April

C.C.
APRIL ‘24
MESSAGE FROM DR. KHAN ….
Dear Students,
The heat of the approaching prelims examination might have outshone the summer sun for many of you. Some
of you might be facing problems with time, so this month, let's talk about Time Management.
Time and Tide wait for none. Thus, the eternal truth stands that time manages itself and doesn't wait for
anybody. It is not time that needs management, we need to manage ourselves!
Usually, perspective changes the way we handle things. Some may find fitting all the scheduled tasks into 24
hours difficult or even impossible. Some get the output we hope for, while others don't. Why? This is where Task
Management comes into the picture. It teaches us to be in control of our day!
But, what I want to suggest to you is Priority Management.
Prioritize what comes first while scheduling the day's tasks; Task Management automatically happens with
this. “Eat the Frog” by Brian Tracy offers the same advice: Conquer what looks the toughest to you, first in the
day and ease later on. Break the tasks down into more minor, more manageable things.
When you manage to complete the prioritized and then the non-prioritized tasks of the day, you manage time
at the end of the day, week, and month. While socializing is great for morale and has motivational benefits, it
needs to be done at specific intervals; otherwise, it can be very distracting. Managing your priorities will help
decrease your stress and anxiety. If not managed properly, confusion will plague your mind, thus reducing
efficiency.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
This Robert Frost poem motivates us to go ahead with the less-chosen paths.
Sort your priorities out; don't let the pressure of making hard choices put you down! I hope this makes a
difference in your lives.
My best wishes are always with you!
Stay Blessed!
GS CONNECT
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sources report the chaos per se. With our experience of current affairs, we have tried to give “the current'' a medium to
travel. It is the syllabus of the UPSC with its components that are the medium through which the "Current is Passed” to
the readers. Ever since the new syllabus of the UPSC came into existence, the current has been gaining significance
both at prelims as well as mains examination. This book is meant to cover current affairs and related questions arising
from those events. We have not only covered the current events for their factual contents but also presented them in such
a way that any question asked from that topic gets covered. Moreover, topics are also "peppered" with the relevant
facts/key concepts that are related to the theme. We have also given questions for practice both, subjective and
objective, so that candidates are oriented to the examination mode. It is a collection covering myriad sources yet in a
manageable size. To use this book, we recommend you to, master the components of the General Studies (GS) syllabus
as broken into rows and columns (provided on the subsequent page). Each cell comprising the portion of GS becomes
the connection for the current and every news subsequently covered guides the reader to the address of the syllabus. It
is logical to expect that the same issue may be connected to more than one topic of the syllabus. Further, the news also
has some additional vistas opened for the readers by adding a box with the title “PEPPER IT WITH” where we expect the
students to build further around the theme. We are also trying to reach the remotest part of the country with our spirit
and zeal of “Mains Answer Writing'', which has been admired by students, CSE rank holders, and other scholars.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
S. No. GS -I GS- II GS- III GS-IV Mis
Indian Culture-Art Forms, Indian constitution- Various measures to boost Ethical issues related to
Literature and Amendments, acts and bills. Indian economy- planning, family society,
1
Architecture from ancient policies, education, Corruption
to modern times. management etc.
Indian History significant Legislative, Government budgeting and Ethics in public and
events, personalities, executive and issues related to budget. private
2
issues and the Freedom judicial processes. administration
Struggle.
Post independence issues, Constitutional, non- Agriculture, animal husbandry Issues
National boundary and constitutional, and transport
3 disputes. judicial, quasi-judicial,
administrative and other types
of bodies.
Indian society features, Federal structure and local Food security- measures to Related laws and rules
issues, globalization and bodies. Their powers and boost food security and food
4
diversity functions. processing. Issues related to
land- land reforms
Women - Government policies and Industries and infrastructure- Governance/e-
issues and developments various governance issues like their growth and investment Governance
5
transparency, accountability model
and – governance
Urbanization Committees and schemes. Space and technology, IT Ethics
6 – problems and remedies space, robotics and in international issues
computer
Distribution Non-government issues, Disease, biotechnology and Personalities
7 of industries and resources self-help groups and role of human and their teachings
– India and world civil society welfare
Geophysical Vulnerable sections of our Innovations, intellectual Other important topics
phenomena such as society and social sector issues property,
8 earthquakes, Tsunami, like Poverty, Hunger, Awards, POI and other
Volcanic activity, Education, and their initiatives. important aspects of S&T
cyclone etc
International Relation- Environment; government
India and other countries, initiatives, various judgment,
various Indian and pollution, degradation and
9 international agreements, conservation efforts
effects of other countries on
India and international
institutions.
Disaster & Disaster
10
Management
Challenges to internal security,
Various Security forces and
11 agencies and their mandate.
Cybersecurity; money
laundering and its prevention.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
POLITY ................................................................. 6 PRE-SHOTS ....................................................... 46

Fixing India’s VVPAT-based audit of EVMs......................................... 6 Mushk budiji - Indigenous Kashmiri rice ........................................... 46
Postal ballot voting..................................................................................... 8 Krishi Integrated Command and Control Centre ............................ 46
Right against adverse effects of climate change: SC ....................... 9 New dwarf coconut and coca varieties .............................................. 47
Defamation Case for retweeting defamatory content .................. 11 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ......................... 48
Decoding the judgement on Jim Corbett ......................................... 12 Iran’s drone attack on Israel .................................................................. 48
Restricted by surrogacy laws, Indians are going abroad to GCC’s ‘Vision for Regional Security’ .................................................... 50
become parents ......................................................................................... 14
AUKUS Alliance .......................................................................................... 51
PRE-SHOTS........................................................16 PRE-SHOTS ....................................................... 53
Right to sleep as a basic human requirement ................................. 16
India-Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) FTA Negotiations ............. 53
Can an arrested person continue to be CM while in custody? .. 17
India and US to reactivate Indian Ocean ........................................... 53
Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Education Act ............................................... 17
observation system................................................................................... 53
Candidate’s right to privacy from voters ........................................... 18
SCO’s NSA Meet ........................................................................................ 54
Campaigning in the name of religion ................................................ 19
Israel approves reopening of Erez crossing into Gaza .................. 54
District Election Management Plan ..................................................... 20
India imposes port restrictions on Maldives .................................... 55
How House terms and poll schedules are decided? ...................... 21
UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefire..................................................... 55
SOCIAL ISSUES ..................................................22 The city of Quito ........................................................................................ 56
Food Waste Index Report 2024 ............................................................ 22 India, Mauritius revise tax treaty .......................................................... 56
Anaemia prevalence in 8 States over-estimated ............................ 23 ENVIRONMENT ................................................ 58
Lancet projects fall in India's fertility rate ......................................... 25
Global E-waste Monitor, 2024............................................................... 58
PRE-SHOTS........................................................26 India to generate 600 kilotons of solar waste by 2030 ................. 59
World Happiness Report 2024.............................................................. 26 WMO State of the Global Climate 2023 Report .............................. 60
India TB Report-2024 ............................................................................... 26 Nuclear Energy Summit .......................................................................... 62
Remove Bournvita from 'health drinks' section .............................. 27 Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024 ................ 64
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings .............. 28 Is natural gas cleaner than coal? .......................................................... 65
South Asia Development Update Report .......................................... 29 PRE-SHOTS ....................................................... 67
UNHRC Resolution for Intersex Rights ............................................... 29
Southern Ocean has Earth’s cleanest air............................................ 67
Resurgence of mumps in Kerala .......................................................... 30
National Information System for Climate and Environment
ECONOMY .........................................................31 Studies (NICES) .......................................................................................... 68
Decentralized Industrialization Model ............................................... 31 Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024 ................... 68
New UPI rules for access to prepaid instruments........................... 32 Gape Limitation ......................................................................................... 69
On Unemployment in Indian States .................................................... 33 World Air Quality Report, 2023 ............................................................ 69
India's Electronics trade amid declining Chinese export.............. 34 Whales & dolphins get ‘personhood’ status .................................... 70
Reverse Flipping of Unicorns................................................................. 35 Biomining..................................................................................................... 71
Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2024 ...................................................... 36 United Nations World Water Development Report 2024 ............ 71
New Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy............................................................ 37 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY .......................... 73
RBI allows FIIs to invest in green bonds ............................................ 38 Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) ............................................... 73
PRE-SHOTS........................................................39 Did you know Venus is leaking? ........................................................... 74
Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) .................................... 39 India second highest in hepatitis B & C after China ...................... 75
International Narcotics Control Board ............................................... 40 World's most powerful MRI machine unveiled ............................... 77
Junk DNA led to humans being tailless ............................................. 77
Rising raw material costs hits Indian plastic industry .................... 40
3-D map of the universe hints about dark energy ......................... 78
Digital India Trust Agency ...................................................................... 40
India’s PRATUSH ........................................................................................ 79
RBI modifies AIF norms ........................................................................... 41
'Artificial Sun' reaches a temperature of 100 million Celsius ...... 80
New solar power rules ............................................................................. 41
Negative Leap Second............................................................................. 81
RBI allows gold hedging in overseas markets ................................. 42 Small-scale LNG as fuel for India ......................................................... 82
Omnibus Framework for SROs in Regulated Entities .................... 42
PRE-SHOTS ....................................................... 83
AGRICULTURE ...................................................43 SPACE ................................................................ 83
Cocoa Production in West Africa ......................................................... 43 First tidally locked super-Earth exoplanet confirmed.................... 83
4
Paira Rice Cropping System................................................................... 44 Tiantong Satellite ...................................................................................... 84

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CDP-SURAKSHA ........................................................................................ 45 Europa Clipper Mission ........................................................................... 84

C.C. APRIL ‘24
SAKHI App ................................................................................................... 85 Earthquake hits Taiwan ........................................................................ 108
NASA's SOHO Mission ............................................................................ 86 Afar Triangle ............................................................................................ 108
TSAT-1A Satellite....................................................................................... 86 UNESCO names 18 new Geoparks ................................................... 109
Ozone on Jupiter’s moon Callisto ........................................................ 87 Swell waves .............................................................................................. 109
Gaia mission ................................................................................................ 87 Giant rogue waves ................................................................................. 110
Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) “Pushpak” ........................................ 88 DISASTER MANAGEMENT ............................. 110
GENERAL SCIENCE ............................................89 India's Disaster Management Authority head appointed UN Asst
India elected as Co-chair of ITU’s Digital Innovation Board ....... 89 Secretary-General................................................................................... 110
How do mosquito bats work? ............................................................... 89 India Helping 5 Nations Develop Early Warning Systems ........ 111
HEALTH .............................................................90 ART & CULTURE ............................................. 112

Project ANAGRANINF .............................................................................. 90 The science behind Surya Tilak .......................................................... 112
WHO launches ‘CoViNet’ ........................................................................ 90 Sannati: The Buddhist site of Karnataka ......................................... 113
S.A.R.A.H....................................................................................................... 91 Ikshvaku-era coins unearthed in Telangana .................................. 113
Introducing "nitroplast" - The first nitrogen-fixing organelle .... 91 Gulaal Gota............................................................................................... 114
Rollout of Men5CV vaccine in Nigeria ............................................... 92 Mohiniyattam open to boys ............................................................... 114
Whooping cough outbreak ................................................................... 92 MP’s 6 heritage sites included in UNESCO's tentative list ........ 115
Global Prostate Cancer Crisis ................................................................ 93 Konda Reddi tribe & the Indian Laurel tree .................................. 116
Statue of Valour ...................................................................................... 116
INTERNAL SECURITY ........................................94
Remembering Ambedkar .................................................................... 117
Digital financial frauds in India ............................................................. 94
Festivals in News .................................................................................... 118
Suspension of Operations pact with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups 95
60 products from across India earn GI tags .................................. 119
Strategic military infra upgrade for A & N Islands ......................... 95
PT-SHOTS ..........................................................96 GOVT SCHEMES & INITIATIVES .................... 121
SWAMIH fund.......................................................................................... 121
Doxxing ........................................................................................................ 96
Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS)................................. 121
Patriot Air-Defense System .................................................................... 97
One Vehicle, One FASTag implemented......................................... 122
Igla-S ............................................................................................................. 97
C-DOME Naval Area Defense System ................................................ 98 MISCELLANEOUS ............................................ 123
Parivartan Chintan .................................................................................... 98 Abel Prize .................................................................................................. 123
Sittwe Port Agreement ............................................................................ 99 World Water Day.................................................................................... 123
Akashteer Command and Control Systems ................................... 100 India Gaming Report 2024 .................................................................. 124
CBI, Europol sign Working Arrangement ....................................... 100 Earth Hour Day 2024 ............................................................................. 124
OPERATION “INDRAVATI” ................................................................... 101 World Chagas Disease Day ................................................................. 125
OPERATION ATALANTA ....................................................................... 101 SPECIES IN NEWS ........................................... 126
Exercise Gagan Shakti ........................................................................... 101 CONTEMPORARY ETHICS CASE STUDY ....... 129
IMT TRILAT 24 ......................................................................................... 101
PHILOSOPHY OF THE MONTH...................... 129
GEOGRAPHY .................................................. 102 Ordinary to Extraordinary! ................................................................... 129
India to receive above-normal monsoon rains: IMD .................. 102
MAP CONNECT ............................................... 130
‘Catastrophic’ Soil Erosion ................................................................... 103
Annual Land Use and Land Cover Atlas of India .......................... 105 PROTECTED AREAS IN NEWS........................ 131
PRE-SHOTS..................................................... 106 THEMATIC ESSAYS ......................................... 134
Volcanic Vortex Rings ........................................................................... 106 MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION ........................ 134
Integrated River Basin Management ............................................... 106 PT ORIENTED QUESTION............................... 135
Ringwoodite............................................................................................. 107
ANSWER KEY .................................................. 139
5
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
POLITY
Fixing India’s VVPAT-based audit of EVMs What is a VVPAT machine?
● The VVPAT machine is attached to the ballot unit of the
News Excerpt: GS C ON N EC T
GS I II III IV GS I II III IV EVM and provides visual verification for the vote cast
The Supreme Court (SC) has decided 1 7
2 8
by a voter by printing a slip of paper with the voter’s
to hear petitions seeking 100% 3 9
4 10
choice on it.
cross-verification of the Voter
5 11
● This slip of paper, containing the candidate's serial

6 M
Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with the vote

number, name, and party symbol, is displayed in the
count as per Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
machine behind a glass window. The voter has seven
● The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been
seconds to verify her vote, after which the slip falls into
criticised for limiting the Voter Verified Paper Audit
a compartment underneath.
Trail (VVPAT)-based audit of Electronic Voting
● No voter can take the VVPAT slip back home, as it is
Machines (EVMs) to a token exercise and for a lack of
later used to verify votes cast in five randomly selected
transparency in the matter.
polling booths.
Emergence of EVMs
and VVPAT:
● In the first two general
elections of 1952 and
1957, each candidate
had a separate box with
their election symbol.
Voters had to drop a
blank ballot paper into
the box of the
candidate they wanted
to vote for.
● From the third election,
ballot papers with the
names of candidates
and their symbols were
introduced, and voters
put a stamp on the
candidate of their
choice.
● The EVM was introduced
on a trial basis in 1982
in the assembly
constituency of Paravur
in Kerala. They were deployed in all booths during the
assembly elections of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry Doubts and concerns raised about the
and West Bengal in 2001. functioning of EVMs:
○ The SC has upheld the validity of using EVMs in ● EVMs are susceptible to hacking, as are electronic
elections in various judgments. devices.
● In the 2004 general elections to the Lok Sabha, EVMs ○ However, the ECI has repeatedly clarified that it is a
were used in all 543 constituencies. standalone device like a calculator with no
○ In Subramanian Swamy versus Election connectivity to any external device and, hence,
Commission of India (2013), the SC ruled that a free from any kind of external hack.
paper trail is an indispensable requirement for free ● The sample size for matching the EVM count with
and fair elections. VVPAT slips is five per assembly constituency/segment.
● The 2019 elections had EVMs backed with 100% This is not based on any scientific criteria and may fail
to detect defective EVMs during counting.
6
VVPAT in all constituencies.

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C.C. APRIL ‘24
● The present process also allows various parties to Related News:
identify booth-wise polling behaviour, which can The Central Information Commission (CIC) has expressed
result in profiling and intimidation. “severe displeasure” over the ECI not furnishing a reply
VVPAT-based audit of EVMs: to an RTI plea raising questions on the credibility of EVMs
and VVPAT machines.
● The VVPAT-based audit of EVMs is a simple problem of
Background of the case:
statistical quality control. ● Noted technical professionals and academicians,
● It is very similar to the “lot acceptance sampling including retired IAS, IPS, and IFS officers, had written
technique” that is widely used in industry and trade. to the ECI, posing serious questions about the
○ Suppose the number of defectives found in a credibility of EVMs and VVPAT machines.
randomly drawn statistical sample is less than or ● An RTI was also filed that asked the ECI about the
equal to a specified acceptance number, the lot (or action taken on a “representation” given to it by
'population') is accepted. In that case, otherwise, the eminent citizens.
lot is rejected. ○ The representative raised similar questions on the
● Here, a ‘defective EVM’ is defined as one with a credibility of EVMs and VVPAT machines.
mismatch between the EVM count and the VVPAT’s ○ Through the RTI application filed in November
manual count of voter slips due to EVM malfunction 2022, the applicant wanted to know about the
persons and public authorities to whom the
or EVM manipulation.
representation was forwarded, details of any
● The acceptance number will have to be ‘zero defective
meetings held on the issue and all relevant file
EVM’ in the context of elections.
notings.
○ Even if there is a single instance of mismatch EC’s response to the Right to Information (RTI):
between the EVM count and VVPAT manual
● The ECI did not give any response to the applicant
count in the randomly drawn sample of EVMs, the within the mandatory 30-day period.
‘population’ of EVMs from which the sample was ○ The applicant's first appeal to senior officials was
drawn should be ‘rejected’. also not heard.
○ ‘Rejection’ here means non-acceptance of the Central Information Commission’s directions:
EVM counts for that ‘population’ and doing ● The CIC termed the ECI’s non-response as a “gross
manual counting of VVPAT slips for all the remaining violation” of the law and directed it to furnish a
EVMs of that ‘population’. written explanation for the violation.
○ In such a scenario, the election result should be ● The ECI has also been asked to provide a point-wise
declared only based on the VVPAT count. response to the original RTI query within 30 days.
● Thus, the VVPAT-based audit of EVMs involves three Lacuna from the ECI’s side regarding VVPAT-
essential elements — based audits of EVMs:
○ A clear definition of the ‘population’ of EVMs ● ECI has not specified the ‘population’ to which its
from which the statistical sample would be drawn. sample size relates.
■ It could be all the EVMs deployed in an Assembly ● It has not explained how it arrived at its sample size.
constituency, a Parliamentary constituency, a ● It has been silent on the 'next steps' in the event of a
State as a whole, India as a whole, a region (or mismatch between the EVM count and the VVPAT
group of districts) within a State, or any other. count in the selected sample, and it has ignored
■ The population size (N) could vary widely reported occurrences of mismatch.
depending on how we define the ‘population’. ● A system of VVPAT-based audits of EVMs in which these
○ Determination of statistically correct and three vital issues have been left vague or unaddressed
administratively viable sample size (n) of EVMs is categorically unacceptable.
whose VVPAT slips will be hand-counted. Way Forward:
○ Application of the ‘decision rule’, viz., in the event ● The 100% use of VVPAT has PEPPER IT WITH:
of a mismatch between the EVM count and the enabled the voters to verify ECI, MCC, Ballot
VVPAT count in the chosen sample of ‘n’ EVMs, the that their votes are
system, CIC
hand counting of VVPAT slips will have to be ‘recorded as cast’. However,
done for all the remaining (N-n) EVMs forming part a few additional steps must
of that ‘population’. be adopted to make the entire process more robust
and ensure that the votes are ‘counted as recorded’.
● A 100% match of EVM count with VVPAT slips would
7
be unscientific and cumbersome.

