Prelims Specific Current Affairs by PMF IAS® – May 01, 2024

Table of Contents

Prelims Specific Current Affairs by PMF IAS® – May 01, 2024....................................................................1

{GS1 – A&C – Paintings} Pattachitra Art..............................................................................................................1

{GS1 – Geo – EG – Water Resources} Digital System for ‘barabandi’....................................................................2

{GS2 – Policy – IC – Judiciary} Application of the “Eggshell skull” rule*................................................................2

{GS2 – Polity – IC – FRs} Article 31C of the IC*.....................................................................................................3

About Article 31C of the IC.....................................................................................................................................3
Understanding Article 31, 31A, 31B........................................................................................................................4

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health} Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)**...................................................5

EPI: A success story.................................................................................................................................................5

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Goldman Prize 2024*..............................................................................................5

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Methane Emission from Microbes*.........................................................................5

Archaea................................................................................................................................................................... 5

{Prelims – In News} Paradox of thrift**...............................................................................................................6

The paradox of thrift theory...................................................................................................................................6
Criticism of the paradox of thrift.............................................................................................................................6
Keynesian Economics..............................................................................................................................................6

{GS1 – A&C – Paintings} Pattachitra Art

 “Patta” = “cloth,” and “Chitra” = “picture” in Sanskrit. This is a traditional, cloth-based scroll painting.
 Belongs to Odisha and West Bengal, with origin in the early 12th century.
 Uses: ritual use and as souvenirs for pilgrims.
 Two kinds of Pattachitra:
1. Jodano chitra’ (‘jodano’ = wrapped), consisting of a long vertical or horizontal scroll with different
squares depicting different facets of a story or incidents.
2. ‘Chouko chitra’ (‘chouko’ = square). It is an isolated painting depicting a mythological incident.

Theme of the paintings

 Odia paintings: Lord Jagannath and Vaishnava sect themes. West Bengal: Stories of Goddess
Durga.
 The individual paintings of gods and goddesses are done.
 Some other themes: Thia Badhia (temple of Jagannath), Krishna Lila (Jagannath as Lord Krishna),
Dasabatara Patti (ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu), Panchamukhi (Lord Ganesh as a five-headed
deity).

Features
 Intricate details and natural colours. Executed primarily in profile with elongated eyes.
 Disciplined form with a set of rules and restrictions, like a floral border, is a must around the paint-
ings.
 Done on canvas, comprising rich, colourful applications, creative motifs, and designs.
 Use of prominent solid shades depicting stark emotional expressions.
 Mixes folk and classical elements. The dress style in the paintings has Mughal influences.
 Categories based on the surface: Paintings on cloth (‘Patta Chitra’), on walls (‘Bhitti Chitra’), and on
palm leaves (‘Tala Patra Chitra’).
 The GI of Patachitra is registered differently in both states because of difference in the style and mo-
tif.
 Odisha is the GI tag for Orissa Pattachitra, while that of West Bengal is registered as Bengal Pa-
tachitra.

{GS1 – Geo – EG – Water Resources} Digital System for ‘barabandi’

 A digital online water distribution system for agricultural fields was launched in Rajasthan.
 "Barabandi" is the "fixed turn" system of receiving water from the canal.
 Will facilitate the supply of irrigation water on a predetermined schedule, accessible from anywhere.
 Developed by: National Informatics Centre (NIC), Jaipur.
{GS2 – Policy – IC – Judiciary} Application of the “Eggshell skull” rule*

 Its name is derived from the analogy that the defendant would be held responsible for injuries
caused by hitting the victim’s head, even if the victim had a particularly delicate skull or an ‘eggshell’
for a skull.
 Also called "thin skull rule", applied in civil litigation related to medical negligence compensation
cases.
 Enhanced compensation would be applicable if
 The impact is more severe which an otherwise “normal person” would be able to withstand.
 Impact-causing incidents should be “unlawful”.

{GS2 – Polity – IC – FRs} Article 31C of the IC*

 A nine-judge Bench of the SC has decided to take up the question, “Does article 31C still exist?”
 SC was hearing a case to decide whether the government can acquire and redistribute private property.

About Article 31C of the IC

 Inserted by the 25th Amendment Act of 1971 (a response to judicial decisions that limited the gov-
ernment's ability to enact laws for socio-economic reforms).
 It was introduced after the SC struck down the Banking Companies Acquisition Act in 1970, which
aimed to nationalise private banks as violating the right to property (then an FR under Article 31).
 Articles 31A, 31B and 31C have been retained as exceptions to the fundamental rights.
 Article 31C contained two provisions:
1. No law that seeks to implement directive principles specified in Articles 39 (b) and (c) shall be
declared void on the grounds of contravention of the FRs under Article 14 or Article 19.
2. No law containing a declaration that it is for giving effect to such policy shall be questioned in
any court on the ground that it does not give effect to such a policy.

Judicial Pronouncements on the Validity of Art 31C and Constitutional Challenges

Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973)

 The SC established the doctrine of basic structure, asserting that certain fundamental features of the
IC are beyond Parliament's amending power.
 Partially struck down Article 31C, specifically part that prevented laws from being challenged in court.

Constitution (Forty-second) Amendment Act, 1976

 Expanded the protection under Article 31C to cover all DPSPs (Articles 36-51), shielding them from
challenges under Articles 14 and 19.
 The amendment was aimed at prioritising DPSPs over FRs for socio-economic reforms.
Minerva Mills Case (1980)

 The SC struck down specific provisions of the 42nd CAA, including clauses of Article 31C, emphasising
the limits on Parliament's power to amend the IC.
 This raised questions about the status of Article 31C and its application post the Minerva Mills case.

