
the proceedings.
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• Uphold Citizen’s Rights: Article 142 has been invoked for the
purpose of protecting rights of the different sections of the
population.
• Accountability: It works as a system of checks and balances
on the Executive and Legislature.
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Landmark Judgments under Article 142:
• In the Ayodhya case, the Supreme Court handed over the
disputed land of 2.77 acres to a trust to be formed by the
central government within three months for the construction
of a temple, under the Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya
Act, 1993.
• In the Bhopal gas tragedy case (Union Carbide Corporation
vs Union of India), the Supreme Court in 1991 ordered UCC
to pay $470 million in compensation for the victims of the
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tragedy.
• In 2016 the Supreme Court banned the sale of alcohol and
ensure that liquor vends are not visible or directly accessible
from the highway within a stipulated distance of 500 metres
form the outer edge of the highway. The decision was taken
to avoid accidents due to drunk and drive.
Criticism of Powers under Article 142:
• Ambiguous and arbitrary: The Court has wide discretion, and
this allows the possibility of its arbitrary exercise or misuse
due to the absence of a standard definition for the term
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“complete justice”. Defining “complete justice” is a subjective
exercise that differs in its interpretation from case to case.
• Accountability: Another criticism of the powers under Article
142 is that unlike the legislature and the executive, the
judiciary cannot be held accountable for its actions.
• Judicial Overreach: The power has been criticised on grounds
of the separation of powers doctrine, which says that the
judiciary should not venture into areas of lawmaking and that
it would invite the possibility of judicial overreach.
Limitations of Powers under Article 142:
• The Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution was mindful
of the wide-reaching nature of the powers and reserved it
only for exceptional situations, which the existing law would
have failed to anticipate.
• In this background, the Supreme Court has defined its extent
and limitations through its judgments over time.
• In the Prem Chand Garg case (1962), the Supreme Court held
that in order to do complete justice between the parties “must
be consistent with the fundamental rights guaranteed by the
Constitution. Thus Article 142 does not confer upon the Court
the powers which can contravene the provisions of Article 32
(right to constitutional remedies).
• In 1998, the apex court in ‘Supreme Court Bar Association vs
Union of India’ held that the powers under Article 142 are
supplementary in nature and could not be used to override a
substantive law or ignore the statutory provisions dealing with
a subject.
• The court also said that the Article 142 cannot be used “to
achieve something indirectly which cannot be achieved
directly”. The powers under Article 142 cannot be used to
“build a new edifice where none existed earlier”.
• The powers conferred by Article 142 are curative and cannot
be construed as powers “which authorise the court to ignore
the substantive rights of a litigant while dealing with a cause
pending before it”.
• In its 2006 ruling in ‘A. Jitendernath vs Jubilee Hills Coop
House Building Society’, the Supreme Court held that in its
exercise of powers under Article 142, no injustice should be
caused to a person not party to the case.
• In ‘State of Karnataka vs Umadevi’ (2006), the court clarified
that “complete justice” under Article 142 means justice
according to law and not sympathy, while holding that it will
“not grant a relief which would amount to perpetuating an
illegality encroaching into the legislative domain.”
 Polity & Gov
UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
Manoj Soni took the Oath of Office and Secrecy as Chairman of the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC). He was already serving as the Chairman in charge since April 2022.
History of UPSC:
• The Government of India Act 1919 (which implemented the
Montagu-Chelmsford reforms) provided for the establishment
of a Public Service Commission in India for the first time.
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• The Lee Commission in its report submitted in the year 1924,
further recommended the establishment of the Public Service
Commission.
• Subsequently the Public Service Commission was established
on October 1, 1926 with Sir Ross Barker as the first Chairman of
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the Commission. It was reconstituted as Federal Public Service
Commission by the Government of India Act 1935.
• With the inauguration of the Constitution of India in January
26, 1950, the Federal Public Service Commission came to be
known as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Constitutional Provisions:
• The UPSC is a constitutional body headquartered in New Delhi.
• Articles 315 to 323 of Part XIV of the constitution, titled as
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Services Under the Union and the States, provide for a Public
Service Commission for the Union and for each state.
• Article-315 deals with Public Service Commissions for the
Union and for the States. Parliament may by law provide for
the appointment of a Joint State Public Service Commission
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if two or more States pass a resolution for having one Public
Service Commission for that group of States.
• Article-316 deals with Appointment & term of office of members.
• Article-317 deals with Removal and suspension of a member
of a Public Service Commission.
• Article-318 deals with Power to make regulations as to
conditions of service of members and staff of the Commission.
• Article-319 deals with Prohibition as to the holding of offices
by members of Commission on ceasing to be such members.
• Article-320 deals with Functions of Public Service Commissions.
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• Article-321 deals with Power to extend functions of Public
Service Commissions.
• Article-322 deals with Expenses of Public Service Commissions.
• Article-323 deals with Reports of Public Service Commissions.
Functions:
• Under Article 320 of the Constitution, UPSC is required to
be consulted on all matters relating to recruitment to civil
services and posts of the Union.
• It conducts the civil services examination to select officers of
the IAS, IFS, IPS and other all-India services.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• It frames and amends Recruitment Rules for various services
and posts under the Government.
• It deals with disciplinary cases relating to different Civil Services.
Composition and Service Conditions:
• Under Article 318, the President of India is empowered to
determine number of members of the Commission and their
conditions of service.
• At present UPSC is headed by a Chairman and it can have a
maximum of 10 members.
• Conditions of service cannot be varied to his disadvantage
after his appointment.
Appointment:
• As per Article 316, the Chairman and other members of UPSC
shall be appointed by the President of India.
• Nearly half of the members of the Commission shall be
persons who at the dates of their respective appointments
have held office for at least ten years either under the
Government of India or under the Government of a State.
Tenure:
• A member of a UPSC shall hold office for a term of six years
from the date on which he enters upon his office or until he
attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.
• As per Article 319, the chairperson of UPSC shall be ineligible
for re-appointment to that office.
• Other members of the UPSC shall be eligible for appointment
as the Chairman of the UPSC, or as the Chairman of a State
Public Service Commission, but not for any other employment
either under the Government of India or under the Government
of a State.
Removal:
• Chairman or any other member of a UPSC shall only be
removed from their office by order of the President on the
ground of "misbehaviour" after the Supreme Court, on
reference being made to it by the President, has, on inquiry
reported that they ought to be removed.
• The President may also by order remove the Chairman or any
other member of UPSC if they are:
 adjudged an insolvent; or
 engage during his term of office in any paid employment
outside the duties of his office; or
 in the opinion of the President, unfit to continue in office by
reason of infirmity of mind or body.
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 Security
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023

WORLD MILITARY EXPENDITURE

In April 2023, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
released data on global military spending.

Global Trends: to Ukraine, followed which was the largest donation of military
• World military expenditure rose by 3.7% in real terms (i.e. when aid by any country to a single beneficiary in any year since the
adjusted for inflation) to an all-time high of $2,240 billion in end of the cold war.
2022. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a major driver of the
Indian Scenario:

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growth in spending in 2022.
• With military expenditure of $81.4 billion, India was the fourth
• Total world military spending accounted for 2.2% of global
largest spender in the world in 2022. Its spending was up by
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022.
6.0% from 2021 and by 47% from 2013.
• Military expenditure grew in four of the five regions in 2022.
• The increase in India’s spending shows the effects of its
The largest increase was in Europe (+13%), followed by the

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Middle East (+3.2%), Asia and Oceania (+2.7%) and the
Americas (+0.3%). Spending decreased in Africa (–5.3%).
• The five biggest spenders in 2022 were the United States
($877 billion), China ($292 billion), Russia ($86.4 billion), India
($81.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($75.0 billion), which together
accounted for 63% of world military spending.
border tensions with China and Pakistan.
• Personnel expenses (e.g. salaries and pensions) remained the
largest expenditure category in the Indian military budget,
accounting for around half of all military spending.
• Its expenditure on capital outlays, which funds equipment
upgrades for the armed forces and to the military infrastructure
along its disputed border with China, amounted to 23% of total
military spending in 2022.

Japan:
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• Japan’s military spending increased by 5.9% between 2021
and 2022, reaching $46.0 billion, or 1.1% of GDP. This was the
highest level of Japanese military spending since 1960.
• Japan aims to increase spending on military security upto
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2.0% of GDP by 2027. The planned increase is largely in
response to Japan’s perception of growing threats from China,
North Korea and Russia.

Military Burden:
• A country’s military expenditure as a share of GDP—also
known as the military burden—is the simplest measure of the
relative economic cost of the military on the country.
• At 34% of GDP in 2022, Ukraine’s military burden was by far
the largest of any country in the world.
Impact of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine:
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• Ukraine: It entered the top 15 for the first time (at rank 11) after SIPRI
a 640% increase in its military expenditure to $44.0 billion or
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is
34% of GDP in 2022.
an independent international institute dedicated to research
• NATO Countries: Military spending by NATO members totalled into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.
$1232 billion in 2022. In the aftermath of Russia annexing the
• It was founded in 1966 and is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Crimean Peninsula and backing separatists in the eastern
part of the country, NATO members agreed to meet a defence
NOTE TO READERS
spending goal of 2% of national GDP by 2024.
To read SIPRI report on “Trends in International Arms
• Financial Aid: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a steep
Transfers, 2022”, refer Page 17 of March 2023 edition of
increase in financial military aid to Ukraine during the year.
Current Affairs Magazine.
The United States allocated $19.9 billion worth of military aid

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 Security
MODEL PRISONS ACT 2023
The Ministry of Home Affairs has prepared the ‘Model Prisons Act 2023’ on
the recommendations of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).
Legal Status:
• Constitution: 'Prisons'/'Persons detained therein' is a “State-
List” subject under Entry 4 of List II of the Seventh Schedule
to the Constitution of India. Administration and management
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of prisons and prisoners is the responsibility of respective
State Governments.
• Laws: The existing law in this context, the Prisons Act of 1894
is a pre-independence era Act and is almost 130-years-old.
Two other related laws — The Prisoners Act, 1900 and The
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Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950 are also decades-old. There is
also The Repatriation of Prisoners Act, 2003.
Overview of Prisons in India:
• As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), The total
number of prisons at national level is 1,319 in 2021.
• The 1,319 prisons in the country consist of 564 Sub Jails,
424 District Jails, 148 Central Jails, 88 Open Jails, 41 Special
Jails, 32 Women Jails, 19 Borstal Schools and 3 Other than
the above Jails.
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• The highest number of jails was reported in Rajasthan (144)
followed by Tamil Nadu (142) and Madhya Pradesh (131).
Present Issues with Prisons in India:
• Issues with existing laws: The existing Act mainly focuses
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on keeping the criminals in custody and enforcement of
discipline and order in prisons. There is no provision for
reform and rehabilitation of prisoners in the existing Act.
• Overcrowding: The actual capacity of prisons was 4,25,609
in 2021, whereas the Number of prisoners lodged in various
jails was 5,54,034.
• Undertrial: Out of 5,54,034 prisoners in 2021, the number of
undertrial prisoners were 4,27,165. These are often people
from disadvantaged backgrounds involved in minor and
technical violations of the law who are incarcerated due to their
inability to pay for bail and/or for good legal representation.
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• Poor conditions: The situation in many prisons is appalling
enough to be considered a violation of human dignity as
well as the basic human rights of the inmates. Convicts
are imprisoned for long periods in crumbling buildings with
inadequate accommodation and sanitary facilities.
• Privileges for powerful people: Paradoxically, a few individuals,
who are powerful are allowed to enjoy extraordinary facilities
not permitted under the rules.
• Misuse of Parole: The issue has significant implications for public
order because indiscriminate and reckless grant of parole or
remission of sentences can impact public order adversely.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• Prison Staff – Strength & Training: The sanctioned strength
of jail-staff was 89,479 while the actual strength was 64,449
as on 31st December, 2021 due to vacancies not being
filled up.
Model Prisons Act 2023:
• Model Prisons Act 2023 has assimilated the relevant
provisions of ‘The Prisons Act, 1894’, ‘The Prisoners Act, 1900’
and ‘The Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950’.
• Objective: It will serve as a “guiding document” for the States,
and for adoption in their jurisdiction. It aims to overhaul the
prison administration, with focus on the reformation and
rehabilitation of inmates.
Salient Features of the Model Prisons Act, 2023:
• Provision for security assessment and segregation of prisoners,
individual sentence planning, grievance redressal, prison
development board, attitudinal change towards prisoners.
• Provision of separate accommodation for women prisoners,
transgender, etc.
• Provision for use of technology in prison administration with a
view to bring transparency in prison administration.
• Provision for video conferencing with courts, scientific and
technological interventions in prisons, etc.
• Provision of punishment for prisoners and jail staff or use of
prohibited items like mobile phones etc. in jails.
• Provision regarding establishment and management of high
security jail, open jail (open and semi open), etc.
• Provision for protecting the society from the criminal activities
of hardened criminals and habitual offenders, etc.
• Provision for legal aid to prisoners, provision of parole, furlough
and premature release etc. to incentivise good conduct.
• Focus on vocational training and skill development of
prisoners and their reintegration into the society.
BUREAU OF POLICE RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT (BPR&D)
• Established in: 1970.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Parent agency: Ministry of Home Affairs
• Objective: It is a multifaceted, consultancy organisation
which works for the modernisation of police forces.
• Divisions: It has 4 divisions – Research, Development,
Training and Correctional Administration.
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 Economy
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023

LOGISTICS PERFORMANCE INDEX

The World Bank released its 2023 Logistics Performance Index (LPI) report. The seventh
edition of the report is titled Connecting to Compete.

Logistics Performance Index (LPI): better than in some of the industrialised countries. The dwell
• Logistics encompasses planning, coordinating, storing, and time for the U.S. was 7 days and for Germany, it was 10 days.
moving resources (people, raw materials, inventory, equipment,
etc.), from one location to another (i.e. from the production DWELL TIME

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points to consumption, distribution, or other production points).
• LPI is a measure of countries ability to move goods across
borders with speed and reliability.
The LPI is the Weighted Average of the Country Scores
on the Six Key Dimensions:
• Dwell time is how long a vessel spends at a specific port
or terminal. It may also refer to the amount of time that a
container or cargo spends at a port or terminal before being
loaded onto a vessel or after being unloaded from a vessel.
• Shipping container vessels operate on schedules and

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1. Efficiency of the clearance process by border control
agencies, including customs;
2. Quality of trade and transport related infrastructure;
3. Ease of arranging competitively priced shipments;
4. Competence and quality of logistics services (e.g., transport
operators, customs brokers);
5. Ability to track and trace consignments;
6. Timeliness of shipments in reaching destination within the
scheduled delivery time.
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Rankings:
• The index ranks 139 countries.
• In the 2023 LPI, the top 12 scorers are high income
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economies. Singapore, with a score of 4.3, is at the top.
• Of the top 12 scorers, 8 are in Europe (Finland, followed
by Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria,
Belgium and Sweden). They are joined by Hong Kong, the
United Arab Emirates, and Canada.
• Afghanistan and Libya have the lowest score (1.9), followed
by Somalia (2.0), Angola, Cameroon, and Haiti (2.1).
India’s Performance
• India's performance has drastically improved from 2014,
when it was ranked 54th on the LPI.
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delays in any particular port are felt across the service.
The shorter the dwell time, the lower the vessel and marine-
terminal operating costs.
Reason for India’s Improvement:
• It has improved as a result of investments in infrastructure
and technology which contributed to remarkable reductions
of delays. Modernisation and digitalisation are key reasons
for emerging economies, like India, to leapfrog advanced
countries.
• Government of India had announced PM Gati Shakti initiative,
a National Master Plan for multimodal connectivity, in 2021 to
reduce logistics cost and boost the economy by 2024-25.
• GoI launched the National Logistics Policy (NLP) in 2022.
• Other initiatives include massive capacity investments made
in almost all sectors of transport (by way of mega projects like
UDAN/Bharatmala/Sagarmala, etc.) major policy reforms like
GST and measures in support of Ease of Doing Business.
Concerns in India’s Logistics Policy:
• Despite these improvements, the logistics costs in India is
still high (~13% of GDP in comparison to single digit levels in
developed countries).
• The key issues affecting the efficiency of logistics sector
are: Under-developed material handling infrastructure,
fragmented warehousing, multiple regulatory bodies, lack of

• India was ranked 44th on the index in 2018 and has now
climbed 6 places on the LPI to 38th.
• India's rank moved up five places in infrastructure score from
52nd in 2018 to 47th in 2023. It climbed to the 22nd spot for
international shipments in 2023 from 44th in 2018 and moved
four places up to 48th in logistics competence and equality.
• In timelines, India witnessed a 17-place jump in rankings,
whereas it moved up three places in rank in tracking and
tracing to 38th.
• The average dwell time for containers between May and
October 2022 was 3 days for India and Singapore, much
integrated IT infrastructure, lack of skilled manpower etc.
Policy Recommendations:
• Improving customs and infrastructure matters most for raising
the overall score.
• Environmentally sustainable logistics options can lessen the
carbon footprint of supply chains and keep trade moving.
NOTE TO READERS
To read “National Logistics Policy”, refer Page 28 of
October 2022 edition of Current Affairs Magazine.

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 Economy
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023

GIG ECONOMY
The Rajasthan Government planning to bring the Platform-based Gig workers (Registration and
Welfare) Bill, 2023, which has stringent provisions against errant aggregators.

About: • Lack of job security, irregularity of wages and Lack of workplace

• A gig worker is a person who engages in income-earning protections and entitlements are significant challenges.
activities outside of a traditional employer-employee • For some workers, the flexibility of working gigs can disrupt
relationship, as well as in the informal sector. The term is the work-life balance, sleep patterns, and activities daily

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borrowed from the music world, where performers book "gigs" life. Workers engaged with digital platforms may face stress
that are single or short-term engagements at various venues. due to pressures resulting from algorithmic management
• When gig workers use platforms – i.e., websites or apps like practices and performance evaluation on the basis of ratings.
Ola, Uber, Dunzo, Zomato, Swiggy or Urban Company – to
Recommendations:
connect with customers, they are called platform workers.

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• Measures for paid sick leave and health access may be
• Non-platform gig workers are generally casual wage workers
adopted by platforms for all the workers they engage, round
and own-account workers in the conventional sectors, working
the year.
part-time or full time.
• Accident insurance can be offered to all delivery and driver
How are Gig Workers Different? partners, and other platform workers across India.
• Their labour contract is usually shorter and more specific to • Assured minimum earnings and social security from income
the task or job assigned. loss in the wake of uncertainty or irregularity in work.
• Their employment type might be either temporary or • Platform companies should take steps in skilling these
contractual and certainly not regular. workers to assure uniform standards in quality of service.
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• The nature of payment against the work is more of piece rate,
Steps taken by Government of India:
negotiable, may be as wage or partly as profit/reward than a
• Code of Social Security, 2020: The Government has formulated
fixed salary.
this Code which envisages framing of suitable social security
• The control over their work by employer varies in degree but
schemes for gig workers on matters relating to life and
in any case, is not full.
disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity
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• The workers most of the time are flexible to decide on when
benefits, old age protection, etc.
to work, where to work etc.
• e-Shram Portal: The Govt. has also launched e-Shram portal
Reason for Growth: in 2021 for creation of a Comprehensive National Database of
• According to NITI Aayog, in 2020-21, around 8 million workers Unorganized Workers including gig and platform workers.
were engaged in the gig economy. The gig workforce is Draft Rajasthan Platform-based Gig Workers
expected to expand to 23.5 million workers by 2029-30. (Registration and Welfare) Bill, 2023:
• Gig economy allows flexibility in employer-employee • Rajasthan Platform-based Gig Workers Welfare Board: It will
relationship to both service seeker and service provider.
design welfare policies and hear grievances of the workers.
• It has low-entry barriers and hence holds enormous potential
• Welfare Cess: The board has power to decide the quantum
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for job creation. The technological intervention in this space

of cess that every aggregator will have to pay towards this
in the form of fast internet and smartphones has contributed
social welfare corpus.
to the uptick in demand.
• Unique ID: All platform-based gig workers registered with any
• The role of the gig economy increased During the COVID-19
platform shall be automatically registered with the board. The
induced lockdown where those whose jobs had been
board shall generate a unique ID for them registered with one
eliminated turned to part-time work for income. Also 'Work
or more aggregators in the State.
from home' culture led to demand of delivery persons which
• Penalty: A platform that shares data of every transaction that
was filled by gig workers.
takes place on their platform, can be fined with penalty ranging
Challenges: from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 1 crore. The Bill also empowers the
• Access to internet services and digital technology can be a board to recommend suspension of operations of the errant
restrictive factor for workers willing to take up jobs in this sector. aggregator temporarily or permanently in the State.

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 Economy
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
SANCHAR SAATHI INITIATIVE
Union Minister of Communications launched the Sanchar Saathi
portal to ensure Safety and Security of the users.
Sanchar Saathi Initiative:
• Department of Telecom (DoT) has developed a citizen centric
portal named Sanchar Saathi.
• It has following modules: (i) Know your mobile connections
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(ii) CEIR (iii) ASTR and (iv) TAFCOP.
1. Know Your Mobile:
• It facilitates the citizens to check the genuineness of IMEI of
their mobile device.
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• The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is the
15-digit numbers that uniquely identify each mobile device.
• Phones with a dual-SIM option have two IMEI numbers, one for
each SIM. The IMEI number can help network providers track
down a device in case it gets stolen or is lost.
• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has made it
mandatory for mobile phone manufacturers to register the IMEI
of all handsets made in India with the government.
2. Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR):
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• CEIR is the citizen centric portal of Department of
Telecommunications for tracing the lost/stolen mobile devices.
• This also facilitates for blocking of lost/stolen mobile devices
in network of all telecom operators so that lost/stolen devices
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cannot be used in India.
• In case anyone tries to use the stolen device, the system
allows Law Enforcement agencies to trace the device. Once
mobile phone is found it may be unblocked on the portal for
its normal use by the citizens.
• It also prevents mobile devices with inaccurate or forged IMEIs
being used in Indian networks.
3. ASTR:
• ASTR stands for “Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition
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powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification”.
• This tool has the capability of running checks on subscriber
databases of telecom operators to deduce whether it contains
multiple connections associated with the same person.
• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) allows an
individual to take nine legitimate mobile phone connections
using a single identity proof. Thus, in essence, the ASTR
looks up if there are more than nine connections against a
single individual’s photograph.
• It can potentially bring down cyber frauds by detecting and
blocking possible fraudulent mobile connections.
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Working of ASTR:
• Human faces in subscriber's images are encoded using
Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models in order to
account for the tilt and angle of the face, opaqueness and
dark colour of the images.
• After that, a face comparison is carried out for each face against
all faces in the database, and similar faces are grouped under
one directory. Two faces are concluded to be identical by ASTR if
they match to the extent of at least 97.5 per cent.
• Once the faces are matched, ASTR’s algorithm uses what
it describes as “fuzzy logic” to find similarity or approximate
matches for the subscriber names.
• Once the DoT has determined that a set of numbers have
been obtained by people through fraudulent means, it shares
a list of those connections with telecom operators to block.
4. Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and
Consumer Protection (TAFCOP):
• TAFCOP module facilitates a mobile subscriber to check the
number of mobile connections taken in his/her name using
paper-based documents.
• The system allows users to report fraudulent connections.
It also allows users to block the connections which are not
required.
Significance of this Initiative:
• With 117 crore subscribers, India has emerged as the
second largest telecom ecosystem in the world. In addition to
communication, mobile phones are being used for banking,
entertainment, e-learning, healthcare, availing government
services, etc.
• It is therefore crucial that the users are protected from various
frauds such as identity theft, forged KYC, theft of mobile
devices, banking frauds, etc.
ConvNets
• Convolutional Neural Networks (ConvNets or CNNs) are a
key part of deep learning algorithms and have three layers:
(1) Convolutional layer, (2) Pooling layer and (3) Fully-
connected layer.
• Convolution is a mathematical operation on two functions
(f and g) that produces a third function (f*g) that expresses
how the shape of one is modified by the other.
• The most common use for CNNs is image classification.
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Edition: May, 2023