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C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ The sample for matching EVM count and VVPAT Who is eligible to cast their vote through
slips should be decided scientifically by dividing postal ballots?
each State into large regions.
● Service voters: Members of the armed forces,
● In case of even a single error, the VVPAT slips should paramilitary forces, and government employees
be counted fully for the concerned region and form the deployed on election duty far from their home
basis for results. This would instil statistically significant constituencies.
confidence in the counting process. Also, cross-
● Absentee voters: Individuals unable to vote in person
verification should be done.
due to reasons like work commitments, illness, or
● Further, in order to provide a degree of cover for voters
disability.
at the booth level, ‘totalizer’ machines can be
○ For example, in October 2019, the Ministry of Law
introduced that would aggregate votes in 15-20 EVMs
and Justice amended the Conduct of Election
before revealing the candidate-wise count.
Rules, 1961, lowering the age from 85 to 80 (for
● Over the years, the SC has been indulgent towards the
senior citizens) and allowing Persons with
ECI due to its role in the conduct of elections under
Disabilities (PwDs) to cast votes through postal
Article 324.
ballots in the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls.
● However, SC must compel the ECI to make public how it
○ Electors on election duty: Government officials and
has defined the population, arrived at its sample size,
polling staff assigned duties at polling stations other
and, most importantly, its decision rule in the event of a
than their own.
mismatch. Only then will the SC's order of 2013 on
VVPAT be faithfully implemented in letter and spirit. ○ Electors under Preventive Detention: Individuals
detained under preventive custody orders during
Postal ballot voting the election period.
News Excerpt: GS C ON N EC T ○ Essential services covering polling day activities:
Media persons with authorization letters from the EC
GS I II III IV GS I II III IV
The Election Commission of India 1 7
and those involved in essential services such as

2 8
(ECI) has announced that media 3

4
9
10
persons covering "polling day 5

6 M
11 metros, railways, and healthcare have the option to
activities" are now eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok vote using postal ballots in Lok Sabha and four state
Sabha elections 2024 and State Assembly polls through Assembly polls.
postal ballots. How to apply for a postal ballot?
What are Postal Ballots? ● To apply for a postal ballot, eligible voters must apply
● Postal ballots, also known as mail-in ballots, allow Form 12 D to their respective constituency's Returning
registered voters to cast their votes by mail instead of Officer (RO).
physically going to a polling station. ● The application typically requires personal details,
● This system serves as a convenient alternative for voter identification information, and the reason for
seeking a postal ballot.
individuals unable to vote in person due to various
● The RO verifies eligibility and issues the postal ballot
circumstances, such as being away from their home
if the criteria are met.
constituency, facing a disability, or performing
essential services on election day. ○ For service voters, the RO sends the postal ballot
paper through the record office, directly or through
8
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
the Ministry of External Affairs service voters ● The RO and election officials scrutinize postal ballots for
serving outside India. validity and integrity, adding valid ballots to the
○ For senior citizens, a team of two polling officials, respective candidate's vote count.
a videographer, and security personnel will visit What else has the ECI done for inclusive
the residence of the elector to facilitate this process.
elections?
○ Voters will be informed of the date and time of the
● The government is also experimenting with remote
official's visit via SMS.
voting for domestic migrants.
○ The Multi Constituency Remote
Electronic Voting Machine (RVM) would
allow people who migrate within the
country for employment and
opportunity (almost 450 million, as per
the latest 2011 census) to vote for their
home constituencies from remote
locations.
○ Internal migrants face a string of
challenges due to the transient nature of
their life and livelihood.
○ Many are reluctant to enroll
multiple times, unwilling to have their
names deleted from the electoral rolls of
their home constituencies, and facing an
emotional disconnect with the places they
migrate to.
● If a senior citizen or a person
with a disability chooses to go to the
What is the process of postal voting? booth, the ECI has mandated officials to provide
Assured
● Receiving the postal ballot: Once approved, the RO
Minimum PEPPER IT WITH:
sends the postal ballot to the voter's registered address, Facilities District Election Commissioner,
including the ballot paper, declaration form, secrecy (AMF) like Returning Officer, Preventive
sleeve, and pre-paid return envelope. ramps, Detention, RVM
● Marking the ballot: Voters mark their preferred wheelchairs,
candidate(s) on the ballot paper in the secrecy sleeve to first aid and toilets at polling stations.
ensure confidentiality. ○ Measures, new and old, are being highlighted,
○ People with blindness or physical infirmity are including the provision of free transportation on
allowed to nominate a companion and get poll day, appointment of State and District PwD
assistance while voting at home. icons, and Braille-enabled EVMs and EPICs.
● Completing the declaration form: Voters fill out the
declaration form, providing their signature and other
relevant details. Right against adverse effects of climate
● Sealing the envelope: Voters seal the marked ballot change: SC
paper and declaration form inside the secrecy sleeve and
place it into the pre-paid return envelope. News Excerpt: GS C ON N EC T
● Returning the postal ballot: Voters affix the postage In a case relating to the conservation 1
2
7
8
stamp and mail the return envelope to the designated of the critically endangered Great 3
4
9
10
address within the specified time. Indian Bustard (GIB), the Supreme 5
6
11
M
Counting of postal ballots: Court (SC) has asserted that individuals possess a "right to
be shielded from the detrimental impacts of climate
● Postal ballots are counted separately from votes cast at
change," a right that ought to be upheld under Articles
polling stations.
14 and 21 of the Constitution.
● On the designated counting day, postal ballots are
More About the News:
9
collected by postal authorities and brought to the

The Bench highlighted the increasing significance of the
Page
counting centre.
recent overlap between climate change and human rights,
C.C. APRIL ‘24
emphasizing the urgent need for states to tackle climate- spanning approximately 99,000 sq km in the GIB
related consequences with a rights-based approach. habitat across Rajasthan and Gujarat.
● The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate
Constitutional Provisions (DPSP) related to Climate
Change (MoEFCC), Ministry of Power, and Ministry of
Change:
New and Renewable Energy (MoNRE) had filed the
● Article 48A of the Constitution provides that the
modification plea, citing adverse implications for India's
State shall endeavour to protect and improve the
power sector.
environment and safeguard the country's forests and
● The ministries referenced India's commitments under
wildlife.
the Paris Climate Treaty to transition to non-fossil fuel
● Clause (g) of Article 51A stipulates that it is the
energy sources as a key reason for seeking a
duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve
modification of the 2021 order.
the natural environment, including forests, lakes,
● Also, the measures for protecting GIB clash with the
rivers, and wildlife, and to have compassion for living
installations of major solar and wind energy-
creatures.
producing projects, which are majorly operational in
The intersection between climate change and the same area of the country. It was also contended that
human rights: putting high-voltage power lines underground was
● This has been put in sharp focus, underscoring the technically not feasible.
imperative for states to address climate impacts through ● Allowing the request, the Bench pointed to the practical
the lens of rights. difficulties in implementing the order, including the
● States owe a duty of care to citizens to prevent harm technical and land acquisition challenges and
and ensure overall well-being, and the Right to a prohibitive costs.
healthy and clean environment is undoubtedly part of Key arguments given by the three-judge Bench
this duty of care. presided by the Chief Justice of India:
● States are compelled to take effective measures to ● Referring to the environmental aspects of the Directive
mitigate climate change and ensure that all individuals
Principles of State Policy (DPSP), the Court underscored
have the necessary capacity to adapt to the climate the need to interpret them in conjunction with the
crisis. Right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under
● For e.g., It is essential to harness power from renewable Article 21 of the Constitution.
energy sources in Rajasthan and Gujarat to meet the ● Although Article 48A and Article 51A are not
rising power demand in the country expeditiously and justiciable provisions of the Constitution, they indicate
sustainably. that the Constitution recognizes the importance of the
● This is also necessitated by India’s international natural world.
commitments with respect to climate change. ● Article 21 recognizes the Right to life and personal
The Case Before SC: liberty, while Article 14 indicates that all persons shall
● The case before the SC revolved around a writ petition have equality before the law and the equal protection of
filed by retired government official and conservationist laws.
M K Ranjitsinh, which sought to secure protection for ● The Right to a clean environment means that the
the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Right to life is not fully realized without a clean
and the Lesser Florican. environment that is stable and unimpacted by the
● The petition, among other demands, called for the vagaries of climate change.
formulation and execution of an emergency ● The Right to Health (part of the Right to life under
response plan to safeguard and revive the GIB Article 21) is impacted by factors such as air pollution,
population. shifts in vector-borne diseases, rising temperatures,
○ This included measures such as the installation of droughts, shortages in food supplies due to crop failure,
bird diverters, halting the approval of new projects storms, and flooding.
and lease renewals for existing projects, and ○ The inability of underserved communities to adapt to
dismantling power infrastructure like overhead climate change or cope with its effects violates
transmission lines, wind turbines, and solar panels Article 21 and Article 14.
within and around vital habitats. ● The CJI also touched upon the issues of climate change
● During a hearing held in March, the apex court was jurisprudence and the need to harness renewable
10
considering an appeal to modify its April 19, 2021 energy, especially solar power, as well as balance the
order, which restricted the establishment of conservation of the GIB with the conservation of the
overhead transmission lines within a territory
Page
environment as a whole.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● It set up a nine-member committee of experts to environment, access to pollution-free water and air, and
assess the feasibility of undergrounding power lines residing in a pollution-free setting. Such recognitions
in specific areas, considering factors such as terrain, typically highlight broader public interest concerns where
population density and infrastructure requirements. existing laws and policies are insufficient.
○ The committee consists of independent experts,
Defamation Case for retweeting defamatory
National Board of Wildlife members, power
company representatives, and other content
stakeholders. News Excerpt:
○ It asked the committee to complete its task and The Supreme Court (SC) has
submit a report to SC through the Union restrained a trial court from
Government on or before July 31, 2024. proceeding with a defamation case
● The SC also made additional observations concerning against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for retweeting
climate change and legal proceedings in other a YouTube video against the BJP’s IT cell.
jurisdictions. The ruling emphasized India's obligations
Background of the case:
to prevent climate change and mitigate its adverse
impacts. ● The SC was hearing Kejriwal’s challenge to an order of
the Delhi High Court (HC) upholding the summons
What are the implications of the SC’s judgment issued to him in a criminal defamation case for
for environmental jurisprudence? retweeting an allegedly defamatory video.
● The complainant claimed that Mr. Kejriwal had
retweeted a video titled 'BJP IT Cell Part-2’, in which
“certain defamatory statements were made” against
him.
● Earlier, Delhi HC had observed that "every retweet of
defamatory imputation would ordinarily amount to
'publication' under IPC Section 499."
● Delhi CM had gone to the HC against two orders — by
a magisterial court summoning him and by the
sessions court dismissing his revision plea against
the summons.
Defamation under Indian Law:
● Under Indian law, defamation can be a civil wrong or
a criminal offence.
● Civil defamation can be libel (through writing) or
slander (spoken word) and is based on tort law.
○ It is punishable with financial compensation, and
damages are computed based on probabilities.
● In criminal cases, defamation must be proven beyond
reasonable doubt.
○ Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code defines
Way Forward: criminal defamation.
Despite governmental policy, rules, and regulations ■ Whoever, by words either spoken or intended
recognizing the adverse effects of climate change and to be read, or by signs or by visible
seeking to combat it, no single or umbrella legislation in representations, makes or publishes any
India relates to climate imputation concerning any person intending
change and its related PEPPER IT WITH: to harm, or knowing or having reason to
concerns. However, this does National Board of believe that such imputation will harm, the
not mean that the people of Wildlife, Paris Climate reputation of such person, is said to defame
India do not have a right Treaty, DPSP. Mission that person.
against the adverse effects of LIfE ■ There are certain exceptions to the Act of
climate change. The SC has Defamation under Section 499:
11
frequently invoked the ● The suggestion of truth for the public

Constitution to uphold human rights related to good, Public conduct of public servants,
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environmental issues, including the Right to live in a healthy

C.C. APRIL ‘24
Publishing reports of court proceedings, and projecting it to be as if his own views, will
etc. prima facie attract the liability under Section 499
■ Criminal defamation can attract a jail term of of IPC for the purpose of issuance of summons”.
up to two years, with or without a fine. ○ “While the petitioner may plead absence of any
● In Ram Jethmalani Vs. Subramanian Swamy (2006): malicious intent in the act of retweeting”, it has to
The Delhi HC held Dr. Swamy guilty for defaming Ram consider the “responsibility that accompanies the
Jetmalani by saying that he received money from a petitioner’s political and social standing”.
banned organization LTTE, as connecting name with ○ The large social media following of a Chief Minister
it leads to loss of reputation. “undoubtedly implies a wider reach, making any
retweet a form of public endorsement or
Defamation vs Right to free speech: acknowledgement."
Subramanian ● The SC upheld the Way Forward:
Swamy vs. constitutionality of IPC Sections
● Retweets and, in most cases, reshares are seen as a seal
Union of 499 and 500.
India (2016) of endorsement affixed to the original content. Thus, it
● The Right to reputation is
is preferable to assume accountability when content
protected under Article 21
is published by a user intending to reach a distinct or
(Protection of life and personal
vast audience - instead of suggesting a disclaimer as
liberty) of the Constitution, and a defence against prosecution.
criminal defamation is a
● The policymakers could
reasonable restriction on the
clarify and expressly cover PEPPER IT WITH:
Right to freedom of expression.
defamatory content on the Defamation, IPC,
Kaushal ● The Constitutional Bench held that internet by amending the IT Act, Article 19
Kishore vs no additional restrictions can be criminal and information
Union of imposed on free speech except technology laws.
India (2017) those under Article 19(2). ● The law could incorporate the “different or larger
Shreya ● Section 66A of The IT Act, 2000 reach” exception while defining influencers or
Singhal vs. was quashed by the SC in 2015 in “people with large following” in quantifiable terms
Union of view of the ambiguity in the and list out possible defences that can be pleaded in
India (2015) definition of the term "offensive" a court of law.
and on the ground that the
provision was "violative of Article Decoding the judgement on Jim Corbett
19(1)(a) and not saved under
Article 19(2).” News Excerpt: GS C ON N EC T
● This provision criminalized sending The Supreme Court (SC) brought to 1

2
7
8
“offensive messages” using "a light the unholy nexus of politicians, 3

4
9
10
computer resource or a forest officials, and local contractors 5

6 M
11
communication device." responsible for felling 6,000 trees in the Jim Corbett
National Park in Uttarakhand.
Consequences of a retweet:
● An essential ingredient of defamation is lowering one's More about the case:
reputation in the public eye. The defamatory ● SC condemned the illegal felling of over 6,000 trees
statement must also be communicated to a third to construct buildings, ostensibly for "ecotourism".
person. ● SC held the case as a “classic case” of the nexus
○ A defamatory retweet multiplies quickly and between politicians and officials working to ransack
reaches others, and thus, the damage is far greater the environment for short-term commercial ends.
in cases of online abuse. ● SC also directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest
● While a complaint for online defamation is made and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to form a specialized
under Section 499 IPC, such alleged defamatory committee to study and recommend whether tiger
material will be taken down under Section 69 of the safaris should be permitted in a tiger reserve's buffer
IT Act, which allows the Centre to issue takedown or or fringe areas.
blocking orders to intermediaries for content ● The judgement initiated a CBI probe into the case and
undermining national security. directed the Central agency to submit its investigation
12
● Kejriwal’s case: report in the next three months.

○ The Delhi HC ruled that “retweeting content which
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is allegedly defamatory on the Twitter account

C.C. APRIL ‘24
Committee to assess the damage: Methodologies used in India to recover
● The proposed specialized ministry committee would compensation for loss of forest:
comprise representatives of the National Tiger ● The framework of valuation, which predated the T.N.
Conservation Authority (NTCA), Wildlife Institute of Godavarman case (1996), was aimed at replacing lost
India, Central Empowered Committee, and a Joint natural forests with compensatory plantations.
Secretary from the MoEFCC. ● The two choices that serve as the background for the
● It would assess the extent of damage done to the valuation of forest land in India are now compensatory
Corbett Reserve's green cover, quantify the afforestation levy and net present value (NPV).
restoration cost, and identify the “delinquent” ● Compensatory Afforestation Levy:
persons and officials responsible for the damage. ○ It was introduced in 2016 through the
SC’s ruling on Ecotourism and Tiger Safaris: Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act 2016.
● Instead of treating ecotourism as a panacea for ○ The Act provides the legal framework for
conservation and revenue generation, the approach compensating the loss of forest and ecosystem
must be ecocentrism, not anthropocentrism. services due to diversion of forest land for non-
● Banning tiger safaris in core areas and the forestry purposes as per provisions of the Forest
Constitution of a committee to explore the feasibility of (Conservation) Act, 1980.
permitting tiger safaris in peripheral areas of Tiger ○ The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules,
Reserves. 2018 (CAF Rules) provide the way NPV funds are
● The guidelines would be applicable in all tiger to be utilized by various State/Union Territory (UT)
reserves across India. Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and
● Disagreed with the NTCA's 2019 guidelines, which Planning Authority (CAMPA).
permitted a tiger safari similar to a zoo in a national ● Net Present Value (NPV):
park. ○ NPV is the value of ecosystem goods and services
● Tigers should be sourced from the same landscape as of forests lost due to diverted lands.
where the safari is being conducted and not outside the ○ It is a mandatory one-time payment for diverting
tiger reserve. forestland for non-forest use, under the Forest
Precautionary Principle for Environmental (Conservation) Act, 1980.
Conservation: ○ Since the Levy is found to be insufficient in terms of
● It says, "Where there are threats of serious or making good the loss, the Court introduced the
irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty NPV in 2002 as an additional payment obligation.
shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost- ● But both these methodologies do not rightly account
effective measures to prevent such environmental for the correlation between the removal of trees and
degradation." the harm caused to other environmental goods and
● SC invoked this principle while banning Tiger Safaris in services.
core areas to ensure the least damage to the Way Forward:
environment.
● In the context of the
● “In salient respects, the principle applies to PEPPER IT WITH:
growing degradation of
biodiversity more than any other environmental CAMPA Funds, Forest
biodiversity hotspots and
problem. This is because the mass extinction Conservation Act,
the support to revenue-
gathering force will, if it proceeds unchecked, not 1980, NTCA, MSTrIPES
generating ecotourism, a
only eliminate half or more species but will leave the
biosphere impoverished for at least 5 million years.” valuation method that is
based on ecosystem services (food, water, and services
○ Therefore, the precautionary principle applies not
regulating the climate and floods, etc.) is a must.
only to tigers but also to other species, especially
endangered ones. ○ The system refers to the benefits people obtain
from natural ecosystems in contrast with man-
Gaps in SC’s judgement:
made structures.
● The SC’s decision appears to be a mirage in the absence
● SC could have set a precedent by saying that ecosystem
of a well-defined methodology.
services are more important and generate more
● Restoring costs doesn't fully compensate for the
revenue than ecotourism or raised the need to put in
environment's lost ability to provide goods and
place a precise law and policy relating to ecosystem
13
services.
services.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● The reasoning provided by the International Court of Who can avail of surrogacy?
Justice (ICJ) in Costa Rica v. Nicaragua (2018) could ● Under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, surrogacy is
have been used to understand the methodologies in permissible for couples with proven infertility or
evaluating damage to the environment. disease or for altruistic purposes.
● The ICJ asserted that damage to the environment, and ● The eligibility criteria for couples include being married
the consequent loss of the ability of the environment for at least five years, meeting age requirements,
to provide goods and services, is compensable. and not having any living child (biological, adopted,
or surrogate), except in specific cases such as
Restricted by surrogacy laws, Indians are
children with disabilities or life-threatening
going abroad to become parents disorders.
News Excerpt: GS C ON N EC T Who can be a surrogate?
There is a rise in the number of 1
2
7
8
● A surrogate mother must be a close relative of the
privileged Indians travelling abroad 3
4
9
10 intended couple, a married woman with at least one
for surrogacy due to changes in child of her own, aged between 25-35 years, and has
5 11
6 M
surrogacy rules. been a surrogate only once in her life.

More about the News: ● She must also possess a certificate of medical and
● This decision has once again sparked the debate of psychological fitness for surrogacy.
Choice vs. Right. ● Single Persons, live-in couples, LGBTQ couples, and
○ The distinction between a "choice" and a "right" in couples older than 45 years cannot access surrogacy in
family-making reflects patriarchal notions of India.
bloodline purity. Who regulates surrogacy?
○ While both surrogacy and adoption should be ● The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act regulates surrogacy in
considered equal choices, there shouldn't be an India.
implied disparity in their status or recognition. ● The Act provides for the constitution of National
Latest change to the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, Surrogacy Boards (NSB) and State Surrogacy Boards
2021 (SSB), tasked with enforcing standards for surrogacy
Married couples can now use donor eggs or sperm if they clinics, investigating breaches, and recommending
suffer from a medical condition necessitating the use of modifications.
donor gametes. ● Surrogacy clinics must apply for registration and
What about "single" women? adhere to regulations set forth by these boards.
However, these changes are not applicable to "single" Why are couples going overseas?
women widows or divorcees. - The Act allows "single" ● The law is compelling couples to go overseas:
women between the age of 35 to 45 years access to ○ The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act of 2021 in India
surrogacy, provided they use their own eggs. prohibits commercial surrogacy and only allows
What is surrogacy? altruistic arrangements under strict eligibility criteria,
such as married couples or ever-married single
● According to The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, Surrogacy
women (widowed or divorced).
is defined as a practice where a woman gives birth to a
child for an intending couple with the intention to hand ○ The law mandates that the intending parents must
it over to them after the birth. use their own gametes for gestational surrogacy,
excluding the possibility of using donor gametes.
● It is permitted only for altruistic purposes or for
couples who suffer from proven infertility or disease. ○ These stringent regulations make it challenging for
● Surrogacy is prohibited for commercial purposes, many couples to pursue surrogacy within India,
including for sale, prostitution, or any other forms of leading them to seek options abroad where
exploitation. surrogacy laws may be more permissive or where
commercial surrogacy is legal.
● There are two main types of surrogacy:
● Where are surrogacy providers:
○ Traditional surrogacy is where the surrogate
mother is biologically related to the child. ○ Surrogacy providers are often located in countries
where surrogacy laws are more flexible or where
○ Gestational surrogacy, where the child is not
biologically related to the surrogate. commercial surrogacy is permitted.
○ Popular destinations include the United States,
14
Canada, Ukraine, Russia, and some Southeast

Asian countries.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● The citizenship status of the child: Criticisms:
○ It varies depending on the country where the ● Exploitation of Surrogate Mothers, particularly those
surrogacy takes place and the citizenship laws of the from economically disadvantaged backgrounds:
intended parents' home country. ○ Women may be coerced or financially incentivized
○ For example, In the United States, if a child is born to become surrogates, often without fully
to surrogate parents who are citizens or legal understanding the risks or implications involved.
residents, then the child typically receives U.S. ○ They may lack adequate legal protections and access
citizenship automatically. to healthcare, leading to concerns about their well-
○ Similarly, in other countries, the child's citizenship being during and after pregnancy.
status may be determined by factors such as the ● Commercialization and Commodification: Despite
nationality of the intended parents, the surrogate regulations prohibiting commercial surrogacy, concerns
mother's citizenship, and the laws governing persist about the commodification of women's bodies
surrogacy in that country. and reproductive capacities.
● Benefits of US Surrogacy: ○ The profit-driven nature of surrogacy arrangements
○ Despite the high cost, many Indian couples choose may prioritize financial gain over the welfare of
the US for surrogacy due to well-defined laws, surrogate mothers and children.
options for genetic parentage, gender selection, ● Ethical Considerations & Dilemmas regarding the
and the possibility of the child obtaining US rights of all parties involved:
citizenship, which can be advantageous for ○ The autonomy and agency of surrogate mothers,
education and other opportunities. the genetic connections between intended
parents and children, and the psychological
15
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FIGURE: LEGAL & SOCIAL CHALLENGES

C.C. APRIL ‘24
impact on all individuals within the surrogacy ● A division bench of two Justices said it disapproved of
arrangement. the practice of questioning the petitioner through the
○ Issues of genetic selection, ownership of embryos, night, whether it is voluntary or not.
and the long-term implications for children born ○ The 'right to sleep' / 'right to blink' is a basic
through surrogacy. human requirement, and as much as non-providing
● Regulatory Challenges: The legal framework remains of the same violates a person's human rights.
fragmented and inconsistent. ○ Lack of sleep affects a person's health and may
○ The existing regulations may be inadequate to impair his mental faculties, cognitive skills, etc.
address the evolving complexities of surrogacy Hence, the statement must be recorded during
practices, leading to loopholes and ambiguities that earthly hours, not at night.
can be exploited. ● The HC deems it appropriate to direct the ED to issue
● Globalization and Transnational Surrogacy: Raised a circular/directions about the timings to record
concerns about legal jurisdiction, cross-border statements when summons are issued.
exploitation, and disparities in regulatory standards.
○ The outsourcing of surrogacy to countries with
Previous judicial interpretations:
lax regulations may exacerbate inequalities and ● Sayeed Maqsood Ali v. State of Madhya Pradesh
ethical dilemmas. (2001):
○ Transnational surrogacy arrangements may also ○ The Madhya Pradesh HC stated that every citizen is
pose challenges related to citizenship, nationality, entitled to live in a decent environment and have the
and the legal recognition of parental rights, right to have a peaceful night's sleep.
particularly for children born through ● Ramlila Maidan v. Home Secretary, Union of India
international surrogacy. (2011):
Way Forward: ○ Suo moto action was taken against the brutal actions
of police against those sleeping in Ramleela Maidan,
● It is imperative for policymakers, healthcare
which was given on rent for a yoga training camp
professionals, and civil society to collaborate in
organized by Baba Ramdev.
shaping a more
inclusive and ethically PEPPER IT WITH: ■ Four days into the campaign, Baba Ramdev
responsible approach Abortion laws, Altruistic vs started a hunger strike against corruption with a
to surrogacy that Commercial Surrogacy, mass crowd of over 50,000 people.
respects the rights and Gestational Surrogacy ■ At midnight, the police started the lathi charge
dignity of all individuals and used tear gas to remove the crowd.
involved. ○ A two-judge bench found this to be a violation of
● Statutory reforms should cater to the rights of the the right to assemble peacefully and without arms,
oocyte donors. the freedom to speech and expression, and the
● The revealing of donors' identities should be right to sleep as per Article 21 (protection of life
voluntarily permissible, and the rights to equality and and personal liberty).
parenthood of members of the LGBTQIA+ community ○ But no citizen could claim sleeping to be his
who wish to engage in surrogacy should be considered. fundamental right.
● Finally, it is critical that the provision for awarding How is noise pollution related to the right to
compensation to surrogates be made in order to sleep?
protect those vulnerable to exploitation.
● The quality of sleep is often linked to the surroundings
in which one sleeps. Therefore, the higher the noise
pollution rates, the worse the quality of undisturbed
Right to sleep as a basic human requirement sleep will be.
News Excerpt: ○ Here, precedents and regulations prohibiting
higher sound levels at night help regulate the right
The Bombay High Court (HC) said the right to sleep is a
to sleep.
basic human requirement that cannot be violated.
● Church of God (Full Gospel) v. KKR Majestic Colony
About the news: Welfare Assn. (2000):
● The HC gave the order in a plea filed by a 64-year-old ○ Religion-related noise pollution was taken into
challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate account by the Supreme Court.
16
(ED) and subsequently questioning him throughout ○ It issued directions to control noise pollution to
the night in a money laundering case. ensure that such activities do not disturb old or
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infirm persons, students or children sleeping early.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ The Court also analyzed the ‘natural right to sleep’ ○ The files would have to be “scanned thoroughly”
entitled to young babies. by the prison authorities before they reach his
hands.
Can an arrested person continue to be CM ● Should a person be paid a salary from the State
exchequer while occupying a public office without
while in custody?
performing any duty attached to the office he held?
News Excerpt: Legal and Constitutional position:
Concerns are being raised about whether Delhi's Chief ● There is no bar in law on a person continuing as Chief
Minister can effectively serve in a public office that demands Minister or Minister once he is arrested.
a high degree of morality, given the recent decision by a ○ Section 8 Clause 3 of the Representation of the
Metropolitan Magistrate to remand him in the custody of People Act, 1951 deals with the disqualification of a
the Enforcement Directorate (ED). lawmaker and says a person convicted for an offence
Previous Judgements: and sentenced to two years or above shall be
Senthil Balaji case: disqualified from the date of such conviction.
● The Madras High Court's (HC) ruling in S. ● The Law Commission has recommended the
Ramachandran vs. V. Senthil Balaji deliberated on disqualification of an MP or an MLA if charges were
whether a Minister should forfeit his right to occupy a framed against them in any such case.
public office that requires a high degree of moral ○ However, these recommendations were never
standard if he is accused of involvement in a "financial accepted by the government or put in place.
scandal."
● Mr. Senthil Balaji, a former Tamil Nadu Electricity
Minister, was arrested by the ED in 2023 on money
Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Education Act
laundering charges. News Excerpt:
○ He continued to be a State Minister without portfolio The Supreme Court stayed the operation of an Allahabad
while he was in judicial custody. High Court judgment that struck down a 20-year-old Uttar
● The Madras HC heard arguments on: Pradesh law regulating madrasas and ordered the transfer
of their students to regular schools.
○ whether he “has virtually forfeited his office as a
Minister on account of being arrested and More About the news:
detained in prison, or in other words by being in ● A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India
judicial custody.” D.Y. Chandrachud decided in an interim order to
freeze the implementation of the High Court
○ whether he had “disabled himself from
judgment of March 22 even as the Uttar Pradesh
performing the duties and responsibilities of
being a public servant.” government said it had learned to "accept" the verdict.
○ The Bench said it "would impinge on the future
● Arguments in the Madras HC referred to a 2014
course of education of nearly 17 lakh students who
Supreme Court (SC) Constitution Bench ruling in Manoj
Narula vs Union of India. are pursuing education in these institutions".
● The State claimed to have fought tooth and nail for the
○ The SC ruling emphasized that constitutional
survival of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrasa
morality is the primary standard for holding a public
Education Act, 2004, in the High Court.
office, which entails adhering to the rule of law.
○ However, it has now reconciled to the High Court’s
○ Another key aspect highlighted was good
point of view that the Act threatened the
governance, suggesting that governments should
principles of secularism and was violative of the
prioritize the broader public interest over narrow Basic Structure of the Constitution.
private or political interests.
● The Attorney General of India submitted the basic
○ The third was constitutional trust, that is, to uphold question in Court, "How did you support a law that
the high degree of morality attached to a public
● provides for a wide array of State entanglement with
office.
religion and religious institutions?
Practical difficulties of occupying public office ● Additional Solicitor General for Uttar Pradesh said the
while in jail: course of instruction provided in madrasas did not
17
● A Minister sitting in prison cannot ask the Secretary of involve broad-based subjects such as Maths, Science,
State to get the files concerning any of the departments and Social Studies. The study of secular subjects was
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without breaching the oath of office. optional.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ But the Court countered the State's logic, asking how
the striking down of a law regulating madrasas About the U.P. Madarsa Education Act:
would ensure that madrasa students were instructed ● Enacted in 2004, the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa
in Maths, Science, Social Studies, Languages and Education Act was designed to streamline madrassa
History. education, defining it as education in Arabic, Urdu,
● “The remedy would not be to strike down the Madrasa Persian, Islamic studies, Tibb (traditional medicine),
Board Act, but to issue suitable directions to enable philosophy and other specified branches.
students pursuing their education in madrasas to ● Uttar Pradesh is home to approximately 25,000
access the quality of education made available by the madrassas, out of which 16,500 are officially
State in other institutions,” Chief Justice Chandrachud recognized by the Uttar Pradesh Madrassa
dictated in the order for the Bench. Education Board.
● The Court said if the State had a “legitimate public ○ Among these recognized institutions, 560
interest” in all students, including those in madrasas, it receive financial support from the government.
ought to ensure that “they receive education of a ○ Additionally, there are 8,500 unrecognized
requisite quality and standard which make them madrassas operating in the State.
qualified to pursue a dignified existence”. ● The Madarsa Education Board awards
○ The Court said it was left to the choice of students undergraduate and postgraduate degrees known
and their parents to stay back or leave madrasas to as Kamil and Fazil respectively. Diplomas issued by
join mainstream schools. the Board are referred to as Qari and grant
○ However, the High Court's direction of their transfer certificates and other academic honours.
to “regular” schools was unwarranted. ● The Board is responsible for conducting
● Additional Solicitor General for Uttar Pradesh tried to examinations for courses such as Munshi, Maulvi
reason that the madrasas had not been shut down after (Class X), and Alim (Class XII).
all. ● The Madarsa Education Board is responsible for
specifying the curriculum, textbooks, reference
○ Only the students have been directed to be re-
books, and any other teaching materials required
allocated.
for courses such as Tahtania, Fauquania, Munshi,
○ He argued that Article 28(1) of the Constitution
Maulvi, Alim, Kamil, and Fazil.
prohibited religious instruction in educational
"unconstitutional" and in conflict with the principle
institutions wholly maintained out of State funds.
of secularism.
● Appearing for an association of madrasa teachers that
● The HC observed that the Madarsa Act contravenes
challenged the High Court judgment, said that the
the fundamental tenets of secularism, a core element
verdict affected the lives of nearly 17 lakh students
of the Constitution.
spread across 16,000 madrasas in Uttar Pradesh.
● The Act does not ensure the provision of high-
○ They said that unlike what the State claimed, only
quality compulsory education up to the age of 14
560 of the 16,000 madrasas were recognized by
years or Class VIII, as mandated by Article 21-A.
State funds.
● Furthermore, it does not guarantee universal and
○ The petitioners argued that imparting religious
high-quality school education for all children
instruction in secular institutions was not
enrolled in madrassas.
proscribed in the Constitution.
● Additionally, the Allahabad High Court recognized the
○ Besides, subjects other than Islamic theology are
petitioner's argument that the Board's power to grant
taught in madrasas, the petitioners submitted.
degrees infringes upon the jurisdiction of the
○ They said that madrasa education would continue to University Grants Commission (UGC).
be unregulated without the Board.
● In his order, the Chief Justice said the High Court
Candidate’s right to privacy from voters
seemed to have “conflated the concept of madrasa News Excerpt:
education with the regulatory powers attached to According to the Supreme Court (SC), voters' right to know
the Board”. The reasoning was prima facie about election candidates is absolute, but it doesn’t
misconceived. require them to lay out their life threadbare for
Why did the Allahabad HC deem it examination as they, too, are entitled to privacy.
unconstitutional? About SC’s Judgement:
18
● The Allahabad HC had invalidated the Uttar Pradesh ● The SC bench ruled that a candidate's decision to
Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004, declaring it maintain privacy on irrelevant personal matters isn't
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
considered a 'corrupt practice' under Section 123 of furniture unless these items are of such value as to
the Representation of People Act, 1951. constitute a sizeable asset in itself or reflect upon the
○ They clarified that such non-disclosure doesn't candidate's candidature in terms of their lifestyle.
constitute a "defect of a substantial nature" under ● The Court stated that each case would have its own
Section 36(4) of the RPA 1951. peculiarities regarding what would amount to a non-
● The SC clarified that candidates are not obliged to disclosure of substantial assets.
expose every aspect of their lives to public scrutiny when ○ While suppressing information about a collection of
declaring their assets during elections. expensive watches from voters would be considered
○ The Court emphasized that candidates' declarations a substantial defect, suppressing the value of simple,
of assets are meant to further democratic inexpensive watches owned by the candidate and
participation by citizens and enhance voters' their family members may not amount to a defect at
right to information, enabling them to cast their all.
votes rationally and intelligently. ○ The Court emphasized that each case would have to
○ The Court distinguished that a candidate doesn't be judged on its own facts to determine whether the
need to declare every item of movable property, non-disclosure of certain assets is substantial or
such as clothing, shoes, crockery, stationery, and not.
● The judgment aimed to
strike a balance between
voters' right to access
relevant information about
a candidate's assets and the
candidate's right to privacy,
acknowledging that not every
minor detail needs to be
exposed for public scrutiny.
Campaigning in the
name of religion
News Excerpt:
The BJP complained to the
Election Commission of India
(ECI) about Rahul Gandhi's
remark about Hindu
sentiment, While DMK
counter-complained the
religious appeal made by the
PM.
What is Section 123 of
RPA 51?
● Section 123(3) of the
Representation of the
People Act, 1951 (RP Act)
provides that appeals by a
candidate, or any other person
with the consent of a
candidate, to vote or refrain
from voting on the ground of
his religion, race, caste,
community or language is a
corrupt electoral practice.
● Section 123(3A)
19
denounces any attempt by a

candidate to promote feelings
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
of enmity or hatred among citizens on these grounds ● Religion as Personal Faith: Religion should remain a
during elections. matter of personal faith and not be exploited for
○ The RP Act 1951 further provides that anyone found political gains.
guilty of corrupt electoral practice can be
debarred from contesting elections for a maximum
District Election Management Plan
period of up to six years.
History of Implementation of the RPA and the News Excerpt:
Model Code of Conduct (MCC): The conduct of elections demands thorough planning and
precise execution to uphold principles of freedom, fairness,
● Before 1961, Section 123(3) of the RP Act provided that
and inclusivity. A cornerstone of this planning process is the
a 'systemic' appeal by a candidate on the grounds of
District Election Management Plan (DEMP), a detailed
religion, race, caste or community would amount to a
blueprint utilizing statistics and analysis to ensure the
corrupt electoral practice.
smooth conduct of elections.
○ However, in order to curb communal, fissiparous
● The significance of planning in the conduct of
and separatist tendencies, the word ‘systemic’
elections has heightened due to the escalating
was omitted through an amendment in 1961.
complexities and diverse activities involved.
○ This meant that even a stray appeal for success in the
elections on the grounds of one’s religion or
What is DEMP?
narrow communal affiliation would be viewed with The District Election Management Plan (DEMP) serves as a
disfavour by the law. comprehensive document that streamlines election
● There are leaders across political parties against whom preparations.
cases have been registered under the RP Act and the ● It utilizes statistical analysis to inform detailed
Indian Penal Code in this regard. planning across various aspects of the electoral process.
○ Supreme Court convicted Bal Thackeray of Shiv ● According to the Election Planner of the Election
Sena in 1995 for this corrupt electoral practice. Commission of India (ECI), the DEMP must be prepared
● The ECI, on such occasions, at best, bars leaders from at least six months prior to the tentative Poll Day.
campaigning for a short period of two to three days for ● Early preparation of the DEMP allows for assessing the
violating the MCC. status and requirements of various components such as
● The MCC provides that: polling station facilities, Electronic Voting Machines
○ No party or candidate shall indulge in any activity (EVMs), logistics, manpower, training, transportation,
that may aggravate existing differences, create security measures, and the Systematic Voters' Education
mutual hatred, or cause tension between different and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiative.
castes, religious or linguistic communities. ● The preparation and execution of the DEMP involve a
○ There shall be no appeal to caste or communal collaborative effort among various stakeholders,
feelings to secure votes. including election officials, administrative authorities,
○ Mosques, churches, temples, or other places of law enforcement aand proceduresgencies, political
worship may not be used as forums for election parties, and media.
propaganda. Key elements of the DEMP include:
Key points related to Abhiram Singh versus C. ● District Profile: This provides a foundational
D. Commachen (2017) case: understanding of the electoral strategy, including a
● Decision: A seven-judge Bench, by a majority of 4:3, political map with constituencies, key demographic and
held that candidates should not appeal for votes on the infrastructure statistics, administrative setup, and socio-
basis of not just their religion but also that of the voters. economic features of the district.
● Interpretation of Section 123(3): The majority view ● Accessibility of Polling Stations: Strategies are
provided a ‘purposive interpretation’ of Section 123(3) outlined to improve the availability and accessibility of
rather than just a literal one. This rendered any appeal in polling stations, ensuring they have necessary facilities
the name of religion or even the voters a corrupt such as ramps, electricity, lighting, drinking water,
electoral practice. toilets, and internet connectivity.
● Secular Nature of Elections: Elections to Parliament or ○ Special provisions are made for voters with
State legislatures are deemed as secular exercises. disabilities (PwD) and senior citizens through 24*7
The constitutional ethos forbids the mixing of
20
control rooms, home voting options and advanced

religious considerations with the secular functions of
postal ballot voting.
Page
the State.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral The Constitution provision about the terms of
Participation (SVEEP) Plan: This plan focuses on State Assemblies and Lok Sabha:
increasing electoral participation through activities
● The terms of both State Assemblies and Lok Sabha
tailored to address low voter turnout areas.
last for five years from the first sitting of the House.
● Election Personnel Management: Strategies are
● Article 172(1) states: “Every Legislative Assembly of
developed for planning, training, welfare, and
every State, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for
deployment of election personnel.
five years from the date appointed for its first
○ This includes creating a database of poll personnel, meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said
assessing requirements, addressing gaps in period of five years shall operate as a dissolution of the
personnel needs, and training district-level teams to Assembly”.
enforce the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
○ The term of the Assembly may, while a Proclamation
● Force Deployment Plan: Detailed planning is done in of Emergency is in operation, be extended by
coordination with the district police, including Parliament for a period not exceeding one year at
vulnerability mapping of polling stations based on past a time and not extending in any case beyond a
disturbances and voter turnout. period of six months after the Proclamation has
ceased to operate.
● Material Management: Procurement plans are
outlined for essential items such as indelible ink, seals, ● For Lok Sabha, Article 83(2) states: The House of the
stamps, stationary, and statutory forms. People, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five
years from the date appointed for its first meeting
○ Similarly, plans for Electronic Voting Machines
and no longer and the expiration of the said period of
(EVMs) management, including secure storage,
transportation, and maintenance, are also five years shall operate as a dissolution of the House.
included. What are the things that the ECI looks at while
● Vote counting and results reporting: Protocols for fixing the election schedule?
counting votes, tallying results, and reporting outcomes ● It is standard procedure for the ECI to consider factors
transparently and timely. such as -
● Complaints and dispute resolution: Procedures for ○ Weather, festivals, and important examinations,
handling complaints, disputes, and irregularities that as well as the availability of school buildings,
may arise during the electoral process, including where polling stations are often set up, and teachers
mechanisms for adjudicating disputes and resolving are mobilized for election duty while deciding the
conflicts. schedule of elections.
● Post-election activities: Plans for post-election
activities such as data analysis, reporting, and evaluation
of the electoral process to identify areas for Earlier such instances:
improvement in future elections. ● In 2004, the tenure of the Assembly in Andhra
Pradesh (AP) was to end on May 13, the same day
that counting for Lok Sabha and other states was
How House terms and poll schedules are scheduled.
decided? ○ So, the counting in AP was scheduled for May 11.
News Excerpt: ● In 2023, the date of counting for the Assembly
election in Mizoram was changed from December 3
The date of counting for Assembly elections in
to December 4.
Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim has been advanced by
two days to ensure that their existing Houses' terms don't ● December 3 was a Sunday, and according to the ECI,
end before the election process is complete. Sundays hold special significance for the people of
[Christian-majority] Mizoram.
21
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
SOCIAL ISSUES
Food Waste Index Report 2024 produced globally and a third of humanity faces food
insecurity.
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV ○ Food waste is not confined to 'rich' countries but also
According to the latest UN
1 7
2 8 prevalent in upper-middle and lower-middle-income
Environment Programme's (UNEP)
3 9
4 10
countries.
Food Waste Index Report, the world
5 11
Impact of Food waste:

6 M
wasted an estimated 19% of the food produced globally

in 2022, or about 1.05 billion metric tons. ● Environmental impact:
○ Squanders natural resources and also contributes
Status of Food Waste:
substantially to climate change and biodiversity loss.
It accounts for close to 10% of global greenhouse
Important terms: gas emissions and displaces wildlife due to
● Food waste: Food and its associated inedible parts intensive farming practices.
removed from the human food supply chain. ○ Consumer-level waste imposes the highest burden.
○ It includes both edible parts (intended for human
○ Hotter countries tend to generate more food waste
consumption) and inedible parts (not intended
per capita due to higher consumption of fresh foods
for human consumption), such as bones, rinds,
with substantial inedible parts and inadequate cold
and pits/stones.
chain facilities.
● Food loss: All crop and livestock human-edible
● Economic toll:
commodity quantities that completely exit the post-
○ Estimated at roughly $1 trillion, reflecting the
harvest/slaughter production/supply chain.
substantial costs incurred due to inefficiencies in the
● Food Waste Index: It is overseen by UNEP, tracks the
food supply chain.
global and national generation of food and inedible
parts wasted at the retail and consumer levels Complexity surrounding Food Waste:
(household and food service). ● Significance of considering inedible parts:
○ Measuring food waste accurately involves assessing
● Food Waste in India: both edible and inedible parts.
○ Indian households waste an estimated 78.2 million ○ Additionally, upcycling of inedible parts back into the
tonnes of food annually, despite the country having human supply chain contributes to circular food
the largest population suffering from hunger. systems and improves food security.
■ India ranks 111th out of 125 countries on the ● Extent of edible food waste:
Global Hunger Index, indicating a serious level
○ Limited data exists on the edible fraction of food
of hunger severity.
waste globally, but estimates suggest it could range
○ Per capita food waste in India is estimated at 55
from 31% to 77% of total food waste.
kg per year, with rural areas wasting less compared
to urban areas. ■ Even at the lower end of this range, the quantity
of edible food wasted is significant, amounting
○ Data on food wastage in India is categorised under
to 1.3 meals per person impacted by hunger per
'Medium Confidence', indicating limitations in
day.
geographic coverage and sample size.
● Global Food Waste: ● Challenges in data availability:
○ Globally, 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste (including ○ There's a lack of accurate nationwide data on food
inedible parts) were generated in 2022, amounting waste in the retail and food service sectors,
to 132 kg per capita. particularly outside high-income countries.
■ Household waste accounts for the majority ● Measurement and reporting of SDG Target 12.3:
(60%) of food waste, while commercial food ○ SDG 12.3 includes two indicators:
systems, including food services and retail ■ Indicator 12.3.1(a) measures food loss across
account for 28% and 12% respectively. the supply chain up to but excluding retail.
■ An additional 13% of food is lost in the supply ■ Indicator 12.3.1(b) measures food waste at the
chain between harvest and market, often due retail and consumer levels. It allows for the
to rejection or spoilage of edible food.
22
separate reporting of inedible parts where

○ More than a billion meals are thrown away every day measured.
Page
worldwide, representing about a fifth of all food
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Anaemia prevalence in 8 States over-

estimated
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV
A study across eight States

1 7
2 8
3 9
in India has found that the 4 10
5 11
prevalence of anemia has 6 M
been overestimated by previous surveys.

Methodology of study:
● While the NFHS surveys measured
haemoglobin using finger prick-based
capillary blood, the new study used venous
blood to measure haemoglobin and iron status
through ferritin.
○ FAO and UNEP serve as custodians for these
○ Capillary blood haemoglobin may underestimate
indicators, respectively.
the true values due to the phenomenon called
■ The Food Loss Index focuses on losses for key
plasma-skimming, leading to a slightly lower red
commodities, while the Food Waste Index
blood cell count compared to venous blood.
measures total food waste, including inedible
○ Mixing of tissue fluid during capillary blood sample
parts and waste generated in manufacturing
collection can dilute haemoglobin levels, further
processes.
reducing accuracy.
Way Forward: ○ The WHO has also recently recommended that
● Education and anaemia be diagnosed from venous blood
PEPPER IT WITH:
awareness about estimations of haemoglobin.
Global Hunger Index, SDG 12,
the importance of
Circular food system, Key findings of the study:
reducing food
waste and ● The majority of cases of anaemia were mild, with 18.4%
adopting sustainable consumption habits. of the entire sample experiencing mild anaemia, 14.7%
with moderate anaemia, and 1.8% with severe
● Research and technology: Invest in research and
anaemia.
technology to gather reliable data and identify trends
● Women exhibited a higher overall prevalence of
and patterns to inform targeted interventions.
anaemia compared to men, with 22% of women
● Governments should incentivise food waste
reduction initiatives, implement
food recovery programs, and
support sustainable food
production and distribution
practices.
● Collaborative partnerships:
Foster collaboration among
governments, businesses, non-
profit organizations, and
communities to address food waste
comprehensively.
● Consumer empowerment:
Empower consumers to make
informed choices and reduce food
waste at the household level.
○ Promote meal planning,
proper storage techniques,
portion control, and creative
cooking methods to minimize
23
food waste in households.

Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
experiencing moderate anaemia compared to 7.6% of ○ The decreasing
men. protein, vitamin,
PEPPER IT WITH:
● Among different age groups: and mineral
NFHS, National Anaemia
○ 44%, 41%, and 45% in adolescent girls, adults, and levels in cereals
Mukt Bharat, Red Blood cells
elderly women, respectively. due to climate
& white blood cells, Iron
○ For adolescent boys, adults, and elderly men, the change are
Deficiency
prevalence of anaemia was 24%, 21%, and 37%, prompting a need
for dietary
respectively.
diversification towards more resilient options like
○ The prevalence of anaemia was much higher as per
millets.
the NFHS surveys that used capillary blood —
○ While millets may contain phytates that can hinder
60.8% for women, 62.6% for adolescent girls, 26%
nutrient absorption, they are rich in iron and
for men and 31.8% for adolescent boys.
calcium, potentially leading to higher overall
● State wise data:
intake of these essential nutrients.
○ Assam had the highest prevalence of total anaemia,
with 69.8% overall and
78.3% among women.
○ Odisha exhibited a
prevalence of 55%
overall and 63% among
women.
○ Meghalaya showed the
lowest prevalence of
anaemia at 12.1%
overall and 14.6%
among women, followed
by Telangana with
16.9% overall and
24.6% among women.
● Iron deficiency:
○ Iron deficiency
prevalence within the
entire group was at
18.4.
○ It was highest among
adolescent girls
(31.5%) followed by
adult women (27.7%),
and elderly women
(13.6%).
○ The prevalence of iron
deficiency was 16.0%,
10.7% and 11.2% for
adolescent boys,
adults, and elderly
men, respectively.
Impact of diet on
anaemia:
● A significant portion of the
Indian population primarily
consumes cereal-based
24
diets with limited intake of

coloured vegetables and
FIGURE: INITIATIVE TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT
Page
fruits.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Lancet projects fall in India's fertility rate ● Economic unviability: For many families in India,
having more children is not economically viable.
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV ○ Rising living costs, education expenses, and the
A recent Lancet study on global 1
2
7
8 desire for a higher standard of living can deter
fertility rates indicates a decline in
3 9
4 10 couples from having more children.
India's total fertility rate (TFR).
5 11
6 M
● Social changes: Social norms and values regarding
Total Fertility Rate (TFR): family size and dynamics are evolving. Today, the notion
● It is the average number of children a woman would that large families are necessary for social security is
give birth to during her lifetime if she were to pass considered outdated.
through her childbearing years (15-49 years) Implications of low fertility for the economy:
experiencing the present-day age-specific fertility rates. ● Ageing population: With a declining fertility rate, India
● It is calculated by adding up all the age-specific fertility will likely face an ageing population in the future.
rates, multiplying this sum by five (the width of the age- ○ This demographic shift can strain public services
group interval), and then dividing by 1,000. such as healthcare and pension systems, as fewer
Key highlights of the study: working-age individuals will be available to
India’s fertility rate: support the elderly population.
● Labour force shortages: A decrease in the number of
• In 2021, India’s TFR was 1.91 children per woman,
young people entering the workforce due to lower birth
below the necessary replacement fertility level of 2.1.
rates can lead to labour force shortages.
• India’s TFR has been seeing a decline over the last
○ This could impact various economic sectors,
century, with the fertility rate falling from 6.18 children
including manufacturing, agriculture, and services,
per woman in 1950 to a projected 1.29 children per
affecting productivity and economic growth.
woman by 2050. It can further fall to 1.04 children
● Economic productivity: A shrinking workforce resulting
per woman in the year 2100.
from lower fertility rates can potentially hamper
Global fertility rate: economic productivity.
• The study estimates that by 2050, 155 of the 204 ○ With fewer individuals contributing to the labour
countries will have fertility below the replacement force, there may be challenges in sustaining
level. This figure is expected to rise to 198 countries economic growth and development.
by 2100. ● Pension systems: A lower birth rate means fewer
• By 2100, the estimated fertility rates will be below individuals entering the workforce to support social
the replacement level in more than 95% of the world’s security and pension systems.
countries and territories, but disparities in rates will ○ This could strain government budgets and
remain. necessitate reforms to ensure the sustainability of
Factors contributing to the decline of TFR in these systems in the face of demographic changes.
India: Way Forward:
● Delay in marriage and pregnancy: The age of ● Scandinavian
marriage is being delayed, leading to a decrease in the nations—like Sweden PEPPER IT WITH:
average age of first pregnancy. and Denmark promote Fertility rate, Contraceptive
○ Women are opting for pregnancy in their mid gender parity as they Prevalence Rate
to late 30s instead of their mid-20s. finance healthcare,
● Increase in female literacy and workforce offer inexpensive child care, and launch extensive
participation: Higher levels of education and increased programs aimed at engaging men.
participation of women in the workforce are leading to ● Men would need to shoulder more of the caregiving
a shift in priorities. and home responsibilities if they wanted women to
○ Women are focusing more on their careers and be able to balance professions and parenthood.
personal aspirations, which is decreasing their ● In addition to social security and pension reforms,
desire for large families. economic measures that promote growth and job
● Urbanisation and busy lifestyles: Busy lifestyles in creation will be crucial for adjusting to and lessening
urban areas and high-stress jobs are causing individuals the effects of lower birth rates.
to reconsider having children altogether. The demands ● To address the implications of declining fertility rates,
25
of modern urban living may discourage individuals policymakers may need to implement reforms to
from starting or expanding their families. encourage family formation and support working
Page
parents.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ Measures include affordable childcare, parental ● India's ranking for happiness among young people,
leave policies, and incentives for larger families. aged 30 and below, was notably lower at 127th place.
○ This indicates potential challenges or disparities
the younger demographic faces
○ regarding overall life satisfaction and well-being.
World Happiness Report 2024 ● India's ranking for happiness among older people,
aged 60 and above, was slightly higher at 121st place.
News Excerpt: ○ This suggests that older individuals in India may
In the World Happiness Report for 2024, India was ranked perceive higher levels of life satisfaction
126th out of the 150 countries. compared to their younger counterparts.
About World Happiness Report:
● It is released annually around March 20th as part of the India TB Report-2024
International Day of Happiness celebration by the
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions News Excerpt:
Network (UN SDSN). According to the India TB Report 2024 released by the
○ The report is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the gap
Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN SDSN, and between the estimated number and actual cases of
the WHR's Editorial Board. tuberculosis (TB) is closing.
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN): Key highlights of India TB Report 2024:
● The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
(SDSN) was set up in 2012 under the auspices of the TB CASES IN INDIA OVER THE YEARS
then UN Secretary-General. India 2023 2024
● It mobilises global scientific and technological TB
expertise to promote practical solutions for Report
sustainable development, including the 2020
implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals Estimated TB cases 26.9 27.4 lakh 27.8 lakh
(SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. lakh
● It considers six variables: GDP per capita, healthy life
Number of cases 24.04 24.2 lakh 25.5 lakh
expectancy, social support, freedom, generosity, and
reported lakh
absence of corruption.
Reported from 6.8 lakh 7.3 lakh 8.4 lakh
● The World Happiness Report now provides separate
private sector
rankings by age group.
● The top 10 countries are Finland, Denmark, Iceland, % cases from Private 28.20% 30% 32.90%
Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, sector
Switzerland, and Australia. Estimated Mortality 4.36 3.2 lakh 3.2 lakh
○ Finland emerged as the happiest country in the lakh
world, topping the World Happiness Report ● Reduction in missing TB cases: The gap between
2024, the seventh successive year. estimated and actual TB cases is decreasing, with only
● Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the overall 2.3 lakh missing cases in 2023 compared to 3.2 lakh the
rankings as the world's 'unhappiest' nation, followed previous year.
by Congo, Sierra Leone, Lesotho, and Lebanon. ○ Tracking TB patients through the Ni-kshay portal
Key findings about India: has contributed to reducing missing cases.
● India's rank in the happiness index is lower than its ● Notifications from the private sector have increased,
neighbouring countries like China (60th), Nepal with nearly 33% (8.4 lakh) of the 25.5 lakh reported cases
(93rd), Pakistan (108th), Myanmar (118th), Sri Lanka in 2023 coming from private healthcare providers.
(128th), and Bangladesh (129th). ● These estimates are based on India's in-country
● The report noted a gender disparity in happiness model, a new methodology developed by India and
within India, with older women reporting lower levels accepted by the World Health Organisation.
of life satisfaction compared to older men. ● A test to check for medication resistance was
● Education and caste emerged as significant factors administered to 58% of patients with confirmed TB, up
26
affecting life satisfaction in India. Individuals with from 25% in 2015.

higher levels of education and belonging to higher
Page
social castes reported higher happiness levels.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ This facilitates prompt access to suitable treatments, World TB status:
particularly for patients with tuberculosis that is ● High TB incidence countries such as China, the
resistant to drugs. Philippines, and Pakistan reported fewer than a million
● India reached its 2023 target of initiating treatment in cases in 2022.
95% of diagnosed TB patients. ● TB ranks as the second leading cause of infectious
Factors contributing to reduced TB incidence in deaths globally, following Covid, according to the
India: World Health Organization.
● Easy availability of drugs: ● While an estimated 11 million people worldwide were
○ All first-line TB drugs are now accessible even in diagnosed with TB in 2022, over a million died from it.
remote areas.
○ Costly medicines like bedaquiline are available in
government institutions, aiding in curing many
cases of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB).
● Development of newer drugs:
○ At least 16 new drugs are undergoing Phase I or
II clinical trials, and 22 are in pre-clinical stages.
○ Research on shorter treatment regimens is also
ongoing, potentially improving patient compliance
and reducing the risk of drug resistance.
● Ni-KSHAY:
○ NI-KSHAY (Ni=End, Kshay=TB) is the web-enabled
patient management system under the National
Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).
○ It is developed and maintained by the Central TB
Division (CTD), and MoHFW in collaboration with
the National Informatics Centre (NIC), and the
World Health Organization India’s Office.
○ It is used by health functionaries at various levels
across the country, both in the public and private
sectors, to register cases under their care, order Remove Bournvita from 'health drinks'
various types of tests from Labs across the country,
section
record treatment details, monitor treatment
adherence, and transfer cases between care News Excerpt:
providers. The Commerce and Industry Ministry said in an advisory
○ It also functions as the National TB Surveillance to all e-commerce companies to remove drinks and
System and enables reporting of various surveillance beverages, including Bournvita, from the health drinks
data to the Government of India. category from their portals or sites.
● Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan About the news:
(PMTBMBA):
● National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
○ It is launched by the Ministry of Health and Family (NCPCR) directed Bournvita to withdraw all
Welfare (MoHFW) of India to eliminate tuberculosis "misleading" advertisements, packaging and labels
(TB) by 2025. following a video by social media influencer.
○ It emphasizes the need for a multi-sectoral ○ The influencer had highlighted the high sugar
response involving various stakeholders, including content in the drink, sparking criticism of the
communities and societal institutions. brand and a widespread debate.
○ It is significant for its community-driven approach ○ NCPCR after its inquiry concluded that there is no
and its focus on reducing the stigma associated
‘health drink’ defined under FSS Act 2006.
with TB.
● Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
○ It involves the community in a 'Jan Andolan' to directed all e-commerce food business operators
accelerate progress towards TB elimination, making (FBOs) to ensure appropriate categorisation of food
27
it a unique model. products being sold on their websites.

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C.C. APRIL ‘24
● This direction came after FSSAI observed instances of ● Jawaharlal Nehru University leads among Indian
certain cold drinks and beverages, such as dairy- universities, securing the 20th position globally for
based beverage mixes, cereal-based beverage mixes, development studies, and the Saveetha Institute of
and malt-based beverages, being sold on these Medical and Technical Sciences in Chennai holds the
websites under the category of 'health drink' or 24th position globally for dentistry studies.
'energy drink'. ● Though the 12 Institutes of Eminence (IoE) represent
Proprietary foods are items of food that are not a small fraction of Indian universities, they contribute
standardised in food safety and standards (food product significantly, accounting for 40% of the country's 180
standards and food additives) regulations and food safety total entries.
and standards (health supplements, nutraceuticals, food for ○ Additionally, the IoE leads with 47 of the 69 top-
special dietary use, food for special medical purpose, 100 Indian positions and 14 of the 21 positions
functional food, and novel food) regulations, but use across 55 academic disciplines and five faculty
standardized ingredients. areas in this edition of the rankings.
● The University of Delhi emerges as the most
Significance of the move:
represented Indian institution in the rankings with 30
● This action will enhance clarity and transparency
entries, followed closely by IIT Bombay with 28 entries
regarding the nature and functional properties of the
and IIT Kharagpur with 27 entries.
products, allowing consumers to make informed choices
● Noteworthy improvements are seen at IIT Madras,
without any misleading information,
which has 22 entries, eight of which have improved, six
● The food safety regulator had iterated that ‘energy
of which declined, and four of which remained
drinks’ is permitted to be used for carbonated and
unchanged. Similarly, IIT Delhi secured 19 entries, 11
non-carbonated water-based flavored drinks.
of which showed improvement, three of which declined,
○ Further, ‘heath drinks’ are not defined anywhere
and three of which remained unchanged.
under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
● Notably, 72% of the Indian entries this year have either
About National Commission for Protection of Child
Rights (NCPCR): debuted, shown improvement, or maintained their
● It is a statutory body constituted under section (3) of positions. At the same time, only 18% experienced a
the Commission of Protection of Child Rights decline, showcasing an impressive 17% year-on-year
(CPCR) Act 2005. improvement for India.
● Its mandate is to ensure that all laws, policies, programs
and administrative systems conform to the vision of the
Subject University 2024 Global
rights of the child as enunciated in the Constitution of
Ranking
India as well as the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child. Development JNU 20
● A child is defined as a person falling in the age studies
group of 0 to 18 years. Business & IIM Ahmedabad 22
management
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World studies
University Rankings Computer science IIT Delhi 63

& Information
News Excerpt: systems
JNU is best for development studies in India, while IIM- Pharmacy & NIPER Hyderabad 64
Ahmedabad tops for management in recently released QS pharmacology
World University Rankings.
Law OP Jindal Global 72
Key findings: University
● In the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject, Mathematics IIT Bombay 89
sixty-nine Indian universities have earned spots,
Medicine AIIMS New Delhi 127
marking a 19.4% increase from the previous year's 355
entries. Physics & IISc Bangalore 134
● According to the rankings by Subject, IIM-Ahmedabad astronomy
ranks among the top 25 institutions globally for Accounting & IIM Bangalore 151-200
28
business and management studies, while IIM- Finance

Bangalore and IIM-Calcutta are within the top 50. Communication & Delhi University 201-250
Page
media studies
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● The rankings show significant progress in India, with a ○ The increased participation of women in India
20% improvement in the citations per paper indicator, could be driven by rising self-employment among
reflecting strong research capability. them driven by economic distress.
● India has emerged as one of the world's fastest- ○ There have been some gains for women as the
growing research centres, with a 54% surge in employment ratio for men has declined.
research output from 2017 to 2022, surpassing the ○ Most South Asian countries recorded a decline in
global average and outpacing Western peers. the employment ratio.
● While India ranks fourth globally in research volume, ■ The employment ratio for men in India
it ranks ninth in research impact, indicating the need declined by 9.6% points, the lowest after
for prioritising high-quality, impactful research Nepal and Bhutan, between 2000 and 2023.
dissemination.
○ India and Bangladesh are among the countries that
saw a divergent gender trend when it comes to
South Asia Development Update Report employment.
■ Women’s employment ratio in India
News Excerpt:
increased by 1.4% points. It was the highest
According to the World Bank’s April South Asia for Bangladesh at 11.6% points.
Development Update report, India has moved fewer
■ Women in Bangladesh are reportedly more
people to non-agriculture jobs than most neighbouring
economically active because of factors like the
nations.
growth of its garment industry.
South Asia Development Update:
● Previously known as South Asia Economic Focus, is
prepared twice a year by the Office of the Chief
UNHRC Resolution for Intersex Rights
Economist for the South Asia region of the World News Excerpt:
Bank.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
● The report presents the near-term economic outlook for voted to adopt a resolution designed to protect the rights
South Asia as well as an in-depth analysis of topical
of intersex people, the first initiative of its kind.
challenges and opportunities for policymakers in
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Key highlights:
Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. ● 24 countries voted in favour, twenty-three abstained,
Key highlights of the report: and none voted against the resolution, which was
spearheaded by Finland, South Africa, Chile and
● India could only manage to move a smaller share of its
Australia.
working-age population away from farm-related
● The resolution calls on states to combat
work than many of its neighbours.
discrimination, violence and harmful practices
● Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Nepal have against persons with innate variations in sex
managed to shift a bigger share of jobs to non- characteristics and address their root causes, as well as
agricultural work than India. help intersex people realize the enjoyment of the
● Only Pakistan and the Maldives show a lower shift highest attainable standard of physical and mental
than India among South Asian countries. health.
● India-specific trends: ● It also requests that the Office of the U.N. The High
○ The share of working-age Indians who are Commissioner for Human Rights publishes a report
employed in agri-based jobs has come down over examining in detail discriminatory laws and policies,
the years. acts of violence and harmful practices against
■ This employment ratio for India was 63.9% in persons with innate variations in sex characteristics in
2000. It declined to 53.8% in 2019. all regions of the world.
○ The majority of its neighbours have seen a lower UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
decline or an improvement since the turn of the • UNHRC is an intergovernmental body within the
millennium. United Nations system responsible for
● Gender trends: strengthening the promotion and protection of
29
human rights worldwide, addressing situations of

human rights violations, and making
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
recommendations on them. ● Although mumps is common in children, it also occurs
• It meets at the United Nations Office in Geneva among pregnant women and can lead to
(UNOG). complications.
Intersex persons: ● It is caused by paramyxovirus, a member of the
Rubulavirus family.
• Intersex persons are born with a wide range of
natural variations in their sex characteristics that ● Mumps is a self-limiting, airborne viral disease and
don’t fit the typical definition of male or female, presents as fever and headache in mostly children
including sexual anatomy, reproductive organs and adolescents, with painful swelling of the
or chromosome patterns. salivary glands (parotid glands) on both sides of the
face.
• It’s estimated that up to 1.7% of the population is
born with intersex traits, according to UN data. ● There is no specific treatment, and the patient recovers
with rest and symptomatic management in about
• Working with civil society and intersex rights two weeks.
defenders, UNHRC has led several initiatives to
promote the visibility and rights of intersex people Why is the mumps vaccine not part of the
and issued a Technical Note in 2023 for States and national immunization schedule?
other stakeholders on UN recommendations on the ● Despite being a vaccine-preventable disease, mumps
rights of intersex people and good practices in their has never been a part of the Universal Immunisation
implementation. Programme (UIP) because of the disease’s no-
mortality profile and the perception that it has low
public health significance.
Resurgence of mumps in Kerala ● However, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP)
has always maintained that the public health
News Excerpt:
significance of mumps has been underestimated
Several states, including Maharashtra, Telangana, Kerala, mainly because of the poor documentation of clinical
and Andhra Pradesh, were reporting a resurgence in cases, its complications and patients’ follow-up
measles cases.
data, and the lack of published studies.
About Mumps: ● The Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) advocates
● Mumps is a viral and contagious infection primarily using the MMR (Mumps-Measles-Rubella) vaccine
transmitted by respiratory secretions, such as in UIP.
droplets and saliva, and direct contact with an
infected person.
30
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Decentralized Industrialization Model spread out, facilitated by the development of various

clusters.
● Several of these clusters are extremely renowned, as
Part of Tamil Nadu's economic 1