Arguments in SC for and against existence of Article 31C

 Status of the Original Article 31C after the 42 nd: It has been argued that the 42 nd CAA’s expanded
version has replaced the original version.
 This means the older version ceased to exist once the Amendment came into force.
 Therefore, when this new Article 31C was struck down in Minerva Mills, the older provision would
not automatically be revived.
 Application of the Doctrine of Revival : The doctrine of revival must apply in this case, and the post-
Kesavananda Bharati position on Article 31C must be restored.
 If the process of substitution and insertion through a constitutional amendment is deemed in-
valid, the provisions existing before the amendment automatically resurface and regain validity.

The Constitution (Ninety-ninth) Amendment Act.

 Old collegium system for judge appointments was revived once the 99th Amendment (National Ju-
dicial Appointments Commission) was struck down.

Understanding Article 31, 31A, 31B

 Original Article 31 dealt with the right to property. It was one of the seven FRs and provided that no
person shall be deprived of his property except by authority of law.
 44th CAA of 1978 abolished it as a FR and made it a legal right (Constitutional right) under Article
300A in Part XII of the IC. Article 31 prevented the government from acquiring private property for
public use without paying compensation to the owner.
 Constitutional amendments related to article 31: 1st , 4th , 7th , 25th , 39th , 40th and 42nd Amendments.
 The 1st Amendment Act of 1951 inserted Articles 31A and 31B into the Constitution.

Art 31A of the IC

 It saves five categories of laws from being challenged and invalidated on the grounds of contraven-
tion of the FRs conferred by Art 14 and Art 19, which are:
1. Acquisition of estates and related rights by the State;
2. Taking over the management of properties by the State;
3. Amalgamation of corporations;
4. Extinguishment or modification of rights of directors or shareholders of corporations
5. Extinguishment or modification of mining leases.
 Guarantees the right to compensation in case the state acquires or requisitions private property.

Art 31B of the IC

 Protects the acts and regulations included in the Ninth Schedule from being challenged and invalid-
ated because they contravene any of the FRs.
 The scope of Article 31B is broader than that of Article 31A as it immunises any law included in the
Ninth Schedule from the FRs (unlike Article 31A, which protects only five categories).
 However, the SC, in its judgement in the I.R. Coelho case (2007), ruled that even laws under the Ninth
Schedule would be open to scrutiny if they violated FRs or the basic structure of the IC.

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health} Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)**

 EPI has completed 50 years. EPI was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1974.
 India launched the EPI in 1978, and 1985, it was renamed the Universal Immunization Programme
(UIP).

EPI: A success story

 Started from vaccines for six diseases in 1974, now includes vaccines against 13 diseases and 17 addi-
tional context specific vaccines.
 Smallpox has been eradicated, and polio has been eliminated from all except Afghanistan &
Pakistan.
 Immunisation often remains the only intervention with greater utilisation from the government sector.
For instance, in India, the private sector's share of overall health services is nearly two-thirds; however,
nearly 85% to 90% of all vaccines are delivered from government facilities.
 The first vaccine was invented against smallpox in 1798 by Dr Edward Jenner.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Goldman Prize 2024*

 Prize for Asia was awarded to Alok Shukla (from Chhattisgarh) for protecting Hasdeo Aranya forests.
 The Goldman Environmental Prize is given by the Goldman Environmental Foundation. Richard
and Rhonda Goldman founded the Prize in 1989.
 Honours grassroots environmental leaders from six regions, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America,
South and Central America, and islands and island nations.
 Winners are chosen by an international jury. Each winner receives $200,000 as prize money
To know more, visit the Hasdeo Aranya campaign.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Methane Emission from Microbes*

 Methanogens: Microbes that produce methane, especially Archaea.

 Archaea
 Single-celled organisms. Lack cell nuclei and are, therefore, prokaryotic.
 Different from bacteria but generally similar in size and shape.
 Thrive in oxygen-deficient environments, such as the digestive tracts of animals, wetlands, rice pad-
dies, landfills, and the sediments of lakes and oceans.
 Methanogens play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle by converting organic matter into meth-
ane.
 Human activities like agriculture and fossil fuel production have increased methane emissions.
 Other types of microbes are Methanotrophs or Methanophiles. These are microorganisms that are
capable of utilising methane as a source of carbon and energy.

Estimation of source

 Both biogenic and thermogenic activities produce different isotopes of carbon in methane.
 Methane from biological sources contains fewer carbon-13 atoms than a certain level.
For more details, visit Methane Emissions.

{Prelims – In News} Paradox of thrift**

 The paradox of savings, or paradox of thrift, suggests that increasing individual savings can lead
to a decrease in overall savings in an economy.
 This concept is part of the under-consumption theories of the business cycle, which link economic
downturns to low consumption and high savings.

The paradox of thrift theory

 Introduced by economist J.M. Keynes in "The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money".
 According to Keynesian economists, insufficient consumer spending can lead to losses for capital-
ists and discourage further investment.
 Conversely, they believe increased consumer demand encourages saving and investment.

Criticism of the paradox of thrift

 Firstly, when consumer spending falls, savings and investment rise because the money not spent is
saved and eventually invested. Increased savings lead to higher capitalist demand for factors of pro-
duction. Thus, lower consumer demand for goods is balanced by increased demand for production
factors.
 Secondly, reduced consumer spending doesn't necessarily mean reduced investment.
  Capitalists in a free economy adjust higher savings to meet consumer preferences. They invest in
longer-term projects previously deemed unfeasible due to consumers' preference for immediate
consumption.
 Investment in longer-term projects enhances economic output, as evident in advanced
economies.

Keynesian Economics
 Macroeconomic theory of total spending and its effects on output, employment, and inflation.
 Developed during the 1930s to understand the Great Depression.
 Keynesians justify government intervention to achieve full employment and price stability.
 Factors of production: Land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship.