PT Facts Sheet - Dec 2023 2

1
Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS
Newspaper Analysis Programme®

PT FACTS SHEETS
December-2 - 2023
ALL GS PAPERS
NEWSPAPER PT CUM MAINS

WORK-SHEET
Part - 9
Copyright © Aspire IAS All rights are reserved. No part of this document may
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
prior permission of Aspire lAS.
Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence
17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

2

PM JANMAN Scheme (TRIBES- GEOGRAPHY)
Ministry of Tribal Affairs initiates IEC Campaign on Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya
Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) to raise awareness and ensure 100% saturation of
Government Schemes in PVTG majority tribal habitations
‘Empowering Tribals, Transforming India’: IEC initiative to ensure coverage of every PVTG
household that has remained unreached due to distance, lack of road and digital connectivity and
will provide facilities at their doorstep.
Aim: of reaching out to 22000 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) majority tribal
habitations and PVTG families in 200 districts across the country.
Name of Scheme/ intervention Ministry/Department/Organization
Aadhar Card UIDAI

3

PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Department of Food & Public
Distribution
PM Ujjwala Yojana Ministry of Petroleum and

Natural Gas
Ayushman Bharat card National Health Authority
PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna Department of Agriculture

and Farmers Welfare
Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying
• PM Jan Dhan Yojana, Department of Financial

• PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Services
• PM Suraksha Bima Yojana,
• Atal Pension Yojana
PM Vishwakarma Micro, Small & Medium

Enterprises
Sukanya Smridhi Yojna Ministry of Women and Child

Development
PM Matru Vandana Yojna
PM Surakshit Matriya Abhiyan Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
PM National Dialysis Program
Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination

Mission
National Tuberculosis Eradication

Program
About:
o PM JANMAN is a government scheme that aims to bring tribal communities
into the mainstream.
o The scheme (comprising Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes) will be
implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in collaboration with the State
governments and the PVTG communities.

4

o The scheme will concentrate on 11 critical interventions overseen by 9 line
Ministries, ensuring the implementation of existing schemes in villages inhabited
by PVTGs.
• It encompasses various sectors, including safe housing under the PM-AWAS
Scheme, access to clean drinking water, improved healthcare,
education, nutrition, road and telecommunications connectivity, as well as
opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
o The plan also includes the establishment of Van Dhan Vikas
Kendras for trading in forest produce, off-grid solar power systems for 1 lakh
households, and solar street lights.
o The scheme is expected to enhance the quality of life and well-being of the
PVTGs, by addressing their multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination
and exclusion, and by recognizing and valuing their unique and valuable
contribution to national and global development.
 Challenges in Implementation:
o Lack of current data on PVTGs is a significant challenge, as the last available census
data for PVTGs is from 2001, which counted a total of around 27.6 lakh individuals
belonging to these communities.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has started conducting baseline surveys, but an
accurate and current dataset of PVTG populations is yet to be compiled.
• The population data submitted to the Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment in 2022 was based on
the 2011 Census and did not include the population of PVTGs in
Maharashtra, Manipur, and Rajasthan.
• The lack of current data hampers the accurate assessment of the needs and
progress of PVTG communities.
• The absence of a specific Census for PVTG communities, as recommended by
the National Advisory Council in 2013, further adds to the challenge of
gathering comprehensive information on their education, health, and housing
status.
o The complexity and diversity of the needs and capacities of the PVTGs across
different regions and states and the need for customized and flexible
approaches and interventions.
o The stigma and discrimination faced by the PVTGs in mainstream society and the
state and the need for sensitization and awareness among the stakeholders
and the public.
o The coordination and convergence of the scheme with the existing schemes and
programmes of the central and state governments and the need for effective and
efficient delivery and utilization of the resources and services.
Who are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)?

5

 In 1973, the Dhebar Commission established Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a
distinct category, encompassing tribal communities characterized by a declining or stagnant
population, the use of pre-agrarian technology, economic backwardness, and low
literacy. These groups are identified as less developed among the tribal
communities.
 In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as PVTGs. They reside in remote and
inaccessible areas, facing challenges due to poor infrastructure and administrative support.
 There are 75 PVTG communities spread across 18 States and Union Territories in India.
o Odisha has the highest number of PVTGs (15), followed by Andhra Pradesh
(12), Bihar and Jharkhand (9), Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (7), Tamil Nadu
(6), and Kerala and Gujarat (5 each).
o The rest of the communities are spread across Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka,
Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, and Manipur.
o All four tribal groups in the Andaman and one in the Nicobar Islands are
recognized as PVTGs.

6

Ethanol Blended Petrol Program (Environment)
Recently the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution directed all mills and
distilleries not to use sugarcane juice/syrup for making any ethanol “with immediate effect”.
Status of Ethanol Production in India
• India is the world’s 3rd largest energy consuming nation and a significant part of India’s
energy requirement is met through oil imports.
• Ethanol production capacity increased more than 2.5 times and no. of distilleries increased
by 66% in 8 years.
• Most of the ethanol production in India comes from B Heavy Molasses.
• Ethanol Industry is expected to grow by 500%.

7
Ethanol Blended Petrol Program (EBP)?

• Launch year- 2003
• Aim- To promote the use of renewable fuels.
• Ethanol- It is an agro-based product, mainly produced from a by-product of the sugar
industry, namely molasses. It is 99.9% pure alcohol that can be blended with petrol.
• Guidelines- National Policy on Biofuels.
• Nodal department- Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) is the nodal
department for promotion of fuel grade ethanol producing distilleries in the country.
• Target-
o E10-It has achieved the target of 10% ethanol blending in 2022.
o E20- It has set a target of 20% blending (E20) by 2030 which was now shifted to
2025-26.
• Price fixation-The procurement price of ethanol is fixed by the government, and oil
companies can purchase it from domestic sources.
• C-heavy molasses- Ethanol is typically made from “C-heavy” molasses, a by-product of
sugarcane processing.
• Alternative feedstocks- It include “B-heavy” molasses, concentrated sugarcane juice,
and other substrates like rice and maize.
• Increase in ethanol production- It happened largely after 2017-18, when mills started
making it from B-heavy molasses and concentrated sugarcane juice/syrup.
What is the significance of EBP?

• Differential pricing-The success of the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) program is
attributed to differential pricing for ethanol produced from various feedstocks.
• Diversified production-Government support and alternative feedstocks have diversified
ethanol production.
• Sustainable production- The government raised the procurement price of ethanol
produced from damaged grain and maize, this would lead to food security as it reduces the
reliance on the food sources.

8

• Fuel India- Uttar Pradesh and Bihar would “fuel India” in future as Punjab, Haryana,
Maharashtra feeds India.
Uttar Pradesh is a major sugarcane producer, Bihar is the major producer of maize.
• Vehicle efficiency- Ethanol blending offers increase in Research Octane Number (RON)
of the blend, fuel embedded oxygen and higher flame speed.
• Climate resilient- It helps in complete combustion and reduce vehicular emissions such
as hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and particulate matter.
• Energy security-Domestic biofuels provide a strategic opportunity to the country, as they
reduce the nation’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.
• Waste to wealth- Ethanol produced from damaged food grain and vegetable waste would
promote circular economy.
Why the government announced restrictions on ethanol production?
The Government directed the sugar mills and distillers “not to use sugarcane juice /sugar syrup”
for ethanol production under Sugar (Control) Order 1966.
• Low stock- As per National National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories the sugar
production for the year 2022-23 is lowest since 2016-17.
• Uncertain production- Maharashtra and Karnataka are expected to record particularly
sharp declines, on the back of subpar rains and low reservoir water levels in their major
cane-growing areas.
• Domestic availability- The sugar production is low coupled with uncertain production,
hence the government prefers domestic supply for exports.
• Consumerism- The primacy has been given to consumers over ethanol production which
is the need of the hour and the government gives high preference for food rather than fuel.
• Check food inflation- The restrictions by the government is to regulate the price
mechanism for ethanol.
Crimes Against Women- Recent Data (social Issue)

s per annual report of National Crime Record Bureau the crimes against women rose 4% in 2022
compared to 2021.
Crime in India 2022
• Released by- National Crime Record Bureau.
• Increase in crime- The report indicates 4% rise in crimes against women which
corresponds to roughly 51 FIRs each hour.
• Majority of cases- Cruelty by spouses or relatives accounted for the highest number of
cases in crime against women, it is followed by
o Kidnapping and abduction,
o Assault "with intent to outrage modesty", and
o Rape.
• Around 13,000 cases were registered under Dowry Prohibition Act.
• Delhi- It registered highest rate (144) of crime against women in the country which is far

9

higher than the national average of 66.4.
• States- Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh these 5
states were responsible for around half of all cases filed in the country in 2022.
Legal framework for women safety

Laws About
Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act It aims to prevent trafficking for commercial sexual
1956 exploitation of women and
Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 It prohibits the giving or taking of dowry.
It is enacted to prohibit the advertisement or publication
Indecent Representation of Women
or any kind of indecent representation of women
(Prohibition) Act 1986
including writings, paintings, figures, etc.
It prohibits the commission of sati, which is the act or
Commission of Sati (Prevention)
rite of burning or burying alive of any widow or woman
Act 1987
along with the body of her deceased husband.
It recognizes domestic violence as a human rights
Protection of Women from
violation and provides the right to every woman to live
Domestic Violence Act 2005
in a violence free home according to their wish.
Sexual Harassment of Women at
It is enacted based on the Vishaka guidelines framed by
Workplace (Prevention,
the Supreme Court that provides measures to protect the
Prohibition and Redressal) Act
working women form evil of sexual harassment.
2013
Jammu and Kashmir Bills (Governance)

Recently Lok Sabha has passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and
Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill.
What is Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill?
• It amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
• J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019- It provides for the reorganisation of the state of Jammu
and Kashmir into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature) and
Ladakh (without legislature).
• Number of seats in Legislative Assembly- 2019 Act amended the 2nd Schedule of the
1950 Act to specify the total number of seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative
Assembly to be 83.
• It reserved six seats for Scheduled Castes. No seats were reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
The 2nd Schedule of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 provides for the number of seats
in legislative assemblies.
• Increase in seats- The bill increases the total number of seats to 90. It also reserves 7
seats for SC and 9 seats for ST.

10

• Nomination- Lieutenant Governor may nominate two members from the Kashmiri
migrant community and one representing the displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir (PoK) to the legislative assembly.
• Social inclusion- One of the nominated members must be a woman.
What is Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill?
• It amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004.
• J&K Reservation Act, 2004-It provides for reservation in jobs and admission in
professional institutions to members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other
socially and educationally backward classes.
• SEBC- Under the Act, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs) include
o People residing in villages declared as socially and educationally backward by the
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
o People residing in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control and International
Border, and
o Weak and under-privileged classes (social castes)
• Amendment- It seeks to change the nomenclature of a section of people who are eligible
for quotas in appointments and admissions.
• Power of the government- It may make inclusions or exclusions from category of weak
and under-privileged classes, on the recommendations of a Commission.
• Substitution-The Bill substitutes weak and under-privileged classes with other backward
classes as declared by the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
The definition of weak and under-privileged classes are deleted from the Act
The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023- It seeks
to revise the list of Scheduled Tribes in J&K to include the Pahari community.
The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023- It seeks
to include the Valmiki community in J&K’s Scheduled Castes list by adding it as a synonym to
Chura, Bhangi, Balmiki, and Mehtar.
What is the significance of the Bills?
• Inclusive India- It reflects a commitment to inclusivity and justice, it also represent a
broader strategy to integrate Jammu and Kashmir more fully with the rest of India.
• Affirmative action- It ensures equal opportunities for marginalised communities in
education and employment by replacing weak and under-privileged with other backward
classes.
• Strong representation- Increasing seats in the Legislative Assembly for SC,ST will
provide a strong political representation.
• Abrogation of Article 370- It has significantly impacted the region’s security dynamics,
leading to a notable reduction in terrorism-related activities.
What are the challenges in reservation of assembly seats?
• Non-inclusive- The Bill provides for nomination rather than elected representatives
which may fail to foster reconciliation.

11

• Favouritism-Lieutenant Governor is given too much power to nominate Kashmiri
Pandits. This could lead to corruption and favouritism that overshadow the community’s
true aspirations and needs.
• Issues with nomination- The Bill differs from the past practice of nominating members
by elected governments, which weakens the credibility and effectiveness of the nominated
members, raising questions about their validity and acceptance by the people.
• Vote bank politics- The community can be used as a political card, without addressing
their real needs or interests.
• Definition of Kashmiri Pandits- It is flexible and could exclude certain categories from
the nomination.
Strategy for India's Future Growth (Economics)

India’s future growth strategy needs to be calibrated in view of the changing global conditions.
India’s growth projections
• India’s growth in 2023-24 is currently projected by the Reserve Bank of India at 7%.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have pegged it at 6.3%.
• India is likely to realise the RBI’s currently projected growth of 7% in this fiscal year.
• In the medium term, the IMF has projected an annual growth of 6.3% up to 2028-29
What are the challenges that India faces?
• Deglobalisation- There is a trend of reducing global integration and increasing
protectionism among countries due to various factors such as geopolitical conflicts,
sanctions, and supply chain disruptions .
• Geopolitical conflicts- The ongoing conflicts such as Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-
Hamas war have escalated in recent years and have caused humanitarian crises, regional
instability, and diplomatic tensions.
• Economic sanctions- The geopolitical conflicts have led to sanctions and isolation
leading to breaks in supply chains as well as disruptions in international settlements due to
non-access to systems such as SWIFT for the sanctioned countries.
• Reduced world real GDP growth- It has fallen, implying that the global economy is
slowing down and facing recessionary pressures.
• Reduced global exports- This is due to reduced real GDP of the world as countries
including India want to reduce their dependence on imported petroleum due to supply
uncertainties and price volatility.
• Increase in household debt- This reflects the decline in household savings, if the trend
persists even after the recovery of economy from the pandemic this could pose a risk to
India’s growth potential and fiscal sustainability.
• Climate friendly technologies- India’s climate commitments may have negative impact
on economic growth as some sectors face higher cost and lower productivity.

12

How India should frame the future growth strategy?
• Self-reliant model- India should adopt independent and resilient economic model, where
it can generate enough domestic demand and supply to support its growth, without relying
too much on external sources.
• Domestic growth drivers- India needs to rely more on domestic sources of growth, to
achieve and sustain a 7% plus real growth, domestic savings will be critical.
• Low ICOR- Incremental Capital Output Ratio must be low for the higher productivity of
capital and a higher potential growth rate of the economy.
Incremental Capital Output Ratio is the ratio of the change in capital stock to the
change in output, it measures how much additional capital is needed to produce
one unit of additional output
• Demographic dividend-As per UN population projections, the share of India’s working
age population is projected to peak at 68.9% in 2030 while its overall dependency ratio
would be at its lowest at 31.2%.
• Strategize employment- The non-agricultural growth will have to be high enough to
absorb labour released from agriculture which is estimated at 45.8% in 2022-23 by
the Periodic Labour Force Survey.
• Adopt new technologies- Absorption of productivity-enhancing technologies including
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI would add to overall growth.
• Productive investment- India needs to invest in training and skilling its workers to cope
with the changing structure of output and to adopt new technologies.
• Focus on service sector- The adverse impact of climate-promoting technological
changes can be minimised by emphasising service sector growth which is relatively climate
friendly.
The service sector accounts for about 55% of India’s GDP and employs over 30% of
its workforce.
• Fiscal responsibility- It is important to ensure that the combined fiscal deficit and debt
to GDP ratios are brought down to 6% and 60%, respectively for sustainable growth.
What lies ahead?

• Higher savings and investment rates can boost economic growth by providing more
resources for productive activities.
• The need of the hour is to enhance the skills and employability of the young workforce to
the labour market.
• India must adopt a technology mix which is employment friendly to create more jobs and
reduce inequality.
SWIFT
• The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) system is an
electronic communications network.

13

• Founded- In 1973.
• Aim- To simplify international financial transactions.
• Bank Identifier Code- SWIFT assigns each financial organization a unique code with
either 8 or 11 characters.
• Headquarters- La Hulpe, Belgium.
Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (Governance)

Recently, A Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said it will
first take up for preliminary determination whether Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 suffers
from any “constitutional infirmity”.
About:
• Section 6A was a special provision inserted into the 1955 Act in furtherance of a
Memorandum of Settlement called the ‘Assam Accord’ signed on August 15, 1985.
• The accord was a tripartite agreement between the Centre, the Assam government and the
All Assam Students Union, and came after years of protest against perceived demographic
change and outsiders in the state.
Section 6A
• It created a special provision for Assam by which persons who entered
between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, and who are residing in the state,
upon being detected as foreigners, will be allowed to register
• Upon registration, such a person will have the same rights and obligations as a
citizen of India, but will not be entitled to be included in any electoral roll for a
period of 10 years.

14

• Foreigners who had entered Assam before January 1, 1966, and been “ordinarily resident”
in the State, would have all the rights and obligations of Indian citizens including the right
to vote.
Constitution Bench:
• A Supreme Court bench with a strength of a minimum of five judges is called the
Constitution Bench.
• It is constituted whenever a matter of law arises that requires a provision or provision
of the Constitution to be interpreted, or there is a “significant legal question”.
• It is not binding on the CJI to be a part of a Constitution Bench.
• Article 145(3), which deals with the rules of the court, provides for the setting up of a
Constitution Bench.
What are the main challenges to Section 6A?

The Citizenship Act 1955:
• The Citizenship Act, 1955 regulates who may acquire Indian citizenship and on what
grounds. However, illegal migrants are prohibited from acquiring Indian citizenship.
• An illegal migrant is a foreigner who:
•
o Enters the country without valid travel documents, like a passport and visa, or
o Enters with valid documents, but stays beyond the permitted period.
• Encouraging “foreign infiltration”: Petitioners argue that Section 6A of the
Citizenship Act, by providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who entered Assam
before 1971, actually incentivized further “foreign infiltration” into the state.
o This is because it gave hope to illegal immigrants that they could eventually obtain
citizenship, even if they entered the country illegally.
• Destruction of local cultural identity:
o Petitioners also claim that the influx of illegal immigrants has led to the destruction
of the local Assamese cultural identity.
o This is due to factors such as demographic changes, competition for resources, and
potential assimilation of indigenous communities.
Assam Accord
• It was a tripartite accord signed between the Centre, the State Government of Assam,
and the leaders of the Assam Movement in 1985.
• It fixed a cut-off of midnight of 24th March 1971, for the detection of illegal foreigners
in Assam.
• Unjustified special treatment for Assam: Petitioners argue that there is no
justification for singling out Assam and subjecting it to a different citizenship regime
compared to other Indian states.

15

o They claim that the justification of a violent political agitation leading to a political
settlement (Assam Accord) is not sufficient to justify such a significant departure
in policy.
• Arbitrary and discriminatory:
o Section 6A of the Citizenship Act has also been challenged on the grounds of
being arbitrary and discriminatory.
o Critics argue that it violates the fundamental right to equality by providing
preferential treatment to a specific group of illegal immigrants based on their date of
entry.
• Lack of clarity on the definition of “infiltration”: There is also some lack of clarity
on the definition of “infiltration” used in Section 6A.
o This lack of clarity creates confusion and uncertainty and can lead to potential
misuse of the provision.
• Assam Accord-1985:
o It was signed by the All Assam Students Union, the Assam government, and
the Government of India on August 15, 1985, to detect and deport foreigners to the
state.
• What is NRC in Assam?
o The NRC in Assam is basically a list of Indian citizens living in the state. The
citizens’ register sets out to identify foreign nationals in the state that borders
Bangladesh.
o The process to update the register began following a Supreme Court order
in 2013, with the state’s nearly 33 million people having to prove that they were
Indian nationals before March 24, 1971.
o The updated final NRC was released on August 31, with over 1.9 million applicants
failing to make it to the list.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) (IR)

One of the Justice of Supreme Court recommended setting up a Truth and Reconciliation
Commission to look into alleged violations of human rights in J&K and to recommend measures
for reconciliation.
• It is also known as a ‘truth and justice commission’ or simply, a ‘truth commission’.
• It is an official mechanism to acknowledge and reveal the wrongdoings by both state
and non-state.
• Aim – To address and resolve the conflicts of the past.
• Definition – According to the Priscilla B. Hayner, a TRC
o Focusses on the past, rather than ongoing events
o Investigates a pattern of events over a period of time

16

o Engages directly and broadly with the affected population, gathering information on
their experiences
o Acts as a temporary body, with the aim of concluding with a final report.
o Is officially authorized or empowered by the state under review
Priscilla B. Hayner authored the book ‘Unspeakable Truths: Transitional Justice and the
Challenge of Truth Commissions’ that have the reviews of 40 truth commissions.
• Countries with TRC – Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka and
Nepal
o South Africa and Australia are best known and Canada is the most consequential
Truth and Reconciliation Commission focusses on putting together information and evidence
from both the victims and the perpetrators of violence, rather than on prosecution and
punishment for crimes.
Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme (Environment)

India have launched its 1st Indian Food and Wood certification scheme.
• Launched by – MoEFCC
• Aim – To offer voluntary 3rd party certification to promote sustainable forest
management and agroforestry in the country.
• To incentivise entities like State forest departments, individual farmers, or Farmer
Producer Organizations, farm forestry and other wood-based industries in the value chain.
• Certification Types
o Forest management (FM) certification
o Tree outside forest management certification
o Chain of custody (CoC) certification
Forest Management certification is based on the Indian Forest Management Standard, an
integral part of the National Working Plan Code 2023 which consists of 8 criteria, 69 indicators
and 254 verifiers.
• Overseen by – Indian Forest and Wood Certification Council.
• Operating agency – Indian Institute of Forest Management in Bhopal, responsible for
overall management.
• The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies under the Quality Council of
India (QCI) will accredit the certification bodies.
• Certification bodies – It will carry out independent audits and assess entities on their
adherence to the prescribed standards.
Forest certification seeks to authenticate the origin, legality, and sustainability of forest-
based products.