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 Science & Tech
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
DEEP OCEAN MISSION
After assuming charge of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Union minister Kiren Rijiju
emphasized his priority to execute the Deep Ocean Mission.
Features:
• Objectives: It will be a mission mode project to support the
Blue Economy Initiatives of the Government of India. It aims
to explore deep ocean for resources and develop deep sea
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technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources.
• Duration & Cost: The estimated cost of the Mission will be Rs.
4077 crore for a period of 5 years to be implemented in a
phase-wise manner. The estimated cost for the first phase for
the 3 years (2021-2024) would be Rs.2823.4 crore.
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• Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will be the nodal Ministry
implementing this multi-institutional ambitious mission.
• A research vessel for deep ocean exploration would be
built in an Indian shipyard which would create employment
opportunities.
The Mission consists of the Six Major components:
1. Development of Technologies for Deep Sea Mining, and Manned
Submersible
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• A manned submersible will be developed to carry three
people to a depth of 6000 metres in the ocean with suite of
scientific sensors and tools. Only a very few countries have
acquired this capability.
• An Integrated Mining System will be also developed for
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mining Polymetallic Nodules from 6000 m depth in the central
Indian Ocean.
• The exploration studies of minerals will pave way for the
commercial exploitation in the near future, as and when
commercial exploitation code is evolved by the International
Seabed Authority, an UN organization.
• This component will help the Blue Economy priority area of
exploring and harnessing of deep sea minerals and energy.
2. Development of Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services
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• A suite of observations and models will be developed to
understand and provide future projections of important
climate variables on seasonal to decadal time scales under
this proof of concept component.
• This component will support the Blue Economy priority area
of coastal tourism.
3. Technological innovations for exploration and conservation of
deep-sea biodiversity
• Bio-prospecting of deep sea flora and fauna including
microbes and studies on sustainable utilization of deep sea
bio-resources will be the main focus.
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• This component will support the Blue Economy priority area
of Marine Fisheries and allied services.
4. Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration
• The primary objective of this component is to explore and
identify potential sites of multi-metal Hydrothermal Sulphides
mineralization along the Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges.
• This component will additionally support the Blue Economy
priority area of deep sea exploration of ocean resources.
5. Energy and freshwater from the Ocean
• Studies and detailed engineering design for offshore Ocean
Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) powered desalination
plant are envisaged in this proof of concept proposal.
• This component will support the Blue Economy priority area
of off-shore energy development.
6. Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology
• This component is aimed as development of human capacity
and enterprise in ocean biology and engineering.
• This component will translate research into industrial
application and product development through on-site
business incubator facilities.
• This component will support the Blue Economy priority area
of Marine Biology, Blue trade and Blue manufacturing.
Importance of Oceans:
• Oceans, which cover 70 per cent of the globe, remain a key
part of our life. About 95 percent of Deep Ocean remains
unexplored.
• Ocean is a major economic factor supporting fisheries and
aquaculture, tourism, livelihoods and blue trade.
• Oceans are also storehouse of food, energy, minerals,
medicines, modulator of weather and climate and underpin
life on Earth.
• Considering importance of the oceans on sustainability, the
United Nations (UN) has declared the decade, 2021-2030 as
the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
Importance for India:
• Three sides of India are surrounded by the oceans and
around 30% of the country's population lives in coastal areas.
• India has a unique maritime position. Its 7517 km long
coastline is home to nine coastal states and 1382 islands.
• The Government of India's Vision of New India by 2030
enunciated in February 2019 highlighted the Blue Economy
as one of the ten core dimensions of growth.
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 Science & Tech
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 MISSION
In April 2023, PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission was successfully launched from
the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
About:
• This is a dedicated commercial mission through NewSpace
India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, with
TeLEOS-2 as primary satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co-
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passenger satellite. Both the satellites belonging to
Singapore, weigh about 741 kg and 16 kg, respectively.
• This is the 57th flight of PSLV and 16th mission using the PSLV
Core Alone configuration (PSLV-CA).
TeLEOS-2:
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• The TeLEOS-2 is an Earth observation satellite developed
under a partnership between DSTA (representing the
Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering.
• It will be used to support the satellite imagery requirements of
various agencies within the Government of Singapore.
• TeLEOS-2 carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload.
It will be able to provide all-weather day and night coverage,
and capable of imaging at 1m full-polarimetric resolution.
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POEM-2:
• The mission has the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module
(POEM), where the spent PS4 stage of the launch vehicle
would be utilized as an orbital platform to carryout scientific
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experiments through non-separating payloads.
• As part of POEM, PS4, instead of being discarded, is now
utilised as a “stabilised platform” to perform experiments.
• This is the third time that PS4 will be used after satellite
separations as a platform for experiments.
• As a part of POEM-2, there are 7 experimental non-separable
payloads:
 PiLOT (PSLV In orbitaL Obc and Thermals), a OBC package
from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
(IIST), Thiruvananthapuram;
 ARIS-2 (Advanced Retarding Potential analyser for
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Ionospheric Studies) experiment from IIST;
 HET based ARKA200 Electric Propulsion System from
Bellatrix;
 DSOD-3U and DSOD-6U deployer units along with DSOL-
Transceiver in S- & X- bands from Dhruva Space; and
 Starberry Sense Payload by Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
• POEM has a dedicated Navigation Guidance and Control
(NGC) system for attitude stabilisation, which stands for
controlling the orientation of any aerospace vehicle within
permitted limits. It derives its power from solar panels
mounted around the PS4 tank, and a Li-Ion battery.
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LUMILITE-4:
• The LUMELITE-4 satellite is co-developed by the Institute for
Infocomm Research (I2R) of A*STAR and Satellite Technology
and Research Centre (STAR) of the National University of
Singapore.
• LUMELITE-4 is an advanced 12U satellite developed for
the technological demonstration of the High-Performance
Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES). Using the
VDES communication payload developed by I2R and STAR
scalable satellite bus platform, it aims to augment Singapore’s
e-navigation maritime safety and benefit the global shipping
community.
VARIANTS OF PSLV
• Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is a four stage vehicle
with alternate solid and liquid propulsion stages.
• There are numbers of variants of PSLV to cater to different
mission requirements.
• PSLV-G: The standard or "Generic" version of the PSLV,
PSLV-G had four stages using solid and liquid propulsion
systems alternately and six strap-on motors with 9 tonne
propellant loading. PSLV-C35 was the last operational
launch of PSLV-G before its discontinuation.
• PSLV-CA: The PSLV-CA, CA meaning "Core Alone", model
premiered in 2007. The CA model does not include the six
strap-on boosters used by the PSLV standard variant but two
SITVC tanks with Roll Control Thruster modules are attached
to the side of the first stage with addition of two cylindrical
aerodynamic stabilizers. It currently has capability to launch
1,100 kg to 622 km Sun-synchronous orbit.
• PSLV-XL: PSLV-XL is the upgraded version of Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle in its standard configuration boosted by
more powerful, stretched strap-on boosters with 12 tonne
propellant load. The first use of PSLV-XL was the launch of
Chandrayaan-1 by PSLV-C11. The payload capability for
this variant is 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) to Sun-synchronous orbit.
• PSLV-DL: PSLV-DL variant has only two strap-on boosters
with 12 tonne propellant load on them. PSLV-C44 in 2019
was the first flight to use PSLV-DL variant. It is capable of
launching 1,257 kg to 600 km Sun-synchronous orbit.
• PSLV-QL: PSLV-QL variant has four ground-lit strap-on
boosters, each with 12 tonnes of propellant. PSLV-C45 in
2019 was the first flight of PSLV-QL. It has the capacity to
launch 1,523 kg to 600 km Sun-synchronous orbit.
 Science & Tech
INDIAN SPACE POLICY, 2023
In April 2023, the Union Cabinet approved the Indian Space Policy 2023 that seeks to
institutionalise the private sector participation in the space sector.
Background: Need For Space Reforms
• The global space economy is currently valued at about USD
360 billion. Despite being one among a few spacefaring
nations in the world, India accounts for only about 2% of the
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space economy.
• Over the last 2 decades, in other spacefaring countries, the
private sector companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin
Galactic, and Arianespace have revolutionized the space
sector by reducing costs and turnaround time.
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• In India however, players within the private space industry
have been limited to being vendors or suppliers to the
government’s space program. Thus, there was a need to
provide scope for Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) for
enhanced participation in Indian space programme and
boosting India’s market share in Global Space Economy.
• Although in 2020, GoI opened the doors for enhanced
participation of NGEs in the space domain, there was need
to provide regulatory certainty to space activities by various
stakeholders, in order to create a thriving space ecosystem.
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Indian Space Policy, 2023:
• The Policy seeks to institutionalise the private sector
participation in the space sector and give a larger participation
to research, academia, startups, and industry.
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• It also delineated the roles and responsibilities of ISRO, space
sector PSU NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and Indian National
Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).
• Department of Space (DOS) shall be the nodal department for
implementation of this Policy through detailed policy directives.
• Applicability: This policy is applicable to any space activity
to or from Indian Territory or within the jurisdiction of India
including the area to the limit of its exclusive economic zone.
Key features of the policy are mentioned below.
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Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO):
• ISRO will not do any operational and production work for the
space sector. The operational part of ISRO's missions will be
moved to the NSIL.
• ISRO will focus primarily on the research and development of
new space technologies and applications and on expanding
the human understanding of outer space.
IN-SPACe:
• The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation
Centre (IN-SPACe) shall function as an autonomous
government organisation.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• IN-SPACe shall act as the single window agency for the
authorisation of space activities by government entities as
well as NGEs.
• The IN-SPACe will be the interface between ISRO and NGEs.
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL):
• NSIL, the public sector undertaking under the Department
of Space, shall be responsible for commercialising space
technologies and platforms created through public expenditure.
• NSIL shall manufacture, lease, or procure space components,
technologies, platforms and other assets from private or
public sector, on sound commercial principles.
Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs):
• NGEs shall be allowed to undertake end-to-end activities in
space sector through establishment and operation of space
objects, ground-based assets and related services, such as
communication, remote sensing, navigation, etc.
• NGEs are permitted to offer national and international
space-based communication services, through self-owned,
procured or leased geostationary orbit (GSO) and non-
geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) satellite systems. NGSO
refers to low earth orbit or medium earth orbits that are home
to satellites providing broadband internet services from space.
• NGEs are encouraged to establish and operate ground
facilities for space objects operations, such as Telemetry,
Tracking and Command (TT&C) Earth Stations and Satellite
Control Centres (SCCs).
• NGEs are encouraged to manufacture and operate space
transportation systems, including launch vehicles, shuttles,
as well as design and develop reusable, recoverable
and reconfigurable technologies and systems for space
transportation. It also encouraged NGEs to engage in the
commercial recovery of an asteroid resource or a space
resource.
Data to Users:
• Indian consumers of space technology or services -- such as
communication, remote sensing, data services and launch
services – whether from the public or the private sector, shall
be free to directly procure them from any source.
• Remote sensing data of Ground Sample Distance (GSD) of 5
meters and higher shall be made accessible by ISRO on ‘free
and open’ basis to all. Remote sensing data of GSD of less
than 5 meter, shall be made available free of any charges to
Government entities but at fair pricing to NGEs.
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 Science & Tech
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE
In April 2023, ISRO successfully carried out the landing experiment of the RLV-TD programme
at the Aeronautical Test Range in Challakere, Chitradurga, Karnataka.
Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstration
(RLV-TD):
• RLV-TD Programme is planned as a series of technology
demonstration missions for developing essential technologies
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for a fully reusable launch vehicle.
• Objectives: The RLV-TD will act as a flying test bed to evaluate
various technologies, namely, hypersonic flight, autonomous
landing and powered cruise flight. RLV-TD mission is the
first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully
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reusable vehicle.
Construction:
• The configuration of RLV-TD is similar to that of an aircraft
and combines the complexity of both launch vehicles and
aircraft. The spacecraft resembles Nasa's space shuttles that
acted as the US space agency's biggest transporter into Low
Earth Orbit (LEO).
• RLV-TD consists of a fuselage (body), a nose cap, double
delta wings and twin vertical tails. It also features symmetrically
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placed active control surfaces called Elevons and Rudder.
• A conventional solid booster (HS9) designed for a low burn
rate pushes the system to a speed of Mach 5 (five times the
speed of sound).
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Timeline:
Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HEX)
• The Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HEX) of RLV was carried
out by ISRO in 2016 from Sriharikota and successfully
demonstrated the critical technologies for design and flight
testing of re-entry vehicles. However, it was a suborbital flight
and designed to land on sea.
Autonomous Landing Experiment (LEX)
• In April 2023, ISRO successfully conducted the RLV
Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV-LEX) at the Aeronautical
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Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, Karnataka.
• The RLV took off by a Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter of the
Indian Air Force and flew to an altitude of 4.5 km.
Future Missions
• ISRO plans to carry out an OREX and a SPEX of the space
plane in the near future.
• In the Orbital Re-entry Experiment (OREX) mission, a wing
body called Orbital Re-Entry Vehicle (ORV) will be taken to
an orbit by an ascent vehicle derived from the existing GSLV
and PSLV stages and stay in orbit for a stipulated period, re-
enter and land in a runway autonomously with a landing gear.
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• The Scramjet Propulsion Experiment (SPEX) mission is
supposed to prove the scramjet-powered flight of the vehicle
in the atmospheric regions.
Significance:
• Tackling Space debris: Satellites and scientific instruments
need to ride on rockets to go into space. These are of the
use-and-throw kind, which mostly fall into the sea after doing
their job, or sometimes float uselessly in space, adding to
space debris. This will be reduced with Reusable rockets.
• Cost: Nearly 80 percent of the cost in a space launch vehicle
goes into the structure of the vehicle. The costs of propellants
are minimal in comparison. By using RLVs the cost of a launch
can be reduced by nearly 80 percent of the present cost.
• Frequency of Launch: Reusable rockets can reduce the
manufacturing time for building a new vehicle for every
launch, thus enabling more frequent launches.
• Global space economy: Having a reusable launch vehicle
will give ISRO a major place in the launch market, which
is dominated by Elon Musk-led SpaceX company due to
its reusable Falcon-9 rockets. The company conducted 61
successful launches in 2022 using its reusable system.
• Manned Spaceflight: An Indian RLV space plane can play a
pivotal role in executing regular manned spaceflights.
Concerns:
• The cost advantage of reusable vehicle depends on the
degree of reusability which further depends on the repairs and
servicing required before reuse.
• In the prototype tested by ISRO, only the second stage, a
winged structure that looks like an airplane, re-entered the
atmosphere. Studies have shown that recovery and reuse of
the final stage, or the orbital vehicle, has more cost benefits
compared to the boost stages.
GLOBAL SCENARIO
• Reusable space vehicles have been in existence for a long
time with NASA’s space shuttle programme that ran from 1981
to 2011 carried out dozens of human space flight missions.
• The use case for reusable space launch vehicles has
revived with the private space launch services provider
Space X demonstrating partially reusable launch systems
with its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets since 2017.
SpaceX is also working on a fully reusable launch vehicle
system called Starship.
 Health
WHO @ 75
In April 2023, the World Health Organization observed its 75th anniversary.
Key Facts:
• Status: The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized
agency of the United Nations.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
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• Membership: 194 Member States, including all UN Member
States except Liechtenstein, and 2 non-UN members.
• History: The WHO was established on 7 April 1948 (hence,
World Health Day is annually observed on 7 April).
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Governance:
• World Health Assembly (WHA): It is the decision-making body
of WHO. The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva,
Switzerland. The main functions of the World Health Assembly
are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the
Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review
and approve the proposed programme budget.
• Executive Board: The Executive Board is composed of 34
technically qualified members elected by WHA for three-year
terms. The main functions of the Board are to carry out the
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decisions and policies of the Assembly, to advise it and to
facilitate its work in general.
• Director-General: The director-general of the WHO is the chief
executive officer of the WHO and the ex-officio Secretary of
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the WHA. The director general is elected by and answers to
the WHA. The current director-general is Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia.
• Soumya Swaminathan is an Indian paediatrician and clinical
scientist known for her research on tuberculosis and HIV. From
2019 to 2022, she served as the chief scientist at the WHO.
Financing:
• The WHO is financed by contributions from member states
and outside donors.
• Assessed contributions are the dues the Member States pay
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depending on the states' wealth and population.
• Specified voluntary contributions are funds for specific
programme areas provided by the Member States or other
partners.
• Core voluntary contributions are funds for flexible uses
provided by the Member States or other partners.
Functions and Achievements:
• It is responsible for international public health.
• It publishes the World Health Report which provides
assessments of worldwide health topics.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• It maintains the International Classification of Diseases (ICD),
a globally used diagnostic tool for epidemiology, health
management and clinical purposes.
• The WHO has played a leading role in several public health
achievements, most notably the eradication of smallpox, the
near-eradication of polio, and the development of an Ebola
vaccine.
• As part of Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW13),
WHO has launched the Triple Billion targets, an ambitious
initiative to improve the health of billions by 2023.
Challenges and Reforms:
• Need for Strong Sanctions: WHO rely on soft power strategies
to gain countries’ cooperation. International Health
Regulations (IHR) must be reformed to include enforceable
sanctions.
• Narrow Mandate: WHO’s mandate must be clarified and
narrowed. WHO should focus primarily on activities where it
can bring the most added value.
• The Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
declaration process should be strengthened to enable the
WHO Director-General to declare a global public health
emergency without the need for overarching consensus.
• Increased Untied Funding: WHO need to look into innovative
financing mechanisms to raise untied money that is not
attached to any specific project.
• Open Governance: Governance of WHO must be reformed to
facilitate the inclusion of alternative voices, such as from the
civil society etc.
• Broad Technical Expertise: WHO should broaden its expertise
to include more input from specialists of other domains like
law, politics etc.
• Hosted Partnerships: There is a need to improve pandemic
prevention, preparedness and response through the
development of Hosted Partnerships that enable developing
nations to leverage the technical and academic expertise of
other member states.
• Pan World Surveillance: In response to infectious diseases
of pandemic potential, there is a need to set up “pan world
surveillance” by leveraging the latest technology.
• Transparency: It is important to strengthen the transparency
and efficiency of various funding mechanisms e.g. WHO
Solidarity Response Fund, WHO Foundation and Strategic
Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP).
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 Health
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
RIGHT TO HEALTH (RAJASTHAN)
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly enacted the Rajasthan Right to Health Care Act 2022.
It was passed in March 2023 and it came into force in April 2023.
Rajasthan Right to Health Care Act 2022: Key Features
• Right to Health: The Act gives every resident of the state
the right to avail free Out Patient Department (OPD) services
and In Patient Department (IPD) services at all public health
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facilities. Additionally, similar healthcare services will be
provided free of cost at select private facilities.
• Health Authorities: Health Authorities will be set up at the state
and district level. These bodies will formulate, implement,
monitor, and develop mechanisms for quality healthcare and
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management of public health emergencies.
• Grievance redressal: It provides a mechanism for resolving
complaints against denial of services and infringements of
rights. A web portal and helpline centre will be established
for filing complaints. The District Health Authority will take up
unresolved complaints exceeding the above timeframe and will
upload the action taken report on the web portal within 30 days.
Arguments in Favour:
• The Constitution of India does not expressly guarantee a
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fundamental right to health. However, Constitutional provisions
such as Article 38 (promoting the welfare of people) and
Article 47 (meeting the nutrition and health requirements of
the population) provides for the State’s obligation to protect
and promote the health of citizens.
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• The Supreme Court of India in various cases (such as
“Bandhua Mukti Morcha v Union of India” and “State of Punjab
v Mohinder Singh Chawla”) held that the right to life (Article
21) included the right to health.
• In 2018, the National Commission on Human Rights (NHRC)
drafted the Charter of Patient Rights to be implemented by
state governments.
• In 2019, a High-Level Group on the health sector constituted
under the 15th Finance Commission had recommended that
the right to health be declared a fundamental right. It also put
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forward a recommendation to shift the subject of health from
the State List to the Concurrent List.
• The concept of a right to health has been enumerated
in international agreements which include Declaration of
Human Rights (1948), International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (1966), and the Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006).
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 aims to ensure healthy
lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages.
• As per a 2013 study, more than half of the world’s countries
have a guaranteed and specified right to public health and
medical care written into their constitutions.
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Arguments Against:
• The act was opposed by healthcare professionals and the
Indian Medical Association (IMA).
• Obligations on the private sector: The act does not mention
whether private healthcare professionals will be reimbursed
by the government. This may make these establishments
commercially unviable and violate Article 19(1)(g) of the
Constitution, which guarantees the right to practice any
profession or carry on any occupation, trade or business.
• Financial implications for government: The implementation of
the act would increase the expenditure of the state budget
and no additional arrangements to cover the costs have been
made by the government.
• Resource shortage: Ensuring free and quality healthcare at
all establishments would require adequate human resources
and infrastructure at all clinical establishments. But there is
a shortage of such resources in the state. To achieve the
SDG 3 of universal health coverage by 2030, WHO suggests
an adequate density of 44.5 health workers per 10,000
population. In 2016, Rajasthan had an approximate density
of 14.4 health workers per 10,000 population.
• Right to Privacy: The District Health Authority is required to
upload an action taken report on the web portal for complaints.
The Bill does not specify who will have access to the report
on the web portal which may infringe on the patient’s right
to privacy upheld by supreme court in Puttaswamy Verdict
(2017). In 1998, the Supreme Court held that professional
doctor-patient relationships are a matter of confidence.
• Overlapping: Several people in the state have already been
provided insurance coverage under the state governments
Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana and
central governments Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
(PM-JAY). Thus, there may be an overlap between
beneficiaries under these schemes due to certain matching
eligibility criteria.
• The act might increase the incidence of violence against
doctors for not fulfilling the obligations under the act.
Concluding Remarks:
• Having transformed a progressive ideal into law, Rajasthan
should now strive to gain the trust of the doctors through
demonstrable action.
• It is also incumbent upon the doctors to rise above the
differences, and work with the government to save human
lives.
 Health
DENGUE
Serum Institute of India and Panacea Biotec in collaboration with Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR) are developing India’s first vaccine against dengue.
Dengue:
• Spread: Dengue (break-bone fever) is a viral infection that
spreads from mosquitoes to people.
• Symptoms of Dengue: Most people with dengue have mild
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or no symptoms and will get better in 1–2 weeks. The most
common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches,
nausea and rash.
• Symptoms of Severe Dengue: Severe dengue symptoms
often come after the fever has gone away and include
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severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing,
bleeding gums or nose , blood in vomit or stool etc.
Transmission:
1. Transmission through the Mosquito Bite: The virus is
transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female
mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Other
species within the Aedes genus can also act as vectors,
but their contribution is secondary to Aedes aegypti. The
mosquitoes that spread dengue are active during the day.
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2. Human-to-Mosquito Transmission: Mosquitoes can become
infected by people who have Dengue Virus in their bloodstream.
3. Human-to-Human Transmission: The primary mode of
transmission of Dengue Virus between humans involves
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mosquito vectors. There is evidence of the possibility of
maternal transmission (from a pregnant mother to her baby).
4. Other Transmission Modes: Rare cases of transmission via
blood products, organ donation and transfusions have been
recorded. Similarly, transovarial transmission of the virus
within mosquitoes have also been recorded.
Risk Factors:
• Previous infection with Dengue Virus increases the risk of the
individual developing severe dengue.
• Urbanization (especially unplanned), is associated
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with dengue transmission through multiple social and
environmental factors: population density, human mobility,
access to reliable water source, water storage practice etc.
Global Incidence of Dengue:
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified dengue
to be one among the top ten global health threats in 2019.
• About half of the world’s population is at risk of dengue. An
estimated 100-400 million infections occur each year.
• A vast majority of cases are asymptomatic or mild and self-
managed, and hence the actual numbers of dengue cases
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
are under-reported. Many cases are also misdiagnosed as
other febrile illnesses.
Distribution of Disease Cases:
• It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates. The
Americas, South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions are
the most seriously affected, with Asia representing around
70% of the global disease burden.
• Dengue is spreading to new areas including Europe. Local
transmission was reported for the first time in France in 2010.
• According to ICMR, in India, 2 to 2.5 lakh cases of dengue
virus disease are reported annually.
Prevention:
• The risk of getting dengue can be lowered by protecting
oneself from mosquito bites by using: clothes that cover as
much of the body as possible; mosquito nets and mosquito
repellents (containing DEET, Picaridin or IR3535).
Treatment:
• If one get dengue, it is important to drink plenty of liquids
and use acetaminophen (paracetamol) to control pain. Non-
steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin
should be avoided as they can increase the risk of bleeding.
• For people with severe dengue, hospitalization is needed.
• Currently, there is no specific treatment for dengue. So far
one vaccine (Dengvaxia) has been approved and licensed in
some countries. However, only persons with evidence of past
dengue infection can be protected by this vaccine.
• The desirable characteristics of a dengue vaccine includes:
 acceptable short and long-term safety profile (no antibody
dependent enhancement),
 inducing protection against all four serotypes of dengue,
 reducing risk of severe diseases and deaths, inducing a
sustained immune response and
 effectiveness irrespective of the earlier sero-status and
age of the individual.
Steps Taken:
• WHO Response: WHO support countries in the development of
dengue prevention and control strategies and adopting the
Global Vector Control Response (2017–2030).
• By India: The National Vector Borne Diseases Control
Programme (NVBDCP) for prevention and control of six vector
borne diseases i.e., Malaria, Kala-azar, Lymphatic Filariasis,
Dengue, Chikungunya & Japanese Encephalitis.
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 Environment
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
INDIA’S FIRST WATER BODIES CENSUS
The Ministry of Jal Shakti released the first-ever census of water bodies across India,
a comprehensive inventory of India's water resources.
Objective:
• The census was launched under the centrally sponsored
scheme, “Irrigation Census” in convergence with the 6th
Minor Irrigation Census in order to have a comprehensive
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national database of all water bodies.
Definition of Water Bodies:
• In this census, water bodies are defined as all natural or man-
made units bounded on all sides with some or no masonry
work used for storing water for irrigation or other purposes
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(e.g. industrial, pisciculture, domestic/drinking, recreation,
religious, ground water recharge etc). These are known by
different names like tank, reservoirs, ponds etc.
• A structure where water from ice-melt, streams, springs,
rain or drainage of water from residential or other areas is
accumulated or water is stored by diversion from a stream,
nala or river will also be treated as water body.
Seven Types of Water Bodies were Excluded:
1. Oceans and lagoons;
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2. Rivers, streams, springs, waterfalls, canals, etc. which are
free flowing, without any bounded storage of water;
3. Swimming pools;
4. Covered water tanks created for a specific purpose by a
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family or household for their own consumption;
5. A water tank constructed by a factory owner for consumption
of water as raw material or consumable;
6 Temporary water bodies created by digging for mining, brick
kilns, and construction activities, which may get filled during
the rainy season; and
7. Pucca open water tanks created only for cattle to drink water.
Key Findings of the Census:
• 2.4 million water bodies have been enumerated in the
country, out of which 97.1% are in rural areas and only 2.9%
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are in urban areas.
• Top 5 States in terms of number of water bodies are West
Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam.
• Top 5 States in terms of number of water bodies in urban areas
are West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, UP and Tripura.
• Top 5 States in terms of number of water bodies in rural areas
are West Bengal, UP, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam.
• Maharashtra is the leading state for water conservation
schemes, West Bengal has highest number of ponds &
reservoirs, Andhra Pradesh has highest number of tanks and
Tamil Nadu has highest number of lakes.
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• Types: 59.5% of water bodies are ponds, followed by tanks
(15.7%), reservoirs (12.1%), Water conservation schemes/
percolation tanks/check dams (9.3%), lakes (0.9%) and
others (2.5%). 78% water bodies are man-made water bodies
whereas 22% are natural water bodies.
• Districts: West Bengal’s South 24 Pargana district has the
highest number of water bodies across the country followed
by Andhra Pradesh’s Ananthapur and West Bengal’s Howrah.
• Water Spread: 72.4% of water bodies have water spread area
less than 0.5 hectare, 13.4% have water spread area between
0.5-1 hectare, 11.1% have water spread area between 1-5
hectares and remaining 3.1% of water bodies have water
spread area more than 5 hectares.
Location:
• 9.6% water bodies are located in tribal areas, 8.8% in flood
prone areas, 7.2% in the area under “Drought Prone Areas
Programme”, 2% water bodies are in the naxal affected areas,
0.7% under Desert Development Programme (DDP) whereas
remaining 71.7% water bodies are located in other areas.
Ownership:
• 55.2% of water bodies are owned by private entities whereas
44.8% of water bodies are in the domain of public ownership.
• Out of all public owned water bodies, maximum water bodies
are owned by Panchayats.
• Out of all private owned water bodies, maximum water bodies
are in hands of Individual owner/farmer. West Bengal has the
highest number of private owned water bodies.
Usage:
• 83.7% of water bodies are in use whereas remaining 16.3%
are not in use on account of drying up, construction, siltation,
destroyed beyond repair, salinity and other reasons.
• Most of the water bodies are used in pisciculture, followed by
irrigation, ground water recharge and domestic/drinking purpose.
• Top 3 States wherein major use of water bodies is in
pisciculture are West Bengal, Assam and Odisha. Top 3
States wherein major use of water bodies is in irrigation are
Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Encroachment of Water Bodies:
• The census found 1.6% of enumerated water bodies had been
encroached upon. More than 95% of these were in rural areas.
• Uttar Pradesh accounted for almost 40% of water bodies
under encroachment, followed by Tamil Nadu and Andhra
Pradesh. No encroachment was reported from West Bengal,
Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh.
 Environment
STATE OF THE GLOBAL CLIMATE
In April 2023, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the State of
the Global Climate 2022 report. Its key findings are mentioned below.
Global Climate Indicators:
• Temperature: Global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15
[1.02 to 1.28] °C above the 1850-1900 average. The years
2015 to 2022 were the eight warmest years on record. This
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was despite three consecutive years of a cooling La Niña
(“triple-dip” La Niña) which has happened only three times in
the past 50 years.
• Greenhouse Gases: Concentrations of the three main greenhouse
gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – reached
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record observed highs in 2021. The annual increase in methane
concentration from 2020 to 2021 was the highest on record.
• Glaciers: Glaciers experienced a cumulative thickness loss of
almost 30 m since 1970. According to the IPCC, globally the
glaciers lost more than 6000 Gt of ice over the period 1993-
2019.
• Sea Ice: Sea ice in Antarctica dropped to 1.92 million km2 on
February 25, 2022, the lowest level on record and almost 1
million km2 below the long-term (1991-2020) mean. Arctic
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sea-ice extent in 2022 was below the 1991–2020 average for
most of the year.
• Ocean heat: In 2022, despite continuing La Niña conditions,
58% of the ocean surface suffered at least one marine heatwave
event. Oceans, which capture 90% of the heat from greenhouse
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gases, have been bearing the brunt of climate change.
• Global Mean Sea Level (GMSL): The global mean sea-level rise
was estimated to be around 3.4 millimetres per year over the
30 years of the satellite records (1993–2022).
• Ocean acidification: Oceans have been absorbing around 25
percent of yearly carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions injected
into the atmosphere from human activities. The absorption
of CO2 alters the chemical composition of oceans. This
greenhouse gas reacts with seawater and acidifies the
water (ocean acidification). This impacts marine lives and
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their ecosystem services. The sea also loses its capacity to
moderate warming.
• Extreme Events: Rising global temperatures have contributed
to more frequent and severe extreme weather events around
the world, including cold and heat waves, floods, droughts,
wildfires and storms.
Socio-economic and environmental impacts:
• Food insecurity: As of 2021, 2.3bn people faced food insecurity.
Heatwaves in the 2022 pre-monsoon season in India and
Pakistan caused a decline in crop yields. Over 20mn people
suffered food insecurity across East Africa due to drought.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• Displacement: Record-breaking rainfall in Pakistan led to
flooding, affecting over 33 million people and displacing
almost eight million.
• Heatwaves Death: Europe and China saw record-breaking
heatwaves. Over 15,000 deaths due to excess heat have
been documented across Spain, Germany, the United
Kingdom, France and Portugal.
• Environment: Climate change is affecting recurring events
in nature, such as when trees blossom, or birds migrate.
Ecosystems – including terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and
marine ecosystems – and the services they provide, are
affected by the changing climate.
Recommendations: UN Early Warnings for All Initiative
• The report calls for fast-tracking the implementation of the
Early Warnings For All Initiative (EW4All), which was formally
launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2022 at the COP27
meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh.
• The Initiative calls for the whole world to be covered by an
early warning system by the end of 2027 as these services
have a significant role in saving lives and livelihoods from
increasingly extreme weather and climate events.
• Early Warnings for All is co-led by WMO and UNDRR (United
Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction).
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION (WMO)
• Mandate: It is a specialized agency of the United Nations for
meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology
and related geophysical sciences.
• Membership: It comprises 193 Member States and Territories.
• Governance: The World Meteorological Congress is the
supreme body of WMO, which meets every four years to
set policies and priorities.
• Background: It was established in 1950 by the Convention
of the World Meteorological Organization (which was
signed in 1947 and ratified in 1950). It is a successor
of the International Meteorological Organization (IMO),
which originated from the 1873 Vienna International
Meteorological Congress.
• Secretariat: It is headquartered in Geneva.
• Relation with IPCC: The WMO and the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) established the Inter-
governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988.
• The WMO secretariat also hosts the secretariat of IPCC.
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 Environment
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023

SEA LEVEL RISE

According to the ‘State of the Global Climate 2022’ released by WMO, the world’s sea level
is rising at an unprecedented rate which can lead to disastrous consequences.