2
7
8 shown in the figure. Many cluster towns serve as hubs
success can be attributed to its 3
4
9
10 for multiple industries, offering employment
Decentralized Industrialization 5
6 M
11
opportunities to locals and reducing the dependence
Model, which involves cluster capitalists and grassroots on agriculture.
entrepreneurs.
About the News:
● The agricultural sector's contribution to Tamil Nadu's
Gross Value Added (GVA) (which represents GDP
minus product taxes and subsidies) and the proportion
of the employed labour force are notably lower than
the national average.
Entrepreneurship from below:

● Early industrialists in Tamil Nadu were predominantly
from the Nattukottai Chettiars and Brahmin
communities. The Chettiars, known for their traditional
banking and trading expertise, had extensive operations
● This reduced reliance on agriculture is balanced by in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka.
increased shares of industry, services, and construction ○ Disruptions caused by World War II and the
within the state's economy compared to the overall Burmese nationalist movement prompted
Indian scenario. many to reinvest their wealth back home.
Economic Complexity in the Agriculture Sector: ● However, the recent decentralization of
● Gujarat surpasses Tamil Nadu in terms of industrialization in Tamil Nadu has been driven by
industrialization, with the factory sector contributing entrepreneurs from more ordinary peasant
43.4% to the state's Gross Value Added (GVA) and backgrounds and provincial mercantile castes.
engaging 24.6% of its workforce, compared to Tamil ● What's remarkable about Tamil Nadu's entrepreneurial
Nadu's 22.7% and 17.9%, respectively. culture is its inclusivity across diverse communities
● However, Gujarat relies more heavily on agriculture, and industries.
accounting for a higher share of its GVA (15.9%) and Way Forward: PEPPER IT WITH:
workforce (41.8%) than Tamil Nadu's 12.6% and 28.9%, ● The grassroots or the Industrilization, Bottom-
respectively. This indicates that Gujarat's economy is “Bottom-up” up Entrepreneurship,
less diversified and balanced than Tamil Nadu's. entrepreneurship seen in GVA, Clusters
Cluster-based industrialization: Tamil Nadu, coupled with
● Tamil Nadu boasts only a handful of large business substantial investments in public health and
education, appears to play a significant role in the
conglomerates with annual revenues exceeding Rs
state's success in industrialization and economic
15,000 crore.
diversification beyond agriculture.
● Rather than relying on the so-called Big Capital, Tamil
Nadu's economic transformation owes much to ● Given the government's ongoing ‘Make in India’
31
medium-scale businesses, with turnovers ranging initiative, other states could potentially adopt the Tamil
from Rs 100 crore to Rs 5,000 crore. The state's Nadu model and tailor it to their circumstances and
Page
industrialization has been notably decentralized and relevant factors.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
New UPI rules for access to prepaid ○ New proposed changes will also not apply to closed-
system PPIs.
instruments
What are the proposed RBI rules for PPIs using
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV UPIs?
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
1 7
To provide more flexibility to PPI holders, RBI has

2 8
●
proposed to allow individuals to make
3 9
proposed to permit the linking of PPIs through third-

4 10
5 11
payments from prepaid payment 6 M
party UPI applications.
instruments (PPIs) like digital wallets using UPI through
any third-party app. ● This will enable the PPI holders to make UPI payments
like bank account holders.
Current practice:
● This will allow all Full KYC PPI Wallets to become
● UPI payments from bank accounts can be made by
interoperable, just like bank accounts and RuPay credit
linking a bank account through the bank's UPI app or
cards, where such instruments can be linked to any UPI
using any third-party UPI application.
App.
● However, the same facility is not available for PPIs.
○ PPIs can currently be used to make UPI transactions How will it benefit the users?
only by using the application provided by the PPI ● The RBI's decision to enable PPI linking through third-
issuer. party UPI apps means users can now integrate their
What are Prepaid Payment Instruments? prepaid wallets or cards with these apps.
● PPIs are instruments that facilitate the purchase of ○ Customers will be able to use any of their UPI apps
goods and services, conduct of financial services, to access any of their wallets, even if the wallet and
enable remittance facilities, etc., against the value the UPI app belong to different companies.
stored therein. ● It will ensure smooth transactions directly from their
○ They include wallets, cards, and vouchers, which PPIs without the prerequisite of transferring funds to a
can be used to purchase goods and services and bank account first.
make fund transfers.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI):
○ They offer convenience and security, promoting
● It is an instant payment system developed by the
digital transactions and financial inclusion.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI),
● RBI has introduced PPIs through powers conferred
an RBI-regulated entity.
under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act of
2007. ● UPI is built over the IMPS infrastructure and allows
you to transfer money between any two parties'
● Banks and non-banks can issue PPIs after approval
bank accounts instantly.
from the RBI.
● PPIs operate independently of a user’s bank account. ● It powers multiple bank accounts into a single
○ When you use PPIs such as wallets or cards to make mobile application (of any participating bank),
a payment, the money is deducted from the merging several banking features, seamless fund
associated prepaid account. routing & merchant payments into one hood.
○ Now, wallets can only be used to make UPI ● It also caters to the "peer-to-peer" collection
payments using applications provided by the request, which can be scheduled and paid as needed
same PPI issuer (like PhonePe or PayTM). and convenient.
● PPIs are integral to modern digital economies, ● UPI was launched in 2016 by NPCI.
facilitating efficient, accessible monetary exchanges
without physical cash. Way Forward:
What are Closed System PPIs? This strategic move aims to boost the flexibility and
efficiency of digital
Closed System PPIs are issued by an entity to facilitate the
payments, simplifying
purchase of goods and services from that entity only. PEPPER IT WITH:
transactions for
● These instruments cannot be used for payment or RBI, UPI, NPCI, Payment
consumers and expanding
settlement for third-party services or cash and Settlement Systems
the range of services
withdrawals. Act of 2007
accessible through their
● The issuance or operation of such instruments is not preferred payment
classified as a payment system requiring RBI
32
methods.
approval/authorization and is, therefore, not
regulated or supervised by RBI.
Page
●
C.C. APRIL ‘24
On Unemployment in Indian States The determinants of unemployment:

● The trend line drawn through the data is downward-
sloping, indicating that there exists a negative
A recent report released by the
1 7
2
3
8
9 relationship between the two; in States where a large
International Labour Organization 4 10
proportion of the labour force is engaged in self-
5 11
(ILO) and the Institute for Human
employment, the unemployment rate is low.
6 M
Development (IHD) revealed that two out of every three

○ States with large informal sectors can absorb more
unemployed individuals were young graduates,
job seekers.
highlighting the need for urgent policy intervention.
○ A large proportion of informal self-employment is
An analysis of unemployment: accounted for by agriculture and the rural economy.
● This analysis looks at unemployment in the major States ● There is a positive relationship between urbanization
of India — excluding the Union Territories —among
individuals aged 15 and above as measured by the
Usual Principal and Subsidiary Status (UPSS), utilizing
data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) of
2022-23.
● Goa has the highest unemployment rate (around 10%)
among Indian states in 2022-23, over 3 times the
national average (3.17%).
● Interestingly, four of the top five States—Goa, Kerala,
Haryana, and Punjab—are comparatively richer states.
● Most northern and southern states (except Karnataka)
have unemployment rates higher than the national
average.
● Larger states have lower rates, like 3% in Maharashtra, (share of the urban labour force) and unemployment
2.4% in Uttar Pradesh and 1.6% in Madhya Pradesh, rates.
bringing down the national average. ○ Urbanized states have smaller informal sectors to
● However, this creates an issue: absorb job seekers compared to rural areas.
○ Most States with unemployment rates below the ● Urbanized States have smaller agrarian and
national average also have per capita incomes agrarian-dependent sectors, which means they
below the national average, except Maharashtra have a relatively smaller source of informal jobs
and Gujarat. available.
On education and employment:

● There is a clear positive relationship between
education levels (share of graduates in the labour
33
force) and unemployment rates across states.

Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ Kerala, for instance, has a highly educated labour
○ To estimate the key employment and
force—30% of the labour force are graduates—but
unemployment indicators (viz. Worker
faces high unemployment. Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation
○ Gujarat and Maharashtra have relatively lower Rate, Unemployment Rate) in the short time
share of graduates in their labour force—roughly interval of three months for the urban areas only
14% and 20%, respectively. in the ‘Current Weekly Status’ (CWS).
■ Hence, they have lower unemployment rates ○ To estimate employment and unemployment
in spite of being richer and more urbanized. indicators in both ‘Usual Status’ (ps+ss) and
Potential reasons include: CWS in both rural and urban areas annually.
● A mismatch between skills acquired by graduates and ● The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) also
the requirements of growing modern sectors. estimates Labour Force Participation Rates (LFPR),
○ This necessitates a focus on teaching infrastructure Worker Population Ratios (WPR), Unemployment
and standards. Rates (UR), and other related statistics.
PEPPER IT WITH:
● Higher employment
Unemployment, & its
aspirations among
graduates who seek high-
effects, UPSS, PLFS, NSO India's Electronics trade amid declining
wage jobs aligned with Chinese export
their qualifications, rather than informal work. News Excerpt: GS C ON N EC T
● As economies develop, they experience a reduction in

India lags far behind global 1

2
7
8
the role of agriculture, an increase in urbanization, competitors like Vietnam, Taiwan,
3 9
4 10
and higher educational attainment levels. and Mexico in leveraging the US's
5
6 M
11
○ These structural changes put upward pressure on tariff measures against China to boost electronics exports.
unemployment rates by reducing informal
employment opportunities and increasing the supply
of educated job seekers.
Institute for Human Development (IHD):

● It was established in 1998 under the aegis of the
Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE).
● It is a non-profit autonomous institution that
conducts studies on labour and employment,
poverty, health and nutrition, education, and other
aspects of human development.
● It aims to contribute towards building a society that
fosters and values an inclusive social, economic and
political system that is free from poverty and
deprivations.
International Labour Organization (ILO): U.S.-China trade war:
● The ILO was created in 1919 as part of the Treaty of ● In 2018, the US imposed a 25% punitive duty on a
Versailles, which ended World War I. range of Chinese electronics items.
● In 1946, the ILO became a specialised agency of the ● The trade duties led to a sharp fall in Chinese
United Nations. electronics exports to the US from $207 billion in 2018
● It is devoted to promoting social justice and to $140.2 billion in 2019.
internationally recognised human and labour ● The fall created a vacuum as the US is the largest
rights, pursuing its founding mission that labour importer of electronics products globally.
peace is essential to prosperity. India’s Electronic Export to the USA:
● At present, the ILO has 187 Members. India is a ● India’s electronics exports to the US rose by $7.6 billion
founder member of the Organisation. in absolute terms between 2018 and 2023, up at $8.9
● A unique feature of the ILO is its tripartite character. billion from $1.3 billion in 2018.
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): ● Despite this seven-times increase, it represented only
34
● The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) brings 5.5% of the total non-Chinese incremental electronics
out the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). exports to the US in this period.
Page
● The objective of PLFS is primarily twofold:
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Other global contenders: ● The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme that is
The bulk of the shift of US trade has gone to Vietnam, aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing is likely to
Taiwan, and Mexico: give an aggressive push to ensure large multinational
● Vietnam companies bring their global manufacturing and supply
○ Vietnam has been the biggest beneficiary at chain capabilities to India.
China's cost. ● India can also offer a mix of incentives to lure investors
○ It saw an incremental increase in electronics like others such as tax breaks, dedicated free-trade or
exports worth $39.1 billion between 2018 and industrial zones, discounted utilities like water and
2023. Vietnam’s exports rose from $12.1 billion in electricity, free land, and commitments to supply
2018 to $51.2 billion in 2023. workers.
○ This figure represents a 28.3% share of the total
non-Chinese incremental electronics exports to Reverse Flipping of Unicorns
the US in absolute terms during the same period.
● Taiwan: GS I II III IV GS I II III IV
The startup ecosystem in India is

1 7
○ Taiwan is also ahead of India, having grabbed a 2 8
experiencing a notable rise in

3 9
25.6% share of incremental exports, rising from

4 10
5 11
reverse flipping.
$18.1 billion in 2018 to $53.5 billion in 2023.
6 M
● Mexico: About Reverse Flipping:

○ Mexico, too, has seen a rise in incremental ● Reverse Flipping is a term for the trend of overseas
electronics exports to the US in absolute terms, startups shifting their domicile to India and listing on
representing 11.2% of non-Chinese exports. Indian stock exchanges.
Challenges faced by Electronics manufacturing ● Indian startups are now opting to reverse flip back into
the country due to its favourable economic policies,
in India:
burgeoning domestic market, and growing investor
confidence in the country's startup ecosystem.
● At the time some of these companies were set up, quick
and adequate funding was hard to come by locally.
○ As a result, many startups turned to foreign
investors, which required them to set up holding
companies overseas.
Recent Cases of Reverse-Flipping of Unicorns:
● Several high-profile startups have successfully executed
reverse flipping to India, solidifying the country's
position as a startup hub.
Way Forward:
PEPPER IT WITH:
● The vision of a ‘Self-
Made in India, Plug and
Reliant India’ will only be
Play Model, Input
realized if various sectors
Tariffs
in manufacturing scale up
their capabilities and
technology adoption.
● The need of the hour is to build an environment that
fosters innovation, protects intellectual property, ○ Walmart-owned PhonePe moved its headquarters
focuses on skill development, and builds from Singapore to India, leveraging the country's
infrastructure that supports the ecosystem. vast user base and digital payment potential.
● Boosting export-led electronic manufacturing will ○ Pine Labs, Meesho, and Zepto are the latest new-
35
make India’s manufacturing globally competitive. age companies looking to move headquarters to
India.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
How is Reverse-Flipping done? Tax implications of reverse flipping:
● Structuring a reverse flip is not easy, and startups ● Companies opting to reverse flip will have to pay taxes
considering this journey must navigate a maze of in those markets where they are based or in India,
regulations. depending on the route they choose.
● Some popular methods include share swaps and ● The quantum will depend on the company valuation
mergers, which may also require National Company and a third-party audit.
Law Tribunal (NCLT) approval. ● Earlier, Walmart paid nearly $1 billion in taxes to the
● The Economic Survey of 2022-23 acknowledged the Indian government during the separation of PhonePe
concept of reverse flipping and has listed possible from parent Flipkart and the return of its holding
measures, such as company to India.
○ simplifying the processes for tax holidays, Way Forward:
○ taxation of Employee Stock Ownership Plans ● Despite the potential PEPPER IT WITH:
(ESOPs), benefits, structuring a Unicorns, GIFT IFSC,
○ capital flows, reverse flip poses NCLT.
○ reducing layers of tax to accelerate the reverse challenges due to
flipping process. regulatory complexities, requiring startups to
Why are startups opting to reverse flip? navigate intricate regulations and compliance
requirements.
● India is the world’s fifth-largest economy by GDP and
is expected to become the third-largest economy by ● Additionally, startups must navigate exchange control
2030. regulations when repatriating funds or assets to India,
○ This growth is driven by several factors, including a ensuring adherence to all regulatory obligations.
young population, rising urbanization, and ● The International Financial Services Centres
increasing disposable income. Authority (IFSCA) established an expert committee
○ This young population is also well-educated, which to devise a strategy for 'Onshoring Indian Innovation
makes India an attractive market for overseas to GIFT IFSC', aiming to make GIFT City a preferred
startups looking for a skilled and talented destination for startups considering reverse flipping.
workforce. ● The trend of reverse flipping is likely to continue in the
○ The Indian capital market also provides overseas coming years as many overseas startups look to
startups access to a large pool of capital. capitalize on India’s growth potential, bringing in new
● The listing process on the Indian stock exchanges is investment and jobs.
relatively cost-effective compared to many of the
Western exchanges. Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2024
○ This makes it an attractive option for overseas
startups with limited resources. GS I II III IV GS I II III IV
The Ministry of Commerce and 1 7
● Another 2 8
Industry notified the Patents

3 9
significant
4 10
(Amendment) Rules, 2024 to

5 11
upside is the
6 M
amend the Patents Rules, 2003.

opportunity to
tap into the What is a Patent?
growing Indian A Patent is a statutory right for an invention granted for
consumer a limited period to the patentee by the Government in
market. exchange for full disclosure of his invention to exclude
● Additionally, others from making, using, selling, or importing the
overseas patented product or process for producing that product
startups can for those purposes without his consent.
find synergies • Term of a patent in the Indian system
with Indian The term is 20 years from the date of filing of application.
companies.
However, for applications filed under the national phase
○ This can lead to partnerships, joint ventures, and under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the term of the
acquisitions, which in turn help overseas startups patent will be 20 years from the international filing date
36
expand their reach and operations in India. accorded under the PCT.
• Act governs the patent system in India.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
The patent system in India is governed by the Patents Act New Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy
of 1970, as amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act of
2005 and the Patents Rules of 2003. News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
To promote the manufacturing of

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About Patent Rule 2024:

2 8
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electric vehicles in India, the Union 4 10
• These rules introduce several provisions aimed at Government has approved a new EV
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simplifying the process of obtaining and managing policy that will pave the way for global EV manufacturers to
patents, thereby facilitating a conducive environment manufacture locally.
for inventors and creators.
Objectives of the policy:
• It is expected to accelerate the economic
● The central goal of this policy is to enable transitioning
development of the nation through science and
to localized production of EVs in a commercially viable
technology.
manner and plan as per local market conditions and
Key Features of the New Patent Rule 2024: demand.
• Streamlining Pre-grant Opposition Rules: The ● The move attempts to combine two goals - localizing
procedure to file and dispose of the Pre-grant production and an annual EV car sale of 30% by
representation by way of opposition under Section 2030.
25(1) has been further streamlined and made more Major provisions of the new EV Policy:
explicit by providing ways to dispose of the ● Automakers are permitted to import a maximum of
representation and fixing fees to file such 8,000 electric vehicles (EVs) annually, priced at
representation. $35,000 or more, with a reduced import duty of 15%.
• Reduction in Time Limits: The time limit to furnish o Presently, India imposes 70% to 100% customs
foreign application filing details in Form 8 has been duty on imported vehicles, depending on their value.
changed from six months from the date of filing of o To qualify for this benefit, automakers must pledge
application to three months from the date of issuance to invest a minimum of ₹4,150 crore (∼$500
of the first examination report. million) in India within the next three years.
• Introduction of Certification of Inventorship: A ● They are required to achieve a 50% Domestic Value
unique provision for the New ‘Certificate of Addition (DVA) in vehicles manufactured in India
Inventorship’ has been introduced to acknowledge the within five years.
contribution of inventors in the patented invention. o A localization level of 25% by the 3rd year and 50%
by the 5th year will have to be achieved.
• Decreased Time Restrictions: The time restriction for
● A maximum of 40,000 EVs can be imported under the
submitting requests for examinations has been
scheme at not more than 8,000 units a year, provided
shortened from 48 months to 31 months from the
the minimum investment made is $800 million.
date of application submission, whichever comes first,
o Carryover of unused annual import limits is
due to the rapid advancement of technology.
permitted.
• Reduction in Renewal Fees: Renewal fees can now be ● The scheme will be administered by the Ministry of
reduced by 10% if paid in advance through electronic Heavy Industries (MHI).
mode for at least four years.
Impact on the domestic automakers:
• Introduction of New PEPPER IT WITH: ● The new Electric Vehicle Policy is likely to intensify
Forms and Provisions: Patents (Amendment) competition in the electric passenger vehicle (PV)
New forms, such as Form Rules, 2024.Types of segment but will benefit domestic auto component
31 for claiming benefits of Patents
players due to its emphasis on localization.
the Grace period under
● Positive impact:
Section 31, have been introduced.
o The policy makes it lucrative for global EV players
• Increased Patent Activity: The amendments come and Indian Joint Ventures with such players to
amidst increased patent activity in India, with record- expand sales and manufacture in India.
high patent applications and grants in recent years. o The policy is expected to benefit domestic auto
• The frequency to file the statements of working of component players who invest in advanced
patents in Form 27 has been reduced from once in a technologies that are currently not manufactured in
financial year to once in every three financial years. India. It can help the auto component sector
absorb high-end technology faster, as 50%
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localization is needed in five years.