17
Chain of custody (CoC) certification is meant to guarantee the traceability of a forest

product like timber throughout the supply chain from origin to market.
Indian Forest and Wood Certification Council
• It will act as a multi-stakeholder advisory body.
• Composition – Representatives from Indian Council of Forestry Research and
Education, FSI, QCI, IIFM, Union Ministry (Agriculture and Commerce), State Forest
Departments, Forest Development Corporations and Wood-based industries
Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) (Environment)

The GRCA was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai in
2023.
• An India-led initiative inspired by India’s ‘River Cities Alliance’ (RCA).
• Launched by - National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
• Secretariat
o NMCG under Jal Shakti Ministry
o NIUA under Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
• Aim – To empower global efforts towards river conservation and sustainable water
management.
• Membership – 9 countries (Indian, Denmark, Cambodia, Japan, Bhutan, Australia,
Netherlands, Egypt, and Ghana).
o 142 Indian River cities, river cities of Den Haag from the Netherlands, Adelaide
from Australia, and Szolnok of Hungary also joined.
Recently, the RCA had signed a Memorandum of Common Purpose (MoCP) with 124 member
Mississippi River Towns and Cities Initiative of the US which is 1st of its kind alliance in the
world.
• Supported by – World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank.
• Activities – Water monitoring program, sharing best practices for renaturing urban areas,
and restoring aquatic ecosystems for sustainable urban development initiatives will be
discussed.

18

River Cities Alliance (RCA)
• It is a collaborated effort of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and National
Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA).
• It is launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti along with the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs.
• River Cities Alliance started with 30 cities in 2021 and currently has 95 cities as members
across India
• The Alliance is open to all river cities of India. Any river city can join the Alliance at any
time.
• The Alliance focuses on three broad themes Networking, Capacity Building and Technical
Support.
• It is a dedicated platform for river cities in India to ideate, discuss and exchange
information for sustainable management of Urban Rivers such as,
1. Minimizing their water footprint,
2. Reducing impacts on river and water bodies,
3. Capitalizing on natural, intangible, architectural heritage and associated services and
4. Develop self-sufficient, self-sustainable water resources through recycle, reuse strategy.
EXERCISE “VINBAX-2023”
• It is an annual military training exercise conducted alternatively in India and
Vietnam.
• Aim – To foster collaborative partnership, promote inter- operability and share best
practices between the two sides.
• The operation is under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter on Peace Keeping
Operations.
TechSaksham Program
• It is a top-up program that uses experiential learning to develop employability skills
amongst underserved female students pursuing higher education.
• Introduced by - All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
• This program will be delivered in a blended mode - a) instructor led face to face workshops/
classrooms and project work, and b) self-paced online learning modules.
Universal Dynamic Crosslinker (UDC)
• Researchers at IIT Madras, Columbia University and Colorado State University in the US
have developed a technique to merge diverse plastics into strong and recyclable materials.
• A universal dynamic crosslinker (UDC) is a specially designed crosslinker that can blend
plastics that are usually incompatible.
• UDCs can be used to compatibilize immiscible mixed plastics.
‘AMRIT’ (Arsenic and Metal Removal by Indian Technology)
• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) - Madras has developed a technology called

19

‘AMRIT’ (Arsenic and Metal Removal by Indian Technology) for the removal of Arsenic and
Metal ions from water.
• The technology uses nano-scale iron oxy-hydroxide, which selectively removes arsenic when
water is passed through it.
• The technology can also remove other impurities from groundwater, such as Manganese,
Uranium, Chromium, Mercury, Fluoride.
Bab al-Mandab Strait
• It is a strait between Arabia and Africa that connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and
the Indian Ocean.
• The strait is bordered by Yemen on one side and Djibouti and Eritrea on the other.
• It is a strategic route for oil and a chokepoint between the Middle East and the Horn of
Africa.
• It's also a vital link in the maritime trade route between the Mediterranean Sea and the
Indian Ocean. About 10% of global trade passes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Poland
• Donald Tusk becomes Poland's Prime Minister recently.
• Poland is the 9th Largest Country in Europe. It's bordered by the Baltic Sea to the north.
• The country is bordering
o Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and
o Slovakia to the south,
o Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and
o Lithuania and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad to the northeast.
Anthrax
• 5 countries in East and southern Africa are in the middle of outbreaks of the anthrax disease
recently.
• It is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known
as Bacillus anthracis.
• It occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals around the
world.
• It is a zoonotic disease that can resulting in severe lung problems, difficulty breathing,
and shock in humans, usually been found in India’s southern states.

20

Pakadwa Vivah
• Pakadwa Vivah is a tradition in Bihar where a boy is kidnapped or coerced and
then married to a girl.
• In this practice, the wishes of the boy and girl are not considered.
• The practice is illegal and prevalent in several parts of Bihar.
AARDO
• The African-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) is an intergovernmental
organization that aims to improve rural areas in Asian and African countries.
• It is an autonomous organization established in 1962, headquartered in New Delhi.
• It's one of the earliest examples of South-South cooperation in rural development.
National Medical Commission
• The new National Medical Commission logo has an image of god Dhanvantri, and replaces
the word 'India' with 'Bharat' recently.
• The National Medical Commission (NMC) is India's top regulatory body for medical
education and practice.
• It was established in 2020 by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, replacing the
Medical Council of India (MCI).
• The NMC has 33 members.
28th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC- Climate Change Dubai

Summit (Environment)
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of
greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been
previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an
unprecedented impact on Earth’s climate system and caused change on a global scale.
Factors Affecting Climate Change
Natural Factors – affect the climate over a period of thousands to millions of years. Such as –
1. Continental Drift – have formed millions of years ago when the landmass began to drift
apart due to plate displacement. This impacts climate change due to the change in the
landmass’s physical features and position and the change in water bodies’ position like the
change in the follow of ocean currents and winds.
2. Volcanism – Volcanic eruption emits gasses and dust particles that last for a longer period
causing a partial block of the Sun rays thus leading to cooling of weathers and influencing
weather patterns.
3. Changes in Earth’s Orbit – A slight change in the Earth’s orbit has an impact on the
sunlight’s seasonal distribution reaching earth’s surface across the world. There are three
types of orbital variations – variations in Earth’s eccentricity, variations in the tilt angle of
the Earth’s axis of rotation and precession of Earth’s axis. These together can cause

21

Milankovitch cycles, which have a huge impact on climate and are well-known for their
connection to the glacial and interglacial periods.
Anthropogenic Factors – is mainly a human-caused increase in global surface temperature.

Such as –
1. Greenhouse Gasses – these absorb heat radiation from the sun resulting in an increase
in Global Temperature. GHGs mostly do not absorb solar radiation but absorb most of the
infrared emitted by the Earth’s surface. Global warming begins with the greenhouse effect,
which is caused by the interaction between incoming radiation from the sun and the
atmosphere of Earth.
2. Atmospheric Aerosols – these can scatter and absorb solar and infrared radiation. Solar
radiation scatters and cools the planet whereas aerosols on absorbing solar radiation
increase the temperature of the air instead of allowing the sunlight to be absorbed by the
Earth’s surface. Aerosols have a direct affect on climate change on absorption and reflection
of solar radiation. Indirectly it can affect by modifying clouds formation and properties. It
can even be transported thousands of kilometres away through winds and circulations in
the atmosphere.
3. Shift in land-use pattern – Most of the forests and land covers are replaced by
agricultural cropping, land grazing, or for Industrial or commercial usage. The clearing of
forest cover increases solar energy absorption and the amount of moisture evaporated into
the atmosphere.
The lower the albedo (reflectivity of an object in space), the more of the Sun’s radiation gets
absorbed by the planet and the temperatures will rise. If the albedo is higher and the Earth
is more reflective, more of the radiation is returned to space, leading to the cooling of the
planet.

22

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued a series of
reports that project significant increases in these impacts as warming continues to
1.5 °C (2.7 °F) and beyond. Additional warming also increases the risk of triggering
critical thresholds called tipping points.
Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, nations collectively agreed to keep warming “well
under 2.0 °C (3.6 °F)” through mitigation efforts. However, with pledges made under
the Agreement, global warming would still reach about 2.8 °C (5.0 °F) by the end of
the century.
A rise in atmospheric temperature:

• The greenhouse gases released due to human activities are increasing the temperature of
the Earth.
• The last 6 years topped the list of hottest years ever recorded.
• The increase in temperature is the major cause of the current increase in heat-related
deaths and illnesses, rise in sea levels and an increase in the intensity of natural disasters.
• The 20th century saw an increase in the Earth’s average temperature by 1°F. This is believed
to be the fastest rise in a thousand years.
• Research estimates predict that if the GHGs are not reduced, the average surface
temperature could increase to 3-5°F by the end of this century.
Change in landscapes:

23

• Increasing temperature and changing climate and weather patterns across the globe led to
the shift of trees and plants towards Polar Regions and mountains.
• As the vegetation tries to adapt to climate change by moving towards colder regions, the
animals that are dependent on them will be forced to follow them for survival. While some
survive, many perish in the attempt.
• Other species like polar bears dependent on cold terrains will not have any habitat due to
the melting of ice, causing a risk to their survival.
• Thus, the current hasty change in the landscape causes a considerable risk to the survival of
many species, including the human population.
A risk to the ecosystem:

• An increase in the temperature across the globe is changing the weather and vegetation
patterns, causing the species to migrate to cooler areas for survival.
• This poses a threat to the survival of numerous species. It is projected that by 2050, one-
fourth of the Earth’s species may become extinct if the current trend continues.
Rising sea levels:

• An increase in the temperature of the Earth leads to a rise in sea level due to the thermal
expansion (a condition wherein the warm water takes up more area than cooler water). The
melting of glaciers adds to this problem.
• The population living in under-lying areas, islands and coasts are threatened by the rising
sea levels.
• It erodes shorelines, damages properties and destroys ecosystems like mangroves and
wetlands that protect coasts from storms.
• In the last 100 years, the sea level has risen to 4-8 inches and will continue to rise between 4
and 36 inches in the next 100 years.
Ocean Acidification:
• The increase in the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere has increased the CO2 absorption
in the ocean. This makes the ocean acidic.
• The increase in the acidification of the ocean can be harmful to many marine species like
plankton, molluscs, etc. The corals are especially susceptible to this as they find it difficult
to create and maintain the skeletal structures needed for their survival.
Increase in the risk of natural and manmade disasters:

• The moisture from land and water is rapidly evaporating due to the high atmospheric
temperature.
• This causes drought. Those areas that are affected by drought are highly susceptible to the
negative effects of flooding.
• As this current condition, the droughts may become more frequent and more severe. This
may lead to distressing consequences for agriculture, water security, and health.

24

• Countries in Asia and Africa are already facing this phenomenon, with droughts becoming
longer and more intense.
• The increased temperature is not only causing droughts but also increasing the cases of
forest fires across the globe.
• Climate change is also causing increased and intensified hurricanes and tropical storms,
causing a devastating impact on human societies and the environment.
• The cause of this is the rise in the ocean temperature as warm waters influence the energies
of hurricanes and tropical storms energies.
• The other factors that cause intensified hurricane and tropical storms are rising sea levels,
disappearing wetlands and increased coastal development.
Health issues:
• The high temperature across the globe can pose health risks and deaths.
• The increased heat waves caused by climate change have led to the deaths of many globally.
• For instance, in 2003, the extreme heat waves led to the death of more than 20,000 people
in Europe and caused more than 1,500 deaths in India.
• Climate change increases the spreading of contagious diseases as the long-term warm
weather allows disease-carrying insects, animals and microbes to survive longer.
• Disease and pests that were once confined to the tropics may find it habitable in the colder
regions that were previously inhospitable.
• Currently, there is an increase in death due to extreme heat, natural disasters and diseases
due to climate change.
• The World Health Organisation estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change
may cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year due to malnutrition, malaria,
diarrhoea and extreme heat.
Economic impacts:
• It is estimated that if action is not taken to address the carbon emissions, climate change
could cost about 5 to 20% of the annual global GDP.
• In contrast, the cost to lessen the most damaging effects of climate change is just 1% of the
GDP.
• Climate change can alter shoreline habitats. This may lead to the need for relocation of
ports and near-shore infrastructures and habitats, costing about millions of dollars.
• The increased hurricanes and other related natural disasters can bring forth extreme
economic losses caused by damaged properties and infrastructures.
• Declining crop yields due to the lengthy droughts and high temperatures can lead to a risk
of starvation of thousands of people.
• Coral reefs generate approximately $375 billion each year in goods and services. Their very
survival is currently under threat.
Agriculture productivity and food security:

25

• The crop cultivation is dependent on solar radiation, favourable temperature and
precipitation.
• Hence, agriculture has always been dependent on climate patterns.
• The current climate change
• has affected agricultural productivity, food supply and food security.
• These effects are biophysical, ecological and economic.
• They resulted in:
• Climate and agricultural zones are moving towards poles
• There is a change in the agricultural production pattern due to increased atmospheric
temperature
• Agricultural productivity has increased due to the rise in CO2 in the atmosphere.
• Unpredictable precipitation patterns
• The vulnerability of the landless and the poor has increased.
India was the fifth most affected country by climate change:

1. It was not shocking when Germanwatch, an environmental non-profit think tank,
reported in 2018, that India was the fifth most affected country by climate change,
globally.
2. In the last two years, the country has been hit by at least one extreme climate event every
month.
3. According to the World Risk Index 2020, India is the fourth-most-at-risk
country in South Asia, after Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
4. There is no doubt that climate change is real and its implications are disastrous.
5. Historically, internal migration in India occurred due to factors like ethnicity, kinship,
work opportunities, or access to better healthcare and education.
6. More recently, climate disasters also contribute to displacement (involuntary and
unplanned) and migration (voluntary and planned) in India.
7. In 2018 alone, nearly 7 million Indians were either displaced or have migrated due
to climate-induced distress.
COP (Conference of Parties):

• COPs are convened under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC), a multilateral treaty adopted in 1992.
• It takes place every year, and is the world’s only multilateral decision-making
forum on climate change with almost complete membership of every country in the world.
• Every COP is hosted in a different region based on a rotational schedule between
the five United Nations regional groups:
o The African Group
o The Asia-Pacific Group
o The Eastern Europe Group
o The Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC);

26

o The Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
• India had hosted one of these conferences — COP8, way back in 2002.
Achievement of COP:
• Kyoto Protocol (1997): COP summit laid the Kyoto Protocol aimed to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and combat global warming by setting binding targets
for industrialized countries to limit their emissions
• Paris Agreement: It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference
(COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015 to edge the global average
temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to
limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
COP28 Climate Summit Different zones:
• Blue Zones: All of the official sessions, meetings, side events and press
conferences are taking place in the “blue zone”, the formal conference and
negotiation space managed by UN Climate Change.
• Green Zone: The “green zone”, is a space for youth representatives, artists,
businesses and other civil society actors to discuss ideas for a net-zero future in a
more informal setting.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):

• Origin: Signed in 1992, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development also known as the Earth Summit the UNFCCC) is the foundational treaty that
has provided a basis for international climate negotiations
• Key Principle: Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective
Capabilities (CBDR–RC)

27

o It is a principle that acknowledges the different capabilities and differing
responsibilities of individual countries in addressing climate change.
Secretariat: Bonn, Germany.
• The Convention has near universal membership (197 Parties) and is the parent treaty of
the 2015 Paris Agreement.
• Institutional Structure:
o Conference of the Parties (COP): It is the supreme body to regularly reviews,
devise, agrees and implements climate policy.
o COP President and Bureau: The office of the COP President normally rotates
among the five United Nations regional groups. The President is usually the
environment minister of his or her home country. Their role is to facilitate the work
of the COP and promote agreements among Parties.
o Subsidiary Bodies (SBs): They provide scientific and technological advice and
assess how well the Convention is being implemented
Devastating weather events of 2023:

• Extreme heat in North Africa and Europe
• Wildfires in Canada and Hawaii
• Floods in India and Libya
• Drought in the Horn of Africa.
• Land and ocean temperatures increases
• Antarctic sea ice decreased
Highlights of the COP28?

28

Loss and Damage (L&D) Fund: COP28, member countries reached an agreement to
operationalize the Loss and Damage (L&D) fund aimed at compensating countries grappling
with climate change impacts.
The World Bank will be the "interim host" of the fund for four years, aligning with UNFCCC and
the Paris Agreement. All developing countries are eligible to apply, and every country is
"invited" to contribute voluntarily. A specific percentage is earmarked for Least Developed
Countries and Small Island Developing States.
Global Stocktake Text: The Global Stocktake (GST) is a periodic review mechanism
established under the Paris Agreement in 2015.
The fifth iteration of the Global Stocktake (GST) text was released at COP28 and adopted with
no objection.
The text proposes eight steps to keep the global temperature rise within the ambit of 1.5 degrees
Celsius:
1. Tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual
rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030;
2. Accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power;
3. Accelerating efforts globally towards net zero emissions energy systems, utilizing zero
and low carbon fuels well before or by around mid-century;
4. Accelerating zero and low emissions technologies, including, inter alia, renewables,
nuclear, abatement and removal technologies, including such as carbon capture and
utilization and storage, and low carbon hydrogen production, to enhance efforts towards
substitution of unabated fossil fuels in energy systems.
5. Transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable
manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in
keeping with the science;
6. Accelerating and substantially reducing non-CO2 emissions, including, in particular,
methane emissions globally by 2030;
7. Accelerating emissions reductions from road transport through a range of pathways,
including development of infrastructure and rapid deployment of zero and low emission
vehicles;
8. Phasing out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption
and do not address energy poverty or just transitions, as soon as possible.
The fifth iteration text maintains continuity with COP26 in Glasgow, balancing global
aspirations of countries like India with diverse energy needs. India argues that it needs
to continue using coal to meet its developmental needs and emphasizes the importance of
adhering to nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Nearly 200 countries agreed to "transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems" at
the COP28.

29

The agreement is the first time countries have made this pledge. The deal aims to signal
to policymakers and investors that the world is committed to breaking away from fossil
fuels.
o Developing and poor countries are expressing dissatisfaction with the latest
draft of the Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28, calling for significant changes.
o Several countries, including India, are extremely opposed to any mandate to
cut methane emissions, mainly because one of the major sources happens to
be agriculture and livestock.
• Cutting methane emissions could involve tweaking agricultural patterns which
could be extremely sensitive in a country like India.
• Possibly in deference to the concerns of such countries, the agreement does
not mention any targets for methane emission cuts for the year 2030,
although a group of about 100 countries had made a voluntary commitment,
in Glasgow in 2021, to reduce their methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
This pledge is known as the Global Methane Pledge. However, India is
not a part of the Global Methane Pledge.
o Developing countries call on rich nations to achieve negative carbon emissions, not
just reaching net zero by 2050. They emphasize principles of common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR–RC) in
combating climate change.
o Developing countries argue that rich nations, having consumed over 80% of the
global carbon budget, should allow developing nations their fair share of future
emissions.
Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge: The Pledge stipulates that signatories
commit to work together to triple the world’s installed renewable energy
generation capacity to at least 11,000 GW by 2030 and to collectively double the global
average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements from around 2% to over 4% every
year until 2030.
The Global Cooling Pledge for COP 28: It includes 66 national government signatories
committed to working together to reduce cooling-related emissions across all sectors by at
least 68% globally relative to 2022 levels by 2050.
Climate Finance: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

(UNCTAD) estimates that wealthy nations owe developing countries USD 500 billion in 2025
under the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance.
The NCQG was confirmed by developed countries under the Paris Agreement in 2015. The goal
is to set a new collective quantified goal before 2025. The goal will start from a floor of USD 100
billion per year.