Present Status: GSML Budget:

• Global Mean Sea Level (GMSL) continued to rise in 2022, • The GMSL budget compares the sum of estimates of the
reaching a new record high for the satellite altimeter record individual components to the total GMSL measured by satellites.
(1993–2022). • If the sum of the estimates matches the total GMSL, the

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• The GMSL rise is estimated to be 3.4mm per year over the
30 years of the satellite altimeter record (1993–2022), but
the rate of GMSL rise has doubled between the first decade
of the record (1993–2002, 2.27 mm per year) and the last
(2013–2022, 4.62 mm per year).
budget is said to be “closed”.
Impact of GSML Rise:
• Cyclones: Cyclones are known to typically originate in the
open seas. As the GSML continues to rise, along with a

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rise in ocean temperatures, the chances of cyclones could
• Sea level rise is not the same everywhere, with the differences
increase, affecting coastal communities and leading to large
due in part to local changes in Ocean Heat Content (OHC), an
economic liabilities for tropical countries like India and South
indicator that measures the accumulated heat.
Africa, which have high population densities.

MEASURING SEA LEVEL RISE • Groundwater salinity: As the GSML continues to rise,
more seawater could seep into the ground, leading to the
• Since the 1990s, scientists have been measuring sea-level
groundwater – which is usually freshwater – turning more
rise using satellite altimeters. These instruments send radar
and more saline. This in turn can exacerbate water crises in
pulses to the sea surface and measure the time they take
coastal areas as well as agriculture in adjacent regions.
to get back and the change in their intensity. The higher the
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• Land usage: The accelerated pace of GSML rise will cause
sea level, the faster and stronger the return signal.
changes in land cover in the future. As rising seas swallow
• Researchers are able to determine GSML by collecting this more of the land cover, particularly in coastal areas, coastal
data from different points on the earth and calculating the communities will face an “acute shortage of land for human use”.
average.
• Social disparities: The Land crunch due to GSML rise will
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• To calculate the rate of change in the GSML – i.e. how mean that those who are better off will be able to cope better
fast or slow the sea level is changing – the difference in than marginalised groups, leading to an increase in social
the GSML can be calculated across a few years, usually disparities between people living in coastal areas.
a decade, and then divide the difference by the number
• Displacement: In the Sunderbans delta in West Bengal rising
of years. This provides an estimate of the rate of sea-level
sea levels has left more islands submerged under water,
change.
forcing members of local communities to migrate.

Reason for Accelerated Sea-Level Rise: • Small island states: At current rates, sea level would be high
enough to make nations like Maldives, Kiribati and Tuvalu
• Ocean warming, ice loss from glaciers and ice sheets, and
uninhabitable by 2100. These nations are already considering
changes in land water storage are the key factors responsible
controlled international migration of their population in
for a rising GSML. The report also quantifies the individual
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response to rising sea.

contribution of these factors to yield what researchers call the
“GSML budget”.
• According to the report, in 2005-2019, loss of glaciers and
ice sheets contributed 36% to the GSML rise. Ocean warming
(through thermal expansion) contributed 55%, and changes
in the storage of land water contributed less than 10%.
• As increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases drive global warming, 90% of the ‘extra’
heat is stored in the oceans. This leads to ocean warming.
And as the ocean heats up, it undergoes thermal expansion,
which in turn leads to a rise in the GSML.
Way Ahead: Adaptation
• Cutting greenhouse gas emissions can slow and stabilize the
rate of sea level rise after 2050, greatly reducing its costs and
damages, but cannot stop it outright. Thus, climate change
adaptation to sea level rise is inevitable.
• The most straightforward approach is to gradually first cease
development in vulnerable areas and ultimately move the
people and infrastructure away from them.
• To be successful, adaptation needs to anticipate sea level
rise well ahead of time.

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Edition: May, 2023

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 Environment
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023

GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH

A new study published in April 2023, revealed that unexpected species of coastal
invertebrate organisms are thriving on the ”Great Pacific Garbage Patch”.

About: the animal feeding on the plastic, and as the feeder becomes
• Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) is the largest of the five prey, the chemicals will pass to the predator - making their
offshore plastic accumulation zones in the world’s oceans. way up the food web that includes humans.

• It is also called as the Pacific Trash Vortex. • Impact on Economy: The United Nations reported that the

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approximate environmental damage caused by plastic to
• Location: It is located halfway between Hawaii and California.
marine ecosystems represents 13 billion USD. This figure
Due to seasonal and interannual variabilities of winds and
included the cost of beach cleanups and the financial loss
currents, the GPGP's location and shape are constantly
incurred by fisheries.
changing. On average the patch orbits around 32°N and 145°W.

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Size:
• The GPGP covers an estimated surface area of 1.6 million
square kilometers, an area three times the size of France.
• The mass of the plastic in the GPGP was estimated to be
approximately 80,000 tonnes. A total of 1.8 trillion plastic
pieces were estimated to be floating in the patch.
• Due to its sheer size, the environmentalists in 2017 called
on the United Nations to declare the Great Pacific Garbage
Patch a country, called "The Trash Isles".
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Formation:
• It is estimated that 1.15 to 2.41 million tonnes of plastic are
entering the ocean each year from rivers. More than half of
this plastic is less dense than the water, meaning that it will
not sink once it encounters the sea.
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• They persist at the sea surface as they make their way
offshore, transported by converging currents and finally
accumulating in the patch.
• Once these plastics enter the ocean gyre, they are unlikely to
leave the area. It is because the ocean gyres themselves are
constantly circulating, the area of water that they surround is
actually calm and stationary.
• When garbage is carried into the center of an ocean gyre,
there are no more outside forces acting on the garbage to
move it any further. The result is that garbage will often collect
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OCEAN GYRES
• Ocean gyres are large, circular rotations of water.
• List: There are five major ocean gyres named on the basis
of their locations: (i) North Pacific Gyre, (ii) South Pacific
Gyre, (iii) North Atlantic Gyre, (iv) South Atlantic Gyre and
(v) Indian Gyre. However, there are also a large number of
smaller ocean gyres, including gyres in the Arctic Ocean.
• Life in Ocean Gyres: Their calm centers have traditionally
been regarded as oligotrophic, or nutrient-poor, because
they have few concentrations of the organic chemicals that
support producers, such as algae and plankton, in the
ocean food web. Nevertheless, some life does exist within
ocean gyres.
Reasons for the Formation:
• Ocean gyres are caused by two different forces acting on
the water: the wind and the Coriolis effect.
• Earth’s wind patterns grab the ocean water and push it
forward, however, these wind patterns are deflected by the
earth’s rotation (the Coriolis effect) causing both the winds
and the water they are pushing to swirl around in a circular
pattern.
• The presence of continents defines their size and shape.
Each gyre stretches across the ocean, stopping when it
gets close to the border of a continent.

at the center of ocean gyres and stay there for many years.
• Due to this, the North Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean,
and the Indian Ocean all have substantial patches of garbage.

Impact:
• Impact on Wildlife: Due to its size and colour, animals confuse
the plastic for food, causing malnutrition. It also poses
entanglement risks and threatens their overall behaviour,
health and existence.
• Impact on Foodchain: Through a process called
bioaccumulation, chemicals in plastics will enter the body of

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 Environment
ESG FRAMEWORK
In February 2023, the SEBI released a consultation paper on the regulatory framework of
ESG disclosures, ratings and investments by mutual funds.
What is Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)?
• ESG is a framework that helps stakeholders understand how
an organization is managing risks and opportunities related
to environmental, social, and governance criteria.
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• Environmental Criteria include direct and indirect greenhouse
gas emissions, management’s stewardship over natural
resources, and the firm’s overall resiliency against physical
climate risks (like climate change, flooding, and fires).
• Social Criteria inspects an organisation’s management
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of relationships with its employees, suppliers, customer,
stakeholders, and the community at large.
• Corporate Governance considers the organisation’s
management structure, executive compensation, internal
controls, and Stakeholder rights.
Evolution of ESG:
• EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety): As far back as the
1980s, organizations in the United States were considering
how to use regulation to manage or reduce pollution
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produced in the pursuit of economic growth. They sought to
also improve employee labour and safety standards.
• Corporate Sustainability: EHS evolved in the 1990s into
the Corporate Sustainability movement under which some
management teams wanted to focus on reducing their firm’s
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environmental impacts beyond the legally mandated reductions.
• CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility): By the early 2000s, the
corporate sustainability movement began to integrate ideas
around how companies should respond to social issues.
Corporate philanthropy is a key component of CSR.
• ESG: Finally, by the late 2010s, ESG emerged as a much more
proactive and comprehensive framework.
Global Examples of ESG Regulations:
• The U.K. Modern Slavery Act requires companies to publish
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the efforts they have taken to identify the risks of human
trafficking and establish internal accountability procedures.
• The EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation requires
banks, pension funds, asset managers and other financial
market participants to disclose the integration of sustainability
risks into their investment decision-making.
Indian Scenario: Timeline
• India has long had a number of laws and bodies regarding
ESG issues, including the Environment Protection Act of 1986,
National Green Tribunal and labour codes and laws governing
employee engagement and corporate governance practices.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• The Companies Act of 2013 include the CSR policy under
which companies with a net worth of ₹500 crore or a minimum
turnover of ₹1,000 crore or a net profit of ₹5 crore in any given
financial year must spend at least 2% of their net profits on
CSR endeavours and disclose their ESG profiles to attract
capital from global ESG investors.
• In 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India made
ESG disclosures mandatory for the top 1,000 listed companies
under its Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting
(BRSR) initiative. The BRSR replaced the erstwhile Business
Responsibility Report (BRR) framework.
Relevance of ESG:
• Post-pandemic, global ESG investing picked up momentum
as investors perceived Covid-19 as the century’s first
“sustainability” crisis.
• Under the Paris Agreement, India has committed to achieving
net zero emissions by 2070. Accordingly, corporate entities
must integrate ESG principles to safeguard the environment.
• If a business is not conscious about sustainability, its
business processes might become redundant in the future,
due to legal and regulatory changes.
• ESG adoption will boost corporate growth, enhance the public
image, and help companies raise capital at lower costs.
• Compliance by Indian companies with the ESG regulations
will be critical if India is to take full advantage of the growing
decoupling from China and play a more prominent role in
global supply chains and the global marketplace.
Concerns and Challenges:
• In India, ESG is still in its infancy, with only 25 out of 5,180
investors becoming signatories of the United Nations
Principles of Responsible Investing (UNPRI).
• In India, the focus of the ESG laws and regulations is often on
providing protections regarding the environment or workplace
conditions without incorporating the controls and disclosure
that are a hallmark of contemporary ESG regulation.
• Most companies lack qualified internal resources to implement
ESG initiatives effectively. The lack of data and transparency
makes it difficult for investors to assess ESG performance of
companies and to make informed investment decisions.
Way Ahead:
• The above mentioned challenges should not be viewed
as a hindrance but as a future investment for sustainable
businesses. Therefore, businesses must adapt and evolve
their practices as the landscape changes.
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 Environment
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023

HEATWAVE
In April 2023, thirteen people died from an apparent heatstroke while attending
a government award function in an open space in Navi Mumbai.

Meaning: Favourable Conditions for Heat Wave are as follows:

• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has not • Transportation / Prevalence of hot dry air over a region (There
adopted yet a standard definition for heat waves. should be a region of warm dry air and appropriate flow
• Qualitatively, heat wave is a condition of air temperature pattern for transporting hot air over the region).

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which becomes fatal to human body when exposed.
• Quantitatively, it is defined based on the temperature
thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its
departure from normal.
• Absence of moisture in the upper atmosphere (As the presence
of moisture restricts the temperature rise).
• The sky should be practically cloudless (To allow maximum
insulation over the region).
• Large amplitude anti-cyclonic flow over the area (Anticyclones

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Criteria for Declaring Heat Wave:
cause hot and dry weather by sinking winds around high-
• As per India Meteorological Department (IMD), heat wave is pressure systems in the atmosphere).
considered if maximum temperature of a station reaches at
• Heat waves generally develop over Northwest India and
least 400C or more for Plains and at least 300C or more for
spread gradually eastwards & southwards but not westwards
Hilly regions.
(since the prevailing winds during the season are westerly to
• Based on Departure from Normal:
north-westerly).
 Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 4.50C to 6.40C.
• In addition, if the soil is very dry, all the solar radiation heat
 Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is >6.40C.
this, allowing the warming of the air in contact with the soil,
• Based on Actual Maximum Temperature:
promoting even higher temperatures.
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 Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥ 450C.
 Severe Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature Other Reasons:
≥470C. • El-Nino: In India, the summer this year is predicted to be
excessively hot because of the end of the strong La Nina
Warm Night:
phase in equatorial Pacific Ocean, that has a general cooling
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• It is considered only when maximum temperature remains
effect on the earth’s atmosphere. El Nino, which has the
400C or more.
opposite impacts of La Nina, is expected to kick in from the
• It is defined based on departures or actual minimum May-July period itself, earlier than expected.
temperatures as follows:
• Global Warming: Over a longer term, heatwaves are predicted
 Warm night: minimum temperature departure is 4.50C to
to become more intense, prolonged and frequent because of
6.40C.
climate change.
 Very warm night: minimum temperature departure is >6.40C.
Impact of Heat Wave:
Heat Wave in India: Period and Affected Regions
• Heat wave is also called a “silent disaster” as it develops
• Heat wave occurs in India mainly during March to June and
slowly and kills and injures humans and animals nationwide.
in some rare cases even in July. The peak month of the heat
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• Energy consumption: Power outages are triggered by

wave over India is May.
the disproportionally high electricity demand due to air-
• Heat wave generally occurs over plains of northwest India,
conditioning during heat waves.
Central, East & north Peninsular India during March to
• Urban Heat Island: Urban residents of India are exposed
June. It covers Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, to health-related risks owing to the Urban Heat Island
Rajasthan, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra & Karnataka, phenomenon which is instigated by more heat-absorbing
Andhra Pradesh and Telengana. Sometimes it occurs over surfaces, trapping of hot air between buildings and poor
Tamil Nadu & Kerala also. vegetation cover.

• However, maximum temperatures more than 45°C are • Wild/Forest fires: Heat waves can increase the incidence of
observed mainly over Rajasthan and Vidarbha region in Wild/Forest fires. Forest Survey of India has estimated that
month of May. 21.4 per cent area under forest is vulnerable to forest fires.

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• Groundwater depletion: Heat wave leads to increased
consumption of water, especially in arid and semi-arid areas,
resulting in greater withdrawal of groundwater.
• Food Security: High temperatures beyond certain
optimum level reduce plant growth by affecting the rate of
photosynthesis which leads to a shortened life cycle and
reduced plant productivity.
• Livestock: Heat wave affects livestock sector as animals are
more vulnerable to heatwaves. Heat wave results in low milk
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yields and meat productivity.
• Fisheries: Increased temperature affects the distribution pattern
of some fish species where some of them may be migrate
to the higher latitude for cooler place. High temperature can
lead to algae blooms and reduced levels of dissolved oxygen.
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• Livelihood: Heat waves disproportionately impact the lives
of agricultural laborers, small street vendors, brickmaking
workers, construction workers, and rickshaw pullers. Heat
waves have an adverse impact on these workers’ productivity
and thereby affect the overall economy of India.
• Human health: Prolonged heat exposure causes heat strokes
and heat exhaustion. Persons suffering from heat exhaustion
experience fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, hypotension
(low blood pressure) and tachycardia (increased heart rate).
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Heat Stroke:
• A heat stroke or sunstroke is the result of overheating of the
body as a result of exposure to high temperatures and humidity,
or due to prolonged physical exertion at high temperatures.
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• When the body fails to sweat and is therefore unable to
lose heat by evaporation, there is an increase in the core
temperature of the body. If the body fails to cool down, its
core temperature can shoot up to 106 degrees Fahrenheit
within a few minutes.
• This can cause severe health implications including death.
A heat stroke is considered to be a medical emergency that
requires prompt attention.
Strategies for Heat Wave Management:
• It is time to devise a national level Heat wave Action Plan to
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combat this disaster.
• The local authorities should carry out a vulnerability
assessment in order to identify the vulnerable areas and 'High
Risk' Communities.
• 'Public Cooling Places' should be set up. Similar colling
facilities should be setup for the livestock.
• Dietary recommendations: Use ORS, homemade drinks like
lassi, torani (rice water), lemon water, buttermilk, etc. which
helps to re-hydrate the body. Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee and
carbonated soft drinks, which dehydrates the body. Avoid
high-protein food and do not eat stale food.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
Steps taken by the Government of India:
• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and
IMD have started Heat Wave action plans in 23 States prone to
heat-wave conditions to forewarn about heat waves and also
advising action to be taken. Ahmedabad was among the first
city to prepare a Heat wave Action Plan in 2015.
• The Ministry of Health is increasing public awareness on the
subject of health impacts of heat waves, under the ‘National
Programme on Climate Change and Human Health’.
• The National Agricultural Research System has developed
several heat tolerant wheat varieties, PBW 803, DBW 187
and DBW 222 that can tolerate high temperatures and can
produce normal yields compared to local variety HD-3086.
• Ministry of Agriculture is implementing Per Drop More Crop
(PDMC) scheme which focuses on micro irrigation.
• Forest Survey of India (FSI) has developed a Forest Fire
Forecasting System portal named VAN AGNI, which provides
pre-fire and real time forest fire alerts.
‘HEAT INDEX’ LAUNCHED BY IMD
• In April 2023, the IMD launched a Heat Index (HI) on an
experimental basis.
• What is it? In its current form, IMD’s heat index will be
available as a spatial map of the country giving the “feels
like” temperature probabilities in the form of colour codes
(Green, Yellow, Orange, Red). The green areas represents
temperatures below 35° C at one end and the red areas
shows temperatures exceeding 55° C.
• Criteria: The index considers the forecast temperatures,
humidity values, impact of wind speed and cloud cover of
different places at 2.30 pm, when the heat is usually at its
peak. The higher the humidity, the higher the heat index.
IMD is also planing to include more parameters such as
night temperatures and the number of successive high
heat days prior to the date of forecast.
• Application: The index is used widely in tropical countries,
to understand the extent of discomfort being felt by an
individual by factoring in both humidity and temperature.
Mapping the heat index is most useful when relative
humidity is high. This is normally seen between June
and August when the humidity levels constantly remains
around 40-50%, coupled with temperatures of over 40°C,
with the body’s ability to not effectively sweat making it
more dangerous than spells of dry heat.
NOTE TO READERS
To read about “Heat Domes”, refer Page 94 of March
2023 edition of Current Affairs Magazine.
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 Environment
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
One of the many way to adapt to the increasing heatwaves is to keep a
track on the relative humidity and drink lots of water.
Humidity:
• Humidity is the concentration of water vapour present in the air.
• It depends on the temperature and pressure of the system
of interest. The same amount of water vapor results in higher
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relative humidity in cool air than warm air.
• The most humid cities on Earth are generally located closer to
the equator, near coastal regions. Cities in parts of Asia and
Oceania are among the most humid.
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Types:
• Three primary measurements of humidity are widely
employed: absolute, relative, and specific.
• Absolute Humidity (AH) is expressed as either mass of water
vapor per volume of moist air (in g/m3) or as mass of water
vapor per mass of dry air (usually in g/kg).
• Relative Humidity (RH) indicates a present state of absolute
humidity relative to a maximum humidity given the same
temperature. It is important because it factors in the amount
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of vapour that air can hold at different temperatures.
• Specific Humidity (SH) is the ratio of water vapor mass to total
moist air parcel mass.
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Measurement:
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• A device used to measure humidity of air is called a
psychrometer or hygrometer.
• Empirical formulas – such as Antoine equation, Gratch
equation and the Magnus–Tetens approximation – can be
used to estimate the equilibrium vapor pressure of water
vapor as a function of temperature.
• Humidity is also measured on a global scale using remotely
placed satellites which can detect the concentration of water
in the troposphere at altitudes between 4 and 12 km. Satellites
that can measure water vapor have sensors that are sensitive
to infrared radiation.
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Wet-Bulb Temperature:
• A more direct way to understand the implications of the relative
humidity for your wellbeing is in the form of the wet-bulb
temperature (a.k.a. the adiabatic saturation temperature).
• The wet-bulb temperature (WBT) is the temperature read by
a thermometer covered in water-soaked (water at ambient
temperature) cloth over which air is passed. It is the lowest
temperature a surface can reach when water evaporates from it.
• At 100% relative humidity, the WBT is equal to the air temperature
(dry-bulb temperature); at lower humidity the WBT is lower than
dry-bulb temperature because of evaporative cooling.
• A wet-bulb temperature in an environment of 32° C - 35° C or
higher can be quickly lethal.
Impact of Humidity on Global Climate:
• Humidity affects the energy budget and thereby influences
temperatures in two major ways.
• First, water vapor in the atmosphere contains "latent" energy.
During transpiration or evaporation, this latent heat is
removed from surface liquid, cooling the earth's surface.
• Second, water vapor is the most abundant of all greenhouse
gases. Like the other greenhouse gasses, water vapor is
transparent to most solar energy. However, it absorbs the
infrared energy emitted (radiated) upward by the earth's surface.
This selective absorption causes the greenhouse effect. It raises
the surface temperature substantially in humid areas.
Importance of Relative Humidity for Human Health:
• The concept of Relative humidity has significant, far-
reaching consequences for how humans should take care of
themselves on a hot or wet day.
• On a hot day, our body uses sweat to cool itself. Sweat
is released via our skin to the surface. There, the liquid
evaporates. When water changes phase from liquid to vapour,
it absorbs heat from the surface on which it lies. So when
sweat evaporates, it absorbs heat from the skin, cooling it.
• The higher the relative humidity of air, the more it is filled with
moisture. When air already contains a lot of moisture, it will
not easily accept more. This means that the sweat on your
skin cannot evaporate. At the same time, the body keeps
sweating because it is still expecting to cool itself.
• As a result, if the relative humidity is high, one can sweat on
a hot day even when they are sitting still – while the body
also keeps accumulating heat. This can quickly become
dangerous. In this case, drinking water is important.
• A relative humidity of 30-60% is generally considered to be
comfortable.
 Environment
GREEN DEPOSITS
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) came up with a regulatory framework for
banks to accept green deposits from customers.
About:
• Green deposits are not very different from the regular
deposits that banks accept from their customers. The only
major difference is that banks promise to earmark the money
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that they receive as green deposits towards environment-
friendly projects.
• Green finance involves investing in activities/projects which
contribute to climate risk mitigation, climate adaptation and
resilience, and other climate-related/environmental objectives.
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RBI’s Regulatory Framework:
• Green deposit is an interest-bearing deposit received by RBI
regulated entities (such as banks) for a fixed period. The
framework will come into effect from June 1, 2023.
• Coverage: The framework applies to all scheduled commercial
banks and small finance banks (except for regional rural banks
and local area banks) and non-banking finance companies
(including housing finance companies). Both corporate and
individual customers can invest in green deposits.
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• Allocation of Proceeds: Regulated entities will be required to
allocate proceeds to projects in 9 sectors — renewable energy,
energy efficiency, clean transportation, climate-change
adaptation, sustainable water and waste management,
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pollution prevention and control, green buildings, management
of living natural resources, and biodiverity conservation.
• Prohibited Sectors: Banks will be barred from investing green
deposits in business projects involving fossil fuels, nuclear
power, tobacco, etc.
• Third-Party Verification: The allocation of funds raised through
green deposits in a financial year will be subject to annual
independent third-party verification. The verification must cover
aspects involving: (i) use of proceeds in accordance with
eligible green activities/projects, and (ii) policies and internal
controls including project evaluation and management of funds.
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• Reporting: A review report must be placed before the board
of directors of regulated entities within three months after the
end of a financial year. The review must cover certain details
including: (i) amount raised from green deposits in previous
financial years, (ii) list of green activities/projects where
funds were allocated, (iii) amount allocated to eligible green
activities/projects, and (iv) copy of third-party verification/
assurance report.
• Greenwashing: The new rules are aimed at preventing
greenwashing, which refers to making misleading claims
about the positive environmental impact of an activity.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
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Significance:
• A green deposit is just one product in a wide array of other
financial products such as green bonds that help investors
put money into environmentally sustainable projects.
• Depositors who care about the environment may get some
satisfaction from investing their money in environmentally
sustainable investment products.
• This new offering in the market indicates the increased
awareness of the importance of ESG (Environmental, Social
and Governance) and sustainable investing.
Challenges:
• Critics have called green investing “a feel-good scam” that
enriches only consultants. These products are just a way to
make investors feel good about themselves and that these
investments do not really do much good to the environment.
• In a complex world where any action involves second-order
effects that are difficult to see, it can be extremely hard to
know if a project is really environmentally sustainable.
• There are other challenges like the range of projects in which
green funds can be invested by the bank is limited by design.
GLOSSARY OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCE
• Blue Bond: A bond that is issued to finance the protection
and conservation of marine ecosystems.
• Carbon Market: A market created from the trading of carbon
emission allowances to help countries and companies to
limit their carbon emissions, known as carbon trading.
• Carbon Offsetting: The purchasing of credits through
carbon trading schemes or emissions reductions projects
in order to reduce carbon emissions.
• Carbon Tax: A tax on the carbon content of fossil fuels to
directly set a price on carbon.
• Circular Economy: An economic model based on sharing,
leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling
goods for as long as possible, thus creating a closed-loop
system that minimizes waste.
• Climate Fund: Financial resources at the multilateral, bilateral
or national levels aimed at addressing climate change,
such as the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, Least
Developed Countries Fund and Climate Investment Funds.
• Green Bond: A financial instrument whose proceeds are
invested exclusively in projects that generate climate or
other environmental benefits.
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 Ethics
Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: May, 2023
ANTI-COPYING LAW
In the last few years, several states have enacted laws to curb cheating in examinations,
especially those for recruitment in public service commissions.
Scenario in Uttarakhand:
• According to news reports, incidents of cheating and paper
leaks have occurred on several occasions in Uttarakhand,
including during the panchayat development officer exams
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in 2016, and the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection
Commission exams in 2021.
• The Uttarakhand Public Service Commission papers were
also leaked in January 2023. Following this, in March 2023,
the Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Bill to bar and penalise
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the use of unfair means in public examinations.
Scenario in other States:
• As per news reports, since 2015, Gujarat has not been able
to hold a single recruitment exam without reported paper
leaks. In February 2023, the Gujarat Assembly also passed a
law to penalise cheating in public examinations.
• Other states such as Rajasthan (Act passed in 2022), Uttar
Pradesh (Act passed in 1998) and Andhra Pradesh (Act
passed in 1997) also have similar laws.
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Provisions of Anti-Cheating Laws:
• Anti-cheating laws across states generally contain provisions
that penalise the use of unfair means by examinees and other
groups in public examinations such as those conducted by
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state public sector commission examinations and higher
secondary education boards.
• Broadly, unfair means is defined to include the use of
unauthorised help and the unauthorised use of written
material by candidates.
• These laws also prohibit individuals responsible for
conducting examinations from disclosing any information
they acquire in this role.
• The more recent laws, such as the Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and
Rajasthan ones, also include the impersonation of candidates
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and the leaking of exam papers within the definition of unfair
means.
• Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
and Andhra Pradesh prohibit the use of electronic aids.
• Maximum prison sentences for using such unfair means range
from three months in UP, to seven years in Andhra Pradesh.
Concerns:
Range of Punishment
• The Gujarat and Uttarakhand anti-cheating Acts have
relatively stringent provisions for cheating.
• The Uttarakhand Act has a fixed 3-year prison sentence for
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examinees caught cheating or using unfair means (for the
first offence). A second-time offender will be punishable with
a minimum jail term of 10 years and fine of Rs 10 lakh.
• Since the Uttarakhand Act does not distinguish between the
different types of unfair means used, an examinee could
serve a sentence disproportionate to the offence committed.
• Other states allow for a range with respect to the penalty, that
is, the judge can decide on the imprisonment term (within the
specified limits) depending on the manner of cheating and
the implications of such cheating.
Presumption of Innocence
• The Uttarakhand Act has a provision that debars the examinee
from state competitive examinations for two to five years upon
the filing of the chargesheet, rather than upon conviction.
• Thus, an examinee could be deprived of giving the
examination even if they were innocent but being prosecuted
under the law. This could compromise the presumption of
innocence for accused candidates.
• The Gujarat and Rajasthan laws also debar candidates from
sitting in specified examinations for two years, but only upon
conviction.
Variation in Scope
• These laws also vary in scope across states. In Uttarakhand
and Rajasthan, the laws only apply to competitive
examinations for recruitment in a state department.
• In the other states, these laws also apply to examinations
held by educational institutions for granting educational
qualifications such as diplomas and degrees. For example,
in Gujarat, exams conducted by the Gujarat Secondary and
Higher Secondary Education Board are also covered under
the Gujarat Public Examination Act, 2023.
• The question is whether it is appropriate to have similar
punishments for exams in educational institutions and exams
for recruitment in government jobs, given the difference in
stakes between them.
Concluding Remarks:
• The anti-cheating laws are a step in the right direction, as it
ensures that educational achievements are based on merit
and hard work and the educational degrees are recognised
reflective of actual knowledge and skills. This can improve
the job prospects of students.
• However, it is also important to ensure that it is implemented
in a way that strikes a balance between promoting fairness
and protecting the well-being of students.
 History
KOHINOOR
A Parliamentary Standing Committee deliberating on heritage theft has
noted that Kohinoor diamond should be returned by U.K. to India.
About:
• Kohinoor, meaning ‘Mountain of Light’, is a colourless diamond.
It is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, weighing
105.6 carats.
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• The diamond is currently set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth
The Queen Mother.
History of Kohinoor:
• It is believed to have been first mined in the 13th century, near
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Guntur in Andhra Pradesh by the Kakatiya dynasty.
• Over the years, the jewel got passed on to the Delhi Sultan
Alauddin Khilji and then to the Mughal empire following which
Persian invader Nadir Shah took it to Afghanistan.
• It passed through different dynasties before reaching Ranjit
Singh, the Sikh Maharaja of Punjab, in 1809, who ruled from
Lahore.
• The diamond was eventually acquired by Queen Victoria in
1849, following the second Anglo-Sikh war, during which
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Punjab was brought under the East India Company. The
diamond was taken by the British after the signing of the Last
Treaty of Lahore.
• Under the British Raj, the diamond underwent a major
recutting as the original Kohinoor had failed to appeal to
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viewers in London, shaping it into the present form.
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Claims:
• Multiple former territories of the British Raj - India, Pakistan
and Afghanistan - have laid claim to the diamond. India
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
first laid claim to it after independence in 1947 and multiple
requests were made since then.
• The death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning
monarch, reignited the demand in India to bring back the
Kohinoor.
Arguments Against:
• All these claims were rejected by U.K. In 2010, then-UK PM
David Cameron rejected the notion of returning the Kohinoor,
saying: "If you say yes to one, you suddenly find the British
Museum would be empty."
• If India could lay claims on the diamond, then so could a
number of other countries like Iran and Afghanistan.
• Considering that the time at which the diamond was being
passed along hands of different rulers, national boundaries
was not well demarcated, it complicates the claims made on
it even further.
• Other objects of loot from India like the Darya Noor (which is a
sister diamond of Kohinoor) and parts of the Peacock throne
are in Iran, but nobody speaks about it.
Can it be Returned to India?
• India does not have legal competence to demand the return
of the diamond. Under the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act,
1972, the Archaeological Survey of India can retrieve only such
antiquities that have been illegally exported out of the country.
• The case of Kohinoor is contentious since it was surrendered
by Maharaja Dalip Singh as part of the 1849 Lahore treaty with
the British.
• The Ministry of Culture filed its affidavit in 2016 in the
Supreme Court, where it had said that the diamond cannot
be reclaimed as it was given as a gift.
UNESCO CONVENTION OF 1970
• The UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting
and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of
Ownership of Cultural Property is an international treaty to
combat the illegal trade in cultural items.
• Under the 1970 Convention, cultural property is under
protection. Cultural property includes anything of scientific,
historical, artistic, and or religious significance, as defined
by Article I of the convention.
• A combined reading of Articles 7 and 15 of the convention
indicates that the convention does not prevent state parties
from entering special agreements for the restitution of
removed cultural properties.
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 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Economy
Edition: May, 2023
UNIFIED AIRPORT SECURITY FORCE
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is considering
the creation of a unified security force for all airports in the
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country which will also combine immigration and customs.
List of Agencies involved at Present:
• The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which is the
security watchdog for civil aviation, falls under the Ministry of
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Civil Aviation.
• The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which guards the
airports, falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs. While the
CISF is deployed at 66 out of the current 148 airports to carry
out security functions, State police oversee security at the
remaining airports.
• The Bureau of Immigration, which works under the Intelligence
Bureau of the Union Home Ministry is responsible for
immigration checks at airports, sea ports and land borders.
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• The Customs department falls under the Finance Ministry.
• The Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016 is an Act of the Parliament of
India intended to enforce the Hague Hijacking Convention and
the 2010 Beijing Protocol Supplementary to the Convention.
The Act repeals and replaces The Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982.
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Proposal:
• TSA of the U.S.: It will be created along the lines of the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the U.S. The
TSA was formed in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack in the U.S.
to oversee security for all modes of transportation, such as air
travel, passenger rail and intercity bus travel.
• Need: This will ensure a seamless security system by
integrating policy, regulations and implementation by
bringing them under one body.
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AVIATION SECTOR IN INDIA
• In India, the proposal comes at a time when the country is
pegged to be the third largest aviation market in the world
by 2024, and is already the third largest domestic aviation
market after the U.S. and China.
• It is also the world’s fastest growing market at 9%, though it
accounts for only 2% of the global passenger traffic.
• The total number of airports in the country are also targeted
to grow from the current 148 to 220 by 2025, and airlines
have more than 1,000 aircraft on order.
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ECONOMY
MAITREE POWER PLANT
NTPC has marked its first overseas capacity addition,
beginning with Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant (MSTPP)
in Bangladesh.
About:
• Location: Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant (MSTPP) is
located in Rampal, Mongla, Bagerhat, Bangladesh.
• Capacity: NTPC recently added Unit-1, a 660 MW capacity, of
the 1,320 MW (2x660) Maitree power plant. The new addition
takes the Installed Capacity of NTPC to 72,304 MW.
• Bodies involved: The project was executed in collaboration
with the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Pvt
Ltd. (BIFPCL), a foreign joint venture company of NTPC Ltd.
NTPC:
• Governance: NTPC is an Indian central Public Sector
Undertaking under the ownership of the Ministry of Power.
• Status: NTPC became a Maharatna company in 2010.
• Functions: NTPC is engaged in generation of electricity and
allied activities. It is the largest power company in India with
an electric power generating capacity of 72,304 MW.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Background: It was established in 1975.
• Name Change: In 2005, the company's name was changed
from "National Thermal Power Corporation Limited" to
"NTPC Limited". The primary reason for this change was the
company's foray into hydro, nuclear and renewable energy-
based power generation.
• Some of its Subsidiaries are: Energy Efficiency Services
Limited (EESL), North Eastern Electric Power Corporation
Limited (NEEPCO) and THDC India Limited (formerly Tehri
Hydro Development Corporation Limited).
INDIAHANDMADE PORTAL
The Ministry of Textiles has developed Indiahandmade portal,
an E-Commerce portal for handicrafts and handloom sector.
About:
• The portal provide products from more than 35 Lakh
Handloom weavers & 27 Lakh Handicraft artisans directly to
the consumers while eliminating the middlemen.