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C.C. APRIL ‘24
o The new policy will also help the industry benefit Impact of the policy on the Indian market and
from economies of scale, lower production costs, consumers:
reduced crude oil imports, lower trade deficit,
● Indian customer expectations are very challenging and
reduced air pollution (particularly in cities), and a
very price-sensitive. In the past, global players who
positive impact on health and the environment.
entered the Indian market with products made for other
● Negative impacts:
countries were not successful.
o Lowering duties would hit the domestic industry,
o So global players setting up shop in India must
and “the investment climate will get vitiated.”
consider local circumstances, like the
India’s EV players required more government
environment, roads, driving behavior, and usage
support in the early growth stage of the industry.
conditions.
o The entry of Tesla into the Indian market will lead to
● The policy will push global OEMs to understand the
an increase in competitive intensity and the domestic
Indian market in an accelerated fashion.
players will have to step up their play in the electric
vehicle segment. o Global EV manufacturers are not only eyeing the
o Some global OEMs in the luxury space who have Indian market but are also considering making India
a hub for exports.
already introduced their EVs in India and are
planning to localize “may be at a disadvantage.” o It is a win-win scenario for the Indian consumer,
● Most Indian players are leading in the segments below the local EV ecosystem, and global OEMs.
₹29 lakhs as of now, and hence this policy benefit ● The localization targets under the scheme would open
(from 15% import duty) will likely be for Original significant opportunities for the Indian EV
Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) catering to ecosystem.
consumers in the higher end of the market. o Excluding chips, battery cells, and magnets, all other
Challenges in EV adoption in India: components like body parts, motors, and electric
parts can be localized within three years, while other
● The Indian EV market, which consists of two and three-
areas can be indigenized in the medium term
wheelers, passenger cars, and even light commercial
including BMS (battery management system)
vehicles, is plagued by low-battery capacity and lower
which is mostly software driven.
range (when compared with EV models in the E.U.,
China, and the U.S.), with crucial parts/systems being o Five years is a sufficiently long-time frame to achieve
imported. 50% localization.
● Lack of proper charging infrastructure, range anxiety, ● The policy will also clarify how prospective
and a limited number of products in the affordable manufacturers can make long-term decisions.
range due to limited localization are also major ● The reduction in custom duty on the import of
challenges with EV adoption in India. completely built units for testing and market trials would
● The Indian market has relied heavily only on help global players accelerate the development process
government incentives till now. Therefore, global with reduced risk.
PEPPER IT WITH:
players face the challenge of delivering high-quality Way Forward:
Custom Duty,
products at an accessible price point, along with ● The policy attempts to pave Localization, Battery
dependable driving ranges and a robust charging the way for global EV Management System
infrastructure. manufacturers to invest in
● Upscaling charging infrastructure is crucial to scale EV India and to manufacture locally.
adoption. ● It will provide Indian consumers with access to the
o According to the Confederation of Indian Industry latest technology and boost the Make in India
(CII), India may require at least 13 lakh charging initiative, strengthening the EV ecosystem by
stations by 2030 to support “aggressive EV promoting healthy competition among EV players.
uptake.”
● It would lead to higher production, attaining
o According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, nine
economies of scale, and help reduce air pollution.
cities with a population of more than 4 million —
Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat,
Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata— RBI allows FIIs to invest in green bonds
would each require 18,000 public charging
stations by 2030. GS I II III IV GS I II III IV

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In a significant move towards 2 8
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promoting India's green initiatives, 4 10
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the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has 6 M
C.C. APRIL ‘24
allowed Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIS) to invest in o The RBI had issued SGrBs worth ₹16,000 crore in
Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs). two tranches in January and February 2023 with
Foreign Institutional Investor: maturities in 2028 and 2033.
• A foreign institutional investor is an investor in a o While in both instances, the bonds were
financial market outside its official home country. oversubscribed, the main participants were
• Foreign institutional investors can include pension domestic financial institutions and banks, narrowing
funds, investment banks, hedge funds, mutual the avenues from where the government could
funds, nation-states’ sovereign wealth funds etc. borrow.
Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs): o Moreover, these green government securities (G-
Secs) were classified under the Statutory Liquidity
• Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) are a type of
government bond specifically earmarked to finance Ratio (SLR), a liquidity rate fixed by the RBI that
environmentally sustainable projects. financial institutions must maintain with themselves
before they lend to their customers.
• By investing in SGrBs, investors contribute directly to
these green causes while still receiving financial ● It deepens the Climate Bonds Market by attracting a
returns in the form of interest payments on their diverse range of investors interested in
investment. environmentally sustainable investments.
• SGrBs yield lower interest than conventional G-Secs, o FIIs might also be looking to gain green credentials
and the amount foregone by a bank by investing in when such
them is called a “greenium”. investments may not PEPPER IT WITH:
be available in their Climate Bonds Market,
Benefits of investing in SGrBs both for
home markets and Foreign Institutional
investors and for India's sustainability efforts:
because India has Investors
o Promotes environmental sustainability. successfully addressed
o Still offers financial returns to investors. greenwashing fears with the Sovereign Green
o Funds can be utilized to support initiatives aligned Bonds Framework in late 2022.
with India’s SDG goals.
● This move promotes the growth of green finance in
How does this decision align with India's India and supports the country's transition towards
sustainability goals and green transition? sustainability.
• Allowing FIIs to invest in India’s green projects widens
o FIIs are also looking to diversify their pool of green
the pool of capital available to fund the country’s
investments, as there is considerable regulatory
ambitious 2070 net zero goals as pledged by the
support, particularly in developed countries. So, this
Prime Minister of India at COP26 in Glasgow 2021.
is an opportunity for them to invest in India's
o The decision will help in ensuring 50% of green g-secs.
India’s energy comes from non-fossil fuel-
based sources and reduce the carbon
intensity of the nation’s economy by 45%.
Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB)
• By allowing foreign investors to invest in SGrBs, the RBI
aims to deepen the Climate Bonds Market and News Excerpt:
attract more funding for green projects in India. FSIB, the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks
● These projects play a crucial role in reducing the and financial institutions, has recommended the name for
country's carbon footprint and advancing its the new SIDBI head.
sustainability agenda. About Financial Services Institutions Bureau:
What are the implications of the RBI's decision? ● It’s a government body set up under the Department
of Financial Services.
The RBI's decision to allow foreign investors in the IFSC to ● It replaced the Bank Board Bureau (BBB), which had
invest in Sovereign Green Bonds carries several significant been declared an incompetent authority, and was put
implications.
in place with the approval of the Appointments
● It expands the investor base for SGrBs, potentially Committee of the Cabinet, headed by the Prime
attracting more funds for green projects in India.
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Minister.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
Structure: plastic goods, said an official of the Plastics Export
● The Financial Services Institutions Bureau is headed Promotion Council (PLEXCONCIL).
by a chairman, a central government nominee. About the news:
● The board comprises of: ● Raw materials used for manufacturing plastics, such as
○ The Secretaries of the Department of Financial ethylene and propylene, are primarily sourced from
Services (DFS), countries with abundant petrochemical resources, such
○ The chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and as Russia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi
Development Authority of India (IRDAI), Arabia. These countries have significant oil and gas
reserves, which are the primary sources of these raw
○ A deputy governor of the RBI.
materials.
● Additionally, it will have three part-time members
● Being import-dependent and facing a 20% rise in
who are experts in banking and three more from the
raw material prices, Indian products are struggling to
insurance sector.
remain globally competitive, especially at a time when
India is seen as an alternative to China.
International Narcotics Control Board
About PLEXCONCIL:
News Excerpt:
● The Plastics Export Promotion Council
India has been re-elected for a third term to the
(PLEXCONCIL) was established by the Ministry of
International Narcotics Control Board.
Commerce & Industry, Department of Commerce,
More about the news: Government of India on 15th July 1955.
● India was re-elected by secret ballot for the third ● It is the apex body of the plastics industry in India
term for five years from March 2025-2030, getting the and represents over 3,000 exporters who manufacture
highest number of votes in the highly competitive or export plastics products ranging from raw materials
election. to semi-finished and finished items.
About the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB): ● It is a non-profit organization registered under
● Established in 1968, it is the independent and quasi- section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (or section 8
judicial monitoring body for the implementation of of the Companies Act, 2013). It was one of several
the United Nations international drug control Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) launched by the
conventions. Government to project India's image abroad as a
● It consists of 13 members who are elected by the reliable supplier of high-quality products to boost the
Economic and Social Council and who serve in their country’s exports.
personal capacity, not as government representatives. ● Products from the Indian plastics industry are
● Three members with medical, pharmacological or exported to over 200 countries worldwide including
pharmaceutical experience are elected from a list of top destinations along with China and the United
persons nominated by the World Health Organization States of America.
(WHO), and 10 members are elected from a list of
persons nominated by Governments.
● According to information about its mandate, INCB Digital India Trust Agency
endeavours, in cooperation with governments, to
ensure that adequate supplies of drugs are available for News Excerpt:
medical and scientific use and that the diversion of The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering setting up a
drugs from licit sources to illicit channels does not Digital India Trust Agency (DIGITA) to combat the
occur. growing menace of illegal lending apps in the country.
● INCB also monitors Governments' control over About the news:
chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of drugs and
● The proposed agency is part of RBI’s efforts to curb
assists them in preventing the diversion of those
chemicals into illicit traffic. growing cyber fraud and to stop the mushrooming
of illegal lending apps.
● This proposed agency would target the rise of illegal
Rising raw material costs hits Indian plastic loan apps by verifying legitimate ones and creating a
industry public registry.
● Apps not carrying the 'verified' signature of DIGITA
News Excerpt:
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will be considered unauthorized for the purpose of law

Rising prices of raw materials could further burden the
enforcement.
Indian economy and lead to a hike in the prices of
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
● This verification process would ensure apps comply ○ All-India Financial Institutions
with regulations and operate ethically. ○ Non-Banking Financial Companies (including
● Only verified apps would receive a "DIGITA- Housing Finance Companies)
approved" seal, making them easily identifiable for About AIF:
borrowers. ● Alternative Investment Fund, or AIF, means any fund
● It would also help instil transparency and established or incorporated in India that is a privately
accountability within the growing digital lending pooled investment vehicle that collects funds from
sector, which has witnessed a surge in fraudulent sophisticated investors, whether Indian or foreign
activities and unscrupulous practices in recent times. and invests them in accordance with a defined
Related: investment policy for the benefit of its investors.
● RBI is already working with the government to tackle
New solar power rules
the issue of illegal loan apps.
● It has shared a list of 442 digital lending apps with News Excerpt:
the IT Ministry to whitelist with Google. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has
● Google has updated its policy, and only those apps, brought into effect the Approved Models and
that are published by the RBI's regulated entities Manufacturers (AMM) of Solar Photovoltaic Modules
(REs) or those working in partnership with REs, are (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order,
allowed. 2019 to incentivize India’s solar module manufacturing
● Google has removed over 2,200 digital lending industry.
apps (DLAs) from its app store from September About the executive order:
2022 to August 2023.
This order was first issued by the MNRE in 2019 and requires
makers of solar modules to voluntarily submit to an
RBI modifies AIF norms inspection of their manufacturing facilities by the National
Institute of Solar Energy, a Ministry-affiliated body.
News Excerpt:
● Being on the list as an ‘approved’ manufacturing facility
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relaxed the norms it
certifies a company complies with the BIS standards
announced on investments in Alternative Investment
as a legitimate manufacturer of solar panels and not a
Funds (AIFs) last year.
mere importer or assembler.
Key points of modified AIF’s Norms:
Advantage:
● RBI said that its regulated entities (REs) will now be
required to make provisioning only to the extent of the The major advantage of being on the list is the eligibility
amount invested by the AIF scheme in the debtor to compete for tenders issued by the government for its
company and not the entire investment. flagship solar energy programs.
● Equity shares of the debtor company are excluded ● PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: The scheme
from the definition of "downstream investments," envisages subsidizing rooftop solar installations for
allowing banks and NBFCs to invest in AIFs even if the nearly one crore households in the country, involving an
scheme has equity investments in the company to which estimated subsidy of ₹75,000 crore. However, only
they have already lent. domestic manufacturers certified as part of the
○ The term ‘debtor company’ has been defined to Approved Models and Manufacturers (AMM) list
include any company to which the RE currently has would be eligible.
or previously had a loan or investment exposure ● PM KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha
anytime during the preceding 12 months. evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan) aims to provide solar
● The above instructions have been issued in exercise of pump sets and rural electrification. For manufacturers to
the powers conferred by Sections 21 and 35A of the be eligible to provide components under this scheme,
Banking Regulation Act, 1949, read with Section 56 they have to be certified as genuine local
of the Act ibid; Chapter IIIB of the Reserve Bank of manufacturers.
India Act, 1934 and Sections 30A, 32 and 33 of the ● The government also has a ₹24,000 crore scheme, called
National Housing Bank Act, 1987. the Production Linked Incentive Scheme, that is
● These instructions are applicable to all - targeted at incentivizing domestic manufacture of solar
○ Commercial banks (including Small Finance Banks, panels and their components. Eligibility for this scheme,
41
Local Area Banks and Regional Rural Banks) too, requires one to be a bona fide local manufacturer.
○ Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks/State Co-
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operative Banks/ Central Co-operative Banks
C.C. APRIL ‘24
RBI allows gold hedging in overseas markets Key frameworks for SROs in regulated entities:
• Each regulated entity sector (RE), including fintechs,
News Excerpt:
will have a separate SRO.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced a significant
o With the finalization of the framework, the RBI will
policy amendment, enabling residents to diversify their
receive applications from various entities seeking to
hedging strategies against gold price volatility in
get SRO status.
overseas markets.
• The omnibus framework contains broad parameters
Hedging: viz., objectives, responsibilities, eligibility criteria,
governance standards, application process, and
• It refers to the practice of reducing or mitigating the
other basic conditions for grant of recognition,
risk of adverse price fluctuations in assets.
which will be common for any SRO proposed to be
• It involves taking a position in a financial instrument
recognized by the Reserve Bank.
that is opposite to an existing or anticipated
• Other sector-specific guidelines, such as the number of
position in another asset, to offset potential losses.
SROs, membership, etc., will be issued separately by
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Derivative:
the respective departments of the Reserve Bank
● It is a financial contract that does not trade on an wherever a sectoral SRO is intended to be set up.
asset exchange and which can be tailored to each
Need for an Industry Standard:
party's needs.
• To develop better industry standards for self-regulation
About the news: of the industry.
• With growing geopolitical tension in the Middle East, • Growth of the REs in terms of number as well as scale
gold prices have skyrocketed. of operations.
• RBI has now decided to give resident entities more • Increase in adoption of innovative technologies
flexibility in hedging their exposures to gold price and enhanced customer outreach.
risk. About Self-Regulatory Organisations (SRO):
o Resident entities are now allowed to do so with • An SRO is expected to operate with credibility,
OTC derivatives in the IFSC in addition to objectivity, and responsibility under the oversight
derivatives on the IFSC exchanges, effective of the regulator to improve regulatory compliance
immediately. for the healthy and sustainable development of the
o These derivatives can be used alongside the sector to which it caters.
existing exchange-traded derivatives, adhering • The SRO aims to work transparently, professionally,
to the stringent guidelines outlined by RBI. and independently, increasing trust in the sector's
o The updated hedging regulations will take effect integrity.
immediately. • Compliance with the highest governance standards
• Previously, as per the RBI’s December 2022 directive, is a prerequisite for an effective SRO.
Indian entities were restricted to managing their gold • The SRO directors need to fulfil the 'fit and proper'
price risk exclusively through exchanges recognized by criteria as framed by the Board on an ongoing basis,
the International Financial Services Centres have relevant expertise/experience, and be persons of
Authority (IFSCA) in the International Financial high integrity.
Services Centre (IFSC). o At least one-third of the members of the Board
• The move aims to ensure that entities have a broader of Directors, including the chairperson, shall be
range of strategies at their disposal to manage independent and without any active association
potential losses caused by fluctuations in gold prices. with the category/class of REs for which the SRO is
established.
o The Board will ensure that the SRO has
Omnibus Framework for SROs in Regulated adequately skilled human resources and robust
Entities technical capability to monitor the sector.
News Excerpt: ▪ The Board will follow transparent practices to
establish its governance processes.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has finalized the Omnibus
• The process of seeking recognition as an SRO will be
Framework for recognizing Self-Regulatory Organisations
robust to ensure adherence to a set of stringent
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(SRO) for its Regulated Entities.

parameters essential for the critical role it is expected
to play.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
AGRICULTURE
Cocoa Production in West Africa ○ Major African processing facilities in Ivory Coast and
Ghana have either ceased operations or reduced
their processing capacity because they cannot afford
A shortage of cocoa beans has led to 1
2
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to purchase beans.
a near shutdown of processing plants 3
4
9
10 ● This likely means that chocolate prices worldwide will
in Ivory Coast and Ghana, the two 5
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surge. This, in turn, adversely affects the local
countries responsible for 60% of global production. production units that have been emerging in recent
Demand & Supply of Cocoa Production: years.
● The global market for chocolate and chocolate ● However, the bargaining power of West African cocoa-
products is on the rise. It is projected to grow faster producing countries seems to have increased.
than 4% annually over the next few years. Way Forward:
● This growing demand for cocoa underscores the PEPPER IT WITH:
● Continuing to cultivate cocoa
urgency of addressing the intertwined issues that Africa and its
under current conditions is
relate to the industry’s sustainability. industries, El-Nino
unsustainable.
phenomenon, Illegal
● Three factors are at play. ● Some companies produce
Mining
● Environmental factor: The impact of the El Nino cocoa-free chocolate, using
weather phenomenon has caused drier weather in technology to transform
West Africa. It has contributed to problems on farms, ingredients such as oats and sunflower seeds into
such as the swollen shoot virus disease. As a result, substitutes for cocoa mass and butter.
Ghana has lost harvests from nearly 500,000 hectares ● Overall, this is beneficial for everyone.
of land in recent years. ○ The demand for cocoa has resulted in mass
● The economic cycle of cocoa production refers to deforestation and significant carbon emissions,
the inherent patterns of expansion and issues that are likely to worsen due to climate
contraction in cocoa farming. For example, as change.
cocoa trees age, they become susceptible to ○ Moreover, the push for cultivation has led to
diseases, requiring high maintenance costs. various forms of labour abuses.
○ Historically, farmers have tended to abandon old ● Exploring cocoa alternatives is certainly part of the
farms and start anew in fresh forests. solution.
○ Unfortunately, finding new forests is now About Cocoa:
increasingly difficult. Perhaps the most severe ● Cocoa is the dried and partially fermented fatty
issue of all is the lack of fair compensation for seed of the cacao tree from which chocolate is
sustainable cocoa production. made.
● The human factor includes challenges such as ● The word cocoa is also used to refer to cocoa
illegal mining, which has overtaken numerous farms powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa
in Ghana. Sometimes, farmers lease their land to seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark,
illegal miners in exchange for payment. These mining bitter cocoa solids.
activities degrade the quality of the land, making it ● While bean products are known by different names,
unsuitable for cocoa cultivation. typically, cocoa is considered the solids of the cacao
How have cocoa farmers and cocoa-producing seed (bean), cocoa butter is the fat component, and
countries’ economies been affected? chocolate is the combination of the solids and the
● At the farm level, although the rise in prices may fat.
initially appear beneficial to farmers but, a decrease in Condition of Production for Cocoa:
output leads to fewer harvests on average, which ● Cocoa can be grown up to 300 m above mean sea
means that, overall, farmers are not earning more. level.
○ This issue is compounded by recent economic ● It requires a minimum of 90-100 mm rainfall per
challenges in West Africa, such as high inflation month, with an annual rainfall of 1500-2000 mm.
and currency devaluation, particularly in Ghana. ● The plants need an equitable climate with well-
These factors have resulted in farmers becoming distributed rainfall. If dry periods are prolonged,
43
poorer. irrigation scheduling is necessary.