30

This includes USD 250 billion for mitigation, USD 100 billion for adaptation, and USD 150 billion
for loss and damage. The figure is expected to increase to USD 1.55 trillion by 2030.
The current climate finance goal of USD 100 billion per year has not been met, and developing
countries are facing debt distress. Experts call for reform of the global financial architecture to
address structural issues and promote sustainable development.
Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA): The draft text on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA)
was introduced. It was established under the Paris Agreement to enhance climate
change adaptation by increasing awareness of and funding towards countries’ adaptation needs
in the context of the 1.5/2°C goal of the Paris Agreement.
o The draft text addresses critical issues:
• Climate-Induced Water Scarcity Reduction.
• Climate-resilient food and Agriculture Production.
• Strengthening Resilience Against Climate-Related Health Impacts.
Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy:

o The declaration launched at COP28 aims to triple global nuclear
energy capacity by 2050.
o Endorsed by 22 national governments, the declaration calls for support from
shareholders of international financial institutions. It encourages shareholders
to advocate for the incorporation of nuclear energy in energy lending
policies.
Powering Past Coal Alliance(PPCA): PPCA is a coalition of national and sub-national

governments, businesses and organizations working to advance the transition from unabated
coal power generation to clean energy. PPCA at COP28 welcomed new national and
subnational governments, and called for cleaner energy alternatives.
Coal Transition Accelerator: France, in collaboration with various countries and

organizations, introduced the Coal Transition Accelerator.
Objectives include knowledge-sharing, policy design, and financial support to facilitate just
transitions from coal to clean energy. The initiative aims to leverage best practices and lessons
learned for effective coal transition policies.
Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnership (CHAMP) for Climate Action: A
total of 65 national governments signed CHAMP commitments to enhance cooperation, where
applicable and appropriate, with subnational governments in the planning, financing,
implementation, and monitoring of climate strategies.
Major Engagements of India in COP 28?

31

Green Credit Initiative: The Green Credit Initiative has been conceptualized as a
mechanism to incentivize voluntary pro-planet actions, as an effective response to the
challenge of climate change. It envisions the issue of Green Credits for plantations on
waste/degraded lands and river catchment areas, to rejuvenate and revive natural
ecosystems.
Phase II of the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT 2.0): It will focus
on inclusive & just industry transition, co-development and transfer of low-carbon
technology, and financial support to emerging economies for industry transition.
Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA): It was launched at COP 28, led by the National
Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
o GRCA highlights India's role in sustainable river-centric development and
climate resilience.
o This platform will facilitate knowledge exchange, river-city twinning, and
dissemination of best practices.
Quad Climate Working Group (QCWG) on Localised Climate Action : The event focused
on recognizing and amplifying the role of local communities, and regional governments in
supporting sustainable lifestyles.
What are the Key Concerns?

 No Specific Timelines for Fossil Fuel Phase-out:
o The agreement lacked a clear and urgent plan for fossil fuel phase-out, using
vague language such as "transitioning away" without specific timelines or targets.
 No Specified Targets on Tripling of Global Renewable Energy:
o The COP28 agreement calls upon countries to contribute to tripling of global
installed capacity of renewable energy and doubling of annual improvements in
energy efficiency.
o Tripling is a global target, and it is not incumbent on every country to
individually triple its current installed capacity. It is thus not clear how this
tripling would be ensured.
 No Clear Mechanisms for Achieving Adaptation Goals:
o Developing countries made it clear that the adaptation draft fell well below their
expectations there is no mention of how these objectives are to be
realized or the mechanisms that will fund these efforts.
 Lack of Accountability on Financial Commitments:
o There is currently no established mechanism to hold governments and
institutions accountable for fulfilling their climate financing commitments.
 Varying Interpretations on Climate Finance:
o Data on climate finance flows are compiled using various methodologies and have
varying interpretations.

32

o Double counting of climate finance can occur when the same funds are
reported by multiple parties, leading to an overestimation of the actual financial
flows.
 Resistance over Phase-down of Coal:
o There was a move to stipulate that no new coal-fired power plants could be
opened without an in-built carbon capture and storage facility, but this
was strongly resisted by India, China, South Africa, and other countries.
 Concerns over Methane Emission Cuts:
o The agreement talks about “accelerating and substantially reducing non-carbon-
dioxide emissions globally, including in particular methane emissions by 2030.
o Cutting methane emissions could involve tweaking agricultural patterns
which could be extremely sensitive in a country like India.
India and Climate change (Environment)

India was the fifth most affected country by climate change:
1. It was not shocking when Germanwatch, an environmental non-profit think tank,
reported in 2018, that India was the fifth most affected country by climate change,
globally.
2. In the last two years, the country has been hit by at least one extreme climate event every
month.
3. According to the World Risk Index 2020, India is the fourth-most-at-risk
country in South Asia, after Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
4. There is no doubt that climate change is real and its implications are disastrous.

33

5. Historically, internal migration in India occurred due to factors like ethnicity, kinship,
work opportunities, or access to better healthcare and education.
6. More recently, climate disasters also contribute to displacement (involuntary and
unplanned) and migration (voluntary and planned) in India.
7. In 2018 alone, nearly 7 million Indians were either displaced or have migrated due
to climate-induced distress.
• One of the major areas that will be extremely vulnerable to climate change in the future is
South Asia.
• India especially will be vulnerable to climate change due to its diverse terrain,
rapid use of natural resources due to the current trend of precipitous
urbanisation, industrialisation and economic growth.
• Water and air quality are worsening each day due to environmental pollution.
• Those that are especially susceptible to climate change are the country’s coastal
ecosystems, biodiversity and agricultural productivity.
• The natural disasters’ increasing frequency and intensity are causing negative
effects to the already struggling Indian economy.
• The adverse effects of such disasters range from poverty, vulnerability to diseases, loss of
income and livelihoods.
• According to the World Bank, an increase of 2°C in the world’s average temperature in the
next few decades will only make India’s monsoon more unpredictable.

34

• The changing rain patterns in India are predicted to leave many areas flooded and
others without water scarcity.
• More than 60% of India’s agriculture is dependent on rain and the majority of the
population are dependent on the agriculture sector for survival. This makes India more
vulnerable to climate change.
• It is estimated that by the 2050s, with a temperature increase of 2-2.5°C, water in the river
basins of Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra will be reduced. This may threaten the food
security of about 63 million people.
• Poor will be more vulnerable to climate change since many of them are dependent
on the rain-dependent agriculture.
• An increase of 2°C by the 2040s is going to affect crop production and will reduce the
crop output by 12%, requiring more imports to meet the domestic demands.
• The melting glaciers and loss of snow can pose a risk to reliable water resources in
India.
• Main rivers like Ganges, Indus, and Brahmaputra mostly depend on snow and glacial
meltwater. This makes them vulnerable to global warming.
• Climate change can further increase the risk of flooding of low areas and threatens
agriculture.
• Intensity of cyclone to increase
• Sea surge height may increase to 7.46 metres
• Sea level rise will be higher than global average
• Sunderbans and Darjeeling hill to have more rain
• The Indian Himalayan region:-
o The Himalayas, which represent about 16.2 per cent of the total area of the country,
are not only a key watershed of India but also play a crucial role in the monsoon
system. Climate change impacts on the mountain range can affect the entire sub-
continent
o The mean temperature of the Himalayas has gone up by 0.6°C in the past 30 years;
the frequency of warmer days is also increasing
o The northeastern states of India, particularly parts of Assam and Manipur, are
vulnerable
o Flash flood due to glacial lake outbursts may lead to landslides and affect large-scale
food security
o Himalayan glaciers melting faster than others elsewhere in the world
o Productivity of apple has decreased by 2-3% over the past few years. This will go
down further
o Projected increase in intensity of rainy days is 2-12% in the Himalayan region
India’s Efforts to Counter Climate Change

35

• India is the world’s third largest economy and fifth largest greenhouse gas
(GHG) emitter, accounting for about 5% of global emissions. India’s emissions increased
65% between 1990 and 2005 and are projected to grow another 70% by 2020.
• By other measures, India’s emissions are low compared to those of other major economies.
India accounts for only 2% of cumulative energy-related emissions since 1850. On a per
capita basis, India’s emissions are 70% below the world average and 93% below those of the
United States.
• India is also at the frontlines of facing the impacts of climate change. Shifting rainfall
patterns, recurring floods, stronger cyclones and droughts or soil erosion are
exacerbating the challenge of poverty eradication and necessitate the allocation of scarce
national resources for preventing loss of human life.
• Despite resource constraints, India is undertaking ambitious actions to undertake
adaptation and mitigation actions, including thorough lowering of the energy intensity of
our economic growth, increasing energy efficiency across sectors and making greater use of
renewable.
• India has doubled the Clean Energy Cess on coal, which very few countries have, and
the Clean Energy Fund already has over 3 billion US dollars to be used for promoting clean
technologies India’s National Solar Mission is being scaled up five-fold from 20,000
megawatts to 100,000 megawatts.
• This will mean an additional investment of 100 billion dollars and savings of about 165
million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
• India is releasing 6 billion US dollars in one go for intensive afforestation which will
result in more carbon sinks.
• India has allocated about 200 million US dollars for the ‘National Adaptation Fund’,
setting-up of Ultra Mega Solar Projects, Ultra-Modern Super Critical Coal
Based Thermal Power Technology, and the development of Solar Parks on
canals.
• Another initiative is “100 Smart Cities’ with integrated policies for adaptation and
mitigation to reduce the vulnerability and exposure of urban areas to climate change and
also to improve their energy efficiency for which 1.2 billion US dollars have been allocated.
India has put in place stringent norms for the cement industry.
• Our Action Plan for cleaning one of the longest rivers in the world, River Ganga will bring
multiple benefits of pollution reduction and climate adaptation. We have also taken
initiatives for protecting coastal, Himalayan, and forest areas.
• India has initiated preparations to develop a National Air Quality Index and have
launched a National Air Quality Scheme. Setting-up of Ultra Mega Solar Projects in Tamil
Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Ladakh to promote renewable energy.
• As a part of the NAPCC, the Indian government had launched 8 missions in focused areas.
They are:
o National Solar Mission

36

 The NAPCC aims to promote the development and use of solar energy for
power generation and other uses with the ultimate objective of making solar
competitive with fossil-based energy options.
 The plan includes: specific goals for increasing use of solar thermal
technologies in urban areas, industry, and commercial establishments; a goal
of increasing production of photovoltaic to 1000 MW/year; and a goal of
deploying at least 1000 MW of solar thermal power generation.
 Other objectives include the establishment of a solar research centre,
increased international collaboration on technology development,
strengthening of domestic manufacturing capacity, and increased government
funding and international support.
o National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency: Initiatives based on
increasing the energy use efficiency were expected to yield savings of 10,000 MW by
2012. Building on the Energy Conservation Act 2001, the plan recommends:
 Mandating specific energy consumption decreases in large energy-consuming
industries, with a system for companies to trade energy-savings certificates;
 Energy incentives, including reduced taxes on energy-efficient appliances; and
 Financing for public-private partnerships to reduce energy consumption
through demand-side management programs in the municipal, buildings and
agricultural sectors.
o National Mission on Sustainable Habitat: To promote energy efficiency as a
core component of urban planning, the plan calls for:
 Extending the existing Energy Conservation Building Code;
 A greater emphasis on urban waste management and recycling, including
power production from waste;
 Strengthening the enforcement of automotive fuel economy standards and
using pricing measures to encourage the purchase of efficient vehicles;
 Incentives for the use of public transportation.
o National Water Mission: With water scarcity projected to worsen as a result of
climate change, the plan sets a goal of a 20% improvement in water use efficiency
through pricing and other measures.
o National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem: The plan aims
to conserve biodiversity, forest cover, and other ecological values in the Himalayan
region, where glaciers that are a major source of India’s water supply are projected to
recede as a result of global warming.
o National Mission for a “Green India” Goals: Goals include the afforestation of
6 million hectares of degraded forest lands and expanding forest cover from 23% to
33% of India’s territory.
o National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture: The plan aims to support
climate adaptation in agriculture through the development of climate-resilient crops,
expansion of weather insurance mechanisms, and agricultural practices.

37

o National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change: To gain a
better understanding of climate science, impacts and challenges, the plan envisions a
new Climate Science Research Fund, improved climate modelling, and increased
international collaboration. It also encourages private sector initiatives to develop
adaptation and mitigation technologies through venture capital funds.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA)
• State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC): State governments have drafted
climate strategies aligned with the eight National Missions under the NAPCC. The strategies
focus on issues ranging from climate mitigation, energy efficiency, and resource
conservation to climate adaptation.
• FAME Scheme for E-mobility: Union Government in April 2015 launched Faster
Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) – India Scheme with
an aim to boost sales of eco-friendly vehicles in the country. It is a part of the National
Mission for Electric Mobility.
• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for Smart
Cities.
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: The scheme provides LPG connections to five crore
below-poverty-line beneficiaries. The connections are given in the name of women
beneficiaries to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and conventional fuel like cow dung
for cooking food, thus reducing air pollution.
• UJALA scheme: The scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in
January 2015 with a target of replacing 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED bulbs. The
usage of LED bulbs will not only result in reducing electricity bills but also help in
environment protection.
India in the international forums on climate change:

• India is currently setting up voluntary targets in the international forums to
commit itself to the mission to combat climate change. It is also playing a major
role in climate change mitigation.
• India’s proactive role in mitigating climate change is due to the domestic compulsion of
tackling issues like the need for poverty eradication, food and nutritional security,
universalization of health and education, water security, sustainable energy, employment.
• India is of the opinion that the developing countries’ need for inclusive growth, sustainable
development, poverty eradication and universal access to energy must be made the
fundamental differentiation between them and the developed nations. Currently, the
Conventions recognise the historical emissions of the developed nations as the basis for
differentiation between the developed and developing nations.
Efforts taken at the international level to combat climate change

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

38

• The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme
(UNEP) founded the IPCC to provide for a mechanism to study the effects of global
warming at a governmental level.
• IPCC is a UN body that assesses the science related to climate change.
• It provides the policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its
implications and potential future risks while also providing adaptation and mitigation
options.
• It complements UNFCCC and vice versa.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):
• It came to force on 21st March 1994.
• The 195 countries that have ratified it are called the Parties to the Convention.
• The UNFCC is a Rio Convention, one of the three adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.
The others include the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to
Combat Desertification.
• The Joint Liaison Group was established to ensure cooperation among the three
Conventions.
• Currently, it also consists of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• The ultimate aim of the Convention is to stabilize the greenhouse gas concentration “at a
level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”.
• It also aims to achieve the said level within a specific period so that the ecosystem is allowed
to adapt naturally to climate change while also ensuring food security and sustainable
economic development.
• Following its establishment, the COP1 (first Conference of Parties) was held in Berlin, COP2
was held in Geneva and the COP3 was held in Kyoto to adopt the “Kyoto Protocol” that
ensures the implementation of the UNFCCC’s objective.
Kyoto Protocol:
• Kyoto Protocols was adopted in Kyoto, Japan on 11th December 1997 and came to force on
16th February 2005
• Its signatories are committed towards the achievement of emission reduction targets.
• COP 7 held in Morocco in 2001 saw the adoption of the detailed rules for the
implementation of the protocol. These are referred to as “Marrakesh Accords”.
• This protocol holds the developed countries accountable for the current high levels of GHG
emissions into the atmosphere due to their role in the industrial revolution.
• Kyoto Mechanism, also known as Flexible Mechanism, is defined under the Kyoto Protocol
to lower the overall cost of achieving the emission targets. It includes Emission Trading, the
Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation.
• In December 2012, the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. The changes
made include:

39

• New commitments were made by Annex I Parties (developed nations and Economies in
Transition) to be implemented between the period of 1st January 2013 and 31st December
2020.
• A revised list of GHG that is to be reported by the Parties during the second commitment
period
• Amendments were made to update several articles of the Kyoto Protocol to be on par with
the second commitment period.
• The Kyoto Protocol is a significant step towards the reduction of global emission regime
that will allow the stabilisation of GHG emissions.
Paris Agreement:
• Signed in 2016, it is considered to be the world’s first comprehensive climate agreement.
• It aims to:
• Keep the global temperature well below 2°C above pre industrial times and endeavour to
limit them even more to 1.5°C.
• Strengthen the nations’ ability to combat the adverse impacts of climate change.
• The Paris Accord calls for a reduction of the GHGs emitted due to human activities equal to
that of the trees, soil and oceans so that they can be absorbed naturally.
• As per the Agreement, each country’s contribution towards cutting emission must be
reviewed every 5 years.
• It also states that rich countries must help the poorer nations by providing them with
“Climate finances” to make them shift towards renewable energy usage.
• The agreement is binding in some elements like reporting requirements. Other elements of
the agreement are non-binding like the emission targets of the individual nations.
• The Paris Agreement necessitates all Parties to put forth their best efforts through
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the future.
• This also includes the need for regular reporting emissions and implementation by the
parties.
• India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) includes the reduction in the
intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35% by 2030 from 2005 level. Additionally, it has pledged to
increase the share of non-fossil fuel-based electricity by 40% by 2030. It has also agreed to
enhance its forest cover, which will absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2030.
REDD+
• Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) is a mechanism
developed by Parties of the UNFCCC.
• It creates financial value for the carbon stored in forests to offer incentives for the
developing nations to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths.
• The developing nations will receive results-based payments for results-based actions.

40

• The REDD+ goes beyond simply deforestation and forest degradation by including the role
of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon
stocks.
• It is estimated that the financial flows for the GHG emission reduction from REDD+ could
reach up to $30 billion per year.
• This improved North-South flow of funds can ensure a significant reduction of carbon
emissions and the promotion of inclusive development. It could also improve biodiversity
conservation and secure vital ecosystem services.
• Forests are a vital carbon sink and thus, it is vital to increase its resilience to climate change.
Responses: mitigation and adaptation

• Climate change impacts can be mitigated by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and by
enhancing sinks that absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
• In order to limit global warming to less than 1.5 °C with a high likelihood of success, global
greenhouse gas emissions needs to be net-zero by 2050, or by 2070 with a 2 °C target.
• This requires far-reaching, systemic changes on an unprecedented scale in energy, land,
cities, transport, buildings, and industry.
• Scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5 °C often describe reaching net negative emissions
at some point.
• To make progress towards a goal of limiting warming to 2 °C, the United Nations
Environment Programme estimates that, within the next decade, countries need to triple
the amount of reductions they have committed to in their current Paris Agreements; an
even greater level of reduction is required to meet the 1.5 °C goal.
• Although there is no single pathway to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2.0 °C (2.7 or 3.6 °F),
most scenarios and strategies see a major increase in the use of renewable energy in
combination with increased energy efficiency measures to generate the needed greenhouse
gas reductions.
• To reduce pressures on ecosystems and enhance their carbon sequestration capabilities,
changes would also be necessary in agriculture and forestry, such as restoring natural
ecosystems by reforestation.
• Other approaches to mitigating climate change entail a higher level of risk. Scenarios that
limit global warming to 1.5 °C typically project the large-scale use of carbon dioxide removal
methods over the 21st century.

41

Global River Cities Alliance (Environment)
What is Global River Cities Alliance?
1) The GRCA is a unique alliance to propagate river-sensitive

development in cities around the world.
What is it?
2) It extends the River Cities Alliance, initially established by
NMCG in 2021.
To foster global collaboration for river conservation and

Aim
sustainable water management.
Includes over 275 river-cities worldwide across 11

countries (India, Australia, Japan, Bhutan, Egypt, etc), along
Members with international funding agencies (World Bank, AIIB, ADB)
Note- River cities of Den Haag, from the Netherlands, Adelaide
from Australia, and Szolnok of Hungary joined the GRCA.
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), has launched the Global River Cities
Alliance (GRCA) at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
 During the event the NMCG also signed a Memorandum of Common Purpose (MoCP) with
the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), representing 124
cities/towns situated along the banks of the Mississippi River, the United States.
 The NMCG has signed the MoCP on behalf of the River Cities Alliance (RCA).
Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA)?

The GRCA is an international coalition of cities and countries dedicated to the
conservation, sustainable management, and protection of river systems worldwide.
o The alliance encompasses a diverse array of countries and river cities, fostering
partnerships among key nations like India, Egypt, Netherlands, Denmark, Ghana,
Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan, and others.
o GRCA's membership extends to cover 275+ river-cities across 11
countries, demonstrating a substantial global reach and influence.
Objective: It will serve as a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and concerted
efforts among various stakeholders, including governments, cities, financial institutions, and
environmental organizations..
What is the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI)?