• The portal offers a wide range of products, including clothing,
home decor, jewellery, accessories, and more.
Handlooms:
• Handloom refers to the process of weaving cloth using a
manually operated loom.
• Handloom weaving is one of the largest economic activities
after agriculture providing direct and indirect employment to
more than 3 million weavers and allied workers. 95% of the
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world’s hand-woven fabric comes from India.
• Almost every state of India has a unique handloom product
to offer such as Jacquard from Uttar Pradesh, Chanderi from
Madhya Pradesh, Phulkar from Punjab, Brocade from Benares
and Daccai from West Bengal.
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Handicrafts:
• Handicrafts are items made by skilled artisans using
traditional techniques.
• India produces woodware, artmetal wares, handprinted
textiles, embroidered goods, zari goods, imitation jewellery,
sculptures, pottery, glassware, attars, agarbattis, etc.
• The Handcraft industry in India is dominated by female
artisans with over 56% of the total artisan.
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LIBOR
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) stated that some banks
were yet to facilitate a full transition away from the LIBOR
benchmark.
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About:
• Full name: London Inter-bank Offered Rate (Libor).
• What Is it? It is an interest-rate average calculated from
estimates submitted by the leading banks in London. It is the
primary benchmark for short-term interest rates around the
world.
• Purpose: LIBOR is a benchmark interest rate at which major
global banks lend to one another in the international interbank
market for short-term loans.
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• Agency involved: The rate is calculated and published each
day by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), an American
company formed in 2000 which is headquartered in Atlanta,
Georgia, U.S.
Working:
• Libor is based on five currencies including the US dollar, the
euro, the British pound, the Japanese yen, and the Swiss
franc.
• It serves seven different maturities—overnight/spot next, one
week, and one, two, three, six, and 12 months.
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Edition: May, 2023
• The combination of five currencies and seven maturities leads
to a total of 35 different LIBOR rates calculated and reported
each business day.
LIBOR Transition:
• In June 2012, multiple criminal settlements by Barclays Bank
revealed significant fraud and collusion by member banks
connected to the rate submissions, leading to the Libor
scandal.
• In this background, in 2017, the U.S. Federal Reserve
announced the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) as
a preferred alternative. LIBOR will be replaced by the SOFR
on June 30, 2023.
• Accordingly, in India, new transactions were to be undertaken
using the SOFR and the Modified Mumbai Interbank Forward
Outright Rate (MMIFOR), replacing MIFOR.
• As of May 2023, some Indian banks have not inserted fallback
clauses into all their financial contracts that reference U.S.$
LIBOR or the corresponding domestic Mumbai Interbank
Forward Outright Rate (MIFOR).
PENSION SECTOR IN INDIA
The 8th All India Pension Adalat was held in Delhi in May 2023.
All India Pension Adalat:
• The Pension Adalat will be linked through Video Conferencing
(VC) at different locations, where Pension Adalats are being
organized by Ministries/Departments across India to take up
complicated cases.
• The Pension Adalat initiative was started on experimental
basis in 2017 by the Department of Pension & Pensioners’
Welfare. In 2018 National Pension Adalat was held by
leveraging technology for speedy resolution of Pensioners’
grievance.
• Till date 7 All India Pension Adalat have been organised by
the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare, in which
24218 cases have been taken up and 17235 cases have
been resolved.
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
(PFRDA):
• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
(PFRDA) is the regulatory body for overall supervision and
regulation of pensions in India.
• It operates under the jurisdiction of Union Ministry of Finance.
• It was established in 2003 based on the recommendations
of the Indian government “OASIS” (an acronym for old age
social & income security) report.
• It is a statutory body governed by the PFRDA Act of 2013.
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 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Economy
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National Pension System (NPS):
• The NPS was introduced in 2004, the primary pension system
for government employees.
• NPS for government employees is a defined contribution plan
with co-contribution from the government. The value of the
pension corpus is marked-to-market, and accordingly, the
rate of return is market determined.
• In 2009, NPS was extended to all the citizens of the country
in the age group of 18-70 years, including the unorganised
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sector workers (on a voluntary basis).
• In 2011, PFRDA launched the “NPS-Corporate Sector Model”
in 2011 to provide NPS to the employees of corporate entities,
including PSUs.
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Atal Pension Yojana (APY):
• The APY was launched in 2015.
• The scheme applies to all individuals aged 18-40 years, with
an emphasis on underprivileged, unorganised, and low-
income individuals.
• Subscriber will receive pension benefit on attaining the age of
60 years. Hence, the pension benefit under APY is expected
to start from 2035 onwards.
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FERTILIZER SUBSIDY
The Union Cabinet approved a Rs. 1.08 lakh crore subsidy for
the ongoing kharif or monsoon season.
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About:
• Out of this, Rs. 38,000 crore will subsidise Phosphatic and
Potassic (P&K) fertilizers, while Rs. 70,000 crore will go toward
the urea subsidy.
• With fertilizer prices continuing to remain high due to
global factors - such as a fall in production and hiked
logistics costs, especially due to the Ukraine situation -
the Centre expects this year’s fertilizer subsidy to cross
Rs. 2.25 lakh crore.
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• Last year, the total fertilizer subsidy was about Rs. 2.56 lakh
crore.
Fertilizer Subsidy Schemes:
• The Department of Fertilizers implements different fertilizer
subsidy schemes with different subsidy components from
time to time to ensure timely and easy availability of different
fertilizers at affordable prices.
• At present, (i) Urea (ii) 21-grades of P&K-fertilizers & (iii)
City Compost are covered under the subsidy schemes
implemented by the Department of Fertilizers.
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Urea Subsidy:
• The urea is sold at a Maximum Retail Price (MRP) statutorily
fixed by the Government of India.
• The difference between delivered cost of urea at farm gate and
net market realization by the urea units is given as subsidy to
the urea manufacturer / importer by the Government of India.
Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS):
• The Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Policy for P&K fertilizers
has been implemented since 2010 by the Department of
Fertilizers.
• Under the NBS Policy, the Government provides a fixed rate
of subsidy (in Rs. Per Kg basis) on each nutrient of subsidized
P&K fertilizers. MRP of P&K fertilizers has been left open and
fertilizer manufacturers / marketers are allowed to fix the MRP
at reasonable rates.
Promotion of City Compost:
• The Department of Fertilizers notified the scheme for
promotion of City Compost in 2016.
• Under the scheme, Market Development Assistance (MDA) in
the form of fixed amount of Rs.1500/- per MT of City Compost
will be provided for scaling up production and consumption
of the product.
DRAFT SAGARMALA INNOVATION AND
STARTUP POLICY RELEASED
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways released a
draft of the Sagarmala Innovation and Startup Policy.
About:
• The Policy seeks to develop an ecosystem to support maritime
startups to: (i) encourage technological self-sufficiency in the
sector, (ii) make the industry competitive, and (iii) provide
employment. Key features of the Policy are as follows:
• Maritime Innovation Hubs: These hubs will be established
with facilities for incubators, accelerators, fabrication space
for prototypes, and rental co-working spaces. Initially, the
National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts
(IIT Madras) will develop the first such hub.
• Funding Support: Annual financial support for startups will
be decided by an Apex Committee and will be subject to
revisions. Funding will be available in various forms such as:
(i) seed fund scheme – up to Rs 50 lakh to create a minimum
viable product/service, and (ii) tech pilot grant – up to Rs 100
lakh for commercialisation of proprietary technology.
• Startup Monitoring and Evaluation Group: Each hub will be
governed by the Startup Monitoring and Evaluation Group

which will be responsible for operationalising the startup
policy, driving necessary approvals, setting up evaluation
criteria for startups, and suggest policy interventions to the
Ministry.
• Apex Committee: A Committee will be formed which will
provide guidance and approval to the programme. The
Committee will review the progress made by hubs of various
institutes. The Committee may also specify the eligibility and
evaluation criteria for startups. It will have ten members,
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chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry.
• Sagarmala Startup Portal: The Ministry must develop and
implement a portal which will act as a single window solution
for all startup related activities. These include publishing
problem statements, application processes, and also
knowledge resources.
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PROJECT-SMART
The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has signed
a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Ministry of
Railways for the Project-SMART.
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About:
• Project-SMART stands for Station Area Development along
Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (SMART).
• It is an initiative towards modernizing railway infrastructure
in India, with the potential to transform the areas around the
high-speed rail stations into bustling economic centers.
• The recent MoU was inked for four high-speed stations-
Sabarmati, Surat in Gujarat, and Virar and Thane in
Maharashtra, out of the 12 stations in the route.
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Edition: May, 2023
• The project envisages developing surrounding areas of
Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) stations to
enhance accessibility and convenience of commuters and
other stakeholders as well as to promote economic activities
in the vicinity of station areas.
• The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail is being executed
with technical & financial assistance of Government of Japan.
VARIETIES OF MANGOES
Untimely rain in December and excess heat in February have
adversely impacted the mango yield in Karnataka for the
third consecutive year.
About:
• Alphonso mango, identified as the district product of Dharwad
under the Union government’s ‘One district-One Product’
scheme, is losing its ground in the district.
• Ramanagara is the second-highest mango-cultivating
district after Kolar. Kolar accounts for 50 per cent of mango
cultivation in the state.
Mango:
• Mango (Mangifera indica) is the leading fruit crop of India
and considered to be the king of fruits.
• Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are having the largest
area under mango followed by Karnataka, Bihar, Gujarat and
Tamilnadu.
• The mango flowers and fruits during dry season, which is
characterized by absence of rainfall. Rain or cloudy weather
at the time of flowering causes considerable damage to
mango as it adversely affects flowering and fruit set and
increases incidence of pests and diseases.
• It grows where temperature drops as low as 0°C and as high
as 46°C. However, it thrives best at temperature around 27°C.
• It grows well both in low (25 cm) and high (250 cm) rainfall
areas. However with annual rainfall around 75 cm, it grows
without irrigation.
G.I. CERTIFIED MANGO VARIETIES IN INDIA
• Laxman Bhog – West Bengal
• Khirsapati (Himsagar) – West Bengal
• Fazli – West Bengal
• Malihabadi Dusseheri – Uttar Pradesh
• Appimidi – Karnataka
• Gir Kesar – Gujarat
• Banganapalli – Andhra Pradesh
• Marathwada Kesar – Maharashtra
• Alphonso – Maharashtra
• Zardalu – Bihar
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INTERNATIONAL
KALININGRAD • Mikhail Kalinin was one of six Soviet Politburo signatories to
the order to execute more than 21,000 Polish prisoners of war
Polish government has advised that Russia's exclave of in the forests of Katyn and elsewhere in 1940.
Kaliningrad should be renamed as Królewiec. Russia said the
• Poland says that Kalinin’s connetion to the Katyn Massacre
Poland’s decision was "a hostile act".

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has negative connotations and that exclave should be called
Królewiec – the Polish translation of Königsberg.
Geography:
• Ownership: Kaliningrad Oblast is the westernmost federal
subject of Russia.

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• Borders: It is a semi-exclave bordered by Poland, Lithuania
and the Baltic Sea.
• Key cities: Its largest city is the ‘City of Kaliningrad’. It also
houses the port city of Baltiysk on the Baltic Sea.
• Lagoons: The Curonian Lagoon (shared with Lithuania) and
the Vistula Lagoon (shared with Poland) are its notable
geographical features.
• Rivers: The oblast's largest river is the Pregolya. The end
of the river Neman forms part of the Lithuania–Russia
border.
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• Significance: Kaliningrad is strategically important to Russia
because it houses the Russian Baltic Fleet at the port of
Baltiysk and is Russia's only ice-free European ports.
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EXCLAVE VS ENCLAVE
• An enclave is a territory that is completely surrounded by
the territory of one other state.
• An exclave is a part of a state that is geographically
separated from the main part by the territory of one or more
states.

History:
• The territory was formerly the northern part of the Prussian
province of East Prussia; the remaining southern part of the
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province is today part of the Poland.

• With the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, the territory
was annexed by the Soviet Union. ARAB LEAGUE
• Under the Potsdam Agreement of 1945 (between three of the Arab government representatives in Cairo, Egypt voted in
Allies of World War II: the United Kingdom, the United States, May 2023 to return Syria to the Arab League after a 12-year
and the Soviet Union), the territory officially became part of suspension.
the Russian SFSR of the Soviet Union.

History of its Name; Objections by Poland: About:

• Name: The Arab League is formally known as the League of
• Kaliningrad was known by the German name of Königsberg.
Arab States.
After the second world war, the Soviet Union renamed it to
honour politician Mikhail Kalinin. • Headquarters: Cairo, Egypt.

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• What is it? It is a regional organization in the Arab world
(which is located in Northern Africa, Western Africa, Eastern
Africa, and Western Asia).
• Background: Following adoption of the Alexandria Protocol in
1944, the Arab League was founded in 1945, initially with six
members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (Jordan), Lebanon, Saudi
Arabia, and Syria.
• Membership: Currently, the League has 22 members.
• Observer states: India, Brazil, Venezuela, Greece, Armenia,
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Chad and Eritrea.
• Governance: The Council of the Arab League is the principal
institution of the Arab League. Each member state has one
vote in the Council of the Arab League, and decisions are
binding only for those states that have voted for them.
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Syria’s Membership:
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• Syria's participation was suspended in 2011 in the aftermath
of the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War, which has killed nearly
a half million people since 2011 and displaced half of the
country’s pre-war population of 23 million.
• In May 2023, at the meeting of the Council of the Arab League
in Cairo, it was agreed to reinstate Syria's membership. All 13
of the 22 member states that attended the session endorsed
the decision. The Arab League generally tries to reach
agreements by consensus but sometimes opts for simple
majorities.
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• The decision for Syria to return also includes a commitment
to reach a political solution to the conflict, in line with United
Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, which was adopted
in 2015. The resolution calls for a ceasefire and political
settlement in Syria.
TITLE 42
In May 2023, the United States lifted Title 42 restrictions that
have blocked migrants caught at the U.S.-Mexico border from
seeking asylum since 2020.
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About:
• The COVID-19 restrictions, known as Title 42, were first
implemented under then-President Donald Trump in March
2020 at the beginning of the pandemic.
• Title 42 allowed border agents to rapidly expel many migrants
to Mexico to stem the spread of the coronavirus in crowded
detention settings.
• President Joe Biden, who took office in 2021, kept Title 42 in
place and expanded it as his administration grappled with
record migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Since its inception, migrants have been expelled more than
2.7 million times under Title 42.
• In May 2023, the Biden administration lifted Title 42 as the
U.S. COVID public health emergency ends. Migrants caught
crossing the border will again be able to request asylum, a
process that can take years to resolve.
CALIFORNIA ANTI-CASTE BILL (SB 403)
The California Senate has passed the SB 403 Bill, a legislation
seeking to explicitly ban caste discrimination.
California SB 403 Bill:
• A similar bill is being introduced in the State House of
Representatives, before it can be sent to the Governor to
be signed into a law. The law would make California the first
US State to add caste as a protected category in its anti-
discrimination laws.
• The bill adds caste as a protected category to an existing law,
the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which provides that all people in
California are entitled to the full and equal accommodations,
advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business
establishments.
• The bill provides explicit protections to those who have been
systemically harmed due to caste bias and prejudice.
• It also provides firm legal consequences for those seeking
to avoid responsibility or ramifications for permitting or
participating in caste discrimination and caste-based
violence.
NOTE TO READERS
To read about “Caste discrimination in U.S.”, refer Page
39 of March 2023 edition of Current Affairs Magazine.
Other Anti-Caste Discrimination Policies in US:
• This law is an extension of a similar trend that has been
observed in college campuses across the US. Several
universities in the U.S., including Harvard, Brown and
California State University, have added the caste criteria to
its anti-discrimination policies.
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• Earlier this year, Seattle became the first US city to outlaw
caste discrimination.
CALIFORNIA
• California is a state in the Western United States.
• California borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and
Arizona to the east, the Mexican state of Baja California to
the south; and it has a coastline along the Pacific Ocean to
the west.
• Price cap coalition countries have increased imports of
refined oil products from countries that have become
the largest importers of Russian crude. This is a major
loophole that can undermine the impact of the sanctions
on Russia.
• European countries are simply substituting oil products
they previously bought directly from Russia, with the same
products now “whitewashed” in third countries and bought
from them at a premium.

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• The state's extremely diverse geography ranges from the
Pacific Coast in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountains in
the east to the Mojave Desert in the southeast.
• It is the most populous U.S. state and the third-largest by
area.
• Of these laundromat countries, India, which in April
remained the highest global consumer of seaborne Russian
crude for a fifth month, is ahead of all others in the export of
crude products to the coalition countries, exporting nearly
3.8 million tonnes of oil products to price cap coalition
countries.

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• Sacramento is the state's capital, while Los Angeles is the
most populous city in the state.

LAUNDROMAT COUNTRIES
Finland based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air
(CREA) published a report in April 2023 on ‘Laundromat’
countries and ‘Price cap coalition’.

Laundromat Countries:
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• The ‘Laundromat countries’ are China, India, Turkey, the UAE
and Singapore.
• These are the countries that buy Russian oil and sell processed
products to European countries, thus sidestepping European
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sanctions against Russia.
• The five countries are responsible for 70 percent of Russia's
crude oil exports.

Price Cap Coalition:

• The price-cap coalition countries include the European Union,
G7 countries, Australia and Japan.
• They have collectively banned the import of Russian oil and oil
products into their markets and agreed to a comprehensive
prohibition of services which enable maritime transportation
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of Russian origin crude oil and petroleum products globally.

• The Price Cap Coalition has adopted an exception to the
services ban, which will permit Russian oil to continue to
be traded to and between third countries, provided that it
is purchased at or below a price cap. The Price Cap will be
reviewed every two months.
PERSONA NON GRATA
Key Findings of the Report: China declared a Canadian diplomat in Shanghai as persona
• The report accused Indian sellers and European buyers of non grata. This happened in response to Canada expelling a
possibly “circumventing sanctions” by selling crude products Chinese diplomat over allegations of intimidating a Canadian
from a refinery in Gujarat that is co-owned by Russian oil politician.
company Rosneft.

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About:
• Meaning: Persona non grata is a Latin phrase which means
“unwelcome person.” In diplomacy, it refers to a diplomat
or foreign person whose entering or remaining in a certain
country has been prohibited by that country.
• Vienna convention: Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention
for Diplomatic Relations mentions that a country can declare
any member of a diplomatic staff persona non grata “at any
time and without having to explain its decision.” A person
About:
• Charles acceded to the throne in September 2022, upon the
death of his mother, Elizabeth II. At the age of 73, he is the
oldest person to accede to the British throne.
• The United Kingdom is a European country comprising
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is a
constitutional monarchy in which the monarch exercises their
authority in accordance with a constitution and prime minister
is the head of government.

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can be declared persona non grata even before arriving in a
country.
• Aftermath: Soon after the declaration, the person concerned
usually returns to their home nation. In case they fail to do
so within a reasonable period, the country “may refuse to
Commonwealth Realms:
• Apart from United Kingdom, Charles III is also the monarch
and head of state of 14 other independent sovereign states
known as Commonwealth realm.

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recognize the person concerned as a member of the mission.” • Some of these are Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Bahamas
• Criteria: There are not any fixed rules regarding when a and Solomon Islands.
country can declare a foreign person persona non grata as it
does not need to give an explanation. Historically speaking, KALADAN PROJECT
countries have used it to express their discontent with the
PM Modi has hailed the inaugural run of vessel from Syama
actions of other nations.
Prasad Mookerjee Port to Sittwe Port in Rakhine state of
• Who can be declared? The imposition of persona non grata
Myanmar developed under Kaladan Multi Modal Transit
designation is not just limited to diplomats. E.g. Hollywood
Transport Project.
actor Brad Pitt was declared persona non grata by China
after starring in the 1997 film “Seven Years in Tibet.”
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About:
• This connectivity project aims to connect the Haldia port
PAKISTAN POLITICAL CRISIS (West Bengal) to Mizoram through Myanmar.

Violent protests erupted in Pakistan after the former Pakistani
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Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested in charges of
corruption in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case.
• The route envisages a marine journey from Haldia to Sittwe
port in Myanmar. It will then link Sittwe seaport to Paletwa
via the Kaladan river boat route, and then from Paletwa to
Zorinpui in Mizoram state in Northeast India by road.

About:
• He and his wife have been accused of receiving “billions of
rupees in Al-Qadir Trust from a real estate firm for legalising a
laundered amount of Rs 50 billion.”
• Imran Khan is a politician and founder of the political party
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
• He served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from
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August 2018 until April 2022, when he was removed from

office through a no-confidence motion. He was accused of
mismanaging the economy and foreign policy.
• Subsequently, Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-
Nawaz (PML-N) was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Significance of KMTTP Project:
• This project will improve connectivity of North-east region with
CORONATION OF CHARLES III rest of India. It will reduce the need to transport goods through
the narrow Siliguri corridor, also known as Chicken's Neck.
The coronation of Charles III as king of the United Kingdom
• This strategic and important route will further enhance
and the other Commonwealth realms took place in May
economic ties with Myanmar and other South East Asian
2023, at Westminster Abbey in London.
Countries, thus contributing to Act East Policy.