● Another impact of the output decline is a reduction in ● The temperature range of 15°-39°C with an
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
Soil for Cocoa: ● However, limited irrigation facilities during the Rabi
● Cocoa requires deep and well-drained soils. season have constrained the expansion of crop
● The majority of the area under Cocoa cultivation is production.
on clay loam and sandy loam soil. ● Cultivation of short-duration pulse, oilseed crops in
● It grows well in the pH range of 6.5 to 7.0. rice fallow is helping maximize land use efficiency,
Shade Requirement: boost farmers’ income, and promote regenerative
● Cocoa evolved as an under-storey crop in the agriculture.
Amazonian forests. ● The residual moisture left in the soil at rice harvest is
● Commercial cultivation of cocoa can be done on often sufficient to raise short-duration pulses and
plantations where 50 per cent of light is ideally oilseed crops. This is an efficient way of utilizing
available. resources for sustainable crop intensification and
Major producing Region: boosting land productivity.
● Africa is the world's leading producer of cocoa, with ● Rice fallow, or uncropped land left after harvest, is
Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana being the top two a major agricultural issue in eastern India. However,
producers. introducing technologies and crops with tailored
agronomy based on landscape suitability helps turn it
● Other major producing regions include:
into an opportunity. It also helps farm income and
○ Africa: Cameroon, Nigeria
ensures food and nutritional security.
○ Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia
● The state government implemented the
○ Latin America: Ecuador, Brazil, Peru
comprehensive project on rice fallow management for
● In India, Cocoa is being cultivated in the States of the first time during the 2022-23 Rabi season, achieving
Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil
about 70,000 hectares.
Nadu. Andhra Pradesh ranks first in area with
o Taking a cue from its success, during the 2023-24
39,714 ha and production of 10,903 MT.
Rabi season, the programme has been scaled up to
382,000 hectares against the target of 400,000.
Paira Rice Cropping System The scheme is being implemented in all 30 districts
of the state.
● Eight crops, including green gram, black gram, field

Odisha is capitalizing on the Paira Rice

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pea, Bengal gram, grass pea, lentil, mustard and

2 8
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Cropping technique to promote 4
5
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11 sesamum, have been targeted under the scheme.
climate-resilient agriculture and 6 M
Local varieties of green gram have shown great
nutrition sensitivity in the state. potential.
What is the Paira Rice Cropping System? Promoting rice fallow management:
● Traditionally, coastal areas of the state have practised ● The rice fallow management initiative is a simple and
the Paira cropping system, where pulse crops were effective scientific approach that can potentially
sown in standing paddy fields prior to harvest, utilizing improve soil health and climate resilience of agri-
available moisture and requiring minimal intervention food systems.
and cost. However, climate change has dwindled this
● The rice fallow management approach helps enhance
conservation agricultural practice in recent years.
crop coverage, reduce soil degradation, increase soil
● This practice saves time and money (to be spent on nutrients through a crop systems approach, improve
land preparation, etc.) and utilizes residual fertility. nutrition security through the consumption of
This practice is common in both upland and lowland pulses and other crops, and, above all, effectively use
rice cultures. It is also known as Relay or Utera the region's natural resources.
cropping.
● Rice fallow management is the largest regenerative
The case of Odisha: crop demonstration activity in the entire country. It
● Odisha has a cultivable area of over 6.18 million will set a milestone in regenerative agriculture and a
hectares and is endowed with 10 agro-climatic zones. precedent for sustainable crop management practices
The state predominantly relies on rice cultivation to nationwide.
meet the food demands of its population. Access to eco-friendly inputs:
● The area under rice crops accounts for about 60 per ● Central to the success of the rice fallow initiative is
44
cent of the total sown area during the Kharif season. incorporating a diverse range of eco-friendly agri-
On the other hand, pulse crops cover about 50 per cent inputs, including bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides and
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of the total area during the Rabi season. integrated pest management techniques such as
C.C. APRIL ‘24
light traps, pheromone traps and blue and yellow sticky ● A farmer can log in using their mobile number and
traps. These measures promote natural pest control, place an order for planting materials such as seeds,
reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and enhance seedlings, and plants based on their requirements.
overall ecosystem health. ● Once the farmer submits their demand, the system
● In addition to pest management strategies, the prompts them to contribute their share of the
programme emphasizes the importance of balanced planting material cost.
nutrient management by applying micronutrients. ● The government subsidy amount is automatically
● Addressing the issue of soil acidity, which is a major displayed on the screen. Upon the farmer's
stumbling block to payment, an e-RUPI voucher is generated, which the
improving the productivity vendor receives to supply the requested planting
PEPPER IT WITH:
of non-paddy crops, material.
Climate Resilient
dolomitic limestone is ● Upon delivery, the farmer verifies receipt through
Agriculture, Relay
being provided to farmers Cropping, Soil Acidity geotagged photos and videos of their field. Only
for the amelioration of acid after verification does the IA release payment to the
soils. vendor against the e-RUPI voucher.
● The vendor uploads the invoice on the platform. The
IA collects all documents and shares them with the
CDP-SURAKSHA CDA for subsidy release, after which the subsidy is
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
disbursed to the IA.
The government launched a new 1
2
7
8
● It's worth noting that the farmer can avail of the subsidy
platform that will allow instant 3
4
9
10
at the initial stage when placing the order for planting
disbursal of subsidies to horticulture
5
6 M
11
material through the platform.
farmers in their bank accounts by utilizing the e-RUPI About e-RUPI:
voucher as part of the Cluster Development Programme ● The CDP-SURAKSHA platform utilizes e-RUPI
(CDP). vouchers provided by the NPCI, which are one-
About CDP-SURAKSHA time payment mechanisms redeemable without
the need for cards, digital payment apps, or
● CDP-SURAKSHA, a digital platform, stands for "System Internet banking access.
for Unified Resource Allocation, Knowledge, and
○ These vouchers can be shared with
Secure Horticulture Assistance."
beneficiaries via SMS or QR code for
● It facilitates the instantaneous transfer of subsidies to
specific purposes or activities.
farmers' bank accounts using e-RUPI vouchers from
● The new system differs from the old one in that,
the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
previously, farmers had to purchase planting
● This platform integrates various features, including materials themselves and then approach officials
database linkage with PM-KISAN, cloud-based for subsidy release. With CDP-SURAKSHA,
server space provided by NIC, UIDAI validation, subsidies are provided upfront to farmers when
eRUPI integration, local government directory they purchase planting material. Vendors
(LGD), content management system, geotagging, and supplying the material only receive payment after
geo-fencing. farmers verify delivery.
● This initiative aims to boost the growth of India's
horticulture sector, which accounts for nearly one-
What is the Cluster Development Program
third of the agricultural gross value addition (GVA) (CDP)?
and significantly contributes to the economy. ● It is a key component of the central sector scheme
● Over the years, the total production of horticulture managed by the National Horticulture Board (NHB).
crops has considerably increased, from 240.53 million ○ Its primary objective is to capitalize on the
tonnes in 2010-11 to 334.60 million tonnes in 2020- geographical specialization of horticulture
21. clusters and promote integrated, market-led
development across various stages of
How does the CDP-SURAKSHA work:
production.
● The platform provides access to farmers, vendors,
● Currently, 55 horticulture clusters have been
implementing agencies (IA), cluster development
identified, with 12 selected for pilot projects. These
agencies (CDAs), and officials of the National
clusters are at different developmental stages.
45
Horticulture Board (NHB).

Additionally, plans are underway for four more clusters,
including a floriculture cluster in West Bengal,
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
coconut clusters in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and an ‘electronic nose’ to revive the crop.
white onion clusters in Gujarat.
The Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS)
● Each cluster will have both an implementing agency
and an 'electronic nose.'
and a cluster development agency (CDA).
● GC-MS is an analytical method used to reveal the
● The government aims to cover approximately 9 lakh
presence of volatile compounds in organic mixtures
hectares of area across all 55 clusters, benefiting
extracted from geological, environmental, and
around 10 lakh farmers.
biological samples.
● The initiative is expected to attract private investment
● The e-nose is a tool fitted with various sensors and
of Rs 8,250 crore, supplemented by government
an artificial intelligence (AI) component; it assesses
assistance tailored to the cluster's size. This assistance
the flavour attributes of rice samples.
ranges up to Rs 25 crore for mini clusters (up to 5,000
ha), up to Rs 50 crore for medium clusters (5,000 to Advantage for farmers:
15,000 ha), and up to Rs 100 crore for mega clusters ● Aromatic rice has considerable value worldwide for
(over 15,000 ha). its distinct flavour, fragrance, and quality, its
Way Forward: potential to enhance dining experiences, and its appeal
PEPPER IT WITH: to health-conscious consumers.
● The CDP-SURAKSHA
National Horticulture
platform and the Cluster ● Mushk budiji’s export potential could be maximized
Board, NPCI, PM-
Development Program by cultivating it in places where the environmental
KISAN
represent a conditions cause the variety’s flavour compounds to be
transformative effort expressed the most.
to modernize and revitalize India's horticulture ● Together with “innovative packaging” to “improve the
sector. appeal of these rice varieties in the international
● India needs to combine digital innovation, targeted market”, their findings could “pave the way for
subsidy disbursement, and strategic partnerships to significant economic growth in the agricultural
unlock the sector's vast potential and drive economic sector.
prosperity and sustainable agricultural development.
Krishi Integrated Command and Control

Centre
Mushk budiji - Indigenous Kashmiri rice News Excerpt:
The Agriculture Minister inaugurated a Krishi Integrated
News Excerpt:
Command and Control Centre (ICCC), a big-screen
The Kashmir Himalayas are known for cultivating Mushk dashboard of all digital innovations in the sector.
budiji, an indigenous rice variety distinguished by its rich
aroma and unique taste.
What is the Krishi ICCC?
● It is a tech-based solution involving multiple IT
About the Mushk budiji rice:
applications and platforms.
● Scientists at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of
● The integrated visualization of the data will help make
Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST),
informed decisions.
Srinagar, reported that altitude and temperature play
● The centre is housed in the Ministry of Agriculture &
an important role in developing this aroma.
Farmers’ Welfare, which is responsible for legislation,
● A recent study in Nature Scientific Reports identified 35
policy formation, and the implementation of
aromatic compounds at altitudes between 5,000
initiatives in the agriculture sector.
and 7,000 feet across the valley.
● It uses state-of-the-art technologies such as artificial
○ Of these, the concentration of aldehydes
intelligence, remote sensing, and Geographic
ranged from 6.33% to 29.09% and alcohols
Information Systems (GIS) to collect and process
from 0.47% to 30.34%.
large amounts of granular data.
● Due to various factors, Mushk budiji was on the verge
● It uses platforms, including the Krishi Decision
of extinction. Chief among them was the prevalence
Support System (DSS), to collect micro-level data,
of rice blast disease, its low yield, and lack of
profitability. process it, and present the macro picture.
● It can also generate customized farmer-specific
46
● Scientists at SKUAST studied selected locations on the

advisories through an AI machine learning-based
flavour profile of Mushk budiji using gas
system.
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chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● It will identify a farmer through his/ her mobile number New dwarf coconut and coca varieties
or Aadhaar and match it with the farmer’s field
information obtained through: News Excerpt:
○ Land records The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
○ Historical crop sowing information from the crop released a new dwarf coconut variety named ‘Kalpa
registry, Suvarna’ and two new hybrid cocoa varieties developed
○ Weather data from IMD, etc. by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute
(CPCRI).
● It will then generate a customized advisory in the
farmer's local language. About the newly developed varieties:
● The system will use the Bhashini platform, which ● The Kalpa Suvarna variety is ideal for tender coconut
allows translation into several Indian languages. and copra production.
○ The variety starts blooming 30-36 months after
planting. Its fruits are large-sized, oblong, and
green in colour.
○ Its tender nut water content is 431 ml, the copra
content is around 186 grams, and the oil content is
64.5%.
○ Under good management, the variety yields 108 to
130 nuts per palm annually. It is recommended for
cultivation in Karnataka and Kerala.
● Coca varieties
○ The newly released coca varieties, VTL CH I and
VTL CH II, have high fat and nutrient content.
○ The VTL CH I is a high-yielder and can be
cultivated as an intercrop in areca nut and coconut
plantations.
■ It suits traditional Karnataka and Kerala belts,
Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
○ The VTL CH II is also a high-yielder. It is tolerant of
black pod rot, which is common in high-rainfall
Visual input and output: regions.
● Input: Geospatial information is received from ■ It is suitable for Karnataka and Kerala and will
multiple sources, including: also be released for Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
○ Remote sensing About CPCRI:
○ Plot-level data received through soil surveys ● It was established in 1970 as one of the agricultural
○ Weather data from the India Meteorological research institutes in the National Agricultural
Department (IMD)
Research System (NARS) under the Indian Council
○ Sowing data from the Digital Crop Survey
of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
○ Farmer and farm-related data from Krishi MApper
● At its establishment, the institute was mandated to
○ An application for geo-fencing and geotagging
of land undertake research on coconut, areca nut, cocoa,
○ Market intelligence information from the Unified cashew, oil palm, and spices.
Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg); ● The research on cashews, oil palm, and spices was
○ Yield estimation data from the General Crop later delinked from CPCRI to form separate
Estimation Survey (GCES). institutes.
● Output: Relevant trends and estimates on crop
yields, production, drought situation, and cropping ● In 2023, a new mandate crop, Palmyra Palm, was
patterns (geographic region-wise and year-wise) in added.
map, timeline, and drill-down views. ● CPCRI Headquarters is located in the Kasaragod
district of Kerala.
47
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Iran’s drone attack on Israel Iranian nuclear facilities from time to time.
● Iran, meanwhile, is seen as responsible for funding
News Excerpt: GS I
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II III IV GS I II III IV and supporting several militant groups in the region
Iran has counter-attacked Israel after 1
2
7
8 that are anti-Israel and anti-US, such as Hezbollah in
it bombed its consulate in Damascus, Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
3 9
4 10
Syria, sending waves of tensions in

5 11
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Impact of Iran-Israel conflict on the World:
West Asia.
The Iran-Israel conflict has significant implications not only
Background to the present Israel-Iran conflict: for the two countries involved but also for the broader
● Earlier, an attack on an Iranian diplomatic building in Middle East region. Here are some of the key impacts:
Syria led to the deaths of several senior Iranian military ● The immediate impact will be higher oil prices.
commanders. ○ Crude oil, already trading near six-month highs,
● Iran blamed Israel for carrying out the airstrike on the may cross $100 per barrel if tension worsens.
building and threatened retaliation. ○ Supply chain disruptions can happen as Iran can
● Israel has also accused Iran of funding Hamas and severely restrict movement in the Strait of Hormuz.
supplying weapons for the October 7 attack on its ○ The conflict will push inflation up when developed
people. countries want to reduce interest rates.
Iran’s attack on Israel: ○ Global economic growth could fall below the 3.1%
● Iran has launched a concerted missile and drone projected by the International Monetary Fund for
attack against Israel. According to the Israeli military, 2024.
around 300 drones and missiles were fired. ● Regional Destabilisation:
● Some of these projectiles were also fired from Iraq, ○ The conflict exacerbates tensions in an already
Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon, according to America’s volatile region.
defence department. ○ Both Iran and Israel wield significant influence in the
● Israel, with the support of the US and the UK, took Middle East, and their confrontation can escalate into
down a number of the weapons fired, minimizing broader regional conflicts involving other countries
casualties. and non-state actors.
Iran-Israel Ties: ● Global Security Implications:
● The Iran-Israel relationship has not always been as ○ Given the strategic importance of the Middle East
fraught as it is today. Iran was one of the first and its energy resources, instability in the region can
countries in the region to recognize Israel after its
formation in 1948. It was
only after 1979 that their
diplomatic ties ended.
● A religious state was
established in Iran after
the Shah was overthrown
in the 1979 Islamic
Revolution. The regime’s
view of Israel changed,
and it was seen as an
occupier of Palestinian
land.
● While Israel and Iran have
never engaged in direct
military confrontation,
both have attempted to
inflict damage on the
other through proxies and
48
limited strategic attacks.

Israel has attacked
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
have global ramifications, affecting energy markets, contrast to Delhi's instant expression of solidarity with
trade routes, and international security. Israel at the highest political level immediately after the
● Trade and travel disruptions: recent terror attack by Hamas. For New Delhi, a potential
○ Apart from oil prices being affected, trade and travel escalation due to the tension means an impact on all
could also be hit in the likelihood of an all-out war three accounts: its people, economic interests, and
between Israel and Iran. The aviation and shipping strategic needs.
sectors could also be disrupted. ○ Firstly, while there are about 18,000 Indians in Israel
○ Several countries in the region, including Iran, and about 5,000-10,000 Indians in Iran, about 90
Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Israel, temporarily lakh people are living and working in the Gulf and
closed their airspaces, opening them later but with West Asia region.
restrictions. ○ Secondly, India’s economic interests are tied to
○ These proxy wars can prolong existing conflicts energy security. The West Asia region contributes
and make regional stability elusive. 80% of India's oil supplies, which a potential
● Nuclear Proliferation Concerns: conflict will impact.
○ Iran's nuclear program has been a source of ○ Thirdly, India has invested in a strategic relationship
tension with Israel and the international community. with major Arab countries, including Iran and
Israel.
○ The conflict raises concerns about the potential for
nuclear proliferation in the region and the risk of a Impact of conflict on India’s diplomatic and
nuclear arms race. strategic relationship with both countries:
Impact on India: ● India-Israel:
● India’s quick call for de-escalation in the aftermath of ○ India has a very deep strategic relationship with
Iran’s retaliatory strike against Israel stands in Israel, especially in the context of defence and
security partnerships.
49
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ In the last decade or
so, the relationship
has grown and has
been made public —
unlike in the past.
This has led to India
lending support to
Israel in the first few
hours of the
October 7 terrorist
attacks by Hamas.
○ The two sides have
strong concerns
about extremism
and terrorism, as
both have suffered
during the 26/11
Mumbai terror
attacks.
○ Israel has also
emerged as a major
defence supplier,
along with the US,
France, and Russia,
and New Delhi remembers that Israel stepped up to
● US President Joe Biden has conveyed to Israeli Prime
help during times of crisis, including the Kargil war
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States
in 1999.
would not participate in any Israeli counter-offensive
● India-Iran:
against Iran. Such pressures from world leaders will
○ India has managed to maintain a strategic
help de-escalate the ongoing situation and help
relationship with Iran, as Tehran has been one of
establish peace in the region.
the major suppliers of crude oil — which has
suffered setbacks due to sanctions.
○ Both countries have shared concerns about GCC’s ‘Vision for Regional Security’
terrorism emanating from Pakistan and
Afghanistan. News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
○ The two countries also have similar concerns about For the first time since its inception, 1
2
7
8
the Taliban’s treatment of minorities and the lack the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
3 9
4 10
announced its ‘Vision for Regional

5 11
of an inclusive and representative government in 6 M
Kabul. Security’ at a ceremony held in its headquarters in Riyadh.

○ Chabahar is another strategic economic project that Key Points:
acts as a gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia
● The ‘Vision for Regional Security’ is based on the
since Pakistan denies land transit to Indian goods.
principles of shared destiny and indivisible security of
Way Forward: the member states, and any threat to one is a threat to
● The Iranian threat had led to PEPPER IT WITH: all the member States.
worldwide diplomatic Middle East Region, ○ This was also earlier mentioned in the Joint
initiatives to thwart a Policy of De- Defence Agreement of the GCC, signed in
possible further hyphenation, Chahabar 2000.
conflagration in the region Port
● The vision document is based on the principles of
already struggling with
respecting sovereignty and non-interference in state
Israel's offensive in Gaza.
internal affairs.
● India’s position that there should be “immediate de-
50
escalation," a "step back from violence," and a ● Vision for Regional Security is a political commitment
and an ethical dedication that unites all.
“return to the path of diplomacy” is, therefore, crucial
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for peace in an otherwise volatile region.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
● In particular, the vision demands "the criminalization of
all groups carrying out terrorist acts, irrespective of
their political or sectarian affiliation, or ties to state
institutions".
● Other points include addressing cyber security issues,
global energy market stability, climate change, and
the advancement of implementing a 'circular carbon
economy' and securing water security.
Geopolitical Context:
● The document has come at a time when the West Asian
region has been engulfed in turmoil since the beginning
of the Israel–Hamas War in October 2023.
● The vision document explicitly references the Israel–
Palestine issue and calls for activating the Arab Peace
Initiative.
○ Among others, it calls for a two-state solution, the
withdrawal of Israeli forces to the pre-June 1967
borders, and the establishment of an independent
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.
● It is an economic and political bloc formed in 1981 ○ The devastating consequences of the ongoing
amid regional conflict and tensions. Israel–Hamas War and its regional implications
● It is a regional cooperation system between the Arab have had an impact on the formulation of the vision
States of the Gulf created to meet the challenges document.
imposed by surrounding circumstances. ● The GCC often expresses concerns over other regional
● It includes Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the issues, such as the crisis in Yemen, Syria, Libya,
UAE and Oman. Lebanon, etc. Still, the Israel–Palestine issue is the only
● These six nations have huge oil resources and some of regional issue mentioned in the vision document.
the highest GDPs per capita worldwide. ● The Israel–Hamas War has impacted the wider region
as well, spilling over into the neighboring Red Sea.
What issues does the vision cover? ● A coalition of more than 20 countries led by the US has
● The vision is outlined in 15 specific points, including started ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ to ensure the
issues relating to regional security and stability, freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
economy and development, and climate change. ○ Tensions in the Red Sea affect all GCC countries, but
● The vision seeks to resolve the issue of Israel's Saudi Arabia is particularly affected as it shares a
occupation of the Palestinian territories, reaffirming long border with the Red Sea.
the GCC's commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative ● The announcement of the
that was first endorsed by the Arab League in 2002. document at this point is a PEPPER IT WITH:
● The vision also calls for the end of Israeli settlements in conscious move on the part GCC, Red Sea,
the occupied West Bank and notes that the conflict is of the GCC to reaffirm its Operation Prosperity
a key issue destabilizing the region. cohesion in the face of fast- Guardian
● It addresses nuclear non-proliferation in the region, a evolving regional crises.
long-standing issue due to Iran's nuclear program, as ○ It proposes a comprehensive regional security
well as a commitment to the right to civil nuclear use. framework that promotes negotiation and dialogue
Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia has sought this policy. to overcome disagreements, violence, and conflict.
○ Iran also says that its nuclear program is for civilian ○ Furthermore, it reinforces the organisation's role in
purposes, but Gulf states suspect this could be cover mediating and resolving regional conflicts.
for manufacturing an atomic bomb. AUKUS Alliance
● The vision stresses the need to maintain maritime and
waterway security, as well as combating terrorism
News Excerpt: GS I
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Australia is set to provide ($3bn) to