The MRCTI was created in 2012 to provide an influential voice for the Mississippi
River, dramatically increasing demand for effective river protection, restoration, and
management in Washington, DC.

42

It addresses matters of mutual concern, including river water quality and habitat restoration,
flooding and floodplain issues, river-focused recreation, sustainable economies, and celebration of
the River culture and history.
River Cities Alliance (RCA)?

The RCA is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) & the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), with a vision to connect river cities and focus on
sustainable river centric development. The Alliance focuses on three broad themes-
Networking, Capacity Building and Technical Support.
Beginning with 30 member cities in November 2021, the Alliance has expanded to 110 river
cities across India and one international member city from Denmark.
Objective: The RCA intends to facilitate knowledge exchange (online) for Indian cities to
learn new practices and approaches for urban river management. It will also be an opportunity for
international cities to learn about experiences in Indian cities, which may be relevant to their
contexts.
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)?

On 12th August 2011, the NMCG was listed as a society under the Societies Registration
Act, 1860.
It acted as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority
(NGRBA) which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act
(EPA),1986. NGRBA was dissolved in 2016 and replaced by the National Council for
Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management of River Ganga.
Objective: The objective of the NMCG is to reduce pollution and ensure the rejuvenation
of the Ganga River.
Namami Gange is one of the Coveted Programmes of NMCG to clean Ganga. This can be
achieved by promoting intersectoral coordination for comprehensive planning & management and
maintaining minimum ecological flow in the river, with the aim of ensuring water quality and
environmentally sustainable development.
Organization Structure:
The Act envisages a five-tier structure at the national, state, and district levels to take measures for
prevention, control, and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga as below:
• National Ganga Council under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Prime
Minister of India.
• Empowered Task Force (ETF) on river Ganga under the chairmanship of
Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti (Department of Water Resources, River
Development and Ganga Rejuvenation).
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

43

• State Ganga Committees
• District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting river Ganga and
its tributaries in the states.
Ganga river Rejuvenation in India?

 Ganga Action Plan: It was the first River Action Plan that was taken up by the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 1985, to improve the water quality by the
interception, diversion, and treatment of domestic sewage. The National River Conservation
Plan is an extension to the Ganga Action Plan. It aims at cleaning the Ganga River under
the Ganga Action Plan phase 2.
 National Water Mission (2010): It ensures integrated water resource management
leading to water conservation, less wastage, and equitable distribution forming better
policies.
 Clean Ganga Fund: In 2014, it was formed to clean up the Ganga, set up waste treatment
plants, and conserve of biotic diversity of the river.
 Bhuvan-Ganga Web App: It ensures the involvement of the public in monitoring of
pollution entering into the river Ganga.
 Ban on Waste Disposal: In 2017, the National Green Tribunal banned the disposal
of any waste in the Ganga.
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1985500
NATIONAL RIVER CONSERVATION PLAN (Environment)

 The country’s river cleaning initiative commenced with the introduction of the Ganga
Action Plan (GAP) in 1985.
 Subsequently, the scope of the program expanded to encompass other rivers under the
National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) in 1995.
 The execution of pollution abatement measures operates on a cost-sharing basis between
the Central and State Governments.
 These initiatives involve various activities such as the collection, transportation, and
treatment of municipal sewage, River Front Development (RFD), Low-Cost Sanitation
(LCS), Electric Crematoria, and Improved Wood-Based Crematoria, among others.
 Both the Central and State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees are
actively involved in addressing the prevention and control of industrial pollution.
 The primary objective of the NRCP is to enhance the water quality of the country’s major
rivers by implementing pollution abatement initiatives.
MEASURES TO CONSERVE SMALL RIVER
Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), launched in 2019, aims to promote water conservation and water
resource management. The JSA Series has specific themes and focuses for each year:
 2021 Theme: “Catch the Rain – Where it Falls When it Falls”

44

 Focus: Covering all blocks of all districts.
 2022 Theme: “Catch the Rain – Where it Falls When it Falls”
 Focus: Spring shed management, protection of watershed management, etc.
 2023 Theme: “Source Sustainability for Drinking Water”
 Special focus on 150 Water Stressed Districts (WSDs) of the country.
Five-fold intervention:
 Rainwater harvesting & water conservation
 Enumerating, geo-tagging & making inventory of all water bodies
 Preparation of scientific plans for water conservation
 Setting up Jal Shakti Kendras in all districts
 Intensive afforestation
 Awareness generation.
Other Water Conservation Initiatives:
 Amrit Sarovar Mission (2022):
 Aim: Developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district as part of the
celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
 Namami Gange Programme (2014):
 Aim: Integrated rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
 Mapping tributaries and smaller tributaries with their catchment area and wetlands.
 GIS-based inventory of small rivers with additional district-wise information.
 National River Conservation Plan (NRCP):
 Centrally Sponsored Scheme for pollution abatement in identified stretches of rivers
(excluding Ganga basin).
 Provides financial and technical assistance to States/UTs on a cost-sharing basis.
 Small River Rejuvenation & Conservation Plan:
 19 rivers identified and taken up by the Uttar Pradesh government, including River
Manorama, River Varuna, River Tedi, etc.
 Mission Water Conservation:
 Aims to develop an actionable framework for gainful utilization of funds.
 Ensures synergies with schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
(PMKSY).
 Mass Awareness Programs:
 Conducted through various training sessions, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and
trade fairs to promote water conservation initiatives, including rainwater harvesting
and artificial recharge to groundwater.
 National Water Awards:
 Constituted under the Ministry of Jal Shakti to recognize the efforts of individuals
and organizations working in water conservation.
 Weekly Water Heroes Contest:

45

 Objective: Promote the value of water and support country-wide efforts on water
conservation and sustainable development of water resources.
World Climate Action Summit – COP28 (Environment)

• The WCAS, also known as the “high-level segment,” is part of COP-28 where world
leaders or their representatives meet.
• They are expected to make statements regarding their countries’ intent and contributions to
mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
India’s Climate Targets and Previous Commitments:
• During the 26th COP in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021, Prime Minister announced specific
climate targets known as “Panchamrit.”
o Achieve “net zero” or carbon neutrality by 2070.
o Install at least 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil energy by 2030.
o Cut carbon emissions by a billion tonnes.
o Reduce the carbon-intensity of the economy by 45%.
o Meet half of India’s energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030.
India’s Leadership in Climate Change:
• Climate change was a priority during India’s G20 Presidency, with commitments to triple
installed renewable energy capacity sources by 2030.
• COP28 seen as an opportunity to build on these successes.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon-dioxide removal

(CDR) technologies (Environment)
The draft decisions taken at COP28 at Dubai have referred to the abatement and removal of
carbon emissions using carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon-dioxide removal (CDR)
technologies.
What are ‘unabated’ fossil fuels?

46

• Unabated - Doing nothing to reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases
that are released from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas.
• According to IPCC, unabated fossil fuels are those “without interventions that substantially
reduce GHG emissions.
• At COP28, the term “unabated fossil fuels” has come to mean the combustion of these
fuels without using CCS technologies to capture their emissions.
• Abated - Attempts to decrease the release of polluting substances to an acceptable level.
What are CCS and CDR?

CDR and CCS are distinct, but some CO2 removal methods (e.g., direct air capture) may share
the same capture processes or long-term storage infrastructure used for conventional CCS.
• Carbon capture and storage (CCS) – CCS refers to technologies that can capture CO₂
at a source of emissions before it is released into the atmosphere.
• These sources include the fossil fuel industry (where coal, oil and gas are combusted to
generate power) and industrial processes like steel and cement production.
• It is a three-step process, involving:
o Capturing the CO2 produced
o Transporting the captured CO2

47

o Storing it deep underground
• Carbon-Dioxide Removal (CDR) – Uses technologies, practices, and approaches
to remove CO2 from our atmosphere through deliberate and intentional human
actions.
• CDR captures CO2 from the atmosphere and locks it away for years in plants, soils, oceans,
rocks, saline aquifers, depleted oil wells, or long- lived products like cement.
• It can be natural (afforestation or reforestation) or use technologies (direct air capture),
where machines mimic trees by absorbing CO₂ and storing it underground.
o For example: Enhanced rock weathering and BECCS (Bioenergy with carbon capture
and storage)
How well do CCS and CDR need to work?

• According to 6th Assessment Report (AR6) of UN’s IPCC, climate mitigation relies a
lot on the use of CDR in achieving the goal of limiting the world’s average surface
temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C with no or limited overshoot.
o If CO₂ emissions continue at current levels, we will have a 50% chance of exceeding
1.5 degrees C compared to pre-industrial levels in 7 years.
• There is more than a 50% chance of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees C assuming if the world
can sequester 5 billion tonnes of CO₂ by 2040 which is more than India emits
currently every year.
Direct mitigation refers to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels with renewable energy sources
like solar and wind power.
What are the limitations of CCS?
• Under developed technology– CCS haven’t demonstrated feasibility at large scale
despite decades of development.

48

• Higher costs – It is cheaper to shut down a coal plant and replace it with some
combination of wind, solar and batteries in comparison to attaching a carbon capture device
to the plant.
• Additional energy needs – It create new energy needs for the transport and long-term
storage of carbon.
• Creates room to emit GHGs - A Germany-based climate science and policy institute,
revealed that reliance on CCS could release an extra 86 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases
into the atmosphere between 2020 and 2050.
• Underperformance - A 2022 study by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial
Analysis (IEEFA) found that most of the 13 flagship CCS projects worldwide have either
failed entirely or underperformed.
What are the limitations of CDR?
• Affect land rights – Higher land demand for planting trees and deploying large-scale
CDR methods deprive indigenous communities of their land rights.
• Threaten food security – It compete with other forms of land-use, like agriculture that
is crucial for ensuring food security.
• Affect biodiversity – It might alter existing land usage and thereby impact habitat and
survival of different organisms.
• Impact of climate change mitigation – Deploying CDR technologies in large tracts of
land might counteract from using land to generate renewable energy resources.
o For example, the 2023 ‘Land Gap’ report shows over reliance of government on
land-based CDR to offset fossil fuel emissions thereby shifting their mitigation
burden away from reducing fossil fuel use.
• Uncertain future – There is need to identify viable and scalable CDR methods and to
figure out who will pay for CDR at scale in the future.
Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit (S&T)

Prime Minister has inaugurated the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit
at Bharat Mandapam.
GPAI
Launch - It was launched in 2020.
• GPAI is a 29 member multi-stakeholder initiative.
Aim - GPAI aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting cutting-edge
research and applied activities on AI-related priorities.
• It is built around a shared commitment to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence.
India - India is a founding member of GPAI, having joined the multi-stakeholder initiative in
June 2020 and the lead chair of GPAI in 2024.
• Previous summits - The first three GPAI summits were held in Montreal, Paris and
Tokyo, respectively.

49

The 2023 summit of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) held on 12–14
December 2023, in New Delhi, India.
What is GPAI?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines,
especially computer systems.
• Launched in – 2020
• Aim – To bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting cutting-
edge research and applied activities on AI-related priorities.
• GPAI Secretariat – OECD
The 1st 3 GPAI summits were held in Montreal, Paris and Tokyo, respectively.
• Multi-stakeholder initiative – Experts from industry, civil society, governments,
international organisations and academia.
• Mission – To share multidisciplinary research and identifying key issues among AI
practitioners and to understand AI impacts.
• 4 working groups – Responsible AI, data governance, the future of work, and innovation
and commercialization.
• Values – Based on OECD Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence grounded in
the principles of human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation and economic growth.
• Membership – 29 members.
• It is open to countries, including emerging and developing countries.
What are the major outcomes of GPAI summit 2023?
• Adopted GPAI New Delhi Declaration on advancing safe, secure, and trustworthy AI
and commitment to supporting the sustainability of GPAI projects.
• A call to prepare a global framework for the ethical use of AI.
• India Shines as Global Hub for AI Innovation.
• India brought together all major initiatives for AI – UN Advisory Group on AI, UK AI
Safety Summit.
• AI Research Analytics and Knowledge Dissemination Platform (AIRAWAT)
and National Program on Artificial Intelligence and its role in shaping AI
ecosystem in India was prominently emphasized.
• Startup community and research community showcased their AI products and services in
the expo.
• AI Pitch fest provided an opportunity to upcoming startups to pitch for their innovation
and value-added products and services.
• Taking AI among the masses especially among youths and students.
What does the GPAI New Delhi declaration on AI say?
• GPAI 2023 has unanimously adopted the New Delhi declaration on AI.
• Objectives – To mitigate risks arising from the development and deployment of AI
systems.
• To promoting equitable access to critical resources for AI innovation.
• To support AI innovation in the agriculture sector as a new “thematic priority”.

50

“Frontier AI” is defined as highly capable foundation generative AI models that could possess
dangerous capabilities that can pose severe risks to public safety.
• Governing principles - A global framework for use of AI should
o Upheld democratic values and human rights
o Safeguard dignity and well-being
o Ensure personal data protection
o Protec intellectual property rights, privacy, and security
o Fostering innovation and promoting trustworthy, responsible, sustainable, and
human-centred use of AI.
• Contrasts Bletchley declaration – Unlike UK AI Safety Summit which mainly focused
only on security and safety risks related to AI, this finds a balance between innovation and
the risks associated with AI systems.
Bletchley declaration on AI was signed by 28 major countries including India to initiate a
global action to tackle the potential risks of AI.
Demaorchestia Alanensis (Animal-Environment)

Researchers at Berhampur University, Odisha have discovered a new species of marine
amphipod found in Chilika Lake.
Amphipods
• They are commonly called Scuds or side swimmers.
• They are found commonly in both surface and subterranean freshwater habitats.
• They constitute the most diverse and ubiquitous (being everywhere) group in freshwater.
• Amphipods are a significant group in the marine ecosystem and play a vital role in the
marine food chain.
• They also serve as indicators for studying the impact of climate change and health of coastal
ecosystems.
Demaorchestia alanensis
• It is a shrimp-like crustacea of genus Demaorchesti and was named Demaorchestia
alanensis after global expert professor Alan Myers.
• Features - The new species is white in colour and less than 15 millimetres in length and
has 13 pairs of legs.

51

• While three pairs are used for swimming in the water, eight pairs are used for walking on
land.
• The other two pairs are used for capturing prey and feeding.
• The species can be distinguished from the other members of the genus by two to three
strong, hair-like structures or setae on the anterior margin of the propodus of the
gnathopod.
• It belongs to the subfamily Platorchestiinae found along the Indian coast.
Other such amphipods found in India are Quadrivisio Chilikensis from the seaweeds near
Nalaban and the Talorchestia buensis from the West Bengal coastal area.
Saiga Antelope (Animal-Environment)

Saiga Tatarica was changed from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• The Saiga, the odd-faced antelope has roamed the earth since the last Ice Age.
• They are medium sized hoofed mammal that belongs to the family Bovidae.
• They lives in herds in treeless steppe country.
Hoofed mammal are animals with a hard, nail-like case called a hoof covering each toe on their
feet.
• Sub-species - The Saiga has two sub-species

o Saiga tatarica (found in most of the range) and
o Saiga tatarica mongolica (found only in Mongolia).
• The antelope were once found throughout the Eurasian Steppe, the great band of grassland
that stretches from Hungary in Europe to Manchuria in Asia.
• Today, the animal is found in fragmented populations within Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the
Russian Federation and Uzbekistan, according to the Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA).
• Since 2002, the Saiga has been considered by the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) to be critically endangered.
Steppes
• A steppe is a dry, grassy plain which occur in temperate climates, which lie between the
tropics and polar regions.

52

• Temperate regions have distinct seasonal temperature changes, with cold winters and warm
summers.
• The Steppe, belt of grassland that extends from Hungary in the west through Ukraine and
Central Asia to Manchuria in the east.
• Climate is continental with extremes of temperature varying greatly between summer and
winter.
Google Gemini (S&T)

Alphabet, Google’s parent company came out with its most advanced AI model, called Gemini.
• It a new multimodal general and flexible AI model, which comes in three sizes.
• Multimodal means it can work, understand, and operate across text, code, audio, image,
and video.
ChatGPT cannot work on video at the moment, at least not natively.
• Gemini can understand, explain and generate high-quality code in the world’s most popular
programming languages, like Python, Java, C++ and Go.
• Gemini ultra - Gemini Ultra is the first model to outperform human experts on massive
multitask language understanding (MMLU), which uses a combination of 57 subjects.
The three sizes of Gemini
• The three sizes are Ultra (which is yet to be launched), Pro and Nano.
• Gemini Ultra, the largest and most capable model, will be for highly complex tasks.
• Gemini Pro will be best at scaling across a wide range of tasks and is now available in Bard
for regular users across the world.
• Gemini Nano will manage on-device tasks, and is already available on Pixel 8 Pro.
Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023: Statistics and

Trends (Economic data)
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations launched the Regional
Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023: Statistics and Trends report.
• The FAO report is a glimpse on the progress in meeting Sustainable Development Goals and
World Health Assembly (WHA) global nutrition targets.
Findings
• 74.1% of Indians (2020 – 76.2%) were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021, Pakistan
(82.2%), and in Bangladesh (66.1%) of the population faced difficulties in finding healthy
food.
• Rising food costs, if not matched by rising income, will lead to more people unable to afford
a healthy diet, the report warned.

53

• The report said during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 5Fs crisis, Food, Feed, Fuel,
Fertilizers, and Finance, the region witnessed harrowing statistics.
• The latest statistics indicate that the region, with 370.7 million undernourished people,
continues to represent half of the global total.
• Similarly, the Asia and the Pacific region accounts for half of the world’s severe food
insecurity, with more women than men being food insecure.
• The report said 16.6% of the country’s population is undernourished.
• The region, according to the report, had a lower prevalence for both moderate or severe and
severe food insecurity when compared with the world prevalence since 2015.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
Established - In 1945, in Quebec City, Canada, the first session of the newly created United
Nations establishes the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• The FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to
defeat hunger.
Aim - It aims to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to
enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.
Members - With 195 members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130
countries worldwide.
Headquarters - During its commencement Washington D.C. was designated as a temporary FAO
headquarters, at present the headquarters is at Rome, Italy.
PT POINTERS
Indian Tent Turtles
• Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 436 baby Indian Tent turtles from a
person illegally transporting them in Lucknow recently.
• The Indian tent turtle (Pangshura tentoria) is a species of turtle that is native to India,
Nepal, and Bangladesh.
• Indian tent turtles are mainly omnivorous and live in freshwater rivers and swamps.
• Conservation
o IUCN - Least concern
o CITES - Appendix II
o Schedule 1 of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
“SAMUDRA” (Smart Access to Marine Users for ocean Data Resources and
Advisories)
• “SAMUDRA” (Smart Access to Marine Users for ocean Data Resources and Advisories) is a
mobile app that provides comprehensive information on all ocean-related services.
• The app is useful for seafarers and the fishing community.
• The app was launched by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information
Services (INCOIS).
• INCOIS is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences located in Hyderabad.