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INTERNAL SECURITY
MIG-21 • Usage in past: The missile has been operated by both British
and French air forces and has been used previously in the
A MiG-21 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near
Gulf, Iraq and Libya.
Rajasthan’s Suratgarh. The exact cause of the accident is not
known. • Features: Storm Shadow is a long-ranged, air-launched,

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conventionally armed, deep-strike missile. It has a range of
MIG-21 Aircraft: “in excess of 250km”, which is significantly further than the

• The MiG-21s are among the six fighter jets presently flown by high-precision US Himars rocket launchers currently used by
the Indian Air Force (IAF). Ukraine.
• BROACH: It is armed with a penetrating warhead capable of

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• The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21s are single engine, single-
seater multi-role fighter/ground attack aircraft designed by destroying hardened and buried targets from long range.
the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union/ The missile features the BROACH (Bomb Royal Ordnance
Russia. Augmented CHarge) warhead — a high-technology warhead,
• They were first inducted by India in 1963. India has procured which first cuts the surface of the target, penetrates into it
over 700 MiG-21 aircraft of different variants since then, such and then explodes.
as the Type-77, Type-96 and the BIS. The latest of them are the
MiG-21 Bison.
• Role: The aircraft in the past had proved their mettle in several
wars (1965, 1971 and 1999 Kargil conflict) fought by India
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against Pakistan.

MiG Accidents:
• Incidents: As per available government data, close to 500
MiG-21s have crashed in the last 60 years, killing over 170
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pilots.
• Causes: The reasons for the crashes have been several —
ranging from technical defects, human error, bird hits or
spatial disorientation of pilots in certain circumstances.

Phasing out of MiG:

• In September 2022, the No. 51 squadron was number plated.
• The three MiG-21 Bison squadrons are planned to be phased
out by December 2025.
• They will be replaced by the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft
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Tejas squadrons.

STORM SHADOW MISSILES

Britain has become the first western country to provide
Ukraine with the long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

About:
• Manufacturer: It is manufactured by MBDA, a European
multinational developer and manufacturer of missiles based
in France.

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Significance for Ukraine:
• It will give Ukrainian forces the ability to strike Russian military
targets located well behind the front lines – especially in
Crimea, which Russia illegally occupied in 2014.
• The Ukrainians could use Storm Shadow to destroy the Kerch
Bridge that connects Crimea to the Russian mainland.
GUIDED BOMBS
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Russia is increasingly attacking Ukrainian city of Kherson
with guided bombs.
About:
• Names: A guided bomb is also known as a smart bomb or a
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guided bomb unit (GBU).
• Working: Unlike simple bombs, guided bombs have small
wings and tail surfaces that allow them to be put into gliding
flight. Guided bombs carry a guidance system which is
usually monitored and controlled from an external device. A
guided bomb of a given weight must carry fewer explosives
to accommodate the guidance mechanisms.
• Benefits: Apart from precise targeting, these bombs can hit
targets at a great distance from where they are dropped.
• Usage by Russia: Ukrainian military experts believe Russia
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currently has two types of guided bombs: (1) Satellite-
guided UPAB-1500B, and (2) High-explosive FAB-type bomb
equipped with wings.
• Indian scenario: In 2019, DRDO successfully test fired an
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indigenously-made 500-kg class “inertial guided bomb” from
a Sukhoi jet at the Pokhran test range in Rajasthan.
iDEX; MISSION DEFSPACE; SPRINT
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) reached a milestone
with the signing of its 250th contract – the first one under
Mission DefSpace - and 100th SPRINT (Navy) contract in New
Delhi in May 2023.
Mission DefSpace:
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• Background: Mission DefSpace was launched by the Prime
Minister during DefExpo at Gandhinagar in October, 2022.
• Objectives: It aims to nurture the Indian Private Space industry
through challenges addressing every stage of a space
mission – from mission planning to satellite data analytics.
• Challenges: It was launched with 75 Defence Space
Challenges relevant to the end users. The challenges are
classified into five buckets viz. Launch System, Satellite
System, Communication & Payload System, Ground System
and Software System, provide a holistic 360° overview of
space.
In-Shorts | Internal Security Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• Eligibility: Private Industries, including Start-ups, MSMEs and
Individual Innovators, are eligible to apply.
CubeSats
• The first iDEX contract of Mission DefSpace was exchanged
for development of cubesats.
• CubeSats are a class of research spacecraft called
nanosatellites, which are modular; low-cost; easy to
manufacture, integrate, and launch; and form a critical
component for launch-on-demand capabilities.
• CubeSats are built to standard dimensions (Units or “U”) of
10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm. They can be 1U, 2U, 3U, or 6U in
size, and typically weigh less than 1.33 kg (3 lbs) per U.
SPRINT:
• The 100th SPRINT (Navy) contract was exchanged for the
development of a lightweight ASIC (Application-Specific
Integrated Circuit) based communication system for satellite
communication.
• Background: Under the ‘SPRINT’ initiative, a total of
75 Challenge statements for the Indian industry were
unveiled by PM Modi during the Naval Innovation and
Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) seminar ‘Swavlamban’
In July 2022.
• Target: The initiative aims at inducting at least 75 technologies/
products into the Indian Navy by August 2023 as part of
‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX):
• Background: iDEX is the flagship initiative of the Ministry of
Defence (MoD) which was launched by the PM in 2018.
• Objective: It aims to engage start-ups to contribute to the
defence sector and develop defence and aerospace setup
in the country.
• Implementing agency: iDEX is being implemented by
Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), established under
the Department of Defence Production, MoD.
COMMON UNIFORMS IN ARMY
At the recent Army Commanders Conference held in May
2023, it was decided that from August 1, 2023, all officers
of the rank of Brigadier and above will wear common
uniform items irrespective of their regimental or corps
affiliation.
Recent Decision:
• As of now, all officers from the rank of Lieutenant to General
wear uniform accoutrements (additional items of dress or
equipment) as per their regimental or corps affiliation.
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• But with the recent decision, all officers of the rank of
Brigadier and above — Major Generals, Lieutenant Generals,
and General — will wear berets (caps) of the same colour,
common badges of rank, a common belt buckle, and a
common pattern of shoes.
• They will no longer wear regimental lanyards (cords) on their
shoulders. They will also not wear any shoulder flashes like
‘Special Forces’, ‘Arunachal Scouts’, ‘Dogra Scouts’, etc.
• Thus, there will be no item of uniform that will identify them
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as belonging to a particular Regiment or Corps. All officers
of these higher ranks will dress alike in the same pattern of
uniform.
Reason for making the Change:
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• Regimental service in the Army ends at the rank of Colonel
for most officers who rise further. Thus, all uniform affiliations
with that particular Regiment or Corps must also end at that
rank, so that any regimental parochialism that may exist is not
promoted to the higher ranks.
• Since appointments at higher ranks can often mean
commanding troops of mixed regimental lineage, it is only
appropriate that the senior officers commanding these troops
should present themselves in a neutral uniform rather than a
regimental one.
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MILITARY EXERCISES
Various military exercises were conducted recently.
Samudra Shakti-23:
• INS Kavaratti of Indian Navy participated in the 4th edition of
India-Indonesia Bilateral exercise Samudra Shakti-23 held in
May 2023 at Batam, Indonesia.
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• List of Joint Exercises conducted by India and Indonesia:
 by Army: Garuda Shakti
 by Navy: Samudra Shakti
Ajeya Warrior-23:
• The 7th edition of the biennial joint military exercise “AJEYA
WARRIOR-23” between armies of India and the United
Kingdom was conducted at Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom
in May 2023.
• List of Joint Exercises conducted by India and UK:
 by Army: Ajeya Warrior
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 by Navy: Konkan
 by Air Force: Indradhanush
ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME 2023):
• Indian Navy ships INS Satpura and INS Delhi participated in
the first ever ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME 2023) in
May 2023.
• It was conducted off the coast of Singapore and was co-
hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the
Indian Navy (IN).
• With AIME-2023 India becomes the 4th ASEAN dialogue
partner, after Russia, China and the US to hold the ASEAN+1
maritime exercise.
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)
• ASEAN is a is a political and economic union of 10 member
states in Southeast Asia.
• Background: ASEAN was first established in 1967 in
Bangkok, Thailand when the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia,
Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand signed the
Bangkok Declaration.
• Present Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam.
• Secretariat: Jakarta.
DUAL USE ITEMS
India and the United States (US) discussed export control
issues related to items of dual use.
About:
• Meaning: Dual-use items are goods and technologies that
may be used for both civilian and military purposes.
• Concerns: These types of goods are heavily regulated because
they can be classified for civilian use and then transformed
for military purposes, or worse, used for terrorism.
• Examples: Examples of dual-use goods and technology
include Global Positioning Satellites, missiles, nuclear
technology, chemical and biological tools, night vision
technology, thermal imaging, some models of drones etc.
• Control: Several international arrangements among countries
seek to harmonize lists of dual-use (and military) technologies
to control. These include the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the
Australia Group, which looks at chemical and biological
technologies, the Missile Technology Control Regime, which
covers delivery systems for weapons of mass destruction,
and the Wassenaar Arrangement, which covers conventional
arms and dual-use technologies.
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POLITY & Edition: May, 2023

GOVERNANCE
COMPETITION COMMISSION OF INDIA DEATH PENALTY
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has The number of recorded executions increased by 53 percent
appointed Ravneet Kaur, a 1988-batch IAS officer, as the first in 2022, according to a new report released by Amnesty
woman chairperson of the Competition Commission of India. International.

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Ravneet Kaur: About:
• She has been appointed as CCI chairperson for a period of • A total of 883 people were executed in 19 countries in 2022,
five years from the date of taking charge, or till the age of 65 compared with 579 known executions in 2021.
years, or until further orders.

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• These figures exclude China, where data on the death penalty
• She is the first woman to head the CCI. She is also the second is classified as a state secret and where Amnesty estimates
woman to head an ‘economic regulator’ role after Madhabi Puri thousands of executions have been carried out.
Buch, who was appointed chairperson of the market regulator • Some 90 percent of the world’s known executions outside
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 2022. China were carried out in just three countries: Iran, Saudi
• The CCI had been without a full-time chairperson since Ashok Arabia and Egypt.
Kumar Gupta demitted office in October 2022. Sangeeta • In Iran, recorded executions increased from 314 in 2021 to
Verma, a CCI member, had been serving as the acting 576 in 2022. In Saudi Arabia, recorded executions tripled
chairperson since. from 65 in 2021 to 196 in 2022. Egypt executed 24 people in
2022, down from 83 the year before.
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Competition Commission of India (CCI):
• The CCI is a statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate
Affairs and is responsible for enforcing the Competition Act,
2002. The CCI was established in 2003.
• It consists of a Chairperson and not more than 6 Members
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appointed by the Central Government.
• The Director General (DG) Office is the investigative wing of the
CCI, which commences investigation once the Commission
passes a prima facie order directing the DG to do so.

Competition Act, 2002

• The Competition Act, 2002 prohibits anti-competitive
agreements, abuse of dominant position by enterprises and
regulates combinations (acquisition, acquiring of control
and M&A), which causes or likely to cause an appreciable
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adverse effect on competition within India.

• The Competition Act, 2002 replaced the Monopolies and
Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969.
• The Competition Act, 2002 was amended by in 2007 and
again in 2009. In 2009, the anti-trust provisions of the law
came into force. Recently Competition (Amendment) Act,
2023 amended the Act.

NOTE TO READERS
Which Countries Still have the Death Penalty?
To read “Competition (Amendment) Act, 2023”, refer
• Close to three-quarters of the world has now abolished the
Page 42 of April 2023 edition of Current Affairs Magazine.
death penalty in law or practice.

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• In 2022, four countries including Kazakhstan, Papua New
Guinea, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic
abolished the death penalty for all crimes, bringing the total
number of abolitionist countries up to 112.
• Nine countries have abolished the death penalty for crimes
not committed during times of war while 23 countries still
retained the death penalty but have not executed anyone
over the past 10 years.
• Fifty-five countries still retain and implement the death
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penalty.
Indian Scenario:
• In Jagmohan Singh vs State of Uttar Pradesh (1973), then
in Rajendra Prasad vs State of Uttar Pradesh (1979), and
finally in Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab (1980), the
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Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional validity of the
death penalty.
• It said that capital punishment will be provided only be in the
“rarest of rare” cases.
• The most recent executions in India took place in 2020, when
four of the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder perpetrators
were executed at the Tihar Jail in Delhi.
NATIONAL PANCHAYATI RAJ DAY
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The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj celebrated the National
Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) on 24th April, 2023 at Rewa in
Madhya Pradesh.
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About:
• With this, the nation is commemorating 30 years of
Panchayati Raj in India. PM Modi was the Chief Guest at
the national function. He launched Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
(AKAM) Campaign with the theme “Inclusive Development” –
“Samaaveshi Vikas”.
• The Nation celebrates 24th April of every year as National
Panchayati Raj Day.
• It was on this day that the Constitution (73rd Amendment)
Act, 1992 came into force which led to the institutionalization
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of Panchayati Raj.
• The 73rd Amendment 1992 added a new Part IX to the
constitution titled “The Panchayats” covering provisions from
Article 243 to 243(O).
eGramSwaraj – GeM Integration:
• PM Modi inaugurated an integrated e-GramSwaraj
and Government eMarketplace (GeM) portal for public
procurement at Panchayat level.
• eGramSwaraj (eGS) was launched on the occasion of
National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2020 which was
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designed to operate as a single window solution for all day-
to-day functioning of the Panchayats from Planning to Online
Payments.
SVAMITVA:
• PM Modi handed over SVAMITVA Property Card to select
beneficiaries.
• SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised
Technology in Village Areas) is a Central Sector Scheme launched
by the Prime Minister on 24th April 2020.
• SVAMITVA Scheme aims to provide “Records of Rights”/
Property Cards to rural household owners of the inhabited
area of the village.
PARKASH SINGH BADAL
Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal passed
away at the age of 95 years.
Political Career:
• He was an Indian politician and leader of the Shiromani Akali
Dal (SAD), a Sikh regional political party.
• He was elected in Punjab Vidhan Sabha for a total of 10
times.
• In 1970, he became the youngest Chief Minister of an Indian
State at that time. He served as Punjab’s Chief Minister five
times: 1970-71; 1977 to 1980; 1997 to 2002 and from 2007 to
2017 (two consecutive terms).
• He was the union minister of Agriculture and Irrigation in
Prime Minister Morarji Desai's government in 1977.
Awards:
• In 2011, he was bestowed upon the title of Panth Rattan
Fakhr-e-Qaum by the Akal Takht for his service towards the
Sikh Panth.
• He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2015. However he
returned this award to support the 2020–2021 Indian farmers
protest.
SOVEREIGNTY
The Election Commission of India issued a letter to Congress
party to rectify the party's social media post on Karnataka's
“sovereignty” remark attributed to its senior leader Sonia
Gandhi.
Meaning:
• Sovereignty means having supreme authority over a defined
territory.
 In-Shorts | Polity & Governance
• The word sovereignty appears in the Preamble to the
Constitution of India which says, “WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA,
have solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN
SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC.”
• Article 19(2) of the Constitution imposes “reasonable
restrictions” on the right to freedom of speech, in the interests
of the sovereignty and integrity of India.
• Sovereignty is mentioned in under Fundamental Duties.
Article 51A(c) states that it is the duty of all citizens “to protect
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the sovereignty of India.”
• It is also mentioned in the oaths for positions like the Chief
Justices, Union Ministers and Members of Parliament under
the Third schedule.
Relationship of the Indian States with the Sovereign
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Union:
• Article 1(1) of the Constitution sets out the fundamental
relationship between the states and the Centre: “India, that
is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.” Dr Ambedkar explained
this to mean that a) the Indian federation is not a result of an
agreement by the units, and b) that the component units have
no freedom to secede or break away from it.
• Further, the right to alter the boundaries of states and to create
new states lies with Parliament alone. The Constitution offers
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no guarantee to the States against their territorial integrity
without their consent since it was not a result of an ‘agreement’
between the States.
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ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES (EVMs)
There were allegations that Electronic Voting Machines
(EVMs) from South Africa were being used for voting in the
Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections’.
About:
• This was denied by the Election Commission of India (ECI)
as India does not use any EVMs produced abroad. EVMs
are produced indigenously by 2 PSUs viz. Bharat Electronics
Ltd., Bengaluru and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd.,
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Hyderabad.
• EVM is an electronic device for recording votes. It consists of
two Units – a Control Unit and a Balloting Unit.
• The Control Unit is placed with the Presiding Officer or a
Polling Officer and the Balloting Unit is placed inside the
voting compartment. Instead of issuing a ballot paper, the
Polling Officer in-charge of the Control Unit will release a
ballot by pressing the Ballot Button on the Control Unit.
• EVMs do not require electricity. EVMs run on an ordinary
battery assembled by Bharat Electronics Limited/Electronics
Corporation of India Limited.
Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
Advantage of using EVMs:
• It completely eliminates the possibility of casting 'Invalid
Votes', which during the paper ballot regime was noticed in
large numbers during each election.
• With the use of EVMs, printing of millions of ballot papers
for every election can be dispensed with, as only one ballot
paper is required for fixing on the Balloting Unit at each polling
station instead of one ballot paper for each individual elector.
• The counting process is very quick and the result can be
declared within 3 to 5 hours as compared to 30-40 hours, on
an average, under the conventional Ballot paper system.
Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT):
• VVPAT is an independent system attached with the Electronic
Voting Machines that allows the voters to verify that their
votes are cast as intended.
• When a vote is cast, a slip is printed containing the serial
number, name and symbol of the candidate and remains
exposed through a transparent window for 7 seconds.
Thereafter, this printed slip automatically gets cut and falls in
the sealed drop box of the VVPAT.
KARNATAKA ELECTIONS
Siddaramaiah has been appointed as the next Chief Minister
of Karnataka. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee
(KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar will be the Deputy Chief
Minister of State.
About:
• In the recently concluded Karnataka Legislative Assembly
election, the Congress Party won 135 seats out of 224.
• Karnataka is one of the six states with bicameral legislature,
comprising Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. 5
other states with bicameral legislatures are Andhra Pradesh,
Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
• A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of each
state out of the 28 states and the UTs of Delhi and Puducherry.
• Article 163: There shall be Council of Ministers with the Chief
Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the
exercise of his functions.
• Article 164: The Governor appoints Chief Minister and other
Ministers.
• A chief minister should be a member of the state legislature
and of 25 years of age or more.
• Various states throughout the history have appointed
Deputy Chief Ministers. Despite being not mentioned in the
constitution or law, the deputy-chief minister office is often
used to pacify factions within the party or coalition.
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 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Society
Edition: May, 2023

SOCIETY
POSHAN BHI, PADHAI BHI and education to around 8 crore beneficiary children under
the age of 6 years.
In May 2023, the Union Ministry for Women and Child
• Considering global evidence on 85% of brain development
Development launched the Centre’s flagship programme
being achieved by the age of 6 years, the Anganwadi eco-

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‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi’.
system becomes a critical access point for building the
children’s base.
About:
• Objective: The programme will focus on Early Childhood Care
and Education (ECCE) at anganwadis across the country. CU-CHAYAN PORTAL

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The aim is to make anganwadi centres as nutrition hubs as
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched
well as education-imparting centres.
CU– Chayan, a unified faculty recruitment portal for Central
• Funding: The ministry has allocated Rs 600 crore for the universities (CU).
training of anganwadi workers to implement the ECCE.
• Governance: The National Institute of Public Cooperation About:
and Child Development (NIPCCD) will provide training • The portal would cater to the needs of all the stakeholders in
of Anganwadi workers. NIPCCD is an autonomous
the teachers’ recruitment process. It will provide a common
organization under the Union Ministry for Women and Child
platform for listing of vacancies, advertisements and jobs
Development.
across all Central Universities.
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Strategy: • The portal makes the recruitment process completely online
• Anganwadi Centres will be strengthened with high-quality starting from application to screening, with alerts to all the
infrastructure, play equipment, and well-trained Anganwadi users of the portal.
workers/teachers.
University Grants Commission (UGC):
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• Every child (till the age of 6-years) would be provided with
• Background: It came into existence in 1953 and became a
at least two hours of high-quality pre-school instruction in the
statutory Organization of the Government of India by an Act
mother tongue on a daily basis, as per the New Education
of Parliament in 1956.
Policy.
• Headquarter: New Delhi.
• Target is to ensure that the ECCE material, which was
prepared based on the New Education Policy, percolates • Parent organization: Department of Higher Education, Union
to every anganwadi in the country through new training Ministry of Education.
methodologies (such as visual aids, audio aids, audio-visual • Functions: It is charged with coordination, determination
and bodily-kinesthetic aids). and maintenance of standards of higher education in
• Government will target children’s development in every India. It provides recognition to universities in India, and
domain mentioned in the National Curriculum Framework, viz., disbursements of funds to such recognized universities and
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physical and motor development, cognitive development, colleges.

socio-emotional-ethical development, cultural/artistic • The types of universities regulated by the UGC include:
development, and the development of communication and Central universities, State universities, Deemed university, or
early language, literacy, and numeracy. "Deemed to be University" and Private universities.

Significance of ECCE via Anganwadi Centres:

• Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is an important PRE-TERM BIRTHS
component of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0
In May 2023, United Nations agencies released a new report
(Mission Poshan 2.0) and the National Education Policy.
on pre-term births titled “Born too soon: decade of action on
• Close to 13.9 lakh operational Anganwadi centres across the
preterm birth”.
country are providing supplementary nutrition and early care

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Pre-Term:
• Meaning: Preterm is defined as babies born alive before 37
weeks of pregnancy are completed.
• Categories: There are sub-categories of preterm birth, based
on gestational age:
 extremely preterm (less than 28 weeks)
 very preterm (28 to less than 32 weeks)
 moderate to late preterm (32 to 37 weeks).
• Reasons: Most preterm births happen because of spontaneous
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preterm labour, but some are due to medical reasons such
as infections, or other pregnancy complications that require
early induction of labour or caesarean birth. Lack of medical
infrastructure in rural areas and lifestyle changes, chronic
diseases & IVF pregnancies in urban centres are other factors.
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• Impact: Pre-term birth is the leading cause of child mortality,
accounting for nearly one in five of deaths of children under
five years.
• Recommendations: It is important to encourage quality care
at special newborn care units and train mothers in practising
kangaroo care for low birth weight infants. This essentially
means prolonged skin-to-skin contact with the mother and
frequent breastfeeding.
• Steps by Government of India: The government has launched
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many programmes such as the India Newborn Action Plan
and Rashtriya Bal Suraksha Karyakram and has set up many
Speciality Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) across the country.
Findings of Recent Report:
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• The report was released by the World Health Organization
(WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
and Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
(PMNCH) – the world’s largest alliance for women, children
and adolescents.
• Around 13.4 million babies were born pre-term in 2020 with
nearly one million dying from complications. Every two
seconds, a baby is born too soon. Every 40 seconds, one of
those babies dies.
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• The global pre-term birth rate was 9.9 per cent in 2020,
compared to 9.8 per cent in 2010.
• Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa regions account for
more than 65% of preterm births globally.
• Around 45 per cent of all pre-term births in 2020 happened in
five countries — India, Pakistan, Nigeria, China and Ethiopia.
• In 2020, Bangladesh had the highest estimated pre-term
birth rate (16.2 per cent), followed by Malawi (14.5 per cent)
and Pakistan (14.4 per cent). India and South Africa, at
an estimated 13 per cent each, were among the top five
countries with high pre-term birth rates.
In-Shorts | Society Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• Within India, West Bengal reported 16 per cent of such births,
Tamil Nadu 14 per cent and Gujarat 9 per cent.
MAHILA SAMMAN SAVING CERTIFICATE
ACCOUNT
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti
Irani opened a Mahila Samman Savings Certificate (MSSC)
account by visiting Sansad Marg Head Post Office. The move
aims to inspire others to open their MSSC account in the
nearest post office.
About:
• Timeline: The scheme was announced in the 2023-24 Union
Budget by Finance Minister. This Scheme has been made
available in all 1.59 lakh post offices from April 01, 2023 and
is valid for a two-year period upto 31st March 2025.
• Objective: It aims to ensure financial inclusion of the women
including the girls.
• Opening of account: Any woman can open a Mahila Samman
account that can be opened for herself or on behalf of a
little girl. A time gap of three months shall be maintained
between the existing account and the opening of other
account. Accounts opened under this scheme will be single-
holder accounts that can be opened at the Post Office or any
registered bank.
• Interest rate: The two-year tenure scheme offers an interest
rate of 7.5 per cent compounded quarterly with flexible
investment and partial withdrawal options.
• Investment: The minimum investment amount is Rs 1000,
and the maximum investment authorised under the plan is
Rs 2 lakh.
• Withdrawal from account: The account holder may withdraw
up to 40% of the balance after the first year from the date of
account opening but before the account matures.
• Premature closure of account: The account shall not be
closed before maturity except in the following cases,
namely: On the death of the account holder or on extreme
compassionate ground like (i) Life threatening decease of
account holder (ii) death of the guardian on production of
relevant documents.
UNITED NATIONS PERMANENT FORUM ON
INDIGENOUS ISSUES (UNPFII)
In April 2023, the 22nd session of the UN Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) was held on the theme, ‘Indigenous
Peoples, human health, planetary and territorial health and
climate change: A rights-based approach’.
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About: SURVEY OF OBCS IN ODISHA

• Mandate: The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous
In May 2023, the Odisha government began the survey of
Issues (UNPFII or PFII) is the UN's central coordinating body
people from the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) belonging to
for matters relating to the concerns and rights of the world's
210 castes in the State to determine their social and educational
indigenous peoples.
status.
• Status: It is an advisory body that reports to the UN's Economic
and Social Council (ECOSOC).
About:
• Background: The forum was created in 2000 as an outcome of
• The Odisha State Commission For Backward Classes (OSCBC)
the UN's International Year for the World's Indigenous People
is conducting the survey which includes a questionnaire on

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in 1993, within the first International Decade of the World's
the kind of houses they live in, their livelihoods, access to
Indigenous People (1995–2004).
infrastructure, hospitals, schools, markets, colleges, etc.
• Functioning: It holds a two-week session each year which
• The survey comes against the backdrop of the demands
takes place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York
for a caste census across the country. No formal Census,
City but it could also take place in Geneva or any other place
including caste details of the population, have been carried

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as decided by the forum.
out since 1931.
• Membership: The forum is composed of 16 independent
• Odisha is the second State to conduct the survey after Bihar,
experts, functioning in their personal capacity, who are
which initiated its own caste census in January 2023.
appointed to three-year terms. At the end of their term, they can
be re-elected or re-appointed for one additional term. Of these Other Backward Classes (OBCs):
16 members, eight are nominated by the member governments
• The Other Backward Class is a collective term used by the
and eight directly nominated by indigenous organizations.
Government of India to classify such backward classes of
• Secretariat: It is based in the New York within the Division for citizens – other than the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Inclusive Social Development (DISD) of the United Nations Tribes – which are educationally or socially backward.
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
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• In the Indian Constitution, OBCs are described as socially and
Indigenous People: educationally backward classes (SEBC). The OBCs are entitled
to 27% reservations in public sector employment and higher
• Indigenous Peoples (also known as native, original, aboriginal
education.
and first peoples) are distinct social and cultural groups
that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural • National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was initially
EX

resources where they live, occupy or from which they have constituted by the Central Government by the National
been displaced. Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993. It has been
accorded Constitutional Status through the Constitution
• There are an estimated 476 million Indigenous Peoples
(102nd Amendment) Act, 2018 which inserted Article 338B for
worldwide and make up 6 percent of the global population.
the socially and educationally backward classes.
China is the country with the biggest indigenous population
in absolute terms. • In 2017, President of India notified a five-member Commission
headed by Delhi High Court's former Chief Justice G. Rohini
• The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is
under Article 340 of Indian Constitution, to explore the idea of
observed on 9 August every year. The date marks the day
of the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on OBC sub-categorisation. It is yet to submit its report.
Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the
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Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. DRAFT NATIONAL CURRICULUM

• The International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022 –
2032) was proclaimed after the adoption of the "Los Pinos
Declaration" in Mexico in 2020.
• In 2007, the UN issued a Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
• UN Organizations established for their rights: United Nations
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the Expert
Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP),
and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNSR).
FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION
The Ministry of Education invited comments on a draft
National Curriculum Framework for School Education, 2023
(NCF).
About:
• The National Education Policy, 2020 envisages formulating
the NCF, to revise curricula and pedagogy. Key features of
the draft NCF are the following:

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• Curriculum: The NCF divides the curriculum into eight broad
areas: (i) language, (ii) mathematics, (iii) sciences, (iv) social
sciences, (v) arts, (vi) interdisciplinary areas, (vii) physical
education, and (viii) vocational education.
• Stages of education: School education will be split into four
stages covering ages 3-18.
Stages of Education
Stage Key Focus Areas Grades
• Section 15 of the Act provides that in case of a heinous
offence alleged to have been committed by a child in the
age group of 16-18, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) shall
conduct a preliminary assessment regarding his capacity to
commit such offence & understand the consequences and
the circumstances in which the offence was committed.
• This preliminary assessment is to ascertain whether a juvenile
can be tried as an adult.
Recent Guidelines on Preliminary Assessment:

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Foundational Cognitive and physical 3 years of pre-
development, foundational school, and • The guidelines have been made to remove any ambiguity and
literacy and numeracy grades 1 and 2 to clarify the steps that need to be followed while conducting
the preliminary assessment.
Preparatory Basic subjects such as 3 to 5
• The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) shall be responsible for
languages, mathematics,
the preliminary assessment and provide the child, the child’s

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arts, physical education,
family, and their counsel a copy of the order.
and fluency in literacy and
numeracy • In case the JJB does not have at least one member who is an
expert in child psychology, the Board shall take the assistance
Middle Specialised education in 6 to 8
of psychologists or experts who have the experience of
science and humanities
working with children in difficult times.
Secondary Combination of certain 9 to 12
• The child should also be provided with a legal aid counsel
essential courses, choice-
through the District Legal Services Authority who shall be
based courses, and
present during the preliminary assessment.
vocational education
• During the preliminary assessment, the Board and experts
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• Subject-wise learning outcomes, standards, and content: shall also take into consideration the Social Investigation
The NCF provides illustrative learning outcomes as a Report (SIR), to be prepared by the Probation officer or Child
basis for standards of achievement, for each stage of Welfare Officer or any social worker, or a Social Background
education. For example, at the middle stage, the NCF Report (SBR) to be prepared after interaction with the child or
sets curricular goal of understanding numbers and sets of
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child’s family.
numbers. Assessment methods include verbal questions
and question papers. National Commission for Protection of Children:
• Learning environment: The NCF specifies requirements for • Status: It is a statutory body constituted under Section 3 of the
school infrastructure, such as dedicated libraries suitably Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
organised for children to navigate, and laboratories kept • Governance: It works under the aegis of Union Ministry of
open to children throughout school hours. Women and Child Development. The Commission became
operational in 2007.
• Objectives: It is mandated to protect the child rights in the
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
country. As defined by the commission, child includes person
In April 2023, the National Commission for Protection of up to the age of 18 years.
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Children (NCPCR) has issued guidelines for conducting a
preliminary assessment by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)
under Section 15 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015):
• Replacing the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, the 2015 Act, has
categorised the offences committed by children into three
categories — petty offences, serious offences, and heinous
offences.
• The Act, for the first time, provided for trying juveniles in the
age group of 16-18 as adults in cases of heinous offences.
• Functions: It is mandated to monitor the implementation of
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,
2012 and; Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children)
Act, 2015 and Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE)
Act, 2009.
• Powers: The Commission also has the powers of Civil Court
trying a suit under Section 14 of CPCR Act, 2005 and Code of
Civil Procedure, 1908.
• Composition of NCPCR: The commission consist of a
chairperson and Six members appointed by the Central
Government, out of which at least two are woman.

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 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Environment
Edition: May, 2023
ENVIRONMENT
GUM ARABIC
In the aftermath of Sudan Conflict, companies like Coca Cola
and Pepsico are stockpiling supplies of gum arabic to meet
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demands for next three-to-six-months.
About:
• What is it? Gum Arabic is a natural gum originally consisting
of the hardened sap of two species of the Acacia tree,
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Senegalia Senegal and Vachellia seyal.
• Names: Gum Arabic is also known as gum acacia, gum
sudani, Senegal gum.
• Distribution: The gum is harvested commercially from wild
trees, mostly in Sudan (80%) and throughout the Sahel, from
Senegal to Somalia. The Sahel region is an ecoclimatic realm
of transition between the Sahara to the north and the savanna
to the south (extending from Senegal in the west to Eritrea in
the east of Africa).
• Uses of Gum Arabic: It is soluble in water, edible, and used
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primarily in the food industry and soft-drink industry as
a stabilizer (which helps bind together food and drink
ingredients). It is a key ingredient in traditional lithography
and is used in printing, paints, glues, cosmetics, and various
industrial applications, including viscosity control in inks and
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in textile industries.
BLACK TIGERS
A rare black tiger died in the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha’s
Mayurbhanj district.
About:
• A black tiger is a rare colour variant of the tiger, and is not a
distinct species or geographic subspecies.
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• Reasons: So-called black tigers are due to pseudo-melanism.
Pseudo-melanism, is different from true melanism, a condition
characterised by unusually high deposition of melanin, a dark
pigment. Pseudo-melanistic tigers have thick stripes so close
together that the tawny background is barely visible between
stripes.
• Distribution: Pseudo-melanistic ones have been camera-
trapped repeatedly, and only, in Similipal, a 2,750-km tiger
reserve in Odisha. In Similipal National Park, 37% of the
tiger population has this condition, which has been linked to
isolation and inbreeding.
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• Threats: The tigers in the Similipal Tiger Reserve are an
isolated population in eastern India. This has important
implications for tiger conservation as such isolated and
inbred populations are prone to extinction over even short
periods of time.
SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD SHARK
A study published in the journal Science shows that scalloped
hammerhead sharks remains warm even while diving into
the ocean’s frigid depths to hunt for food.
Findings of Recent Study:
• The study found that they maintain their body temperature by
closing their gills, essentially holding their breath.
• This strategy has never been observed before and
distinguishes them from high-performance fish such as
great white sharks or Atlantic bluefin tuna that use different
strategies to tolerate extreme cold.
Hammerhead Shark:
• Family: The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks that
form the family Sphyrnidae.
• List of Species include: Winghead shark, Scalloped
bonnethead, Scalloped hammerhead, Carolina hammerhead,
Scoophead, Great hammerhead, Bonnethead, Smalleye
hammerhead and Smooth hammerhead.
• Name: They are named as their heads are flattened and
laterally extended into a "hammer" shape called a cephalofoil.
This shape differs between species; examples are: a distinct
T-shape in the great hammerhead and a rounded head with
a central notch in the scalloped hammerhead.
• Distribution: Hammerheads are found worldwide in warmer
waters along coastlines and continental shelves.
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark:
• Scientific Name: Sphyrna lewini.
• IUCN Red List Status: Globally Endangered.
• Threats: Its population is declining because of oversfishing,
driven by the high economic value of its fins and the
consumption of its meat.
• Distribution: It is a circum-global shark species that is found
worldwide in coastal warm temperate and tropical seas of the
Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans.

MERI LiFE APP
Union Minister for Environment launched a mobile
application, called “Meri LiFE” (My life) to catalyze youth
action for climate change.
Meri LiFE:
• The Meri LiFE app will help in tracking the progress being
made on Mission LiFE.
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• Upon successful sign-up, users will be guided to participate
in a series of LiFE related tasks under the following 5 themes,
namely, Save Energy, Save Water, Reduce Single Use
Plastic, Adopt Sustainable Food Systems and Adopt Healthy
Lifestyle.
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Mission LiFE:
• Background: Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) was
launched by the Prime Minister Modi in October 2022 at
Kevadia, Gujarat. The concept of LiFE was introduced by
PM Modi during the 26th United Nations Climate Change
Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021.
• Bodies Involved: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change is the nodal ministry for national-level
coordination and implementation of Mission LiFE.
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• Duration: The mission is a 5-year programme.
• Objective: Mission LiFE aims to promote an environment-
conscious lifestyle that focuses on 'mindful and deliberate
utilisation' instead of 'mindless and destructive consumption'.
It functions on the basic principles of ‘Lifestyle of the planet,
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for the planet and by the planet’.
• Targets: Mission LiFE will mobilise at least one billion Indians
and other global citizens to take individual and collective
action for protecting and preserving the environment in the
period 2022 to 2027. Within India, at least 80% of all villages
and urban local bodies are aimed to become environment-
friendly by 2028.
Portals:
• The Ministry has developed two dedicated portals to track
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the progress on LiFE Mission.
• The Mission LiFE Portal is open access and can be used
to download the 100+ creatives, videos, and knowledge
materials that have been developed by the ministry for LiFE.
• The Meri LiFE Portal has been developed for ministries and
institutions to upload event reports and capture the progress
of the mass mobilisation drive.
LiFE and Nationally Determined Contributions:
• The LiFE Mission is also a part of India's updated list of
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which was
officially submitted to the UNFCC in August 2022.
In-Shorts | Environment Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• The first of India’s eight point-NDC is aimed “to put forward
and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of
living based on traditions and values of conservation and
moderation, including through a mass movement for ‘LiFE’ as
a key to combating climate change”.
GREENWASHING
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will join 12 international
regulators in the Global Financial Innovation Network
(GFIN)’s first-ever Greenwashing TechSprint to develop a
tool to help regulators and the market effectively tackle the
risks of greenwashing in financial services.
About:
• Meaning: Greenwashing refers to misleading the general
public into believing that companies, sovereigns or civic
administrators are doing more for the environment than they
actually are. This may involve making a product or policy
seem more environmentally friendly or less damaging than it
is in reality.
• Reasons: It is done primarily for a company to either
present itself as an ‘environment-friendly’ entity or for profit
maximisation. The latter could be achieved by either
introducing a product, catering to the inherent demand
for environment-friendly products, or, in certain instances,
using the larger idea as a premise to cut down on certain
operational logistics and providing consumer essentials.
• Criticism: The inconsistent use of terms ‘net-zero’, ‘net-zero
aligned’, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’ and ‘ecological’ are not
accompanied with satisfactory evidence to substantiate their
claims.
GLOBAL FINANCIAL INNOVATION NETWORK (GFIN)
• The GFIN is the international network of financial regulators
and related organisations committed to supporting
financial innovation in the best interests of consumers.
• It was formally launched in 2019 and at present is a network
of over 70 organisations.
PERMAFROST
According to a new study, with rising global temperatures,
thawing permafrost will destabilise industrial sites and
linked contaminated areas in the Arctic, which could result
in the spread of toxic substances across the region.
About:
• Permafrost is any ground that remains completely frozen—
32°F (0°C) or colder—for at least two years straight.
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• Permafrost is made of a combination of soil, rocks and sand About:

that are held together by ice.
• The soil and ice in permafrost stay frozen all year long.
• Near the surface, permafrost soils also contain large quantities
of organic carbon—a material leftover from dead plants that
couldn’t decompose, or rot away, due to the cold. Lower
permafrost layers contain soils made mostly of minerals.
• A layer of soil on top of permafrost does not stay frozen all
year. This layer, called the active layer, thaws during the warm
• The Guidelines envisages ecosystem dynamics in port
development, operation and maintenance while aiming to meet
the larger vision of achieving Zero Carbon Emission Goal.
• It lays emphasis on use of Clean / Green energy in Port
operation, developing Port capabilities for storage, handling
and bunkering Greener Fuels viz. Green Hydrogen, Green
Ammonia, Green Methanol / Ethanol etc.

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summer months and freezes again in the fall.
GHARIALS
The World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan)
confirmed reports of gharials being present in Punjab, the
country’s most populous province.

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About:
• There had been unconfirmed sightings of gharials in Okara
(near the Ravi river) and Head Sulemanki (on the Satluj river,
just two kilometres from the Indian border) nearly a year ago.
• The animal may have come into Pakistan from India’s Punjab,
where some 94 gharials were released into the Beas river
in the Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Hoshiarpur districts between
2017 and 2021.
• The animals were brought mostly from the Chambal basin in
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Distribution: Madhya Pradesh.

• These permanently frozen grounds are most common in

regions with high mountains and in Earth’s higher latitudes—
near the North and South Poles.
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• Permafrost covers large regions of the Earth. Almost a quarter
of the land area in the Northern Hemisphere has permafrost
underneath. Although the ground is frozen, permafrost
regions are not always covered in snow.

Thawing Permafrost: Impact

• As Earth’s climate warms, the permafrost is thawing. That
means the ice inside the permafrost melts, leaving behind
water and soil. This can have dramatic impacts.
• Thawing permafrost can destroy houses, roads and other
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infrastructure built on permafrost.

• As permafrost thaws, microbes begin decomposing the plant
material which releases greenhouse gases.
• When permafrost thaws, so do ancient bacteria and viruses
in the ice and soil. These newly-unfrozen microbes could
make humans and animals very sick.

HARIT SAGAR GUIDELINES

Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has launched ‘Harit
Sagar’ the Green Port Guidelines.

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 In-Shorts | Science & Technology Current Affairs

SCIENCE & Edition: May, 2023

TECHNOLOGY
MOLECULAR MOTOR Tuberculosis (TB):
• Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that most often affects
An international team of researchers, including from the
the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria. It spreads
National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru,
through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or spit.

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has reported a new kind of molecular motor.
• Tuberculosis is preventable and curable. In certain countries,
the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is given to babies
About:
or small children to prevent TB. The vaccine prevents TB
• Molecular motors are a class of proteins that drive intracellular
outside of the lungs but not in the lungs.
movement by converting chemical energy to mechanical
• Tuberculosis that does not respond to standard drugs is

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work along cytoskeletal filaments.
called drug-resistant TB and requires more toxic treatment
• They are very important as Cells need to move things, such as
with different medicines. Drug resistance emerges when
pull two organelles together, move cargo towards and away
TB medicines are used inappropriately, through incorrect
from the nucleus, and power the movement of molecules
prescription by health care providers, poor quality drugs, or
inside cells.
patients stopping treatment prematurely.
• Disruption or deregulation in these processes can lead to
different diseases. Types of Drug-Resistant TB:
• Mono-Resistance: Resistance to one first-line anti-TB drug only.
Recent Study:
• Poly-Resistance: Resistance to more than one first-line anti-TB
• In a 2016 paper, researchers reported that when an enzyme
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drug, other than both isoniazid and rifampicin.
called Rab5 binds to a long protein called EEA1, the protein
• Multidrug Resistance (MDR): Resistance to at least both
loses its taut and rigid shape and becomes floppy. This
isoniazid and rifampicin.
‘collapse’ pulls two membranes inside a cell closer to each
other. • Extensive Drug Resistance (XDR): Resistance to any
fluoroquinolone, and at least one of three second-line
• Now, in a new study published in May 2023, researchers
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injectable drugs (capreomycin, kanamycin and amikacin), in
have reported that EEA1 regains its rigid shape in another
addition to multidrug resistance.
mechanism so that it can become floppy again to pull
the membranes closer, creating a new kind of two-part • Rifampicin Resistance (RR): Resistance to rifampicin detected
molecular motor. using phenotypic or genotypic methods, with or without
resistance to other anti-TB drugs. It includes any resistance
• EEA1 draws energy from a reaction called GTP hydrolysis to
to rifampicin, in the form of mono-resistance, poly-resistance,
become rigid again. GTP hydrolysis is mediated by enzymes
MDR or XDR.
called GTPases. Rab5 is one such.
• They have reported several novelties in their findings. The Indian Scenario:
motor does not produce a lever-like back-and-forth action, as
• India has the highest burden of Multi-Drug Resistant-TB
most motors do, but allows a molecule to change its flexibility
(MDR-TB) bacteria with the World Health Organisation
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between two states. Also, most molecular motors get their

(WHO) putting the figure at 0.39 million cases worldwide and
energy from another molecule called ATP, whereas the Rab5-
highlighting the need to stop its spread.
EEA1 motor uses GTP.
• In 2020, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control
• Significance of findings: The finding opens the door to
Programme (RNTCP) was renamed as the National TB
previously unanticipated cellular processes and potential
Elimination Program (NTEP) to emphasize the aim of the
applications in biology and medicine.
Government of India to eliminate TB in India by 2025.
• In September, 2022, Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT-TB (MDR-TB) (PMTBMBA) was launched to urge citizens to work collectively
towards TB elimination in spirit of Jan Bhaagidari on a war
Indian Scientists published a new study in May 2023, which
footing. The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative was launched to ensure
established that mutations in DNA repair genes could be used
additional diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational support to
for the early diagnosis of MDR/XDR-TB.
those on TB treatment.
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• In March 2023, PM Modi launched the TB-Mukt Panchayat
initiative to leverage the support of over 2.5 lakh Gram
Panchayats to raise awareness about TB. He also launched
a new shorter treatment regimen for TB Preventative Therapy
whose drugs have to be taken only once a week for 12 weeks
instead of the earlier regimen of one drug every day for 6
months.
RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS (RSV)
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In May 2023, the United States Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) approved the Arexvy vaccine for Respiratory Syncytial
Virus (RSV).
Arexvy:
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• This is the first RSV vaccine to be approved anywhere in the
world.
• Arexvy will lower respiratory tract disease in people older
than 60 years.
• The vaccine is manufactured by the company, GSK.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV):
• RSV causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract.
• Symptoms: RSV usually causes mild cold-like signs and
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symptoms such as congested or runny nose, dry cough, low-
grade fever, sore throat, sneezing and headache.
• Impact: In severe cases, RSV infection can lead to bronchiolitis
(inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia
(infection of the lungs).
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• Fatality: Lower respiratory tract disease caused by the RSV
virus leads to approximately 60,000-1,20,000 hospitalisations
and 6,000-10,000 deaths among individuals who are 65 years
of age and older.
• Vulnerable Groups: Older persons with comorbidities and
infants are at high risk from RSV.
• Treatment: Most children and adults recover in one to two
weeks, although some might require hospitalization.
• Protein F: Scientists have identified that when protein F, a
fibronectin-binding protein, — which is yet to fully fuse with a
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human cell — is introduced in humans, it elicited neutralising
antibodies against the virus.
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OF
INTERNATIONAL CONCERN (PHEIC)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on 5th May said
that Covid-19 was no longer a Public Health Emergency of
International Concern, and that the focus would now be on
the long-term management of the infection.
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About:
• Definition: A public health emergency is defined as “an
extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public
health risk to other States through the international spread of
disease; and to potentially require a coordinated international
response”.
• Coverage: A PHEIC is not only confined to infectious diseases,
and may cover an emergency caused by exposure to a
chemical agent or radioactive material.
• Criteria: There are three conditions for declaring a disease a
public health emergency. i.e. whether the disease/event (1)
is an extraordinary event, (2) is a public health risk to other
States through the international spread, and (3) potentially
requires a coordinated international response.
• Implications: Under the 2005 International Health Regulations
(IHR), states have a legal duty to respond promptly to a
PHEIC. Declaring a PHEIC may lead to restrictions on travel
and trade for the host country.
• Who declares it? The responsibility of declaring an event as
an emergency lies with the Director-General of the World
Health Organization (WHO). In order to declare a PHEIC,
the WHO Director-General is required to take advice from
an internationally made up committee of experts, the IHR
Emergency Committee (EC).
• Incidence in Past: In the past decade, WHO has declared
public health emergencies for outbreaks including the 2009
H1N1 (or swine flu) pandemic, the 2013–2016 outbreak
of Ebola in Western Africa, the 2014 polio declaration, the
2015–2016 Zika virus epidemic, the 2018–2020 Kivu Ebola
epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing 2022–
2023 mpox outbreak.
Designation of Covid-19 as PHEIC:
• COVID-19 is the disease caused by a coronavirus called the
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-
CoV-2). The common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever,
cough, headache, fatigue, breathing difficulties, loss of smell,
and loss of taste.
• Background: The viral infection came to light after China
reported a cluster of pneumonia cases with no known cause
from Wuhan on December 31, 2019. The disease quickly
spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Cases/Deaths: India has reported 4.43 crore cases and 5.3
lakh deaths due to Covid-19 so far. Globally, the number
of infections has crossed 76.5 crore, and caused 69.2 lakh
deaths.
• Designation as PHEIC: In January 2020, the World Health
Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus infection
a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC),
a designation that remained in place for over three years.
 In-Shorts | Science & Technology
• Why has the WHO removed the designation now? Over the
last three years, doctors and researchers have figured out
methods of transmission; better, cheaper, and point-of-
care diagnostics; medicines to prevent viral replication; and
vaccines that can prevent severe disease.
NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCDs)
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has
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renamed the ‘NPCDCS’ programme as ‘NP-NCD’ after addition
of more non-communicable diseases (NCDs) under it.
NP-NCD:
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has
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added more non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – such
as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease
etc – to the National Programme for Prevention and Control
of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke
(NPCDCS).
• In this background the Ministry has decided to rename
‘NPCDCS’ as ‘National Programme for Prevention & Control
of Non-Communicable Diseases [NP-NCD].
• The programme is being implemented under the National
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Health Mission (NHM) across the country. Under it, 677 NCD
district-level clinics, 187 District Cardiac Care Units, 266
District Day Care Centres and 5,392 NCD Community Health
Centre-level clinics have been set up.
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National NCD Portal:
• The mobile application (or software) named Comprehensive
Primary Healthcare Non-Communicable Disease (CPHC
NCD IT) rolled out under the programme for screening and
management, will now be renamed ‘National NCD Portal’.
• The portal enables population enumeration, risk assessment,
and screening for five common NCDs, including hypertension,
diabetes, and oral, breast and cervical cancers of the
population aged above 30 years.
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Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India:
• A study titled ‘India: Health of the Nation’s States - The India
State-Level Disease Burden Initiative in 2017’ by Indian
Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimated that the
proportion of deaths due to NCDs in India have increased
from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016.
• The four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs),
cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and diabetes
which share four behavioural risk factors – unhealthy diet,
lack of physical activity, and use of tobacco and alcohol.
Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
NATIONAL MEDICAL DEVICES POLICY, 2023
The Union Cabinet approved the National Medical Devices
Policy, 2023.
About:
• As per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, medical devices
include devices used in the treatment, diagnosis, and
prevention of disease.
• The 2023 Policy sets a goal for India to achieve a 10-12%
share of the global market for medical devices, increase the
size of the sector from USD 11 billion to USD 50 billion by
2030, and frames strategies to achieve this target.
Key Features of this Policy include the following:
• Regulatory Streamlining: This includes measures such as
single window clearance for licensing of medical devices and
revising pricing regulations.
• Investment: Private investment in the sector will be increased
through the schemes such as Make in India, Ayushman
Bharat, and Start-up Mission.
• Infrastructure: The Policy proposes the establishment and
strengthening of industrial parks which develop and produce
medical devices. These will receive logistical connectivity
and support under the National Logistics Policy, 2022.
• Human Resource Development: The Policy proposes to
increase the strength of skilled workforce in this sector
through the involvement of the Ministry of Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship. The Policy also aims to support the
implementation of courses in educational institutions focusing
on the development of medical devices.
• Brand Positioning and Awareness: An Export Promotion
Council under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers will
conduct studies of best practices in manufacturing and skill
development.
SAKSHAM
In May 2023, Union Health Secretary launched the SAKSHAM.
About:
• SAKSHAM is an acronym for "Stimulating Advanced
Knowledge for Sustainable Health Management".
• It is a Learning Management Information System (LMIS) of
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). This digital
learning platform has been developed by the National
Institute of Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW), New Delhi.
• SAKSHAM is a dedicated and unified platform for providing
online training and medical education to all health
professionals in the country.
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• Currently SAKSHAM - LMIS is hosting more than 200 public
health and 100 clinical courses through online mode. Health
professionals can register themselves for these courses on
the portal and get the certification after undergoing requisite
training and qualifying the required assessment criteria.
THALASSEMIA BAL SEWA YOJANA
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare launched the
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third phase of Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana (TBSY).
Thalassemia:
• Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder. People with
thalassemia are not able to make enough haemoglobin,
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which is found in red blood cells. When there is not enough
haemoglobin in the red blood cells, oxygen cannot get to all
parts of the body.
• Symptoms include mild to severe anaemia, bone problems,
an enlarged spleen, yellowish skin, pulmonary hypertension,
and dark urine.
• There are two main types of thalassemia:
 Alpha thalassemia occurs when a gene or genes related to
the alpha globin protein are missing or changed (mutated).
 Beta thalassemia occurs when similar gene defects affect
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production of the beta globin protein.
• Both alpha and beta thalassemia include the following two
forms:
 Thalassemia minor occurs when the person inherit the
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faulty gene from only one parent.
 Thalassemia major occurs when the person inherit the
gene defect from both parents.
• Treatment: Thalassemia requires regular blood transfusions
to maintain an adequate supply of haemoglobin and sustain
life. Permanent cure lies in Stem Cell Transplant also known
as Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT).
Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana:
• It is an initiative of the Union Ministry for Health and Family
Welfare which is being supported by Coal India Limited
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(CIL) as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
initiative.
• It is being implemented since 2017 under the National Health
Mission (NHM).
• Financial assistance upto Rs.10 lakh is provided by CIL to
eligible patients for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT)
also known as Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) in ten prominent
hospitals spread across the country.
• From 2021, Aplastic Anaemia patients are also covered under
the scheme. Aplastic Anaemia is a condition that occurs
when body stops producing enough new blood cells.
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PSYCHEDELICS
Psychedelic drugs are emerging in research as promising ways
to treat treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic
stress disorder.
About:
• What are they? Psychedelics is an umbrella term used to
describe a variety of substances – some synthetic and others
naturally occurring – that can cause a range of psychological
effects.
• Impact on body: Psychedelics alter perception, mood, and
thought-processing of a person. Modern research suggests
that psychedelics are neither stimulants nor depressants of
brain activity. Instead, they increase the cross-talk between
different brain networks.
• Examples: Commonly known psychedelics include psilocybin
(the chemical component of “magic mushrooms”),
3,4-Methylene-dioxy-meth-amphetamine (MDMA) (a.k.a
ecstasy / molly), Lysergic acid diethylamide (a.k.a acid) and
Ketamine.
History of Psychedelics:
• Humans have used psilocybin and mescaline for millennia
for many reasons, including recreational, therapeutic, and
spiritual / cultural.
• The modern-day use of psychedelics is commonly associated
with the German chemist Arthur Heffter isolating mescaline
from the peyote cactus in 1897. In 1938, the Swiss chemist
Albert Hofmann first synthesised LSD.
Potential Health Benefits:
• Research involving psychedelic-assisted therapy has shown
promising results for some mental health conditions such
as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
anxiety disorders.
• In 2018, the FDA in USA had granted “breakthrough therapy”
status to psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression as
well.
Risks:
• Psychedelics are generally considered to be non-addictive,
non-toxic and compared to illicit drugs, they are less harmful
to the end user.
• Depending on the substance and the dose, there can be
short-term negative effects – distress, fear, anxiety, paranoia,
as well as a loss of motor coordination.
Legal Status in India:
• In India, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
Act 1985 prohibits the use of psychedelic substances.
 In-Shorts | Science & Technology
• Ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic with psychedelic
properties, is used under strict medical supervision, for
anaesthesia and treatment-resistant depression.
PRET INITIATIVE
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the
Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET)
Initiative.
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About:
• Background: The initiative was announced at the Global
Meeting for Future Respiratory Pathogen Pandemics held in
April 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland.
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• Objective: The PRET Initiative has been launched to make the
world better prepared for future outbreaks of a similar scale
and devastation as the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Focus areas: While the current focus of PRET will be on
respiratory viruses such as influenza or coronaviruses, work
is already underway to assess what should be the next group
of pathogens to be mitigated under this initiative.
• Approach: The three-pronged approach includes –
 updating preparedness plans that affirm priority actions,
 increase connectivity among stakeholders in pandemic
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preparedness planning through better coordination and
 investments, financing and monitoring of pandemic
preparedness with a special focus on bridging the
lacunes highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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SURROGACY
The National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy
Board notified the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Regulations, 2023 and the Surrogacy Regulations, 2023.
ART Regulations, 2023:
• The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act,
2021 provides for the regulation of ART services, which it
defines as any technique that seeks to obtain a pregnancy by
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handling the sperm or the oocyte (immature egg cell) outside
the human body and transferring the gamete or embryo into
a woman’s reproductive system. Examples include gamete
donation and in-vitro fertilisation.
• The 2023 Regulations notified under the Assisted Reproductive
Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 specify that the oocyte must
be retrieved from the donor with their consent.
Surrogacy Regulations, 2023:
• The National Board also notified the Surrogacy Regulations,
2023 under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021.
Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• The Act regulates surrogacy, defined as a practice where
a woman bears and gives birth to a child for an intending
couple/woman and agrees to hand over the child to them
after the birth. An intending couple is one that has a medical
indication necessitating surrogacy.
• An intending woman (Indian citizen, and a widow or divorcee
between the ages of 35 to 45 years) can also commission
surrogacy. Under the Act, state and central governments
must appoint authorities responsible for issuing an intending
woman or couple with a certificate of eligibility for surrogacy,
based on prescribed medical conditions.
• Under the Surrogacy Regulations, 2023, these authorities may
also identify medical conditions other than those specified in
the Act as being potentially eligible for surrogacy, and refer
these to the National Board for approval.
• The Regulations also specify procedural details, such as
quorum and meeting schedules, for the National Board
and state boards, which review authorities and monitor the
implementation of the Act.
NATIONAL HEALTH ACCOUNTS ESTIMATES
FOR INDIA (2019-20)
In April 2023, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare released
the National Health Accounts Estimates for India for 2019-20.
NHA Estimates:
• The National Health Account (NHA) estimates for India (2019-
20) is the seventh consecutive NHA estimates report. They were
first released for 2013-14.
• The NHA estimates are prepared by using an accounting
framework based on the internationally accepted standard
of System of Health Accounts, 2011, developed by the World
Health Organization (WHO).
• These estimates are prepared by National Health Systems
Resource Centre (NHSRC), a technical support institute with
National Health Mission (NHM). NHSRC was established
in 2006 and was designated as National Health Accounts
Technical Secretariat (NHATS) in 2014.
NHA Estimates for India for 2019-20:
• The share of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) in Total
Health Expenditure (THE) declined from 62.6% to 47.1%. The
continuous decline in the OOPE in the overall health spending
show progress towards ensuring financial protection and
Universal Health Coverage for citizens.
• The share of Government Health Expenditure (GHE) in the
overall GDP of the country has increased from 1.13% in 2014-
15 to 1.35% in 2019-20. In per capita terms, GHE has doubled
from Rs. 1,108 to Rs. 2,014 between 2014-15 to 2019-20.
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• The share of GHE in the Total Health Expenditure (THE) of the
country has increased from 29% in 2014-15 to 41.4% in 2019-
20.
• In General Government Expenditure (GGE), the share of health
sector spending has steadily increased from 3.94% to 5.02%
between 2014-15 and 2019-20.
• The share of primary healthcare in Current Government Health
Expenditure (CGHE) has increased from 51.3% in 2014-15 to
55.9% in 2019-20.
• in April 2023, the USA FDA said it had found that the Indian
manufacturer of eye drops linked to three deaths and serious
infections in the US had violated several safety norms.
Absence of Drug Recall Law:
• Recent failures of Indian manufactured drugs overseas have
brought attention to the issue of absence of a drug recall law
in the pharmaceutical industry in India.
• India has been considering the creation of a mandatory recall

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• The increased public spending in primary healthcare is in line
with National Health policy 2017 which states that two-thirds
of public health spending must be in Primary Health systems.
This is a result of opening of over 1.6 lakh Ayushman Bharat
Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs).
law for substandard drugs since 1976, but still no law exists
that mandates such medicine be removed from the market.
• Recall is an action taken to withdraw/remove the drugs from
distribution or use including corrective action for which
deficiencies are reported in quality, efficacy or safety.