54

Ceasefire in Gaza
• India and 152 other members vote overwhelmingly at U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) to
demand a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza recently.
• The vote in the 193-member world body was 153 in favor, 10 against (includes US and
Israel) and 23 abstentions.
• The resolution is non-binding but it serves as an indicator of global opinion.
• UNGA is one of the 6 principal organs of the United Nations and the main policy making
body of UN that votes on the decision that organization makes.
Currency Devaluation in Argentina
• Argentina recently devalues its currency and cuts subsidies as part of shock economic
measures because of its 143% annual inflation.
• Argentine peso will be devalued by 50% to 800 to the U.S. dollar from 400 pesos to the
dollar.
5G Radio Access Network (RAN)
• The 5G RAN technology developed by 2 IITs and the R&D arm of Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology was handed over to Indian tech company for commercial
applications.
• 5G RAN uses 5G radio frequencies to provide wireless connectivity to devices.
• A radio access network (RAN) is a key component of a mobile telecommunication system
that connects devices like smartphones to a network via a radio link.
Kambar
• Kamban is a title of the Occhans, to which caste Tamil epic poet Kamban is reputed to have
belonged.
• Uvachar or Occhan is a community in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, a class of temple
priests who usually officiate as pujaris at Pidari, Kali and other Amman (Grama Devata)
temples.
• The name Kambar in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu and at Thiruvananthapuram in
Kerala identifies them with nagaswaram and thavil.
• They wear also known by names such as Parisaivar, Vallavarayar and Sallirayar.
Lyfgenia
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two treatments, Casgevy and Lyfgenia,
representing the 1st cell-based gene therapies for the treatment of sickle cell disease
(SCD) recently.
• Lyfgenia is a cell-based gene therapy, uses a lentiviral vector (gene delivery vehicle) for
genetic modification.
• Lyfgenia modifies a patient's blood stem cells to produce a modified version of the HBB
gene.
• It is approved for the treatment of patients 12 years of age and older with sickle cell disease
and a history of vaso-occlusive events.
Kazhuveli bird sanctuary

55

• Kazhuveli Wetland Birds Sanctuary is situated in the Villupuram district of Tamilnadu.
• The Kazhuveli wetland is one of the major wetlands on the Coromandel Coast after the
Pulicat Lake.
• The lake is connected to the Bay of Bengal by the Uppukalli Creek and the
Yedayanthittu estuary and is visited for nesting by migratory birds on the Central
Asian flyway.
• Listed as one of Tamil Nadu’s 141 prioritised wetlands, Kazhuveli is also a wetland
of international significance and a potential Ramsar site.
Sparking Disability Inclusive Rural Transformation (SPARK) Project
• Aim - To help people with disabilities, especially women and youth with disabilities,
become active participants.
• Implemented by - The ILO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD), in collaboration with the Women’s Development Corporation in Maharashtra.
• Through this project, persons with disabilities were trained as Disability Inclusion
Facilitators (DIFs).
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is a United Nations
agency that works to eradicate poverty and hunger in developing countries.
Cyclone Jasper
• Jasper is a Tropical Cyclone that formed in the north coast of Queensland in Australia.
‘AKTOCYTE’
• AKTOCYTE is a nutraceutical developed by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and
IDRS Labs.
• The tablets are intended for radiotherapy patients, especially those with pelvic cancer
suffering from radiotherapy-induced Cystitis (Blood in urine).
‘Mission Antarctica’
• Union Minister of State for Defence flagged in a team of Himalayan Mountaineering
Institute, Darjeeling that carried out ‘Mission Antarctica’ in New Delhi Recently.
• The team hoisted the national flag atop Mt Rhenock in Sikkim Himalayas, recorded in the
Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records.
• During the expedition, the team also displayed the Tri-colour over Mount Vinson Peak,
which is the highest peak of the South Pole.
Pro Bono Legal Service Programme
• It is an initiative of the Department of Justice, launched in April 2017.
• It aimed at enhancing "access to justice" for marginalised sections of the society and the
state's constitutional obligation of providing "free legal aid" for all.
• Pro bono is a Latin phrase that means "for the good of the people".
Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)
• WISE-KIRAN is a program from the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• The scheme's goal is to increase women's participation in science and technology (S&T) and

56

achieve gender parity.
Valparai plateau
• The Valparai plateau is situated in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu.
• It is surrounded on all sides by protected areas Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Parambikulam
Tiger Reserve and Eravikulam National Park.
• Valparai is known for its tea and coffee plantations, around 7-8 national and international
companies spread over 54 tea and coffee estates in Valparai.
Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP)
• Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power station with a current
installed capacity of 2GW in India.
• It is situated in Kudankulam, Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
• It is a Civilian Nuclear Power Plant, built by India in joint-collaboration with Russia.
• It is being developed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL).
Nyholm prize
• Professor Savita Ladage received the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Nyholm Prize recently.
• It is an annual award from the Royal Society of Chemistry that recognizes achievements
in chemical sciences education.
• The prize honors the life and work of Sir Ronald Nyholm, an Australian-born chemist who
served as president of the Royal Society of Chemistry from 1968 to 1970.
• The prize alternates between being open to international nominations and being open only
to nominations from the UK and Ireland.
International Debt Report
• The report is released by World Bank recently.
• Recent Findings – Currently, about 60% of low-income countries are at high risk of debt
distress.
• Debt-service payments, which include principal and interest, increased by 5% over the
previous year for all developing countries.
• The 75 countries eligible to borrow from the World Bank’s International Development
Association, which supports the poorest countries in 2022.
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)
• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is a regulatory body
that oversees and regulates pensions in India.
• It was established in 2003 and operates under the Ministry of Finance.
• In 2003, the PFRDA launched the National Pension Scheme (NPS), which was extended to
all citizens in 2009.
• The PFRDA regulates the NPS ecosystem, which is subscribed to by employees of the
Government of India, State Governments, and private institutions.
Kanduri Urs Festival
• The annual ‘Kanduri Urs’ festival starts with the flag-hoisting ceremony in Nagapattinam
district of Tamil Nadu recently.

57

• The 14-day festival commemorates the death anniversary of saint Abdul Qadir and
attracts followers from different faiths across the world.
Chandrayaan 4
• Chandrayaan-4 is a lunar sample-return mission planned by the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO).
• It will be the 4th mission in the Chandrayaan program.
• The mission is expected to launch in 4 years.
Bharatiya Antariksh Station
• Bharatiya Antariksh Station, 1st module of India’s planned space station will be
launched by 2028.
• It will be operated by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0
• The 2nd edition of the Kasi Tamil Sangam will be happened at Kasi, delegates from Tamil
Nadu were set to participate.
• The programme aims to revive the bonds between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu through
cultural exchange and knowledge sharing.
• The Union Ministry of Education, IIT Madras, and Banaras Hindu
University will be involved in the programme.
• Participants have been divided into 7 groups, each named after a ‘sacred’ Rivers such as
Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sindhu, Narmada, Godavari and Cauvery.
Naya Savera Scheme
• The Naya Savera scheme, also known as the Free Coaching and Allied scheme, was a
program that provided special coaching to students from 6 minority communities.
• 6 minority communities - Sikh, Jain, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist and Parsi.
Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully carried out a
flight trial of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator recently.
• Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator is an indigenous high-speed flying-wing
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
Joynagar moa
• Makers of Joynagar moa arm themselves with barcodes, QR code recently.
• Jaynagarer Moa is a seasonal Bengali sweetmeat delicacy made from date palm
jaggery and Kanakchur khoi.
• Jaynagarer Moa is only available during winter (November to January) season in Bengal.
• It received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2015.
Electron rocket
• Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket from its launch site on the Mahia Peninsula, New
Zealand recently.
• The Electron is a two-stage, partially reusable rocket designed to launch small satellites into

58

low Earth orbit.
• It is the world's most frequently launched small rocket.
Krutrim
• Krutrim Si Designs, the artificial intelligence (AI) venture of Ola co-founder recently
unveiled Krutrim.
• Krutrim is India’s own AI’ model & a family of Large Language Models, including Krutrim
base and Krutrim Pro.
• Krutrim has joined the increasingly-competitive AI race dominated by players such as
Google, Microsoft and OpenAI.
Hydrogen cyanide in Enceladus
• Scientists have found evidence of a key ingredient for life and a powerful source of energy
that could fuel it on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus.
• They analysed data from NASA’s Cassini mission and found confirmation that hydrogen
cyanide, a key life molecule, exists on the icy moon.
Yak (Bos grunniens)
• A recent study found that the oldest record ever of a yak being domesticated by humans has
been found in Bangga, a settlement in Tibetan Autonomous Region in China.
• Yaks are large, sturdy mammals native to Tibet and China, but can also be found in
Mongolia, Nepal, and Central Asia.
• Habitat - Alpine meadow, alpine steppe, and desert steppe & they are herbivorous in
nature.
• Types – Domesticated Yak & Wild Yak.
• Conservation – IUCN - Domesticated yaks (Bos grunniens) are not listed as endangered
but the wild subspecies of yak (B. grunniens mutus) are endangered.
Graph Networks for Materials Exploration (GNoME) (S&T)
GNoME, an AI tool, is accelerating the materials discovery using artificial intelligence (AI).
• It is a state-of-the-art graph neural network (GNN) model that uses ‘active
learning’ to enhance its performance, allowing it to predict the stability of new materials.
Launched by – Google DeepMind
Aim - To generate novel candidate crystals and to predict their stability.
Deep learning is a method of artificial intelligence (AI) where it is taught to process data in a
way that is inspired by a human computer.
Working – GnoME can generate predictions for the structures of novel, stable crystals which
were then tested, resulting in high-quality training data fed back into model training.
• The final step in their approach exploits Density Functional Theory (DFT), a method
to verify the stability of the new structures, which are then used as new training datasets for
the tool.
• The Materials Project is the original datasheet for GNoME.

59

The Materials Project is a multi-institution, multi-national endeavour to compute the
properties of all inorganic materials and provide the data for every materials researcher free of
charge.
• Significance – It has boosted the precision rate for predicting materials stability from
50% to around 80%.
• It increases the number of ‘stable materials’ by 10-fold including inorganic crystals
that modern tech applications use.
It has published a list of 381,000 of the 2.2 million crystal structures that it predicts to be most
stable.
Kidney Transplants in India (Health-Governance)

The Indian government has ordered a probe into an allegation that poor Myanmarese villagers
were being lured into giving their kidneys to rich patients.
Regulated by– Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
• A transplant can be either
o From organs of deceased persons donated by their relatives
o From a living person the recipient knows
Only 16% of the total transplants in the India use deceased organs.
Types of donations
o Donations from close relatives
o Donations from unrelated persons (Altruistic donations)
Donations from close relatives Donations from unrelated persons
• The 1994 Act allows living donations, in • It involves donations from distant
most cases, from close relatives (parents, relatives, in-laws, or long-time friends
siblings, children, spouse, grandparents, are allowed after additional scrutiny.
grandchildren). • For donations from unrelated persons,
• For donations involving either Indians or documents and photographic evidence
foreigners, documents establishing their showing their long-term association
identities, family tree, proving the donor- have to be submitted which is
recipient relationship and financial then examined by an external
standing of the donor have to be submitted. committee.
• Organ donations and transplants in exchange for money are forbidden in India.
• Punishment - Offering to pay for organs or document forgery is punishable by jail up to 10
years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore.
National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) under the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, is the apex centre for coordination and networking for the registry,
donation and transplantation of organs and tissues in India.
Reasons for higher kidney transplantation scam

60

o Higher demand for kidney due to increase in kidney failures
o Least risk to the donor
o Cheaper than other transplantations
o Higher survival time of kidneys
Kidney can survive up to 24-36 hours outside the body, the largest among other organs while the
lungs remain viable only for 4-6 hours, and the liver for 8-12 hours.
Guidelines
In India, Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994 provides various regulations for
the removal of human organs and its storage. It also regulates the transplantation of
human organs for therapeutic purposes and for the prevention of commercial dealings in human
organs.
Highlights of the New Guidelines?

 Removed Age Cap:
o The upper age limit has been removed as people are now living longer.
• Earlier, according to the NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue
Transplant Organization) guidelines, an end-stage organ failure patient
above 65 years of age was prohibited from registering to receive the organ.
 No Domicile Requirement:
o The ministry has removed the domicile requirement to register as an
organ recipient in a particular state under a ‘One Nation, One Policy’ move.
o Now a needy patient can register to receive an organ in any state of his or
her choice and will also be able to get the surgery done there.
 No Fees for Registration:

61

o There will be no registration fee that states used to charge for this purpose,
the Centre has asked states that used to charge for such registration to not do so.
o Among the states that sought money for registration were Gujarat, Telangana,
Maharashtra, and Kerala.
• Certain states asked for anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 to
register a patient on the organ recipient waitlist.
Note
 NOTTO is set up under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare, located in New Delhi.
 National Network division of NOTTO functions as apex centre for all India activities for
procurement, distribution and registry of organs and tissues donation and transplantation
in the country.
What is the Purpose of New Guidelines?

 The Centre is planning to make changes in the rules of Transplantation of Human
Organs (Amendment) Act 2011 towards creating a national policy for transplantation.
 Currently, different states have different rules; the Union government is considering
changes to the rules so that there is a standard criterion followed in all states across
the country.
 However, Health being a state subject, the rules formed by the central government will
not be binding on the states.
 The steps are aimed at better and more equitable access to organs and also to
promote cadaver donations, which currently form a minuscule fraction of all organ
transplants carried out in India.
What is the Scenario of Organ Transplantation in India?

 India conducts the third highest number of transplants in the world.
 Organs from deceased donors accounted for nearly 17.8% of all transplants in
2022.
 The total number of deceased organ transplants climbed from 837 in 2013 to 2,765 in
2022.
 The total number of organ transplants – with organs from both deceased and living donors
– increased from 4,990 in 2013 to 15,561 in 2022.
 Every year, an estimated 1.5-2 lakh people need a kidney transplant.
o Only around 10,000 got one in 2022. Of the 80,000 people who required a liver
transplant, less than 3,000 got one in 2022.
o And, of the 10,000 who needed a heart transplant, only 250 got it in 2022.

62
Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023 (Economic data)

According to the 5th edition of Global Status Report on Road Safety, road fatalities dropped
globally, but India sees a rise.
• Launch year – 2009
• Released by – World Health Organisation (WHO)
Objectives – To describe the road safety situation in United Nations (UN) Member States
and assess the changes with a particular focus on the evolution of the burden and responses since
2010.
• Data source – Based on survey and review of legislation in which 170 UN Member States
and 2 territories participated.
• 2023 Report– It provides the first complete overview of progress made during 2011–2020
and sets a baseline for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.
Key Findings
• Road traffic deaths – 108 UN member nations reported a drop with 10 countries
succeeded in reducing by over 50%.
o WHO’s South-East Asia Region tops while the European Region reports the largest
drop in deaths since 2010
o Top cause of deaths for children and youth between the ages of 5 to 29 years
o 92% of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

63

• Status of India – It registered a 15% increase in fatalities (1.34 lakh in 2010 to 1.54
lakh in 2021).
• Share of fatalities – 30% by 4-wheel vehicle occupants followed by pedestrians, 2-
and 3-wheeler users, respectively.
Only 6 countries have reached WHO best practice legislation on 5 risk factors – speeding, drink
driving, motorcycle helmet use, and seat-belts and child restraint systems.
Budgett Frog (Animal-Environment)

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) have identified that peptides (short
protein) produced from Budgett’s frog can combat enzymes of disease causing pathogens.
• Other common names are Hippo Frog and the Freddie Kruger Frog.
• Scientific name - Lepdibatrachus laevis
Habitat – In inland waters in Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia.
• Growing condition – Being carnivorous, they mainly feed on other frogs (particularly
tadpoles), snails and insects.
• During dry season, it remains in burrows and they will shed skin layers from to form a
waterproof cocoon to keep them moist.
• In rainy season, it will go back into the water to breed and feed.
Characteristics – They are highly intelligent and very aggressive.
• When frightened, they inflate themselves, stand up on their short legs and attack the
potential with an open huge mouth followed up by a high-pitched scream.
• They do not have teeth, but they do have two sharp-edged structures in the jaws.
Protection status
o Least Concern in the IUCN Red List.
Frogs are the 1st vertebrates to conquer the land and because of this, they have developed
a defensive mechanism through their skin to generally combat the microorganisms and other
harmful things.
Barracuda boat (Defence- S&T)

India’s fastest solar-electric boat Barracuda sets sail for sustainable future.
• The solar-electric boat is named after the swift, long fish, Barracuda.
• The boat can be deployed even in the rough seas as a workboat to ferry up to 12 passengers
and cargo.
• Engineered to navigate through waves towering up to 4 metres, the Barracuda excels in
challenging marine environments.
• The boat offers a noise-free, vibration-free, and pollution-free journey.
• The 14-metre-long, 4.4-metre-wide vessel can attain a top speed of 12.5 knots (23 kmph)
and has a range of seven hours on a single charge.

64

• It has twin 50 kW electric motors, a marine-grade LFP battery, and 6 kW solar power,
epitomising efficient and clean energy usage.
• This cutting-edge vessel was jointly developed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders and Navalt.
Barracuda fish
• They are predatory fishes of the family Sphyraenidae.
• Barracudas are found in all warm and tropical regions; some also range into more
temperate areas.
• Barracudas are primarily fish eaters, preying on such smaller fishes as mullets, anchovies,
and grunts.
• In certain seas, however, they may become impregnated with a toxic substance that
produces a form of poisoning known as ciguatera.
• Great barracuda - Great barracudas are large fish, and one of the largest of the
Barracudas.
• They are known to have been involved in attacks on humans.
International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT)

(International Organisation)
India’s Uma Sekhar was elected to governing council of the Rome-based UNIDROIT.
• It was set up in 1926 as an auxiliary organ of the League of Nations.
• Following the demise of the League, it was re-established in 1940 based on a multilateral
agreement, the UNIDROIT Statute.
• The UNIDROIT is an independent intergovernmental organisation.
• It deals with various legal issues including studying needs and methods for modernizing
commercial and private laws.
• Membership of UNIDROIT is restricted to States acceding to the UNIDROIT Statute.
• UNIDROIT’s 65 Member States are drawn from the five continents and represent a variety
of different legal, economic and political systems as well as different cultural backgrounds.
• India will be a member of the Governing Council for the period 2024-28.
The achievement becomes even more remarkable as candidates from Russia, the USA and China
failed to win any positions on the governing council.

65

The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development (IR)
Activist Ali Abu Awwad and pianist Daniel Barenboim win Indira Gandhi Peace Prize.
The Prize
• It was instituted in the memory of the former prime minister by the Indira Gandhi
Memorial Trust in 1986.
• The award is given to individuals or organisations who work towards ensuring international
peace and development.
• It consists of a monetary award of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation.
Barenboim
• He is a distinguished classical pianist, and conductor, renowned for performing with and
directing some of the leading orchestras in the world.
• Apart from his musical achievements, he is also known for his relentless endeavour in using
music to foster harmony in West Asia.
Awwad
• Mr. Awwad is an eminent Palestinian peace activist who has been working tirelessly with
the people of Palestine and Israel for a peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict in the
Middle East.
• In 2014, Mr. Awwad co-founded a local Palestinian-Israeli initiative called Roots,
promoting understanding, non-violence and transformation.
Zero Coupon Zero Principle Bonds (Economics)

“A Bond is a fixed income instrument that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower.” In
simpler words, bond acts as a contract between the investor and the borrower. Mostly
companies and government issue bonds and investors buy those bonds as a savings and security
option.
These bonds have a maturity date and when once that is attained, the issuing company
needs to pay back the amount to the investor along with a part of the profit. This kind of dealing
with bonds between the issuer and the investor is done by brokers.
What are Government Bonds?
A bond issued by the Government of a country at a fixed rate of interest is called Government
Bonds. These kinds of bonds are considered to be low-risk investments. Examples of Government
bonds include Treasury Bills, Municipal Bonds, Zero-coupon Bonds, etc.
Features of a Bond for Investor
When an Investor is buying bonds, there are a few things which may be given consideration before
investing in them. Given below are such important points to remember while investing in any
bond:
• Secured & Unsecured Bonds: Unsecured Bonds, also known as debentures are mostly
the bonds issued by companies with a good reputation, high credit rating and the credibility
of the company. The returns on such bonds are based on the profit and the success of the
company. If the company makes a profit, then the amount along with interest is returned to

66

the investor, else there may be difficulty in regaining the invested amount as well. The
secured bonds offer some kind of security to the investor. These bonds are mostly
considered to be Government bonds.
• Taxation: Looks for bonds which exempt tax. Few corporate bonds levy tax on their bonds
and bonds issued by Government, municipality bonds and few other do not impose a tax on
the profit earned.
• Preference of Liquidation: In case a Company gets in loss and is in debt, the money
gained by selling the assets of the company is given in a certain order of preference. This is
called preference of liquidation. The regained amount is distributed in ascending order of
time in which the investments were made. Starting with the oldest Investors and then to the
new ones.
• Date of Maturity: Ensure that you check the maturity period of the bond and invest in
something where you can earn more with a shorter time duration
• Coupon Rate: The rate of interest at which a bond is issued and the Company is liable to
pay the Investor is called the coupon rate. Research and look for Bond options which offer
high coupon rate
Different Types of Bonds

There are various types of Bonds. A few of them have been discussed below in brief.
• Traditional Bond: A bond in which the entire principal can be withdrawn at a single time
after the bond’s maturity date is over is called a Traditional Bond.
• Callable Bond: When the issuer of the bond calls out his right to redeem the bond even
before it reaches its maturity is called a Callable Bond. Through this type of bonds, the
issuer can convert a high debt bond into a low debt bond.
• Fixed-Rate Bonds: When the coupon rate remains the same through the course of the
investment, it is called Fixed-rate bonds.
• Floating Rate Bonds: When the coupon rate keeps fluctuating during the course of an
investment, it is called a floating rate bond.
• Puttable Bond: When the investor decides to sell their bond and get their money back
before the maturity date, such type of bond is called a Puttable bond.
• Mortgage Bond: The bonds which are backed up by the real estate companies and
equipment are called mortgage bonds.
• Zero-Coupon Bond: When the coupon rate is zero and the issuer is only applicable to
repay the principal amount to the investor, such type of bonds are called zero-coupon
bonds.
• Serial Bond: When the issuer continues to pay back the loan amount to the investor every
year in small instalments to reduce the final debt, such type of bond is called a Serial Bond.
• Extendable Bonds: The bonds which allow the Investor to extend the maturity period of
the bond are called Extendable Bonds.
• Climate Bonds: Climate Bonds are issued by any government to raise funds when the
country concerned faces any adverse changes in climatic conditions.

67

• War Bonds: War Bonds are issued by any government to raise funds in cases of war.
• Inflation-Linked Bonds: Bonds linked to inflation are called inflation linked bonds. The
interest rate of Inflation linked bonds is generally lower than fixed rate bonds
Unnati ZCZP Bonds

Social stock exchange sees 1st listing with Unnati Foundation 1st entity in December 2023.
What are Social Stock Exchanges (SSE)?
• A separate segment of the existing Stock Exchange that can help social
enterprise’s to raise funds from public through the stock exchange mechanism.
• It will act as a medium between Social Enterprises and fund providers.
• SEBI had permitted social enterprises registered on these exchanges to raise funds through
zero coupon zero principal bonds (ZCZP) in 2022.
What is a ZCZP instruments?
• ZCZP – Zero Coupon Zero Principle are financial instrument that are included in the list
of securities under Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956.
• They do not give any interest, and investors will not get any money back on the
maturity of the bond.
Debt Security (Bond) ZCZP instrument
It is like a loan. It is not a loan but a donation.
It makes interest payments and the principal It doesn’t makes interest payments and the
when the bond matures. principal on maturity.
• Eligibility criteria for issuance – Only by NPO that are registered with Social Stock
Exchange (SSE).
• ZCZP can only be issued for a specific project with specific tenure.
• The project must fall under the list of eligible activities under SEBI (ICDR) Regulations,
2018.
• Issuance - They are issued through private placement or public issuance.
o Minimum issue size – Rs. 50 Lakh (originally Rs.1 crore)
o Minimum application size – Rs.10, 000 (originally Rs.2 lakh)
o Minimum subscription required - 75% of the funds proposed
• Trade – They shall be issued in dematerialized form only.
• They are not available for trading in the secondary market, but they can be
transferred to legal heirs.
• Maturity – It will mature when the project for which they are raised terminate, or 12
months from the date of allotment.
What is Unnati ZCZP Bonds?
• Issuer – SGBS Unnati Foundation, an NPO formed in November 2011.
o Unnati – Vocational training program for underprivileged and unemployed youth in
the age group of 18 to 25 years.
o UNXT – 1 month training programme for final year students at government
colleges.

68

o Sugam – A grassroot entrepreneurship accelerator helping non-urban youth to
develop scalable businesses.
• Need of funds –To train up to 10,000 graduating youth from government colleges
in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to help
them secure employment.
o The youth will be trained for 165 hours (classroom learning and self-learning content
on a mobile application).
o Cost per head for training would be ₹2,000 per youth.
• Specifics – It is a public issue with face value of ₹1 each of ₹2 crore that will be listed
on the NSE.
Unnati ZCZP bond is the 1st such listing on SSE segment in India.
• This listing will be displayed along with other such future bond issuances on the social stock
exchange page on the NSE website.
• It raised Rs 1.8 crore from 4 investors and include brokerage firm Zerodha and
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
What are the benefits of these ZCZP instruments?
• There are obviously no pecuniary benefits from these instruments as it is akin to a
donation made to a charity.
• Greater transparency - The end use of the funds can also be monitored since the
enterprises have to disclose details of money utilised and balance amount
remaining to exchanges.
• Visibility to the social enterprises - It helps them to approach the public at regular
intervals if they can show good outcomes.
Quick Facts
• Social enterprises – Enterprise that are engaging in the activity of creating positive social
impact and that meets primacy of their social intent.
o Not-for-profit organization
o For profit social enterprise
Special Provisions Article 371 and states (Governance)

After Supreme Court upheld the validity of abrogation of Article, certain features of asymmetric
federalism like Article 371 and Article 239A in Indian Constitution have come to limelight.
What is the nature of relationship between the centre and states in India?
• Quasi-federal – While states do have autonomy, the Constitution tilts towards the
Centre on certain areas.
• 7th Schedule of the Constitution – It contains the Union, State and Concurrent
lists that prescribe subjects that the Centre and states are empowered to legislate upon.
o Both the Centre and state can legislate upon those in the concurrent list, the Union
law would prevail in case of a conflict between the law made by Parliament and the
state legislature.

69

• Asymmetric federalism – All Indian states are not given equal
status considering various factors, ranging from the fiscal, political and the administrative
features.
• Several states enjoy varying degrees of autonomy and relationship with the Centre.
o Article 371 – It deals with 12 states for better governance and political
administrations.
o Article 239A – It deals with the creation of local legislature for Union territory of
Puducherry.
o Article 239AA – It deals with national capital territory of New Delhi (NCT) which
has the powers to legislate upon subjects in the state and concurrent lists in the
7th Schedule.
What are the special provisions under Article 371?
• History – It did not exist in the original constitution but have been incorporated
subsequently by various amendments.
• Incorporation – Like Article 370, Article 371 is also became a part of the
Constitution since January 26, 1950.
• Articles 371(A-J) were incorporated through amendments under Article 368, which lays
down the power of the Parliament to amend the Constitution and procedure therefor.
• Constitution – Article 371 to 371-J in Part XXI of the constitution titled ‘Temporary,
Transitional and Special Provisions’.
• Objective
o To meet the aspirations of the people of backward regions of the states.
o To protect the cultural and economic interests of the tribal people of the states
o To deal with the disturbed law and order condition in some parts of the states
• Validity - All these exceptions would be operable till the crisis, either secessionist
sentiments or war ceases.
• Despite the ‘temporary’ tag, there isn’t any explicit expiry date.
What are the states that have special provisions under Article 371(A-J)?
• Article 371 – Maharashtra and Gujarat
• Governor has special responsibility to establish separate development boards for Vidarbha,
Marathwada, and the rest of Maharashtra, and Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat.
• Article 371A (13th Amendment Act, 1962) – Nagaland
• No act of Parliament would apply in matter relating to religious and social practices,
ownership and transfer of resources unless the state government pass a resolution of the
same and the governor has special responsibilities with respect to law and order.
• Article 371B (22nd Amendment Act, 1969) – Assam
• The President may provide for the constitution and functions of a committee of the
Assembly consisting of members elected from the state’s tribal areas.
• Article 371C (27th Amendment Act, 1971) – Manipur

70

• The President may provide for the constitution of a committee of elected members from the
Hill areas in the Assembly, and entrust “special responsibility” to the Governor to ensure its
proper functioning.
• Article 371D (32nd Amendment Act, 1973) – Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• It is substituted by The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
• President must ensure equitable opportunities and facilities in public employment and
education to people from different parts of the state.
• Article 371E - Allows for the establishment of a university in Andhra Pradesh by a law of
Parliament but this is not a “special provision” in the sense of the others in this part.
• Article 371F (36th Amendment Act, 1975) – Sikkim
• The members of the Legislative Assembly of Sikkim shall elect the representative of Sikkim
in the House of the People and parliament may provide for seats in the Assembly, which
may be filled only by candidates from certain sections of people.
• Article 371G (53rd Amendment Act, 1986) – Mizoram
• Parliament cannot make laws on religious or social practices, customary law, and
administration of justice, ownership and transfer of land unless the state Assembly so
decides.
• Article 371H (55th Amendment Act, 1986) – Arunachal Pradesh
• The Governor has a special responsibility with regard to law and order, and “he shall, after
consulting the Council of Ministers, exercise his individual judgment as to the action to be
taken”.
• Article 371J (98th Amendment Act, 2012) – Karnataka
• A provision for a separate development board for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region and
there shall be equitable allocation of funds and equitable opportunities and facilities for
people in government jobs and education.
The Post Offices Bill, 2023 (Governance)

Rajya Sabha has recently passed the Post Office Bill, which repeals and replaces the Post Office
Act, 1898.
Why there is a need for new bill?
• To provide a simple legislative framework for post offices, facilitating their evolution into a
network for citizen-centric services.
• To ensure the effective functioning of the Postal Department as a messenger service.
• To enhance the post offices as a provider of banking facilities.
660 post offices were closed earlier but 5,000 offices were opened between 2014 and 2023, and
about 5,746 new ones are in the process of being opened.
Existing Provisions New Provisions
Features
(Post Office Act, 1898) (Post Office Bill, 2023)
Exclusive Central government will have the It removed the exclusive privilege of
privileges exclusive privilege of conveying letters central government in conveying letters.

71

wherever it establishes posts.
It also made the post office to have the
Stamps be issued as per the Rules exclusive privilege of issuing postage
prescribed by the Centre. stamps.
Services provided by post office
includes the delivery of postal articles Post Office will provide services
Services
including letters, postcards, and prescribed by the central government.
parcels and money orders.
The bill retains the power to
intercept shipments
Grounds
1. Any public emergency
Grounds
2. Interest of public safety or
1. Security of the state
tranquillity.
2. Friendly relations with foreign
states
Powers to Authority - Such interceptions may
3. Public order, emergency, or public
intercept be carried out by the central
safety
shipments government, state governments, or any
4. Contravention of the provisions of
officer specially authorised by them.
the Bill or any other law
Powers - An intercepted shipment
Authority - An officer empowered by the
can be detained or disposed of by the
central government through a
officer in charge.
notification may carry out an
interception.
The bill removes the powers of
examination.
An officer in charge of the Post Office
Examination may examine if he suspects any items In such case, Central government may
of shipment prohibited, or are liable to be paid duty empower an officer of the Post Office to
upon. deliver the shipment to the customs
authority who will then deal with the
item in question.
The Bill does not provide for any offences
or consequences, except one.
Offences and The Act specifies various offences and
penalties penalties. Amounts not paid or neglected by a user
will be recoverable as arrears of land
revenue.
Exemptions The government is exempted from any It retains exemption provided to the
from liability liability of loss, mis delivery, delay or central government and the officer in

72

damage to a postal article but does not charge.
apply where the liability is undertaken
by the central government in express The Post Office may prescribe the liability
terms. regarding its services which was earlier
prescribed by the central government.
Officers are also exempt from such
liability unless they have acted
fraudulently or wilfully.
What are the concerns with the bill?
• Draconian colonial provisions – It not only retains the provision of intercepting a
transmitted shipment in the interest of security of state but also added more grounds of
interception.
• Without any procedure - The bill also does not lay down any procedures for interception
or opening letters of packages.
• Lacks transparency – It is silent on specifying the ‘level of officer’ who will be
empowered with such powers.
• Harms Right to privacy - Lack of safeguards may violate freedom of speech and
expression, and right to privacy of individuals.
• Emergency as ground - The grounds for interception include ‘emergency’, which may be
beyond reasonable restrictions under the Constitution.
• Conflict of Interest – The bill exempts India Post from liability for lapses in postal
services.
• Liability may be prescribed through Rules by the central government, which also
administers India Post. This may lead to conflict of interest.
• Accountability - It removed the penalties for offences done by the post office officials.
Wisent (European wood bison) (Animal-environment)

Ukraine war could wreck efforts to save and rewild Europe’s great wild bovid.
• The wisent once roamed across Europe at the end of the last ice age was almost wiped out
by 1927 from Europe.
• Conservation efforts in its last remaining strongholds, including Ukraine and Russia, have
raised hopes of a revival.
• Threats - Rapid environmental change and hunting by humans.
• Hunting caused range loss in the north and east of the wisent’s distribution, while land use
change was responsible for losses in the west and south.
• At present, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is threatening the hopes of this species revival.
• Ecosystem Engineer - The European bison is a priority species for conservation because
it serves an important role as an ecosystem engineer, restoring grassland habitat.
• Conservation status - It was recently moved from Vulnerable to Near Threatened in the
IUCN Red list of threatened species.

73

Currently there are approximately 7,300 free-ranging European bison.
Sun Goddess Particle (S&T)

High-energy ‘sun goddess’ particle ‘from nowhere’ collides into Earth.
Amaterasu
• It is one of the most powerful cosmic rays slamming into Earth and has been named
Amaterasu after the Japanese sun goddess.
• These ultra-high energy particle passes atmosphere smoothly without any deflection by
magnetic fields.
• Spotted by - Telescope Array observatory in Utah, a collaboration of the United States,
Japan, Korea, Russia, and Belgium to observe cosmic rays.
• Energy - It exceeds 240 exa-electron volts (EeV), millions of times more powerful than the
particles produced by the Large Hadron Collider, which is the most powerful accelerator
ever built.
• It is 2nd only to the ‘Oh-My-God’ particle, another high-energy cosmic ray at 320 EeV that
was detected in 1991.
• Amaterasu have emerged from the Local Void, an empty area of space bordering the Milky
Way galaxy.
Oh My God Particle
• The Oh-My-God particle detected over Utah in 1991 was probably a proton traveling at
0.999 (and add another 20 x 9s after that) of the speed of light.
• Its kinetic energy was estimated at 3 x 1020 electron volts (eV) and it would have had the
collision energy of 7.5 x 1014 eV when it hit an atmospheric particle.
• This is still about 50 times the collision energy we expect the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
will be able to generate at full power.
God Particle
• It is also known as Higgs Boson Particles.
• The Higgs boson is the fundamental particle associated with the Higgs field, a field that
gives mass to other fundamental particles such as electrons and quarks.
• Mass - The Higgs boson has a mass of 125 billion electron volts — meaning it is 130 times
more massive than a proton.
• Charge - The Higgs boson is also charge less.
• Zero spin - Higgs boson, has an intrinsic angular momentum, or spin, of 0.
• The Higgs Boson is the only elementary particle with no spin.
Cosmic Rays
• Cosmic rays are sub-atomic particles, being mainly protons (hydrogen nuclei) and
occasionally helium or heavier atomic nuclei and very occasionally electrons.
• Cosmic ray particles are very energetic as a result of them having a substantial velocity and
hence a substantial momentum.

74

Tax Inspectors without Borders (TIWB) (Economics)
Tax Inspectors without Borders (TIWB) programme launched in partnership with India.
• TIWB is a capacity-building programme, helping countries in building tax audit capacity.
• TIWB is a joint initiative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• TIWB Programmes complement the efforts of the international community to strengthen
co-operation on tax matters and contribute to the domestic resource mobilisation efforts of
developing countries.
• It deploys qualified experts in developing countries and help build tax capacity in the areas
of audit, criminal tax investigations and the effective use of automatically exchanged
information.
• TIWB launched a programme in Saint Lucia in which India has been chosen as the Partner
Administration and will provide Tax Experts for this programme.
• The focus of the programme will be on effective use of automatic exchange of information
under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) framework.
This programme is the 7th TIWB programme, which India has supported by providing Tax
Experts.
Bodhicitta (Culture)
Dalai Lama arrives at Siliguri's Sed-Gyued Monastery to deliver teachings on bodhicitta to his
devotees.
Mahayana
• One of the two major traditions of Buddhism, now practiced in a variety of forms especially
in China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea.
• It emerged around the 1st century CE.
• It is typically concerned with other-oriented spiritual practice as embodied in the ideal of
the bodhisattva.
• In Mahayana practice, compassion is both a practice and a result.
• Compassion is used to transform emotional reactivity into attention, and that attention in
turn is used to awaken to the nature of mind, emptiness.
• However, then that same emptiness becomes the basis for a different kind of compassion.
Bodhicitta
• This interweaving of emptiness and compassion is expressed in the Sanskrit word
Bodhicitta, for which an accepted and widely used English translation is awakening mind.
• Compassion is the stepping-stone into bodhicitta (awakening mind), the central theme of
Mahayana.
• Many people regard bodhicitta as simply a form of altruism.
• This form of compassion seeks to alleviate suffering and pain as much as possible and takes
expression in society as kindness, care, and justice.

75

• Bodhicitta permeates every aspect of Mahayana teaching and practice.
In the Mahayana tradition, the major form of Buddhism in Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan, it
was thought that anyone who made the aspiration to awakening (bodhicitta).
Bodhisattva
• Bodhisattva, in Buddhism, one who seeks awakening (Bodhi), hence, an individual on the
path to becoming a Buddha.
• In Theravada, the major form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, the term bodhisattva was used
primarily to refer to the Buddha Shakyamuni (as Gautama Siddhartha is known) in his
former lives.
• The stories of his lives, the Jatakas, portray the efforts of the bodhisattva to cultivate the
qualities, including morality, self-sacrifice, and wisdom, which will define him as a Buddha.
Sed-Gyued Monastery
• It is located in Siliguri, West Bengal.
• It is the main seat of the Sed-Gyued lineage or whispered lineage.
• Whispered lineage is a secret teaching transmitted only to the closest disciple through direct
communication with their root teacher or meditational deity.
• The purpose of Sed-Gyued Monastery is to preserve and promote the unique tantric study,
practice, experiences and culture of this lineage, as well as the subsequent lineage holders
and Sed-Gyued masters.
Article 370 and Supreme Court (Governance)

A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the power of the President to
abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to the former State of
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
History of J&K’s Accession to India
Pre-Independence- Under British rule, from 1846 to 1858, J&K was a princely state in a
subsidiary alliance with the British East India Company and subsequently came under the British

76

Crown until 1947.
• The East India Company, which had annexed the Kashmir Valley from the Sikhs as war
indemnity, sold it to the Maharaja of Jammu, Gulab Singh.
• J&K remained a part of the British Raj but enjoyed its sovereignty, except for matters of
defence, foreign affairs, and communications.
• It also disallowed outsiders to own properties in the State.
What is Article 370?

Origin- Article 370 is derived from Part XXI of the Constitution under the title “Temporary,
Transitional and Special provisions”.
Features – Article 370 gave Kashmir its autonomy in internal administration and in all matters
except for 3 subjects - defence, external affairs, and communication.
• Except for Article 1 (India is a Union of States) and Article 370 (Temporary provisions
with respect to the State of J&K) of the Constitution of India, other provisions do not apply
to J&K.
• Clause (1) (d) of Art 370 empowered the President of India to extend other provisions of the
Constitution through an executive order with the concurrence of the government of
J&K.
• Article 370(3) empowered the President to ‘declare Article 370 shall cease to be operative’
completely or partially but only if the Constituent Assembly of J&K
recommended such an action.
• Delhi agreement, signed in 1952, extended the provisions of Indian Constitution
regarding citizenship, fundamental rights to the State, in addition to the jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court of India.
Article 35A?
Origin- It was inserted as part of the amendments made through a 1954 Presidential
order imposed under Article 370.
Features- It grants the J&K assembly complete freedom to decide or define the permanent
residents of the State.

77

The permanent resident of J&K has been defined as a person who was a subject of the State
on May 14, 1954, or a person who has been residing in J&K for 10 years, and has
acquired immovable property in the State under the ambit of law.
• It allows J&K to confer special rights and privileges to permanent residents in
o Public employment
o Acquisition of immovable property in the State
o Settlement in different parts of the State
o Access to scholarships
o Other such aids that the State government might provide
• It exempts the legislation with respect to permanent residents from being annulled on the
ground that they infringe on any of the fundamental rights.
• It also bars female residents of J&K from property rights in the event that they
marry a person from outside the state.
• It forbids outsiders from permanently settling, buying land, holding local government
jobs or education scholarships in the region.
How was Article 370 scrapped?

Article 367 provides guidance on the interpretation of various provisions of the Constitution
and set out the rules for determining the meaning of words and phrases used in the Constitution.
• Constitutional Order 272- It amended Article 367 thereby stating that the reference
to Constituent Assembly in Article 370 would mean Legislative Assembly of the State.
• During that time (2019), the State was under the President’s rule and hence the President
issued the orders instead of State Legislative Assembly.
• Constitutional Order 273- On the recommendation of Rajya Sabha, President
announced the order effectively declaring that the Article 370 would cease to operate,
thereby applying the provisions of Indian Constitution to J&K.
• Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019- The law bifurcated the State into
two Union Territories (UTs)

78

o Ladakh (without Legislature) - Comprises Kargil and Leh districts
o J&K (with Legislature) - Comprises all the remaining territories of the erstwhile
State of J&K.
National Unity Day was observed on October 31, 2019, the day the two union territories (J&K
and Ladakh) were established.
What are the arguments in favour of abrogation?

• Temporary nature- The provision is temporary and its abrogation is the ultimate step
towards integration of J&K with India.
• Article 14 - Article 35A discriminates against women who marry outside the State and
allows only the permanent residents to buy land in J&K, thereby violating the Right to
equality (Art 14).