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• The share of Social Security Expenditure (SSE) on Health Drug Regulation In India:
in the Total Health Expenditure (THE), has increased from
• The bulk of drug regulation in India is based on the centrally-
5.7% in 2014-15 to 9.3% in 2019-20. The SSE on health
enacted Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (DC Act) and the
includes government-funded health insurance, medical
corresponding Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 (DC Rules).
reimbursement to government employees, and social health
However, because ‘public health’ is a state subject under
insurance programs.
the Indian constitutional scheme, state governments also
exercise considerable control over drug regulation within the
GUAIFENESIN country.
• At the central level, the DC Act, 1940, has created the
The World Health Organization has said that a batch of
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Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), which
contaminated India-made Guaifenesin TG cough syrup has
is headed by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
been found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
CDSCO is India's national regulatory body for cosmetics,
pharmaceuticals and medical devices under Ministry of
About: Health and Family Welfare.
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• Guaifenesin is an expectorant used to relieve chest
• At the state level, there exist State Drug Regulatory Authorities
congestion and symptoms of cough.
(SDRAs), which are statutory bodies created under the DC
• The WHO said that the tested samples of Guaifenesin TG Act, 1940.
syrup, made by Punjab-based QP Pharmachem Ltd, showed
• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is a
"unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene
government regulatory agency that controls the prices of
glycol".
pharmaceutical drugs in India. It is an attached office of the
• Both compounds are toxic to humans and could be fatal if Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals
consumed. and Fertilizers.

Recent Cases of Malafide Medicines:

• India is the world's largest exporter of generic drugs, meeting QUASARS
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much of the medical needs of developing countries.

A new study was released on the formation of Quasars.
• But in recent months, many Indian firms have come under
scrutiny for the quality of their drugs, with experts raising
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concerns about the manufacturing practices used to make
• Quasars, short for “quasi-stellar radio sources”, were first
these medicines.
discovered six decades ago.
• In October 2022, WHO had sounded a global alert and linked
• They are located in supermassive black holes, which sit in the
four cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals to the
centre of galaxies.
deaths of 66 children from kidney injuries in The Gambia.
• Quasars is the brightest and the most powerful objects in the
• In March 2023, India cancelled the manufacturing licence of
universe. They shine as brightly as a trillion stars, but are a
a firm whose cough syrups were linked to 18 child deaths in
fraction of the size.
Uzbekistan.

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Formation: • Drone import policy was notified in 2022, banning import of

• The collision of two galaxies likely ignites quasars. foreign drones and freeing up import of drone components.

• When galaxies collide, it pushes the gas from the outer

INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH (ICMR)
reaches of the galaxies to the centre.
• It is the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination
• As the supermassive black hole gorges on the gas, it releases
and promotion of biomedical research, and is one of the
ferocious fountains of energy in the form of radiation, leading
oldest medical research bodies in the world.
to the quasar.
• In 1911, the Government of India set up the Indian Research
Significance of Quasars: Fund Association (IRFA). It was redesignated as the Indian

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• When a quasar is ignited, it can drive the rest of the gas out of
the galaxy which has drastic consequences on star formation.
• Quasars are one of the most extreme phenomena in the
universe and what we see is likely to represent the future of
our own Milky Way galaxy when it collides with the Andromeda
Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in 1949.
• The governing body of the council is presided over by the
Union Health Minister.
• The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through
the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and

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galaxy in about five billion years.
• Quasars act as “cosmic lighthouses”, allowing researchers to
see the outer reaches of the universe.
i-DRONE INITIATIVE
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) successfully
conducted a trial run of blood bag delivery by drones under
its iDrone initiative from Government Institute of Medical
Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida and Lady Hardinge Medical
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College (LHMC), New Delhi.
About:
• The drone-based delivery of blood under i-Drone initiative will
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reduce the time for last-mile deliveries within the country.
• 'i-DRONE' was first used during covid19 pandemic for
distributing vaccines to unreachable areas. This was carried
out in difficult geographical terrains including land, island,
foothills and across the hills.
Steps by Government to promote Drone Industry:
• Drones Rules, 2021 were notified which cover various aspects
like type certification, registration and operation of drones,
airspace restrictions, research, development and testing of
drones, training and licensing, offences and penalties etc.
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Family Welfare.
CARBON DATING,RADIOMETRIC DATING,
COSMOGENIC NUCLIDE DATING
The Allahabad High Court ordered a “scientific survey”, including
carbon dating, of a structure – claimed to be a “Shivling” by the
Hindu side - found at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi
after setting aside a lower court order on the issue.
About:
• Carbon dating is a widely-used method applied to establish
the age of organic material, things that were once living.
Living things have carbon in them in various forms.
• The dating method makes use of the fact that a particular
isotope of carbon called C-14, with an atomic mass of 14, is
radioactive, and decays at a rate that is well known.
• Carbon-14 is radioactive and reduces to one-half of itself in
about 5,730 years. This is what is known as its ‘half-life’.
• So, after a plant or animal dies, the ratio of carbon-12 to
carbon-14 in the body, or its remains, begins to change. This
change can be measured and can be used to deduce the
approximate time when the organism died.

• Drone (Amendment) Rules, 2022 were notified, which

abolished the requirement of a drone pilot license.
• Drone Airspace Map was published in 2021, which has opened
nearly 90% of Indian airspace as a green zone for drone
flying up to 400 feet.
• Government notified the Production-Linked Incentive
(PLI) scheme in 2021 to promote the growth of drone
manufacturing by private companies. The scheme provides
for an incentive of Rs 120 crores, spread over three financial
years. The PLI rate is 20% of the value addition over three
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Limitations:
• Though extremely effective, carbon dating cannot be applied
in all circumstances. Specifically, it cannot be used to
determine the age of non-living things, like rocks, for example.
• Also, the age of things that are more than 40,000-50,000
years cannot be arrived at through carbon dating. This is
because after eight to ten cycles of half-lives have been
crossed, the amount of carbon-14 becomes almost negligible
and undetectable.
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Radiometric Dating:
• There are other methods to calculate the age of inanimate
things, many of which are based on the same principle
as carbon dating. So, instead of carbon, decays of other
radioactive elements that might be present in the material
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become the basis for the dating method.
• These are known as radiometric dating methods. Many of these
involve elements with half-lives of billions of years, which enable
scientists to reliably estimate the age of very old objects.
• Two commonly employed methods for dating rocks are
potassium-argon dating and uranium-thorium-lead dating.
• Potassium-Argon Dating: The radioactive isotope of potassium
decays into argon, and their ratios can give a clue about the
age of rocks.
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• Uranium-Thorium-Lead Dating: Uranium and thorium have
several radioactive isotopes, and all of them decay into the
stable lead atom. The ratios of these elements present in
the material can be measured and used to make estimates
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about age.
Cosmogenic Nuclide Dating:
• There are also methods to determine how long an object has
remained exposed to sunlight. The most common of these is
called cosmogenic nuclide dating.
• It uses the interactions between cosmic rays and nuclides
in glacially transported boulders or glacially eroded bedrock
to provide age estimates for rock exposure at the Earth’s
surface. It tells us how long the rocks have been located at
the surface, for example, on a moraine.
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BARD
At the Google I/O 2023 event in California, CEO Sundar Pichai
announced that its chatbot Bard will now be available in
over 180 countries including in India. He also announced the
launch of PaLM 2.
Bard:
• Bard is a conversational generative artificial intelligence
chatbot developed by Google.
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• It is based on the LaMDA family of large language models
(LLM).
• It was developed as a direct response to the rise of OpenAI's
ChatGPT.
PaLM:
• PaLM (Pathways Language Model) is a 540 billion parameter
transformer-based large language model developed by
Google AI.
• PaLM is capable of a wide range of tasks, including
commonsense reasoning, arithmetic reasoning, joke
explanation, code generation, and translation.
Google I/O:
• Google I/O is an annual developer conference which
introduces the company's most recent products, software
and other advancements.
• Google I/O stands for Input/Output, and the motto is
"Innovation in the Open."
BLUESKY
Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, several users have
switched to alternative social media platforms like Mastodon
and Bluesky.
About:
• AT Protocol: Bluesky is a micro-blogging platform and social
web built on the AT Protocol (Authenticated Transport Protocol).
• Decentralised: Bluesky is different from Twitter in terms of
its structure, as it is meant to form part of a decentralised
ecosystem.
• Account Portability: Users of apps built on the AT Protocol
would be able to move between platforms without losing their
followers, media, work, and data. This account portability
feature is a major part of the AT Protocol’s structure.
• Background: Bluesky was started as a project at Twitter in
2019 by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. In 2022, it became
an independent company. The present CEO of Bluesky is Jay
Graber.
• Present status: Bluesky is currently in private beta, meaning
that only a select group has been allowed to join via invite
codes. Others interested in trying it out can add themselves
to a waitlist.
• Bluesky vs Mastodon: While Bluesky and Mastodon both strive
to be decentralised social media platforms, Bluesky is still
highly controlled by its team of creators, and entry is based
on an invite code. On the other hand, Mastodon, which was
launched in 2016, has multiple servers that users can join or
apply to join, making it less controlled in terms of entry.
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AUTHENTICATED TRANSFER (AT) PROTOCOL
• Authenticated Transfer (AT) protocol is an open and
decentralized standard for social media.
• The AT Protocol is a new federated social network.
Federated network is a way for servers to communicate
with each other — like email. Instead of one site running
the network, you can have many sites.
• AT Protocol is being developed by Bluesky, and it will help
developers build social apps that safeguard users data and
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privacy while increasing account portability across servers.
SATELLITE COMMUNICATION
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has invited
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comments on the assignment of spectrum for satellite
communication services.
About:
• Key issues on which TRAI has sought views include: (i) bands
of spectrum and their quantum required to meet the demand
for satellite communication services, (ii) whether trading,
sharing, and leasing of the spectrum should be permitted and
mechanisms for the same, and (iii) provisions for new entrants,
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who could not acquire spectrum in the auction process.
• Satellite communication refers to any communication link that
involves the use of artificial satellites.
• A variety of frequency bands are used for providing satellite
communication services. These include:
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 1-2 Gigahertz (GHz), for mobile satellite services and
navigation systems,
 2-4 GHz, for mobile satellite services, weather forecasting,
and air traffic control,
 4-8 GHz, for television and radio broadcasting,
 10-15 GHz, for direct-to-home television broadcasting and
satellite internet services, and
 17-31 GHz, for high-speed broadband.
START PROGRAMME
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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced
a programme called Space Science and Technology Awareness
Training (START).
About:
• Objective: This programme aims to provide students with
an introductory-level online training in Space Science and
Technology, giving them an overview of different facets of
the field, research opportunities, and career options.
• Participants: It is aimed at postgraduate and final-
year undergraduate students of Physical Sciences and
Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
Technology. It will be delivered by scientists from Indian
academia and ISRO centres.
• Coverage: The programme will cover various domains of Space
Science, including Astronomy and Astrophysics, Heliophysics
and Sun-Earth interaction, Instrumentation, and Aeronomy.
Remote Sensing Courses:
• The ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) has
also announced two short courses- Remote Sensing Data
Acquisition and Remote Sensing Data Processing.
• The courses will be conducted through the Centre for Space
Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific
(CSSTEAP) at NRSC’s Earth Station at Shadnagar near
Hyderabad.
• The CSSTEAP is an educational institution affiliated with the
United Nations.
IBM’s NEW GEOSPATIAL FOUNDATION MODEL
Tech major IBM has partnered with US space agency NASA to
design a new geospatial foundation model to track climate
change on Earth.
About:
• Working: The new geospatial foundation model, which is
part of IBM's Space Act Agreement with NASA, converts the
space agency's satellite observations into customised maps
of natural disasters and other environmental changes.
• Potential applications: The first-ever foundation model for
analysing geospatial data will help to estimate climate-related
risks to crops, buildings, and other infrastructure, valuing and
monitoring forests for carbon-offset programmes.
• Way ahead: The model, part of IBM's watsonx.ai geospatial
offering, is planned to be available in preview to IBM clients
through (EIS) IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite during the
second half of 2023.
DO YOU KNOW?
• The Ministry of Science and Technology of Government
of India has notified the National Geospatial Policy 2022. It
replaced the National Map Policy, 2005.
• Geospatial technology is an emerging technique to study
real earth geographic information using Geographical
Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS) and other
ground information from various devices and instruments.
• The International Business Machines Corporation (IBM),
nicknamed Big Blue, is an American multinational
technology corporation headquartered in Armonk, New
York. Present Chairman and CEO of IBM is Arvind Krishna,
an Indian-American business executive.
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GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
Credit Suisse, the Swiss bank, has announced buying
Ecuadorian bonds worth $1.6 billion in a debt-for-nature swap
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that cost the Swiss bank just $644 million. In return, Ecuador’s
government will have to spend about $18 million annually for
two decades on conservation in the Galapagos Islands.
About:
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• The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands
belonging to south American country ‘Ecuador’.
• Location: The archipelago is located in the Eastern Pacific
around the Equator. Straddling the equator, islands in
the chain are located in both the northern and southern
hemispheres.
• Geology: The archipelago is located on the Nazca Plate (a
tectonic plate), which is moving east/southeast, diving under
the South American Plate. Volcanism has been continuous on
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the Galápagos Islands for at least 20 million years.
• Ecology: The Galapagos are famous for their large number
of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin
in the 1830s and inspired his Theory of Evolution by means
of natural selection. The Galapagos Islands are named after
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their giant tortoises.
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ZERO SHADOW DAY
On April 25, 2023, Bengaluru experienced a ‘Zero Shadow
Day’, when vertical objects appear to cast no shadow.
What is a Zero Shadow Day?
• A zero shadow day is a day on which the Sun does not cast
a shadow of an object at solar noon, when the sun will be
exactly at the zenith position.
• On a zero shadow day, when the sun crosses the local
meridian, the sun's rays will fall exactly vertical relative to an
In-Shorts | Geography Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
GEOGRAPHY
object on the ground and one cannot observe any shadow of
that object.
When does it happen?
• Zero shadow day happens twice a year for locations in the
tropics (between the Tropic of Cancer at +23.5 degrees
of latitude and the Tropic of Capricorn at -23.5 degrees
of latitude). The dates will vary for different locations on
Earth.
• One falls during the Uttarayan when the Sun moves
northwards, and the other is during Dakshinayan when the
Sun moves southwards.
ANJI KHAD BRIDGE
The Prime Minister praised the completion of the Anji Khad
Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir.
About:
• The Anji-Khad rail bridge is India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge
on Anji river (Anji River is a tributary of Chenab River).
• It is a cable-stayed bridge connecting Katra and Reasi
section of Jammu–Baramulla line in the Jammu Division of
Jammu and Kashmir.
• The bridge is a part of rail line connecting Udhampur to
Baramulla via Srinagar, a crucial connector between Kashmir
and rest of India via railways.
• The project is being executed by Konkan Railway Corporation
Limited (KRCL) and Hindustan Construction Company.
Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Railway Link:
• It is a National project undertaken by the Indian Railways
for construction of a 272 km long broad-gauge railway
line through the Himalayas, with the aim of connecting the
Kashmir region with the rest of the country.
• The project comprises 3 ‘legs’:
 a 25 km length going northwest from Udhampur to Katra
in Reasi district, the site of the renowned Vaishno Devi
temple;
 a 111 km track rising northeast from Katra to Banihal in
Ramban district; and
 a 136 km stretch from Banihal to Baramulla, going north
and then northwest, with Anantnag and Srinagar along the
way.
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PLACES IN  
Edition: May, 2023

Zafar Mahal (Delhi):

Mughal Emperor Akbar Shah II started
the construction of Zafar Mahal which
was completed by Bahadur Shah Zafar.
It was built in memory of the Sufi Saint

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Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki.

Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

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(Madhya Pradesh):
It will be developed as the second
home to Cheetahs.

Pench Tiger Reserve

(MP & Maharashtra):
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It is located in Satpura-Maikal
ranges of the Central Highlands.
It is among the sites notified as
important Bird Areas of India.
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River Pench flows through it.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka):

It is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
and is surrounded by Mudumalai Tiger
Reserve, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
and Kabini Reservoir.
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Eravikulam National Park (Kerala):

It is located in Anamalai hills, it is natural
habitat of endangered Nilgiri Tahr. Recently,
a Fernarium has been set up in this park.

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  NEWS INDIA
In-Shorts | Geography
Edition: May, 2023

Narmada River:
It rises in Amarkantak range
and flows between Vindhya
and Satpura Range. It is the
largest west flowing river of
Morigaon District (Assam):
Yangli an agriculture festival is
celebrated by Tiwa tribe of this
district in every three years.

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the Peninsula. Its tributaries
are Heran, Shakkar, Tawa. Kibithoo Village
The river forms the (Arunachal Pradesh):
Dhuandhar Falls. It is India's eastern-most forward

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post, along the Chinese border, in
Anjaw district. It lies on the bank
of Lohit River.

Loktak Lake (Manipur):

It is a freshwater lake where Phumdi are
found floating over it. Keibul Lamjao
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National Park, a part of this lake is the
only floating national park in the world
and also home to endangered Sangai
deer (state animal of Manipur).
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Siju Caves (Meghalaya):

It is located in South Garo Hills. Amolops Siju,
a new species of frog was found here.

Mousuni Island (West Bengal):

It is a small isolated island of the “Sunderban” delta
facing threat of Erosion due to rising sea level.
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Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary (Chhattisgarh):

Translocation of Endangered wild buffaloes from Assam to this Sanctuary
has been successfully completed. Balamedhi, Jonk and Mahanadi rivers
run along the sanctuary.
Kuttamperoor River:
It is a west flowing river, originating in western Ghats. It acts as a tributary
of both the Pamba and the Achankovil rivers in Kerala and forms a link
between the two rivers.
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CULTURE & HISTORY
COMMISSION FOR SCIENTIFIC AND
TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY (CSTT)
The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology
(CSTT) is creating a technical and scientific terminology
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in 10 Indian languages underrepresented in the learning
landscape.
About:
• These 10 languages are Bodo, Santhali, Dogri, Kashmiri,
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Konkani, Nepali, Manipuri, Sindhi, Maithili, and Sanskrit.
• These are a part of the list of 22 official languages of India’s
Eighth Schedule. However, there is a paucity of study
material created in them, primarily because of a lack of words
to describe scientific phenomena and technical terms. In this
background, the CSTT will bring out fundamental (basic)
dictionaries with 5,000 words per language.
• Significance: The move assumes importance as the National
Education Policy 2020 has espoused the use of regional
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languages as a medium of education in both school and
college.
The Commission for Scientific and Technical
Terminology (CSTT):
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• Mandate: Its mandate is to evolve standard technical
terminology in all Indian Languages. It also publishes
quarterly Journals named ‘Vigyan Garima Sindhu’ and ‘Gyan
Garima Sindhu’.
• Background: It was established in 1961 by a Presidential
Order issued under Article 344 (4) of the Constitution of India.
Article 344 deals with “Commission and Committee of Parliament
on official language.”
• Governance: It functions under Department of Higher
Education, Union Ministry of Education.
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• Headquarters: New Delhi.
List of languages in the Eighth Schedule:
• The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution consists of the
following 22 languages: (1) Assamese, (2) Bengali, (3)
Gujarati, (4) Hindi, (5) Kannada, (6) Kashmiri, (7) Konkani,
(8) Malayalam, (9) Manipuri, (10) Marathi, (11) Nepali, (12)
Oriya, (13) Punjabi, (14) Sanskrit, (15) Sindhi, (16) Tamil, (17)
Telugu, (18) Urdu (19) Bodo, (20) Santhali, (21) Maithili and
(22) Dogri.
• Of these languages, 14 were initially included at the
commencement of the Constitution in 1950.
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• Sindhi language was added in 1967.
• Thereafter three more languages viz., Konkani, Manipuri and
Nepali were included in 1992.
• Subsequently Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali were added
in 2004.
CREATION OF MAHARASHTRA AND GUJARAT
The states of Gujarat and Maharashtra celebrate their
Foundation Day on May 1st.
Background:
• After India achieved Independence, the territories of the
princely states were politically integrated into the Indian
Union by merging into existing provinces.
• The Constitution of India, which came into force on 26 January
1950, declared India to be a "Union of States" and recognised
States in Parts A, B, and C, and Territories in Part D.
• Part A States were the former Governor's Provinces of British
India — nine of them were listed, including Bombay.
• The Bombay State included large parts of today’s
Maharashtra, plus parts of modern Gujarat and Karnataka.
Demand for Linguistic Reorganization:
• The grouping of states on political and historical grounds
did not satisfy linguistic and cultural aspirations led to the
appointment of the S K Dhar Commission in 1948, followed
by the so-called “JVP Committee”, both of which felt that a
reorganisation of states on the basis of language was not
desirable.
• However, a powerful agitation in the Telugu-speaking parts
of Madras State, and the subsequent creation of the Andhra
State in 1953 had a ripple effect across the country, and the
States Reorganisation Commission was appointed.
• In 1956, Parliament passed The States Reorganisation Act,
which re-drew the boundaries of Indian states.
Creation of Maharashtra and Gujarat:
• The States Reorganisation Act created new boundaries for the
State of Bombay, transferring some Kannada-speaking areas
to Mysore State, and expanding the territories of Bombay to
include Marathi-speaking Marathwada and Vidarbha, as well
as Gujarati-speaking Saurashtra and Kutch.
• The new state was bilingual, and also included areas that
spoke Kutchi and Konkani.
 In-Shorts | Culture & History
• From 1956 onward, the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement
spearheaded the demand for a separate Marathi-speaking
state with Bombay as the capital.
• Simultaneously, the Mahagujarat Movement pressed for a
state of Gujarat for Gujarati-speaking people in the Bombay
State.
• Finally, Parliament passed The Bombay Reorganisation Act,
1960, which created two separate states of Maharashtra and
Gujarat from May 1, 1960.
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BUDDHA PURNIMA
Buddha Purnima falls on full moon day in the month of
Vaishakh. It was recently celebrated on May 5th, 2023.
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About:
• Buddha Purnima is also known as Buddha Jayanti and Vesak.
• It is an important Buddhist festival commemorating the life of
Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
• According to Buddhists, it was on this day, Gautama Buddha:
 was born in Lumbini in 623 BC;
 attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya; and
 passed away in his eightieth year in Kushinagar.
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Key Teachings of Buddhism:
• Four Noble Truths: The Four Noble Truths form the basis of all
teachings in Buddhism. The four truths are: (1) Dukkha: the
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Truth of suffering; (2) Samudaya: the Truth of the origin of
suffering; (3) Nirodha: the Truth of the cessation of suffering
and (4) Marga: the Truth of the Path to the cessation of
suffering i.e. Noble Eightfold Path.
• Noble Eightfold Path: The eight Buddhist practices in the
Noble Eightfold Path are: (1) Right View, (2) Right Resolve or
Intention, (3) Right Speech, (4) Right Conduct or Action, (5)
Right Livelihood, (6) Right Effort, (7) Right Mindfulness and
(8) Right Concentration (Samadhi).
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FIRST GLOBAL BUDDHIST SUMMIT
In April 2023, PM Modi inaugurated the Global Buddhist
Summit in New Delhi.
About:
• The Summit was hosted by the Ministry of Culture in
collaboration with International Buddhist Confederation (an
organization based in New Delhi).
• The theme of the Summit was “Responses to Contemporary
Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis”.
Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• It is an effort towards engaging the global Buddhist
Dhamma leadership to explore how the Buddha Dhamma’s
fundamental values can provide guidance on matters of
universal concerns.
Dhamma:
• Dhamma refers to Buddhist doctrine and is often interpreted
to mean the ‘teachings of the Buddha’.
• This doctrine was originally passed through word of mouth
from the Buddha to his group of followers. These teachings
were not written down for many years. They first appeared in
written form in the Pali canon, also known as the Tipitaka. Other
teachings followed, including the Mahayana Sutras.
• The Dhamma is one of the 'Three Refuges' of Buddhism, which
are the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Buddhists see
these refuges as ways through which they can be protected
from suffering they encounter in the world.
SANTINIKETAN
Santiniketan in West Bengal has been recommended for
inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Santinketan: Geography
• Location: Santiniketan, popularly known today as a university
town, is located in the Birbhum district in West Bengal.
• Rivers: The area is flanked on two sides by the rivers, the Ajay
and the Kopai.
KHOAI
• Santiniketan earlier had an extensive forest cover, but
substantial soil erosion gave certain areas a barren look,
the resulting phenomenon is locally known as khoai.
• Khoai refers to a geological formation specifically in
Birbhum, Bardhaman, and Bankura districts of West
Bengal and some parts of Jharkhand.
• This geological formation is made up of laterite soil rich in
iron oxide, often in the shapes of tiny hills.
History and Cultural Significance:
• Santiniketan is a famous cultural and heritage place of
historical importance.
• It was established by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, and
later expanded by his son, Rabindranath Tagore.
• Rabindranath Tagore penned many of his literary classics
(namely Tagore songs, poems, novels etc) here.
• Santiniketan is also home to the Visva-Bharti University.
Founded in 1921 by Rabindranath Tagore, Visva Bharati was
declared to be a central university and an institute of national
importance, in 1951.
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• The Santiniketan campus is adorned by splendid sculptures,
frescoes, murals, and paintings of Rabindranath Tagore,
Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar, Binodbehari Mukhopadhyay and
others.
Festivals Celebrated here:
• Birbhum District, where the Santiniketan is located, is famous
for its fairs and festivals like Poush Mela (December), Joydev
Mela (January), Basanta Utsav/Holi in (March).
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• Poush Mela is an annual fair and festival that commences on
the 7th day of the month of Poush. The fair officially lasts for
three days and features live performances of Bengali folk
music, specially bauls.
• Bengali New year and Rabindra Janmotsav, the birth day
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ceremony of Kobiguru Rabindra Nath Tagore are celebrated in
the Bengali month of Boisakh with great cultural fervour.
• Briksharopan, the festival of Planting Saplings, and
Halakarshan, the festival of Plowing the fields, are celebrated
on 22 and 23 day of Sravana (August).
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• Varshamangal, The festival of Rains, is celebrated during
August/September.
Recommendation for inclusion in UNESCO’s World
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Heritage List:
• The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS),
which is the advisory body to the UNESCO World Heritage
Centre has recommended for inclusion of Santiniketan in
UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
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• Santiniketan, if selected would be the second cultural symbol
from West Bengal, to make it to the UNESCO list. In 2021,
UNESCO had included ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ in its list of
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
NOTE TO READERS
To read about “World Heritage Sites”, refer Page 68 of
April 2023 edition of Current Affairs Magazine.
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ANANDA NILAYAM
A video clip of Ananda Nilayam, allegedly captured by a
devotee, went viral on the social media, raising questions
over the security arrangements in place at the hill shrine.
Ananda Nilayam:
• Ananda Nilayam is the gold-plated gopuram of the Sanctum
Sanctorum of the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala in
Andhra Pradesh.
• The Ananda Nilaya Vimanam is a three-tiered canopy.
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Sri Venkateshvara Swami Temple:
• Names: The Sri Venkateshvara Swami Temple is also known
as Kaliyuga Vaikuntha, Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple and
Tirupati Balaji Temple.
• Timeline: It is believed to be constructed over a period of time
starting from 300 CE.
• Governance: The temple is run by Tirumala Tirupati
Devasthanams (TTD) Trust.
• Location: The temple is situated in the hill town of Tirumala
at Tirupati in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh. Tirumala Hills
are part of Seshachalam Hills range. The hills comprise seven
peaks and the temple lies on the seventh peak — Venkatadri,
on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini. Hence the
temple is also referred to as "Temple of Seven Hills".
• Architecture: The Temple is constructed in Dravidian
architecture. The Garbhagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum) is called
Ananda Nilayam.
• Presiding deity: The presiding deity, Lord Venkateshvara,
is in standing posture. Lord Venkateshvara is an avatar of
Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared on the earth to
save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga.
MRIDANGAM
Sangeet Natak Akademi awardeee Karaikudi Mani, an
exponent of mridangam, passed away at the age of 77 in
Chennai.
About:
• The mridangam is a percussion instrument made of leather
and jackwood.
• It is a double-sided drum. The two mouths or apertures of the
drum are covered with a goatskin and laced to each other
with leather straps along the length of the drum.
• These straps are put into a state of high tension to stretch out
the circular membranes on either side of the hull, allowing
them to resonate when struck.
• These two membranes are dissimilar in diameter to allow for
the production of both bass and treble sounds from the same
drum.
• The bass aperture is known as the thoppi or eda bhaaga
and the smaller aperture is known as the valanthalai or bala
bhaaga. The smaller membrane, when struck, produces
higher pitched sounds with a metallic timbre. The wider
aperture produces lower pitched sounds.
• The goat skin covering the smaller aperture is anointed in the
center with a black disk made of rice flour, ferric oxide powder
and starch. This black tuning paste is known as the satham or
karanai and gives the mridangam its distinct metallic timbre.
 In-Shorts | Culture & History
Hindu Mythology:
• In Hindu mythology, the mridangam is often depicted as the
instrument of choice for a number of deities including Lord
Ganesha and Nandi, who is the vehicle and follower of Lord Shiva.
• Nandi is said to have played the mridangam during Shiva's
tandava dance, causing a divine rhythm to resound across
the heavens. The mridangam is thus also known as "deva
vaadyam," or "Divine Instrument".
Mridangam vs Pakhawaj:
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• ‘Mridangam’ is the primary percussion instrument in Carnatic
music. ‘Pakhawaj’ is the primary percussion instrument in
Dhrupad genre in Hindustani classical music.
• The size of a ‘Mridangam’ is less than that of a ‘Pakhawaj’.
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• The left face of a ‘Pakhawaj’ is played with open palm but
in case of ‘Mridangam’ it is played with fingers like that of a
‘Bayan’ of a Tabla.
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SAMARTH RAMDAS
Remarks of Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Foundation that
Samarth Ramdas was the ‘guru’ of Chhatrapati Shivaji
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Maharaj has stirred controversy in Maharashtra.
About:
• Samarth Ramdas (1608-1681 AD), also known as Sant Ramdas
or Ramdas Swami or simply Ramdas was an Indian Marathi
Hindu saint, philosopher, poet, writer and spiritual master.
• He was a devotee of the Hindu deities Rama and Hanuman.
• He was a devotee of Lord Ram and Hanuman. His hymn to Lord
Hanuman, Maruti Stotra, is still commonly recited by school
children as well as wrestlers akhadas across Maharashtra.
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• Ramdas initiated the Samarth sect to revive spirituality in the
society.
• Unlike the Warkari saints, Ramdas is not deemed a pacifist
and his writings include strong expressions encouraging
nationalism means to counter the aggressive invaders.
• Dāsbodh, loosely meaning "advice to the disciple" in Marathi,
is a 17th-century bhakti (devotion) and jnana (insight) spiritual
text. It was orally narrated by the saint Samarth Ramdas to his
disciple, Kalyan Swami.
• Ramdas has influenced Hindu nationalist thinkers like
Lokmanya Tilak, RSS founder KB Hedgewar, and VD Savarkar.
Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
Links with Shivaji and Sambhaji:
• The first Maratha ruler, Chatrapati Shivaji Bhonsle I was a
contemporary of Ramdas.
• Historians have proposed that the two met each other
around 1672 when Shivaji provided grant for the math (Hindu
Monastery) of Ramdas at Chaphal.
• After Shivaji's death, Ramdas wrote a letter to his elder son
Sambhaji Bhonsle I, advising him on the future course of
action.
THIRUNELLI TEMPLE
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
(INTACH) has urged the government to conserve the 600-year-
old ‘Vilakkumadom’ structure.
Vilakkumadom:
• Vilakkumadom is an exquisite granite structure believed to
be constructed in the 15th century AD, at the Sree Mahavishnu
Temple at Thirunelli in Wayanad district of Kerala.
• It is said that the work of Vilakkumadom was launched by the
King of Coorg without the permission of the temple’s custodian,
Kottayam Raja. Later, the Kottayam Raja ordered to stop the
construction work, and the structure remained untouched
afterwards.
Thirunelli Temple:
• Names: Thirunelli Temple is also called the Amalaka or Sidha
Temple. It is also known as ''Sahyamala Kshetram'' and ''Kashi
of the South''.
• Location: It is located on the side of Brahmagiri hill in the
Wayanad district of Kerala.
• Deity: It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple derives its
name from the idol of Lord Vishnu which rests on an amla tree
in a valley and was discovered by Lord Brahma during his
journey around the globe.
• Rituals: Thirunelli Temple is the only temple in the world where
the devotees can perform all the rituals related to one’s life,
starting from birth to death and life after death. The rituals are
performed on the banks of the stream Papanasini which flows
down from Mount Brahmagiri.
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)
• INTACH is a non-profit charitable organisation registered
under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• It was founded in 1984 for the conservation of India's
natural and cultural heritage.
• In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a special
consultative status with the United Nations Economic and
Social Council.
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 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Culture & History
Edition: May, 2023

THRISSUR POORAM Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat:

• Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme aims to celebrate
Thrissur Pooram was celebrated in Kerala.
cultural diversity through mutual interaction & reciprocity
between people of different States and UTs.
About
• Every State and UT in the country is paired with another State/
• Names: It is known as the “festival of festivals” and “mother of
UT to carry out a structured engagement with one another in
all poorams”.
the spheres of language, literature, cuisine, festivals, cultural
• Background: The festival was founded by Shakthan Thampuran,
events, tourism etc.
the ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin from 1790 to 1805.
• The idea of a cultural connect between people of different

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• When? It is held every year on the Pooram day—the day
regions was mooted by PM Modi during the Rashtriya Ekta
when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the Malayalam
Divas held on 31st October, 2015, to commemorate the birth
Calendar month of Medam (April-May).
anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Where? The festival related events take place at the
Vadakkumnathan temple (Shiva) situated in the Thrissur,
SAURASHTRA

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Kerala.
• Participants: The pooram festival mainly happens between
two groups representing the geographic divisions of
Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi. They will compete in their
respective presentations of richly caparisoned elephants,
traditional orchestra called panchavadyam and the swift
and rhythmic changing of brightly coloured and sequined
parasols called kudamattom.
THRISSUR
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• Thrissur is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur
district in Kerala. The city is located in a hillock called
Thekkinkadu Maidan.
• Thrissur, formerly Trichur, is also known by its historical
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name Thrissivaperur.
• Thrissur is also known as the Cultural Capital of Kerala.
The city centre contains the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka
Academy, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi and Kerala
Sahitya Academy and also hosts the Thrissur Pooram
festival.
SAURASHTRA TAMIL SANGAMAM
The 'Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam' was held in April 2023 at
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• Saurashtra is a peninsular region of Gujarat, located on the
Arabian Sea coast.
• It is bound on the south and south-west by the Arabian sea,
on the north-west by the Gulf of Kutch and on the east by the
Gulf of Khambhat.
• It covers about a third of Gujarat state, notably 11 districts
of Gujarat, including Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot,
Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath and Bhavnagar.
• The peninsula is sometimes referred to as Kathiawar after
the Kathi Darbar, which once ruled most of the region.
History of Saurashtra State:
• After India's independence in 1947, 217 princely states
of Kathiawar, including the former Junagadh State, were
merged to form the state of Saurashtra on 15 February 1948.
• Initially, it was named United State of Kathiawar, which was
renamed to Saurashtra State in November 1948.
• The capital of Saurashtra was Rajkot.
• On 1 November 1956, Saurashtra was merged into Bombay
state.
• Following the Mahagujarat Movement, the Bombay state
was divided in 1960 along linguistic lines into the new states
of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The territory of Saurashtra
became part of the state of Gujarat.

various venues throughout Saurashtra region.

About:
• Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam is an initiative aimed at promoting
cultural linkages between Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu.
• It aims to promote the rich cultural heritage of the Saurashtra
community living in Tamil Nadu. Centuries ago, many people
migrated to Tamil Nadu from the Saurashtra region.
• The programme was held to promote the spirit of Ek
Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. With this in mind, the Kashi Tamil
Sangamam was organized earlier.

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 In-Shorts | On this day in History
On this day in
HISTORY
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• May 1: International Workers' Day, also referred to as Labour
Day or May Day is observed to commemorate the struggles of
the Working Classes.
• May 2, 2011: Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda and
mastermind of 9/11 attacks, was killed in the Pakistani city of
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Abbottabad by United States in Operation Neptune Spear.
• May 3, 1939: Subhash Chandra Bose declared the formation of
Forward Bloc, a left-wing nationalist political grouping, after
resigning from Congress Presidency on 29 April 1939.
• May 4, 1799: Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore,
was killed in the Siege of Seringapatam during the Fourth
Anglo-Mysore war. The British restored the Wodeyar dynasty
back to power after the victory through a treaty of subsidiary
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alliance, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III was crowned the King of
Mysore.
• May 5, 1916: Giani Zail Singh was born on this day. He served
as the Seventh President of India from 1982 – 1987 and is
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the only Sikh politician to take the president's oath. He also
served as the Chief Minister of Punjab (1972–77).
• May 6, 1861: Motilal Nehru was born on this day. He served
as the President of Indian National Congress twice in 1919–
1920 and 1928–1929. Motilal Nehru chaired the famous
Nehru Commission in 1928, a counter to the all-British Simon
Commission. The Nehru Report, the first constitution written
only by Indians, envisioned a dominion status for India within
the Empire. He was the father of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first
Prime Minister of India.
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• May 7, 1861: Rabindranath Tagore was born on this day.
Popularly known as ‘Gurudev’, he was a Bengali poet and
novelist. He wrote the National anthems of India (Jana Gana
Mana) and Bangladesh (Amar Shonar Bangla). He received the
Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for Gitanjali. He founded
Visva-Bharati university in Shantiniketan, West Bengal.
• May 8: World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is celebrated
annually on this day each year. This date is the anniversary of
the birth of Henry Dunant who was the founder of International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the recipient of the
Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. Theme for 2023 is: Everything
we do comes #fromtheheart.
• May 9, 1866: Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born on this day. He
was an Indian Freedom Fighter and a social reformer from
Maharashtra. He was named as the Protege Son’ i.e. Manas
Putra of Justice by Mahadev Govind Ranade. He was the
founder of the Servants of India Society. Gokhale was famously
a mentor to Mahatma Gandhi in the latter’s formative years.
• May 10, 1857: The Indian Mutiny of 1857, also known as India's
First War of Independence began on this day. The sepoys of
the Company's army rebelled in the Garrison town of Meerut.
• May 11, 1998: On this day, India successfully conducted
Nuclear Missile Test at Indian Army’s Pokhran range.
Subsequently, the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari
Vajpayee, declared India a full Nuclear Country. May 11 is
annually observed as National Technology Day in India.
• May 12: International Nurses Day is annually celebrated on
this day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Florence
Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale
came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer
of nurses during the Crimean War (1853 - 1856) and gained
the nickname "The Lady with the Lamp".
• May 13, 1952: On this day, the first elected government of free
India was formed under the newly adopted Constitution, with
Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru as the Prime Minister and 14 other
members forming part of the cabinet.
• May 14, 1657: Sambhaji Bhonsle was born on this day. He was
the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, ruling from
1681 to 1689. He was the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of
the Maratha Empire.
• May 15, 1817: Debendranath Tagore was born on this day.
He was an Indian philosopher and religious reformer. He
established the Tattwaranjani Sabha (1839), which was later
renamed as the Tattwabodhini Sabha. He joined Brahmo
samaj in 1842. In 1848, he founded the Brahmo religion,
which today is synonymous with Brahmoism. His father was
the industrialist Dwarkanath Tagore and his son was poet
Rabindranath Tagore.
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 Current Affairs In-Shorts | On this day in History
Edition: May, 2023
• May 16: The International Day of Light is celebrated on 16 May
each year, the anniversary of the first successful operation
of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer, Theodore
Maiman.
• May 17, 1540: The Battle of Kannauj took place at Kannauj
(in present day Uttar Pradesh) between Sher Shah Suri and
Humayun. This battle is also known as the battle of Bilgram.
Humayun was defeated in the battle and spent the next 15
years of his life in exile. Sher Shah became the sultan of Agra
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and Delhi.
• May 18, 2009: On this day, the then-Sri Lankan President
Mahinda Rajapaksa declared the end of a 26-year long Sri
Lankan Civil War fought between the government and V.
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Prabhakaran-led Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The LTTE fought to create an independent Tamil state called
Tamil Eelam in the north-east of the island.
• May 19, 1824: Nana Saheb Peshwa II was born on this
day. Born as Dhondu Pant, he was an Indian Peshwa of
the Maratha empire, aristocrat and fighter, who led the
rebellion in Cawnpore (Kanpur) during the Great Revolt
of 1857. He was the adopted son of the exiled Maratha
Peshwa Baji Rao II.
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• May 20, 1498: Portuguese
explorer Vasco da Gama
discovers the sea route to
India when he arrives at
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Kozhikode (previously
known as Calicut), India.
Vasco da Gama is credited
for the discovery of sea
route from Western Europe
to the East by way of the Cape of Good Hope.
• May 21, 1991: Rajiv Gandhi passed away on this day. He served
as the 6 th
prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He
took office after the assassination of his mother, then Prime
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Minister Indira Gandhi, to become the youngest Indian Prime
minister at the age of 40.
• May 22, 1772: Raja Ram Mohan Roy was born on this day. He
was an Indian reformer from Bengal and one of the founders
of the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, the precursor of the Brahmo
Samaj. He was given the title of Raja by Akbar II, the Mughal
emperor. He was known for his efforts to abolish the practices
of sati and child marriage. Roy is considered to be the "Father
of Indian Renaissance" by many historians.
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• May 23, 1951: Tibetans sign the Seventeen Point Agreement
with China on this day. It was a document pertaining to the
status of Tibet within the People's Republic of China. The
14th Dalai Lama ratified the agreement in 1951, however, he
repudiated the agreement nearly eight years later in 1959,
when he issued a statement declaring that the agreement
was made under duress.
• May 24, 2002: Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT),
also known as the Treaty of Moscow, was signed on this day.
It was a strategic arms reduction treaty between the United
States and Russia. It was in force from 2003 until 2011 when
it was superseded by the New START treaty.
• May 25, 1886: Rash Behari Bose was born on this day. He was
an Indian revolutionary leader from Bengal. He established
the 'Indian Independence League' - an army that would fight
for India's freedom - in 1942 which developed into the Azad
Hind Fauj under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
• May 26, 1908: Mirza Ghulam Ahmad passed away on this day.
He was an Indian religious leader and the founder of the
Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam.
• May 27, 1964: The first Prime Minister of Independent India
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru passed away at the age of 74 on this
day.
• May 28, 1961: Amnesty International was founded on this day.
It is an international non-governmental organization focused
on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom.
In 1977 Amnesty International was awarded the Nobel Prize
for Peace.
• May 29, 1953: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the
first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the earth's
highest mountain above sea level.
• May 30, 1987: The union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu was
split, and Goa was made India's twenty-fifth state, with Daman
and Diu remaining a union territory. The union territory of
Goa, Daman and Diu was established in 1961 following the
annexation of Portuguese Indian territories by Indian Army
under Operation Vijay.
• May 31: World No Tobacco Day is observed on this day. The
Member States of the World Health Organization created
World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention
to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and
disease it causes. This year’s theme is “We need food, not
tobacco”.

MISCELLANEOUS
DIAMOND LEAGUE
Neeraj Chopra clinched the top spot in the javelin event of the
Doha Diamond League with a throw of 88.67 m.
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About:
• What is it? The Diamond League is an annual series of elite
track and field competitions.
• Background: It was started in 2010 as a replacement for the
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IAAF Golden League and IAAF World Athletics Final events.
• Organizers: It is organised by World Athletics (formerly IAAF
or International Association of Athletics Federations), the
international governing body for athletics.
• Format: This year, it consists of 14, one-day meets, to be
held between May and September, with competition in 32
disciplines. The host cities include Doha, Rabat, Rome/
Florence, Paris, Oslo, Lausanne, Stockholm, Silesia, Monaco,
London, Zurich, Shenzhen, Brussels, and Eugene.
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GOLDEN GLOBE RACE
Abhilash Tomy has become the first Indian and Asian to finish
the Golden Globe Race.
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About:
• The Golden Globe Race is a non-stop, solo, unassisted yacht
race around-the-world.
• It was held for the first time in 1968-69. British sailor Robin Knox-
Johnston won the race and became the first person to perform
a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe.
• The second edition of the race was held 50 years later, in
2018-19 and third edition was held in 2022-23.
• In both the editions (2018-19 and 2022-23), entrants were
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limited to sailing similar yachts and equipment to what was
available to Robin Knox-Johnston, the winner of the original
race in 1968–69. That means sailing without the use of
modern technology such as satellite-based navigation aids.
• The sailing was along a stipulated route, rounding the three
great capes, the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Cape
Leeuwin in Australia and Cape Horn in Chile.
2022-23 Edition:
• The 2022-23 Golden Globe Race was won by Kirsten
Neuschafer of South Africa, becoming the first woman to win a
solo around-the-world yacht race.
In-Shorts | Miscellaneous Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023
• Commander Abhilash Tomy of India finished second, becoming
the first Indian and Asian to finish the Golden Globe Race. He
is a retired Indian Navy officer, naval aviator and yachtsman.
In 2013, he became the first Indian to complete a solo, non-
stop circumnavigation of the world under sail.
FOOD STREET PROJECT
In May 2023, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare
reviewed the ‘Food Street Project’.
Food Street Project:
• Objective: The aim of this project is to encourage safe
and healthy food practices among food businesses and
community members, thus, reducing foodborne illnesses and
improving the overall health outcomes.
• Target: Under this, 100 healthy and hygienic food streets will
be developed across the country.
• Agencies involved: The initiative will be implemented through
the National Health Mission (NHM) of the Ministry of Health
in convergence with Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs,
apart from technical support provided by Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
• Funding: The NHM will provide an assistance of Rs. 1 crore
per food street as a pilot project to support 100 such food
streets. The grant will be routed under NHM, in the ratio of
60:40 or 90:10, with the condition that branding of these food
streets will be done as per FSSAI guidelines.
• Activities covered: The financial assistance would be
provided for activities such as provision of safe drinking
water, hand washing, toilet facilities, tiled flooring of common
areas, appropriate liquid & solid waste disposal, provision of
dustbins, using billboards, common storage space, lighting,
specialized carts for specific type of trades, branding etc.
CLEAN STREET FOOD HUB INITIATIVE
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and FSSAI has
also launched the Clean Street Food Hub initiative of the
Eat Right India movement which aims to raise the quality
of street food vending to the level of food courts and
established hotels and restaurants.
• Any hub or a cluster of 20 or more vendors/shops/stalls
selling street food and meets the basic hygiene and sanitary
requirements and is recognized by the Municipality/Local
Body is eligible to become a Clean Street Food Hub.
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 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Data Recap
Edition: May, 2023
DATA RECAP
• The five biggest military spenders in 2022 were the U.S. ($877
billion), China ($292 billion), Russia ($86.4 billion), India
($81.4 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($75.0 billion), which together
accounted for 63 per cent of world military spending.
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• The World Bank released its 2023 Logistics Performance Index
(LPI) report. India has climbed six places on the LPI 2023, now
ranking 38th in the 139 countries index. Singapore, with a
score of 4.3, is at the top.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti released the first-ever census of
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water bodies across India. Top 5 States in terms of number
of water bodies are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra
Pradesh, Odisha and Assam. Uttar Pradesh accounted for
almost 40% of water bodies under encroachment, followed
by Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
• PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission was successfully launched from
the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra
Pradesh. The TeLEOS-2 is an Earth observation satellite
developed under a partnership between DSTA (representing
the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering.
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• ISRO successfully carried out the landing experiment of the
Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD)
Programme at the Aeronautical Test Range in Challakere,
Chitradurga, Karnataka.
• Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) is the largest of the five
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offshore plastic accumulation zones in the world’s oceans. It
is also called as the Pacific Trash Vortex. It is located halfway
between Hawaii and California.
• Ocean gyres are large, circular rotations of water. There are
five major ocean gyres named on the basis of their locations:
(i) North Pacific Gyre, (ii) South Pacific Gyre, (iii) North Atlantic
Gyre, (iv) South Atlantic Gyre and (v) Indian Gyre.
• In April 2023, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
released the State of the Global Climate 2022 report. According
to it, Global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15 [1.02 to 1.28]
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°C above the 1850-1900 average. The years 2015 to 2022
were the eight warmest years on record.
• According to the ‘State of the Global Climate 2022’, the
Global mean sea level (GMSL) rise is estimated to be 3.4 mm
per year over the 30 years of the satellite altimeter record
(1993–2022), but the rate of GMSL rise has doubled between
the first decade of the record (1993–2002, 2.27 mm per year)
and the last (2013–2022, 4.62 mm per year).
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized
agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and
climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical
sciences. It is headquartered in Geneva.
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• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988.
The WMO secretariat also hosts the secretariat of IPCC.
• The Companies Act of 2013 include the corporate social
responsibility (CSR) policy under which companies with a net
worth of ₹500 crore or a minimum turnover of ₹1,000 crore
or a net profit of ₹5 crore in any given financial year must
spend at least 2% of their net profits on CSR endeavours and
disclose their ESG profiles to attract capital from global ESG
investors.
• In 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
made ESG disclosures mandatory for the top 1,000 listed
companies under its Business Responsibility and Sustainability
Reporting (BRSR) initiative. The BRSR replaced the erstwhile
Business Responsibility Report (BRR) framework.
• Mizoram was carved out of Assam and established as a
Union Territory in 1972 and as a full-fledged state in 1987.
• The Supreme Court of India in various cases (such as
“Bandhua Mukti Morcha v Union of India” and “State of
Punjab v Mohinder Singh Chawla”) held that the right to life
(Article 21) included the right to health.
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 aims to ensure healthy
lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages.
• Japan and India are “Special Strategic and Global Partners.”
India is the largest recipient of Japanese official development
assistance (ODA).
• India is Bhutan’s largest trading partner. The 2017 Bilateral
Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India
and Bhutan provides for a free trade regime between the two
countries and also duty free transit of Bhutanese merchandise
for trade with third countries.
• The first Integrated Check Post along India-Bhutan border will
be setup near Jaigaon and Phuntsholing, which is the busiest
trading point between India and Bhutan, through Government
of India (GOI) support along with development of mirror
facilities on the Bhutanese side.
• According to NITI Aayog, in 2020-21, around 8 million workers
were engaged in the Gig Economy. The gig workforce is
expected to expand to 23.5 million workers by 2029-30.
• On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (3 May), the
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released the 21st edition of
the World Press Freedom Index. Norway is ranked first on the
Index followed by Ireland and Denmark. India’s ranking has
slipped by 11 places to 161 out of 180 countries.
 Current Affairs
Test Yourself
Test Yourself
Edition: May, 2023

Objective Questions

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Subjective Questions

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GS PAPER - I 11. Critically examine the role of ‘Act East Policy’ in the
1. Sexual Harassment at Workplace is a grim reality even socio economic development of the North East region.
in the 21st century Indian society. Examine the working  (15 marks, 250 words)
of POSH Act in this regard.
12. Nuclear power generation in India has been marred by
 (15 marks, 250 words)
the issues related to India's Civil Liability for Nuclear

IA
2. Describe the criteria that is used to declare heatwaves
Damage Act. Explain. (15 marks, 250 words)
in India. Explain various measures that can be taken to
mitigate its impacts. GS PAPER - III
 (10 marks, 150 words) 13. What are the key issues affecting the efficiency of the
3. How rising global temperatures have contributed to logistics sector in India? (10 Marks 150 Words)
more frequent and severe extreme weather events
14. What do you understand by the term Gig economy?
around the world? What are the Socio-economic and
What factors have led to the growth of the gig economy?
environmental impacts of these events?
 (10 marks, 150 words)
 (15 marks, 250 words)
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4. What do you understand about the terms El Nino and 15. Space debris has emerged as a major issue in the
La Nina? How do they influence Indian Monsoon? context of launching new space missions. Discuss
 (10 marks, 150 words) the utility of Reusable Launch Vehicles in this regard.
5. What is the aim of Samudrayan Mission? What  (15 marks, 250 words)
EX
significance does it hold for India in Deep Sea Mining?
16. Analyse internal security threats arising out of the
 (15 marks, 250 words)
border disputes in the North East. Also discuss the

GS PAPER - II role played by various security forces in this regard.

 (15 marks, 250 words)
6. What Significance does Article 142 hold in the Indian
democratic system? Discuss various supreme court 17. Explain the rationale behind India stipulating its New
judgements in this regard. (10 marks, 150 words) Space Policy, 2023. (10 marks, 150 words)

7. Explain how the Freedom of Press is vital in ensuring 18. The continuous rise in global military expenditure
democracy remains vibrant in India. in recent years is a sign that we are living in an
 (10 marks, 150 words) increasingly insecure world. In light of this statement,
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discuss the trends in India's military expenses.

8. Considering huge out of pocket expenditure in India,
 (15 marks, 250 words)
do you think granting ‘right to health’ through legislation
is an appropriate step? (15 marks, 250 words) 19. Account for India's various types of water resources.
Explain how agricultural activities are responsible for
9. Indo Pacific is a new buzzword in International relations.
depletion of these resources. (15 marks, 250 words)
What significance does this concept hold for India?
 (15 marks, 250 words) GS PAPER - IV
10. Discuss the need of upgrading Indo-Bhutan 20. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
relationship to a strategic one considering China's regulations make companies more accountable and
increased belligerence. (15 marks, 250 words) sustainable. Analyse. (10 marks, 150 words)

103
Current Affairs
Edition: May, 2023

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