79

• Inclusiveness- There is no separate flag and Constitution for J&K, meaning that the State
is no longer a separate entity from India.
• Promise of restoration- It is converted into Union Territory owing to its sensitive
border State for a temporary period and Statehood would be restored once normalcy was
established in the State.
What are the arguments against abolition?
• Unique nature - The State had a unique relationship with the Union but the Maharaja of
J&K did not give up the internal sovereignty to the dominion of India.
• Violates the doctrine of colourable legislation- The President indirectly
amended Article 370, by substituting the Constituent Assembly of J&K with the Legislative
Assembly.
The doctrine of colourable legislation means what cannot be done directly cannot also be done
indirectly.
• Violation of democracy - Not ascertaining the will of the people either through its
elected Government or legislature or referenda, violates the basic principle of democracy,
federalism, and fundamental rights.
• Time of abrogation - The J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 was unconstitutional as the
declaration had been made with the concurrence of Governor at a time when J&K was
under President’s rule.
• Article 3- The Centre’s decision is also said to violate Article 3 of Indian Constitution.
Article 3 empowers the Parliament to form new States and alter the boundaries of existing
State. It is mandatory for the President to refer any Bill proposing the reorganisation of a State
to its legislature if the Bill “affects the area, boundaries or name of any of the States”.
What are the key takeaways from the Supreme Court verdict?
Key issues SC verdict
• The court ruled that Article 370 was always meant to be
Nature of Article 370 a temporary provision, considering its historical context,
wording and placement in the Constitution under part XXI.
• The court said that J&K didn't have any internal sovereignty
following the proclamation of Karan Singh (the ruler of J&K)
made in 1949.
• The Proclamation stipulated that the Indian Constitution
Internal Sovereignty of would govern the relationship between J&K and the Union
J&K and had the effect of a ‘merger’ like any other princely state.
• However, one of the judges followed the decision of the 1959
judgement in Prem Nath Kaul v Jammu and
Kashmir, where it was held that the States retained an
element of internal sovereignty.
• Article 370 was a feature of asymmetric federalism.
Federalism
• The special status granted to J&K was simply a higher degree

80

of that autonomy, not a different kind of autonomy.
• The Constitution of J&K was always subordinate to the
Constitution of India.
Constitution of J&K
• Hence, Article 370 became inoperative after the Constitutional
Orders 272 and 273.
• The court upheld the validity of the President's rule in J&K,
and said that the actions taken by the President were not
irrational referring to the landmark 1994 ruling in ‘SR
President rule in J&K Bommai v Union of India’.
• The President can assume “all or any” roles of the State
legislature and such action must be tested judicially only in
extraordinary cases.
• Article 356(1)(a) states that the President may declare that
the “powers of the State Legislature” shall be exercised
by or under the authority of Parliament.
Parliament power under • The court held that allowing Parliament to exercise all
Article 356 constitutional powers of the Legislative Assembly would limit
the power of the State.
• However, the Constitution recognises such reduction of federal
power when Article 356 is in force.
• The court held that the Parliament had the power to
reorganise J&K into 2 Union Territories under Article 3.
Reorganisation of the • It also said that the consent of the State legislature was
State under Article 3 not required as the Parliament had assumed its role during
President’s Rule.
• It also asked the Union to restore statehood at the earliest.
• The court recommended the constitution of TRC just like
Truth and
South Africa did in its post-apartheid era to address human
Reconciliation
rights violations perpetrated in J&K both by State and non-
Commission (TRC)
State actors since the 1980s.
• The court asked the Election Commission of India to conduct
Elections elections to the J&K Legislative Assembly by 30th September
2024.
Why election in the Union Territory of J&K is important?
The last Assembly election was in 2014, and the last elected administration fell in June 2018.
• Restore democracy- Elections are a way of restoring democracy and representation to
the people of J&K, who have been under President’s rule since 2018.
• Affirmative action- As the Jammu and Kashmir bills increased the seats in the
Legislative Assembly for SCs and STs, it provides a stronger political representation.

81

• Boosts confidence - Elections are a chance of building confidence and trust between the
Centre and the people of J&K.
• Grievance redressal- Elections are a means of addressing the grievances and aspirations
of the people of J&K, who have faced various challenges and hardships after the abrogation
of Article 370.
• Reduce terrorism- Elections can also foster dialogue and reconciliation among the
stakeholders and reduce the alienation and violence in the region.
• Citizen engagement- Elections are an opportunity of enhancing the governance of J&K,
by ensuring the participation and accountability of the elected representatives and the
administration.
• Economic gain- Elections can also attract more investment and infrastructure to the
region and improve the quality of life of the people.
SR Bommai Case – Regarding Article 356

• Article 356- It allows the President to impose Central rule in States experiencing a
"failure of constitutional machinery."
• Legal precedents- The President must have a "reasonable satisfaction" that the State
government is unable to function according to the Constitution.
• There must be a failure of constitutional machinery, not just a political crisis.
• The Governor’s report that recommends President's rule, must be based on objective
facts and not mere speculation.
• The Central government's decision must be immediately communicated to both Houses of
Parliament for approval.
• The proclamation of President's rule must be laid before each House of Parliament within
a month.
PT POINTERS
JN.1
• A case of JN.1, subvariant of COVID19 has been detected in Kerala, as part of surveillance
activity by Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) recently.
• It is a descendant of the Pirola variant (BA.2.86), carries an additional mutation on its
spike protein.
• It is capable of spreading faster and evading immunity.
Ketamine
• Ketamine is an illegal recreational anaesthetic drug that has been listed as a
hallucinogen by the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
• It is used to treat mental health treatments like depression and Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD).
Mount Vinson

82

• Kerala’s Shaikh Hassan Khan now scales Mount Vinson in Antarctica recently to spread
awareness of climate change happening in Antarctica.
• Mount Vinson, also known as Vinson Massif, is the highest mountain in Antarctica and
one of the 7 Summits, which are the highest peaks on each of the world's 7 continents.
• Mount Vinson is located in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, about 1,200
kilometers from the South Pole.
• It was discovered in 1935 by American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth.
Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-4)
• The 4th unit of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-4) started controlled fission chain
reaction and thus became critical recently.
• It is a nuclear power plant situated in Gujarat.
• It is the 2nd of 16 indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) of 700 MW.
• It is operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
Red Sea
• The Red Sea is a narrow inland sea between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and
most heavily travelled waterways between Europe and Asia.
• It is connected to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean to the south through the Gulf of
Aden and the narrow strait of Bab el Mandeb.
• The northern portion of the Red Sea is bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula into the Gulf of
Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez, where it is connected to the Mediterranean Sea via the famous
Suez Canal.
• It's one of the world's warmest and saltiest seas, and is high in nutrients and
plankton.
Taiwan Strait
• The Taiwan Strait is also known as the Formosa Strait that separates mainland China
and the island of Taiwan.
• The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north.
• The strait is an arm of the Pacific Ocean and extends from southwest to northeast.
‘NAMAN’ (NIMHANS-AHT Comprehensive Mental-Health-Action-Program for Rural
Communities)

83

• NAMAM programme is recently being implemented in 2 taluks of Karnataka and
Uttarakhand and is expected to be completed within 3 years.
• It is a collaborative intiative of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences
(NIMHANS) & Bengaluru and the Ashraya Hastha Trust (AHT).
• NAMAN is a rural mental health program that aims to provide preventive, therapeutic, and
rehabilitative care to the entire population of the target taluks.
Surat Diamond Bourse
• PM inaugurates Surat Diamond Bourse in Gujarat recently.
• It is world’s largest and modern centre for international diamond and jewellery business
and is part of the Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) City.
• It will be a global centre for trading of both rough and polished diamonds as well as
jewellery.
Gelephu Smartcity Project
• The Gelephu project is a mega project in Bhutan to have 1,000-sq. km. green city along
Assam border ‘connecting South Asia to Southeast Asia’.
• There are also discussions about a 58-km rail link between Gelephu and Kokrajhar in
Assam were also held.
FDI in India
• Tamil Nadu ranks 4th in attracting FDI in the period between Oct 2019 and September
2023, after Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat.
• The total FDI inflow includes equity inflow, equity capital of unincorporated bodies, re-
invested earnings and other capital.
• A foreign direct investment (FDI) refers to purchase of an asset in another country,
such that it gives direct control to the purchaser over the asset.
Operation Greens (OG)

• It is a Central Sector Scheme established under Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA
Yojana.
• Launched by - Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Implemented by - National
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED).
• The scheme aims to stabilize the supply of Tomato, Onion, and Potato (TOP) crops, in
line with the Operation Flood (White Revolution).
• It also aims to ensure that these crops are available throughout the year without price
volatility.
Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission’ (PM-ABHIM)
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme aims to address critical gaps in health
infrastructure, surveillance, and health research.
• The mission's goal is to help communities become self-sufficient in managing health crises
and pandemics.
• It is the largest Pan-India scheme for public health infrastructure since 2005.

84

• It is launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in addition to the National
Health Mission.
Tamilisai Moovars
• Tamilisai Moovars (Tamil Trinity) - Muthuthandavar, Marimutha Pillai, and
Arunachala Kavirayar, all 3 lived in TamilNadu and contributed to Carnatic music.
• Kavirayar was the 1st to compose musical drama in Tamil, his contributions were
Rama Natakam, Asomuki Natakam, Sirkazhi Sthala Puranam, and Sirkazhi Kovai.
• Marimutha Pillai was a pioneer in composing Ninda Stuti Kritis, his contributions were
Puliyur Venba and numerous Padhigams and Kuravanji.
• Muthuthandavar composed the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja called Tandava Kritis.
Martian Moon eXploration (MMX)
• It is a space exploration mission led by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
(JAXA) expected to reach Martian orbit in 2025.
• It is a mission to travel to Mars and survey the red planet’s 2 moons - Phobos and
Deimos and finally collect material from its surface before returning to Earth by 2029.
Andriamamelo Cave
• Andriamamelo Cave is located in Western Madagascar and contains ancient rock art,
hints at ancient connections between Africa and Asia.
• The art is the 1st pictorial art found on the island and includes images of nature with
human-like and animal-like figures.
• The art includes unique black rock drawings and motifs from Egypt, Ethiopia, Afro-Arab
and Borneo.
Net Borrowing limits for states
• Finance Ministry recently announced that States may be able to tap about Rs.2.04 lakh
crore as additional borrowings over and above their net borrowing limits for the year.
• The Centre had allowed 22 States to raise additional borrowings of almost Rs.61,000 crore
this year on top of their net borrowing ceilings of 3% of Gross State Domestic Product.
• The extra borrowing ceiling was granted to States who met their pension liabilities by
making required contributions to the National Pension System (NPS).
United Earth Amazonia prize
• The United Earth Amazonia prize is a "Green Nobel" prize that recognizes environmental
work in the Amazon rainforest.
• The prize highlights projects that help preserve and protect the rainforest and its
biodiversity.
• The prize was instituted by Marcus Nobel, a Swedish-American businessman based in
Portland, Oregon.
• The prize was inaugurated last year without any monetary reward, but it is set to expand its
scope in 2024.
World Intellectual Property Indicators 2023 (WIPI) report
• According to the report of WIPI, 2023 global patent applications has been increased.

85

•In 2022, applicants based in China filed around 1.58 million patent applications, followed
by the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Germany.
• The WIPI report also includes India as a star performer and secured the 40th position out
of 132 countries.
INSUQUICK
• Drug firm USV and bio-tech company Biogenomics have launched INSUQUICK, India's
1st biosimilar Insulin Aspart recently.
• InsuQuick is a rapid-acting insulin that helps control blood sugar levels and treats diabetes
mellitus in children over 2 years old.
• It is a 'Make in India' product.
Logistics Ease Across Different State (LEADS) 2023 (Economics data)

The 5th edition of the LEADS annual exercise provides insights into improvement of logistics
performance at State/UT level.
• Basis – Logistics Performance Index (LPI) of World Bank.
• Unlike LPI that relies entirely on perception-based surveys, LEADS incorporates both
perception and objective data.
• Launched in – in 2018
• Objectives – To assess the performance of logistics eco-system across States and Union
Territories (UTs) and to promote competitive federalism for development of logistics
sector.
• Data source - A pan-India primary survey conducted across 36 States/UTs.
• 3 pillars of logistics performance - Quality of Logistics Infrastructure, Quality of
Logistics Services, and Operating & Regulatory Environment.
Key findings of LEADS (2023)

• A positive shift in perception is spread across all the States and UTs plus across all the 3
pillars of logistics performance.

86

• A marked improvement in stakeholder satisfaction regarding ease of logistics when
compared to 2019 perception results.
• Overall, pace of infrastructure development has increased consistently between 2014-15
and 2022- 23
• 23 States/UTs have also notified their State Logistics Polices to align with the National
Logistics Policy and further, 16 States/UTs have given industry status to logistics.
• Digital reforms such as PM GatiShakti, Logistics Data Bank, Unified Logistics Interface
Platform (ULIP), GST are propelling India’s improved ranking at global level.
Astrashakti 2023 (Defence-S&T)

India demonstrated the firepower of the indigenous Akash missile system during the recent
exercise ‘Astrashakti 2023’.
• Astrashakti - It literally means power of weapons.
• It is an air force exercise that held at Suryalanka Air Force Station in Andhra Pradesh.
• Aim – To serves as a platform to showcase the advanced capabilities of indigenous weapon
systems.
• To underscore India's commitment to exporting its home-grown weapon systems to the
global market.
• Demonstrations of SAMAR – Successful firing trials of SAMAR air defence missile
• Demonstration of Akash firing unit – A single firing unit of Akash weapon
system simultaneously engaged and destroyed 4 unmanned aerial targets.
o Firing Level Radar (FLR) – It detects and tracks the target.
o Firing Control Centre (FCC) – It process the information.
o 2 Akash Air Force Launcher (AAFL) – It has 5 armed missiles, at 1st 2 Akash
missiles were launched and the same launcher was assigned for next 2 targets.
o Thus all 4 targets were successfully engaged at maximum range (around 30
km) simultaneously.
India become the 1st country to demonstrate the capability of engaging 4 targets simultaneously
at such ranges by command guidance using a single firing unit of Akash weapon system.
SAMAR (Surface to Air Missile for Assured Retaliation)
o It is an air defence system developed by a unit under IAF’s Maintenance Command.
o Features – It consists of a twin turret launch platform with the capability of
launching 2 missiles in single and salvo mode.
o It can engage aerial threats with missiles operating at a speed range of 2 to 2.5 Mach.
Akash weapon system
o It is one of the indigenous defence systems that have bagged orders from international
customers.
o Designed and developed by – DRDO
o Produced by – Defence PSU along with other industries.
o Deployed by – Indian Air Force and the Indian Army

87

o Export potential – It may get more orders from Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
According to data by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India has been
the world's largest arms importer since 1993. But in 2022, India clinched a deal with Philippines
to export Brahmos supersonic cruise missile.
Veto power in UNSC (IO)

The US vetoed a resolution of the UN Security Council (UNSC) that called for a Gaza ceasefire.
All member countries of the UN are part of the General Assembly (UNGA) which can pass
resolutions on relevant matters. Only a simple majority (of more than half the members) is
required to pass its resolutions.
• UN Security Council (UNSC) - It consists 15 members.
• United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China are the permanent members
of UNSC and called as P5 countries.
• Based on UNGA elections, the 10 additional members are elected for 2 years each.
In 1965, the number of non-permanent UNSC members was increased from six to 10.
• UNSC resolutions are legally binding, unlike the UNGA’s.
• Each party has 1 vote and it needs minimum of 9 votes to adopt a resolution.
• Right to veto– Each of the P5 members has the power to veto a vote which is a negative
vote against the resolution.
• According to UN Charter, if any 1 of the P5 members cast a veto in UNSC, the resolution
would fail while abstaining from voting is not a negative vote.
• Exclusive veto power – After WW-II ended in 1945, the P5 were among the victors
against Germany, Italy and Japan.
• The US, the UK and the USSR (later Russia) were accorded certain exclusive rights to
themselves in UNSC recognizing their key role in ending the war and forming UN.
• They in turn offered seats to France and China that these countries would assume, or
reassume, great-power status.
• Limitations – Current body is limited in terms of representation.
Dumbarton Oaks conference was held in Washington DC in 1944 which was attended by
representatives of China, Great Britain, the USSR and the US in drawing the contours of UN.
Algae-assisted Carbon capture (Environment)

IIT Jodhpur’s innovative technology uses algae-assisted fuel cells to capture carbon dioxide, treat
wastewater and generate power.
• It is an indirect method for converting CO2 into carbonates and then use it for algal growth.
Aim – To generates power, algae biomass and treats water by utilising algae-assisted
MFC for flue gas carbon capture.

88

Flue gas the gas produced from the flue or chimneys of thermal power stations and other
industrial plants
Microbial fuel cells (MFC)
• A bio-electrochemical device that generates electricity by harnessing the metabolic activity
of microorganisms.
• When microorganisms break down organic matter as in wastewater into simpler
molecules, electrons are released in the process.
• If these electrons are made to flow through an external circuit, you get electric current.
Working – CO2 from the flue gas is absorbed by the wastewater supplemented with sodium
bicarbonate and generates flue-gas-derived bicarbonates (FGDBs).
• FGDB helps in growth of algae Chlorella vulgaris which is thermo-tolerant and can
grow in wastewater.
• Algae-assisted MFC is then used to generate electricity.
Significance – This indirect biochemical route of CO2 fixation is advantageous since more
inorganic carbon can stay in the water.
o 1 tonne of algae captures 180 tonnes of flue gas CO2.
o For a cubic meter of wastewater and FGDB in MFC, they got energy of 0.0066 kWhr.
This is the 1st time that the integration of algae MFC with flue gas carbon capture has been
attempted anywhere.
Limitations – A tonne per day of CO2 capture requires 2 sq km algae culture area (aerial) in
vertically aligned pipes.
Operation Prosperity Guardian (IR)

Houthi militants from Yemen have attacked or seized commercial ships near the Red Sea amidst
the ongoing Gaza war.
• It is a multinational security initiative in the Red Sea.
• Launched by – USA
• Partner countries – UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway,
Seychelles and Spain have joined and others.
• Coordinated by – Combined Maritime Forces, Task Force 153.
The Combined Maritime Forces is a multi-naval taskforce with 39 members including India
and Pakistan. It was set up in 2022 to improve maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb
and the Gulf of Aden.
• Role – Increased presence of military ships and joint patrols.
• While they will not necessarily escort a specific vessel, they will provide umbrella
protection to as many as possible.
Red Sea
• The nearly 2,000-km Red Sea connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean via

89

the narrow Suez Canal (since 1869).
Importance – According to the US agency, the Suez Canal accounted for 9.2 million barrels per
day of total oil flows in the first half of 2023.
• Another estimate says that about 12% of global trade depends on the Suez Canal, compared
to 5% on the Panama Canal.
Impact of attacks – Oil prices rose fearing about the problems that could confront global
shipping and logistics.
• The journeys could increase by 2 weeks because of the re-routing through Africa.
• A container bound for the Middle East will now attract a war risk surcharge.
The Houthis are Zaydi Shias, a sub-sect of Shia Islam are in civil war with the Yemen
government by controlling northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa while the government
now operates out of Aden.
A Touchscreen (S&T)
Between 2007 and 2013, capacitive touchscreens overtook resistive touchscreens in the consumer
electronics market.
• Invention – The 1st touch screen was invented in 1965 by E.A. Johnson of U.K, a
capacitive device.
• Function – It is a surface that combines 2 functions
o To receive inputs for a computer (say, tapping on an app)
o To display the output (launching the app).
• Working – It consists of 3 main components

90

• A touch sensor – It has an electrical current going through it and touching the
screen causes a voltage or signal changes which are used to determine the location of the
touch.
• Main technology used in sensors are
o Resistive
o Capacitive
o Surface Acoustic Wave(SAW)
o Infrared LED or Optical
• A controller – It takes information’s from the touch sensor and translates it into
information the PC can understand.
• A software Driver – It allows the touch screen and computers to work together.
• Applications – Smartphones, ATM machines, TVs, refrigerators, e-readers, billing
systems, and electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Wild Orchids (Environment)

Epiphytic orchids found in the Dooars and Darjeeling hills are dying out because of deforestation
in their natural habitat.
• Orchids – A diverse group of flowering plants with vibrant and intricate flowers which
belong to the family Orchidaceae.
• Range – Tropical rainforests, mountains, and even deserts.
• Distribution – India has over 1200 species of Orchids, 388 are endemic to India
while 128 are endemic to the Western Ghats.
The hot-spots of orchids in India are Himalayas, North-East India and Western Ghats and they
are highest in Arunachal Pradesh followed by Sikkim and West Bengal.
• 3 Types – 60% of all orchids found in India are epiphytic, 447 are terrestrial and 43 are
mycoheterotrophic.
o Epiphytic – They grow on another plant including rock surfaces (lithophytes)
merely for physical support, drawing moisture and nutrients from the air, not from
the host.
o Terrestrial – They grow on land and climbers, found largely in temperate and
alpine regions.
o Mycoheterotrophic - They derive nutrients from mycorrhizal fungi, attached to
roots of a vascular plant.
• Protection status – Appendix II of CITES (trade of wild orchid is banned globally).
• Threat – Habitat loss owing to illegal logging and development and the most
endangered are the epiphytic orchids.
• Importance – They are natural gauges of air quality because they don’t grow in
polluted air.
• It helps in cross-pollination and helps the next generation of insects to survive and grow as
caterpillars thrive on them for food.

91

• It has symbiotic relationship with the indigenous people.
o The Oraon and Kharia tribal communities use orchids to treat cuts and fractures,
skin diseases, aches and pains, gastrointestinal acidity and so on.
A World Health Organisation report that says 80% of people on this planet depend on traditional
remedies and epiphytic orchids add to the value chain of herbal healing.
Global Study on Homicide Report 2023 (IO)

Recently, the 4th edition of Global Study on Homicide Report was released.
• Published by – United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
• Objective - To reveal into the facts behind the violence, to try and identify notable trends
and to inform policies and solutions.
• Data source - Updated UNODC homicide statistics dataset.
UN Surveys on Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (UN-CTS) is
conducted annually to collect data from UN member nations along with other pertinent data
sources.
• Covers 3 categories – Homicides related to criminal activities, interpersonal homicides,
and socio-politically motivated homicides.
• 2023 Report – It highlights regional and sub-regional trends, demographics, age, and
gender profiles of victims and it considers the impacts of megatrends like climate change
and even Covid-19.
• It also examines the criminal justice system’s response to, seeking to identify areas for
improvement and intervention.
SDG Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to significantly reducing all
forms of violence and related death rates.
Key Findings of the Report
• Increased violence – Due to disputes over water access and worsening situation with
population growth, economic expansion and climate change.
• Year 2021 was exceptionally lethal with an estimated 458,000 intentional homicides
worldwide, averaging 52 killings every hour.
• India (2019-21) – 16.8% or every 6th of all murders is due to disputes over natural
resources or property.
• About 0.5% or 300 were due to water-related conflicts.
Revised Criminal Reform Bill (Governance)

The Centre withdraws all three criminal law Bills and introduces new set of draft legislations.
Why the criminal Bills are revised?
• In August 2023, three Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha.
Introduced bills Replaced

92

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023 (BNSB) Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973
Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 (BSB) Indian Evidence Act 1872
Aim- To overhaul the existing criminal laws and make them more contemporary and
comprehensive.
• The three Bills were referred to the standing committee, they proposed key changes to the
Bills.
• Subsequently, the centre revamped criminal law Bills.
What were the revised reform Bills key changes?
About First draft of the Bill Revised Bills
• The term economic offences
• It was introduced to prevent
has been removed from
the escape of individuals accused of
handcuff provision.
Handcuffs serious offences.
• The use of handcuffs is
• To ensure the safety of police
extended to the persons who
officers and staff during arrests.
are produced before the court.
• It allowed convicts undergoing
death sentences or their legal heirs
or relatives to file mercy petitions.
• The convict sentenced to death, or
their legal heir or relative, can file a
• It deleted the provision that
mercy petition to the Governor
allowed mercy petitions to be
within 30 days after the jail
forwarded to the Home
authorities inform them about the
Department of the state
disposal of their petition.
Mercy government or the Centre for
• If the Governor rejects it, they can
petitions review.
appeal to the President within 60
• It is based on the committee’s
days.
suggestion that the judicial
• The President's order is final and
functions should not be left
cannot be challenged in any court.
with Executive’s discretion.
• It also allowed them to submit their
plea to the Home Department of the
Centre or the state government
before approaching the Governor or
the President.
• It allowed police officers to detain • It adds a time limit to this
or remove persons resisting to provision.
Preventive
conform to any direction given by • It says that the person detained
detention
them and taken them to Judicial may be taken to magistrate or
Magistrate. in petty cases be released as

93

• In petty cases release them “when soon as possible within 24
the occasion is past”. hours.
• Judicial magistrate is replaced
b Magistrate.
• It defines community service to
mean work which the Court
• It has included community service
may order a convict to perform
as a penal measure for offences like
as a form of punishment that
attempting suicide, restraining
benefits the community, for
exercise of lawful power theft,
Community which he shall not be entitled to
defamation of public functionaries,
service any remuneration.
and appearing in public places while
• It also adds community service
intoxicated and causing annoyance.
as punishment for unlawfully
• There is no clear cut definition for
engaging public servants in
community service.
trade and non-appearance in
response to a proclamation
• It expanded the definition of
• It removed the broad and vague
terrorism beyond the Unlawful
definition of terrorism.
Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967
• It adopted the existing
(UAPA).
definition of UAPA 1967.
• It included non-violent speech and
Terrorism • UAPA defines terrorism as any
acts that could intimidate, disturb
act that threatens or strikes
or destabilise the public order or the
terror in the people or the
political, economic, or social
sovereignty of India or any
structures of the country as
foreign country.
terrorism.
• It used the term "mental illness" to • The error has been corrected
replace the concept of "mental and restored the concept of
unsoundness" in the existing laws, mental unsoundness.
Mental without acknowledging the • The government has recognised
unsoundness difference between them. the importance and ensuring
• It could have serious implications consistency with the existing
for the rights and liabilities of laws and the Mental Healthcare
persons with mental health issues. Act, 2017.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023

Recently, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha to replace Indian
Penal Code (IPC), 1860.
What is IPC, 1860?
Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay is said to be the chief architect of codifications of criminal
laws in India.

94

• Origin- It was enacted aftermath the Rebellion of 1857 which is the brainchild of Thomas
Babington Macaulay.
• It was introduced by the British in 1860, making it the longest surviving code in the
common law world.
• Recommendation- It was based on recommendations of the 1st Law Commission of India
established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833.
• Substantive law- It is a law which defines
o Rights and responsibilities in civil law
o Crimes and punishments in criminal law
• Punishments- They are divided into 5 major sections.
o Death
o Imprisonment for life, general imprisonment
o Forfeiture of property and fine
What are the key features of the Bill?
• New provisions- The bill includes offences related to organised crime and terrorism for
the 1st time.
• Punishment-
o All types of gang rape -20 years of imprisonment or life imprisonment
o Rape of a minor - Death penalty
o Various offences have also been made gender neutral
• Community service- The bill proposes community work as a penalty for minor
transgressions, which will be included for the first time in the penal code.
o This brings it closer to the US, where acts like vandalism, petit theft, and drunk
driving are punished.
• Mob lynching- When a group of 5 or more persons acting in concert commits murder on
the ground of race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief or any
other ground, each member of such group shall be punished.
• Criminalises sexual intercourse- It is criminalised under the false pretext of marriage
or by deceitful means (false promise of employment or promotion, inducement or marrying
after suppressing one’s identity).

95

o This is a notable change since IPC does not have an explicit clause dealing with
instances of sexual intercourse based on a false promise of marriage
• Adultery- The provision for the offence of adultery has also been omitted.
o This is in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Joseph Shine v. Union of India,
2018 in which criminalization of adultery in IPC is held as unconstitutional.
• Struck Section 377- It does not include any punishment for unnatural sexual offences
against men.
o It is in lines of Navtej Singh Johar vs Union of India 2018 case.
• Marital rape- The provision legalising marital rape has been retained.
o The issue is currently pending in Supreme Court challenging the constitutional
validity which provides exception to non-consensual matrimonial sex from the
offence of rape.
What is the stand on offence of sedition?
The new Bill on IPC completely repeals the offence of sedition which is reflected in Section 124A of
the IPC. The bill aims to give justice not punishment.
• Offences against the State- It criminalises acts which endangers sovereignty, unity and
integrity of India.
• Wider definition- Section 150 criminalises aiding through financial means any acts of
subversive activities or those encouraging feelings of separatist activities.
• This is a wider definition than that recommended by the 22nd Law Commission of India.
• Enhanced punishment- It is increased to 7 years imprisonment from the 3 years
provided under Section 124A of the IPC
Committees for reform of Criminal Laws
• Malimath committee- It was formed in 2003 to bring reforms in the criminal justice
system.
• The Committee recommended that the victim should be allowed to participate in cases
involving serious crimes and also be given adequate compensation.
• Justice Verma panel- It was formed to ensure quicker trial and enhanced punishment
for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against women. It submitted its report in
2013.
• Ranbir Singh committee- It was formed in 2020 to review three codes of criminal law
o Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860
o Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973 and
o Indian Evidence Act, 1872
Election Commissioners Bill 2023 (Governance)

Recently Rajya Sabha passed The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners
(Appointment, Conditions of Office and Terms of Office) Bill, 2023.
Constitutional Provisions for Election Commission

96

About Description
Election It is a permanent and an independent body established by the Constitution of
Commission India directly to ensure free and fair elections in the country.
It provides the power of superintendence, direction and control of elections to
Article 324 parliament, State legislatures, the office of President of India and the office of
Vice-President of India shall be vested in the Election Commission.
It consists of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two other Election
Composition
Commissioners (ECs)
The CEC and EC appointment is subject to the provisions of any law made by
Appointment
Parliament, be made by the President.
What are the key features of Bill?
• Election Commission- It will consist of a Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other
Election Commissioners (ECs). The President will periodically fix the number of ECs.
• Appointment of the Commission- The Commission will be appointed by the President,
upon the recommendation of the Selection Committee.
• Search Committee- It is headed by the Cabinet Secretary, it will suggest five names to the
Selection Committee.
• The Selection Committee may consider any person other than those suggested by the Search
Committee.
• Eligibility criteria- The CEC and ECs must
o Be a persons of integrity,
o Have knowledge and experience in the management and conduct of elections, and
o Be or have been Secretary (or equivalent) to the government.
• Tenure- Members of the Election Commission will hold office for six years, or until they
attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• Reappointment- Members of the Commission cannot be re-appointed. If an EC is
appointed as a CEC, the overall period of the term may not be more than six years.

97

• Salary, allowances and other conditions- It will be equivalent to that of the Cabinet
Secretary.
• Pension provisions- They will have an option to draw pension and other retirement
benefits from the service that they belonged to previously.
• Removal- It retains the manner of removal of CEC and ECs as specified in the
Constitution.
o CEC- He/She may be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds as a
Supreme Court Judge.
o EC- They may be removed only upon the recommendation of CEC.
What is the issues with the Bill?
• Lack of autonomy- The Selection Committee may be dominated by the government and
compromise the independence of the Election Commission.
• The Supreme Court had suggested to include Chief Justice of India instead of a Cabinet
Minister, to ensure more balance and impartiality.
• Government interference- The Bill allows the Selection Committee to make
recommendations even when there is a vacancy in the Committee, this may result in the
monopoly of the government in selection of candidates.
• Salary provisions- It is equivalent to Cabinet Secretary, which may lead to government
influence as it is fixed by the government, it should be equivalent to salary of Supreme
Court judge, which is fixed by an Act of Parliament and requires more consensus.
• Eligibility criteria- It limits to senior bureaucrats, who have been or are at rank
equivalent to Secretary to the government. This may exclude other suitable candidates
especially those who have judicial experience or expertise.
What is the Supreme Court ruling regarding the appointment of CEC and EC?
• Anoop Baranwal case, 2023 - It held that there has been a legislative vacuum due to the
absence of any law by Parliament in the last 73 years (since the adoption of the
Constitution) with respect to the appointment of the CEC and EC.
• The independence of the ECI is essential for ensuring free and fair elections that is
paramount for a vibrant democracy.
• It drew reference to various other institutions supporting constitutional democracy that
have independent mechanisms for the appointment of its head/members like the National
and State Human Rights Commission, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),etc.,
• Committee recommendations- Dinesh Goswami Committee and the Law Commission
report on Electoral Reforms suggested that the CECs and ECs should be appointed by a
committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the Leader
of the Opposition or the largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha.
• Interim arrangement- The Court exercised its power under Article 142 laid down that
the CEC and ECs shall be appointed by a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the
CJI and the Leader of the Opposition or the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha.
Article 142 grants special powers to the Supreme Court to provide complete justice in any cause
or matter pending before it.

98

• The Bill removes Chief Justice of India from the selection process that was laid under
Anoop Baranwal case.
National Culture Fund (Culture)

National Culture Fund (NCF) Received Rs. 3.70 Crore from Non-Government Sources during
Last Five Years (2018-19 to 2022-23).
• Set up in – 1996, a trust under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890.
• Aim – To mobilize extra resources through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) towards
promoting, protecting & preserving India’s Cultural Heritage (Tangible & Intangible).
• It is managed by a Council and an Executive Committee.
• Council – It has the power to decide on relevant polices which has a maximum strength of
24 including the Chairman.
• It is chaired by the Hon'ble Minister of Culture and has 19 members from various
fields.
• Executive Committee – It will actualize the policies and it is chaired by the
Secretary, Ministry of Culture.
• Project Implementation committee (PIC) – Representatives from the Donor,
Implementer and NCF.
• The accounts are audited by the CAG of India annually.
• Fund usage
o To train a cadre of specialists and cultural administrators
o To document cultural expressions and forms
o To undertake research, innovations and experiments in arts
o To create of institutions such as galleries and museums

99

o To promote international cultural cooperation
• The donations to NCF will be eligible for tax benefit under the Income Tax Act.
• Beneficiaries – Any State Government or voluntary organisation registered under the
Societies Registration Act 1860 (21 of 1860) or registered as a Public Trust at least for the
last 2 years.
• Individuals are not entitled to financial assistance under this.
Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER) (Environment)

Recently, India’s 1st winter scientific expedition to the Arctic has been flagged off from the MoES
headquarters in New Delhi.
• It is a Central Sector umbrella scheme.
• Implemented by – Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through National Centre for Polar
and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa.
• Objectives – To promote long-term scientific programmes in the polar region and the
surrounding oceans that have potential societal, strategic and global relevance.
• To plan, coordinate and implement the annual expeditions.
• To establish polar research and logistic facilities in the country and to maintain Indian
research bases at Antarctica, Arctic and Himalaya.
4 sub-schemes under PACER
• Indian Antarctic Program – It was conceived in 1981 initiated under the Department of
Ocean Development (DOD) attached to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
• 3 permanent Indian research bases, Dakshin Gangotri-1983, Maitri-1988 and
Bharati-2012 have been built.
• Indian Arctic Program – Its foundation was laid in 2007 and it established its Arctic
research station, Himadri in 2008.
• Its research includes atmospheric, biological, marine and glaciological studies.
• Indian Scientific Expeditions to the Southern Ocean (ISESO) – It was initiated to
pursue multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional research activities addressing key scientific
components like
• Air-sea interactions, lower atmospheric processes, hydrodynamics, biogeochemistry,
biodiversity, etc.
• Cryosphere and Climate – It was initiated during 12th 5-year plan that have enhanced
our understanding of the Antarctic cryosphere and the climate variability.
Noma (S&T)
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has added the health challenge noma to its
official list of neglected tropical diseases (NTD).
• It is a severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and face.

100

• Origin - Greek word “nomē”, meaning ‘to devour’, as noma eats away facial tissue and
bones if not treated early.
• It is also known as cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis.
• Susceptible population – Children aged 2-6 years old.
• Spread – In developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
WHO website lists the ‘latest’ estimates 140,000 cases per year and a prevalence of 770,000
cases. However, the data dates back to 1998.
• Risk factors - Poor oral hygiene, malnutrition, weakened immune systems, infections, and
extreme poverty.
• While it is not contagious, it prefers to attack when the body’s defences are weak.
• Symptoms – It begins with gum inflammation and leads to facial disfigurement, spasm of
the jaw muscles, oral incontinence and speech problems.
• Oral contamination by – Bacteroidaceae and a consortium of other microorganisms
• Higher mortality rate – Approximately 90% as many children are not given care or
brought for care in time.
• Prevention and treatment – Its spread can be slowed with basic hygiene, measles
vaccination, antibiotics, rehydration, correction of electrolytic imbalances and nutritional
rehabilitation.
• Significance of NTD status – It will amplify global awareness, catalyse research,
stimulate funding, and boost efforts to control the disease through multisectoral and multi-
pronged approaches.
Noma is also called as ‘Face of poverty’ as effective drugs like sulfonamides and penicillin and
adequate surgical treatment for the effects remain inaccessible for many due to extreme poverty.
Migration and Development Brief (Economics)

The latest Migration and Development Brief reveals a continuing growth in remittance flows to
low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in 2023, albeit at a slower pace compared to previous
years.
• The brief is a biannual report.
• Prepared by – The Migration and Remittances Unit, Development Economics (DEC).
• Released by – World Bank.
• Objectives – To provide the information about migration and remittance flows and
related policies over the past 6 months and to provide medium-term projections of
remittance flows to developing countries.
Key findings of the report
• Remittances – It grew by an estimated 3.8% in 2023, reaching a total of USD669 billion
in LMICs.
• A 7.2% increase in South Asia with notable contribution by India.
• A decline for the 2nd consecutive year in Middle East and North Africa, driven by a sharp
drop in flows to Egypt.

101

•A decrease of 1.4% after a significant gain in 2022 in Europe and Central Asia.
• India – It remained as the largest recipient with an estimated USD125 billion in 2023.
The top 5 remittance recipient countries include India, Mexico, China, Philippines, and Egypt.
• Resilient labour markets in advanced economies and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
countries supported migrants' ability to send money home.
• There is a potential risk of a decline in real income for migrants in 2024 due to global
inflation and low growth prospects.
• Banks continue to be the costliest channel for sending remittances, with an average cost of
12.1%.
• Recommendation – To leverage remittances for development finance, particularly
through diaspora bonds to tap into diaspora savings held in foreign destinations.
• It emphasized on the need for inclusive labour markets and social protection policies to
sustain remittance flows.
.
All the best to all of you
Perform and GIVE your best as you learn from the BEST
Jai Hind 

102
Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” DNA

ASPIRE IAS UPCOMING EXCLUSIVE sessions FOR MAINS-2024
1. Geography OPTIONAL 3.Writing skill development,

RRVAP (Rapid round value enhancement and
addition programme with TEST management programme.
SERIES) • Best developed programme to enhance the
• For the last 9 years favourite programme writing skills at individual level
among students. • Yield a fantastic result: RANK-22 (Saloni
• Where you are lacking we are working upon Rai) and Rank 1 Nandani others….
like, Paper-2 in contemporary and 22 sessions till oct 2022 (online and offline)
geographical manner, Mapping and its with same day discussion, feedback and
application, special emphasis on Thoughts- evaluation of the copies.
Regional planning and biogeography.
• Full coverage of geography with writing 4. Special batch for ETHICS and
skill development 150 CASE STUDIES. (15 days
• 2013 when the average score was 140 in
with the guidance to score 110+
Geo our students scored 200+ (Isha Dhuna,
Nitin Agarwal and Aditya uppal) by DIRECTOR sir)-Online
• 2014 when average score is 230 our available
students scored 280-300 (Aditya uppal
RANK-19 309 marks) 5. RAW GS MAINS crash
• Same trend in 2015-21
course-online
• Available online and offline 2023
6. Sanjeeveni Prelims GS crash
2. Our best and SUCCESS GRADE course – Online
courseNewspaper analysis and 7. Ncert Foundation btachC2U
writing skill programme. Sep 2023
** Our TM and most successful programme 8. Target 50 GS-FOUNDATION
start from 15th Sep 2022 with the batch for 2023… from 22nd August
coverage of last 3 years issues highly 2023.
helpful in P-2&3
(Seats are limited). FOR FRESHERS AS
9. SAARTHI mentorship
WELL AS THOSE WHO WANT TO Programme
SCORE 450+ IN MAINS 2021
All the Best – JAI HIND

PT Facts Sheet - Dec 2023 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

PT Facts Sheet - Dec 2023 2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

PT Facts Sheet - Dec 2023 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Newspaper Analysis Programme®

NEWSPAPER PT CUM MAINS

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Name of Scheme/ intervention Ministry/Department/Organization

Aadhar Card UIDAI

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

PM Ujjwala Yojana Ministry of Petroleum and

Ayushman Bharat card National Health Authority

PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna Department of Agriculture

Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying

• PM Jan Dhan Yojana, Department of Financial

PM Vishwakarma Micro, Small & Medium

Sukanya Smridhi Yojna Ministry of Women and Child

PM Surakshit Matriya Abhiyan Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

PM National Dialysis Program

Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination

National Tuberculosis Eradication

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Who are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)?

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Ethanol Blended Petrol Program (EBP)?

What is the significance of EBP?

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Crimes Against Women- Recent Data (social Issue)

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Legal framework for women safety

Jammu and Kashmir Bills (Governance)

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

Strategy for India's Future Growth (Economics)

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence

17/10 Old Rajeneder Nagar N.Delhi www.aspireias.com 8010068998/9999801394

Easy to PICK UPSC “PT” FACTS

What lies ahead?

Aspire IAS The name associated with excellence