1 7
and its financing, and prevent weapons - including 2
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9
"ballistic missile technology and drone systems" - British industry to help support the 4 10
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from reaching armed groups. construction of nuclear-powered 6 M
C.C. APRIL ‘24
submarines under the AUKUS deal with the United Kingdom the implications for sovereignty and dependence on a
and the United States. future U.S. administration.
What is AUKUS? ● Challenges in U.S. shipyards' capacity to support the
AUKUS, or the Australia-United Kingdom-United States provision of Virginia Class submarines for Australia and
Security Partnership, is a trilateral security alliance the need for reforming the International Traffic in Arms
established in September 2021. It aims to enhance Regulations (ITAR) to enable technology cooperation
member countries' security and defence capabilities by under AUKUS.
fostering deeper cooperation in various areas. Implications of AUKUS for India
● The first initiative under AUKUS involves supporting ● Enhanced Strategic Leverage: AUKUS strengthens
Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines
India's options in dealing with China, potentially
for the Royal Australian Navy, aimed at bolstering
boosting strategic leverage in the Indo-Pacific.
Australia's maritime defence capabilities and enhancing
● Increased Collaboration with France: AUKUS creates
its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region
opportunities for strategic collaboration between India
● The second initiative enhances joint capabilities and
and France, particularly in maritime security, enhancing
interoperability among the AUKUS partners. This
regional stability.
initiative aims to deepen collaboration in key
technological domains such as cyber capabilities, ● Strategic Autonomy Maintained: India can maintain
artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and strategic autonomy and engage with China on its own
additional undersea capabilities. terms, leveraging its partnership with the US and its
Significance of AUKUS: position in the Indian Ocean.
● AUKUS allows member countries to enhance their ● Focus on Non-Military Challenges: Amidst regional
security and defence capabilities through joint turbulence, AUKUS allows India to prioritize non-military
initiatives, increased interoperability, and technology challenges like vaccine diplomacy and technology
sharing. sharing while ensuring robust security responses in the
○ This collaboration strengthens integrated deterrence Indo-Pacific.
against adversarial actors, particularly in the Indo- ● Assured Security Response: The agreement assures
Pacific region. India that security threats in the Indo-Pacific will be
● AUKUS contributes to regional stability by addressed, enabling focus on developmental agendas.
Strengthening Australia's defence capability and Way Forward:
enhancing its role as a security partner in the Indo- PEPPER IT WITH:
● Increasing international
Pacific region. Nuclear Warfare,
awareness of Australia’s
● AUKUS supports an integrated industrial base among IAEA, Indo- Pacific
legislation, which prohibits the
the member countries, facilitating more efficient and Region
development of nuclear
coordinated development and support of advanced
weapons and uranium
capabilities, which enhances the resilience and
enrichment facilities, would help reassure other
competitiveness of the defence industries in the partner
countries that Australia remains serious about its nuclear
nations.
non-proliferation commitments.
Challenges associated with AUKUS:
● An early decision to use lifetime reactor cores would
● Australia's nuclear submarine plan raises proliferation help address concerns about the diversion of nuclear
concerns, especially in China and Southeast Asia, material from the naval reactors into a nuclear weapons
necessitating robust safety and non-proliferation
program.
standards.
● Immediate initiation of work with the International
● Developing, operating, and supporting nuclear
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to develop new
submarines requires a skilled workforce, posing
monitoring arrangements would increase confidence
challenges amid low unemployment rates and
that Australia intends to use its nuclear reactors only for
competition from other industries.
naval nuclear propulsion.
● The substantial cost of the submarine program and
questions regarding public support pose challenges to ● The US will champion a voluntary moratorium on
its implementation. Ensuring public confidence and new nuclear cruise missile deployment and engage in
support for the program is crucial for its success and decommissioning dialogue to address escalation risks.
AUKUS partners pledge not to erode export controls on
52
sustainability.
● Some critics question the underlying strategy of relying sensitive technologies, repair, and recommit to MTCR to
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on U.S. commitment in Asia and raise concerns about reduce arms racing dynamics.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● In the EEU bloc, Russia is India’s top trading partner,
with a bilateral trade worth USD 49.4 billion in fiscal
India-Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) FTA year 2023 (FY23).
Negotiations ● India's exports to Russia stood at USD 3.14 billion in
2022-23, while imports were at USD 46.2 billion due
News Excerpt: to increased crude oil imports.
Indian officials and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) Significance of India-EEU FTA:
representatives held extensive talks last month to begin
● Indian exporters from engineering goods,
formal negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA).
electronics, and agriculture sectors may benefit
More about the news: from the India-EEU FTA.
● The proposed FTA will provide greater market access ● An agreement with the bloc will open the lucrative
to Indian goods and services in the EEU countries. Central Asian consumer market to Indian goods.
● In such agreements, two or more trading partners ● It will also entrench the expansion of Indian products
either eliminate or significantly reduce customs in Russia, which has suffered a flight of Western
duties on the maximum number of goods traded brands and goods after Russia attacked Ukraine early
between them. last year.
Eurasian Economic Union (EEU):
● The Eurasian Economic Union comprises five member
states: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and India and US to reactivate Indian Ocean
Armenia. observation system
● The EEU treaty was signed on 29 May 2014 in Astana
News Excerpt:
(now Nur-Sultan) and came into force on 1 January
2015. India and the US have decided to reactivate the Indian
● It is an ambitious project for economic integration in Ocean Observing System (IndOOS), which fell into
the former Soviet region. Its formal objective is to neglect and disrepair during the years of the COVID-19
create a common market like the European Union pandemic.
(EU). More about the news:
● It aims to achieve this by coordinating economic ● The closing of IndOOS led to gaps in observational
policy, eliminating non-tariff trade barriers, data, which is considered crucial by weather
harmonizing regulations, and modernizing the forecasting, particularly since the links between the
economies of its five member states. Indian Ocean Dipole phenomenon and monsoons were
● The EEU has its own institutions, mirroring those of the established.
EU. These include the Eurasian Economic Commission ● The reactivation of IndOOS was discussed last month
in Moscow, which is its regulatory body, and a Court during a meeting of the Earth Sciences Secretary of India
of the Eurasian Economic Union based in Minsk, with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Belarus. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the US.
India and the EEU trade relations: ● NOAA will provide the instrumentation, and
India will give ship time starting in July to restart the
IndOOS and RAMA array.
Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS):
● It is a network of 36 moored buoys on the high
seas to collect high-resolution ocean and atmospheric
data for weather forecasts.
● It is a coordinated system of sustained ocean-
based observing systems in the Indian Ocean
designed to complement the constellation of earth-
observing satellites.
● The moored buoys are part of the Research
Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian
Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA)
53
● India has a long political and economic history of programme that was born from a collaboration between
cooperation with Russia and the Soviet Union. the Ministry of Earth Sciences and NOAA.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
Research Moored Array for African-Asian- implementing connectivity projects. India is the only
Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction country not endorsing China's Belt and Road Initiative.
(RAMA) ● India also reiterated its stance against double
standards in the fight against terrorism and voiced
● RAMA is the moored
apprehension about the security situation in
buoy component of
Afghanistan.
the Indian Ocean
● Condemning the terror attack at the Crocus city hall in
Observing System
(IndOOS). Moscow last month, Doval expressed India’s solidarity
with Russia in combating terrorism in all its
● It is a system of moored
manifestations.
observation buoys in
the Indian Ocean that Benefits of SCO to India:
collects ● India's presence in a Eurasian body will enhance its
meteorological and international standing. It is expected that it will help
oceanographic data. India gain greater access to regional markets and its
● It addressed politico-strategic dynamics.
fundamental ● India will also benefit from stepping up cooperation,
questions about the especially by participating in the Regional Anti-Terrorist
ocean’s role in Structure (RATS) that shares key information and
monsoon dynamics. intelligence on the movements of terrorists and
● RAMA moored buoys drug trafficking.
are usually replaced ● The permanent membership will help India to work
once a year because closely with other Central Asian countries.
sensors fall out of calibration and batteries run down. ● The SCO could also facilitate the Turkmenistan-
Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline.
SCO’s NSA Meet
News Excerpt: Israel approves reopening of Erez crossing
India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval attended into Gaza
the 19th Meeting of Secretaries of the Security Council News Excerpt:
of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana, Israel said it approved the reopening of the Erez crossing
Kazakhstan. into northern Gaza and the temporary use of Ashdod port
About the news: in southern Israel, following U.S. demands to increase
About the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: humanitarian aid supplies into Gaza.
● It is a permanent intergovernmental international About the news:
organization established in 2001 in Shanghai (PRC) ● U.S. President Joe Biden demanded "specific, concrete"
by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. saying conditions could be placed on U.S. aid if Israel
● In June 2017, India and Pakistan were inducted as did not respond.
full members of the SCO. This was the organization's
first expansion since its formation in 2001.
● Its supreme decision-making body is the Council of
Heads of States (CHS), which meets once a year.
● Its official languages are Russian and Chinese.
● Currently, the SCO countries include:
○ 9 Member States — India, Iran, Kazakhstan,
China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
○ 3 Observer states - Afghanistan, Belarus, and
Mongolia.
● Kazakhstan hosted the meeting, which is the president
54
of the SCO only till July 2024.

● He spoke about respecting all SCO members'
Page
sovereignty and territorial integrity while

C.C. APRIL ‘24
● The growing pressure on Israel came after the killing ○ potatoes, onions, eggs, rice, wheat flour, and
of seven aid workers in an Israeli strike, which sugar to the Maldives for 2024-25.
triggered global outrage at the continuing problems ● India had implemented export bans on wheat in May
with aid deliveries into the besieged enclave. 2022, non-basmati rice in July 2023, and onions in
● In addition to reopening the Erez crossing point, Israel December.
also approved increasing Jordanian aid through the
UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefire
Kerem Shalom crossing point.
● The decision to reopen the Beit Hanoon (Erez) News Excerpt:
crossing, the main crossing point from Israel into The UN Security Council has demanded an immediate
northern Gaza before the war, represented a major shift ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the immediate
after Israeli officials previously rejected calls for more and unconditional release of all hostages after the United
entry points into Gaza to be opened up. States, which has repeatedly used its veto to shield its ally
Israel, abstained from the vote.
India imposes port restrictions on Maldives Background of the resolution:

● The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution
News Excerpt: tabled by its 10 non-permanent members (E-10)
Amid tensions between Maldives and India, the demanding a ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, with
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a a vote of 14 in favor of none against it, with one
notification imposing port restrictions for the export of abstention (United States).
essential commodities to the island nation during the ● The resolution also calls for the immediate release of
fiscal year 2024-25. hostages and for ensuring humanitarian access to
More about News: Gaza.
● India's DGFT has introduced port restrictions on the Background:
export of several prohibited and restricted essential
items to the Maldives.
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)
● Directorate General of Foreign Trade is a government
organization in India responsible for the formulation of
export-import guidelines and principles for indian
importers and indian exporters of the country.
● Before 1991, DGFT was known as the Chief Controller
of Imports & Exports (CCI&E).
● The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)
organization is an attached office of the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry, headed by the DGFT.
● When liberalization in the economic policies of the
● In October 2023, the Hamas terrorist group launched
Government took place, this organization was
a surprise attack of unprecedented scale on Israel from
essentially involved in the regulation and promotion
of foreign trade through regulation.
the Gaza Strip, killing over 700 people in one day.
Israel immediately declared war, and the decades-old
● DGFT has since been assigned the role of "facilitator".
conflict with the Palestinians took a turn for the worse.
There are four Zonal Offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata,
and Chennai, each headed by the Additional Director Is the resolution binding on Israel?
General of Foreign Trade. ● In general, UN General Assembly resolutions are in the
● Export of essential commodities from India to the nature of recommendations, which explicate the UN
Maldives will now be permitted only through four membership’s position on a certain matter. UNSC
customs stations: Mundra Sea Port, Tuticorin Sea resolutions are normally seen as somewhat more
Port, Nhava Sheva Sea Port (JNPT), and ICD(Inland prescriptive.
Container Depot) Tughlakabad. ● However, there is a difference between UNSC votes
● On April 5, 2024, India authorized the export of specific under Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 of the UN Charter,
quantities of essential goods to the Maldives using with the latter considered as binding.
a bilateral mechanism for 2024-25 at the request of ● Enforcement of UNSC resolutions:
55
the Maldives government. ○ Options for enforcing a UNSC resolution are

● Earlier, on April 5, India had removed restrictions on limited if the country in question refuses to
Page
the export of nine products, including - accept it, as Israel has already done.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ If the UNSC wants to enforce its decision, it can of transport of the mission shall be immune from
decide to authorize travel bans, sanctions, search, requisition, attachment or execution.”
or Military action. ● The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963,
United Nations Security Council (UNSC): similarly states that the consent of the head of the
● The United Nations Charter established six main consular post is required for authorities of the receiving
organs of the United Nations, including the Security state to enter the consular post.
Council.
● It gives primary responsibility for maintaining
international peace and security to the Security
Council, which may meet whenever peace is
threatened.
● It has 15 Members (5 permanent members with veto
and 10 non-permanent members), and each
Member has one vote.
● Under the Charter of the United Nations, all Member
States are obligated to comply with Council
decisions.
● The Security Council determines whether a threat to
peace or an act of aggression exists.
● It calls upon the parties to settle a dispute peacefully
and recommends methods of adjustment or terms
of settlement.
● In some cases, the Security Council can resort to
imposing sanctions or even authorizing the use of About the city of Quito:
force to maintain or restore international peace and
● Isolated in the Andes at 2,818 m. altitude, the city of
security.
Quito is spread along the slopes of the Pichincha
Volcano and is bordered by the hills of Panecillo and
The city of Quito Ichimbia.
● Founded by the Spanish in 1534 on the ruins of an Inca
News Excerpt:
city, Quito proudly possesses one of the most
Mexico has severed diplomatic relations with Ecuador extensive and best-preserved historic centres of
after heavily armed police raided the Mexican embassy in Spanish America.
Quito in a direct violation of international norms. ● The city was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Background: Site in 1978.
● On April 7, local police entered the Mexican embassy ● The city of Quito, the cradle of pre-Columbian cultures
in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, to arrest former Ecuadorian and an important witness of Spanish colonization,
Vice President Jorge Glas, who had requested political maintains unity and harmony in its urban structure
asylum in the embassy. despite centuries of urban development.
● The violation of the sovereignty of Mexico’s Embassy India, Mauritius revise tax treaty
sets a dangerous precedent, especially as it involves
questioning or rejecting international norms and News Excerpt:
standards. India has signed a protocol to amend the Double Taxation
● It is a serious violation of the Vienna Convention on Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Mauritius, aiming to
Diplomatic Relations, 1961. This convention lays prevent treaty abuse for tax evasion or avoidance.
down the rules of engagement between countries. Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)
Article 22 states: “The premises of the mission shall ● It is a tax treaty signed between India and another
be inviolable. The agents of the receiving State may country (or any two or multiple countries) so that
not enter them, except with the consent of the head taxpayers can avoid paying double taxes on their
of the mission.” Here, “mission” refers to the income earned from the source country and the
diplomats, the staff and other representatives in a host residence country.
56
country. ● The need for DTAA arises out of the imbalance in

● It further states, “The premises of the mission, their tax collection on individuals' global income.
Page
furnishings and other property thereon and the means

C.C. APRIL ‘24
Key points: ● The recent amendment reflects India's intent to
• The amendment introduces the Principal Purpose align with global efforts against treaty abuse,
Test (PPT), which denies treaty benefits if obtaining particularly under the Base Erosion and Profit
such benefits is one of the principal purposes of a Shifting (BEPS) framework.
transaction or arrangement. Treaty shopping
● The two nations have revised the treaty preamble to ● Treaty shopping typically involves attempting to
focus on preventing tax avoidance and evasion. indirectly access the benefits of a tax treaty between
○ The earlier goal of "mutual trade and two jurisdictions without being a resident of one of
investment" has been changed to those jurisdictions.
"eliminating double taxation" without ● There are a wide number of arrangements through
enabling non-taxation or reduced taxation which a person who is not a resident of a jurisdiction
through tax evasion, avoidance, or treaty that is a party to a tax agreement may attempt to
shopping for the indirect benefit of third- obtain benefits that a tax agreement grants to a
jurisdiction residents. resident of that jurisdiction.
● The DTAA was a major reason for a large number ● Taxpayers engaged in treaty shopping and other
of foreign portfolio investors (FPI) and foreign treaty abuse strategies undermine tax sovereignty by
entities to route their investments in India through claiming treaty benefits in situations where these
Mauritius. benefits were not intended to be granted, thereby
● Mauritius is India's fourth largest source of FPI depriving jurisdictions of tax revenues.
investments, following the US, Singapore, and
Luxembourg.
57
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
ENVIRONMENT
Global E-waste Monitor, 2024 documented collection and recycling rate (7.5 kg
per capita), recycling 42.8% of the e-waste
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
generated.
1 7
The 4th edition of the Global E-waste 2
3
8
9 ○ African countries had the lowest rate, with less
Monitor 2024 was launched. 4
5
10
11 than 1% of e-waste being documented as formally
● It is funded and prepared in collected and recycled.
6 M
partnership with the UNITAR

(United Nations Institute of
Training & Research) SCYCLE
(sustainable cycle)
Programme, ITU
(International
Telecommunication Union)
and Fondation Carmignac.
Background & Objectives:
● The world is experiencing
significant electronification
and digital transformation.
○ Many people own multiple
electronic devices, and the
increasing interconnectivity
of urban and remote areas
has increased the number
of devices and objects
linked to the Internet.
● This growth has seen a
concomitant surge in the
amount of Electrical and
Electronic Equipment (EEE)
and, subsequently, Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (WEEE) or e-waste. ● The growth rate of countries implementing e-waste
○ When EEE is disposed of, it generates a waste policies, legislation, or regulations is decelerating.
stream containing hazardous and valuable Of the 81 countries covered by a national e-waste
materials, collectively known as e-waste or WEEE. policy, legislation, or regulation, 67 applied the
Key Findings & Statistics: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle,
● In 2022, a record 62 billion kg of e-waste was 46 had enshrined national e-waste collection targets in
generated globally (equivalent to an average of 7.8 kg their regulations, and 36 had done so for e-waste
per capita per year); 22.3 percent of this e-waste mass recycling targets at the national level.
was documented as formally collected and recycled ○ It is essential to legislate such targets to
in an environmentally sound manner. monitor progress and stimulate the collection
● From 2010 to 2022, both the amount of e-waste and recycling of e-waste.
generated, and the amount of e-waste documented to ● The overall economic impact of e-waste
be formally collected and recycled have increased from management in 2022 was a loss equivalent to USD
34 billion kg to 62 billion kg and 8 billion kg to 13.8 37 billion.
billion kg, respectively. ○ The main costs consist of USD 78 billion in
○ Thus, since 2010, the growth of e-waste generation externalized costs to the population and the
has outpaced formal collection and recycling by environment, stemming from lead and
almost a factor of 5. mercury emissions, plastic leakages, and
● Documented formal collection and recycling rates contributions to global warming, particularly in
58
vary significantly across regions. cases where hazardous substances are not
○ In 2022, Europe generated the most e-waste properly managed.
Page
(17.6 kg per capita) and had the highest ● Four 2030 projections and future scenarios for e-
C.C. APRIL ‘24
waste management were developed, which include More about the news:
(1) business as usual, (2) progressive, (3) ambitious, ● The findings
and (4) aspirational. were part of
○ It is projected that 82 billion kg of e-waste the report
will be generated in 2030. In a business-as- ‘Enabling a
usual scenario, documented formal collection Circular
and recycling rates will decline to 20 percent in Economy in
2030. India’s Solar
○ With documented formal collection and Industry –
recycling rates at 22.3 percent in 2022, the Assessing
world would not be able to meet the 30 the Solar Waste Quantum’, which was conducted by
percent target for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
2023 set by ITU. and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water
PEPPER IT WITH:
(CEEW), a climate think tank.
Way Forward: Extended Producer
● India generated about 100 kilotons (kt) of solar waste
• While regulatory measures Responsibility, EEE,
in the Financial Year (FY) 2022-2023.
are essential, public Circular economy-
awareness and education RRR approach ● India's current solar capacity stands at 66.7 GW as of
March 2023.
are equally crucial
components of effective e-waste management. ○ It has increased by 23 times in the past 10 years
— and is slated to jump to 292 GW of installed
o To achieve this, stricter guidelines and
solar capacity by 2030.
regulations are needed to enhance public
understanding. ● Therefore, solar waste management is crucial for
environmental, economic, and social reasons.
• Alternatively, mandating producers to collaborate
with grassroots-level organisations in conducting What is solar waste?
awareness campaigns holds the potential for a more ● Solar waste refers to the waste generated during
profound impact. manufacturing solar modules and waste from the
• Looking ahead, a multi-pronged approach is field (project lifetime).
necessary to combat the e-waste challenge effectively. ● Manufacturing involves two streams of waste,
• Simultaneously, focusing on sustainable including the scrap that’s produced and the waste
consumption practices and encouraging generated from PV (photo-voltaic) modules failing
manufacturers to produce environmentally friendly quality tests.
products with longer lifespans and recyclable ● Meanwhile, waste from the field involves three
materials can significantly mitigate the e-waste streams of waste:
problem in the long run. Eg.: E-waste ATMs, E-waste ○ Waste generated during transporting and
tax Credit for Manufactures handling — the damaged modules are
• Achieving these objectives will require collaboration considered as waste.
and partnerships among various stakeholders, ○ Waste produced due to the damage incurred by
including the informal sector engaged in e-waste solar modules during their lifetime.
management. ○ When the modules reach their end-of-life and
are not usable anymore.
India to generate 600 kilotons of solar waste ● The study only focused on waste from the field (project
lifetime) category and excluded waste generated
by 2030
during manufacturing.
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV What are the findings of the study?
As India ramps up its renewable 1 7
2 8
● By 2030, India’s current installed solar capacity will
energy capacity to achieve net-zero
3 9
4 10
generate about 340 kilotons of waste — three times
goals, the combined waste
5 11
more than the present.

6 M
generated from its existing and newly installed solar energy

○ Five states, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka,
infrastructure could reach up to approximately 600 Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, are
kilotons by 2030. expected to produce around 67% of this
59
waste.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ This is because these five states currently have disposal on manufacturers or distributors who
more solar capacity than other states and, introduce or install such equipment for the first time.
therefore, will produce more solar waste. ○ Photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers are solely
○ Out of India’s 500 GW renewable energy target, responsible for the collection, handling and
most of the GWs will come from these five treatment of modules at the end of their
renewable energy-rich states. lifecycle, according to the WEEE Directive.
● According to the Report, the cumulative waste from ● The UK also has an industry-managed “take-back and
existing and new capacity (deployed between FY24 recycling scheme”.
and FY30) will reach about 600 kt by 2030. ○ All PV producers will need to register and
● By 2050, it will increase to about 19,000 kt 77%, of submit data related to products used in the
which will be generated from new capacities. residential Solar (B2C) and non-residential
● The discarded modules contain minerals such as markets.
● Countries such as Japan and South Korea have already
silicon, copper, tellurium, and cadmium — which
have been classified as critical minerals for the indicated their resolve to
come up with dedicated PEPPER IT WITH:
country’s economic development and national
legislation to address the PV Solar Power Plants,
security by the Indian government.
waste problem. Panch Pran, Mission
○ The 340 kt waste expected to be produced by
● India needs a multi- LiFE, Nationally
2030 would consist of 10 kt of silicon, 12-18
pronged approach to Determined
tonnes of silver, and 16 tonnes of cadmium
handling the mammoth
and tellurium.
amount of solar waste it
How to deal with solar waste? (Way Forward) will generate in the next ten years.
● Policymakers should maintain a comprehensive
database of the installed solar capacity, which would
WMO State of the Global Climate 2023
help estimate solar waste in the following years.
● Policymakers should also incentivize recyclers and
Report
push stakeholders to effectively manage the growing News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
solar waste.
1 7
According to the World 2
3
8
9
• Policymakers should also introduce a ban on the Meteorological Organization’s 4 10
5 11
dumping of waste modules by different entities in (WMO) State of the Global 6 M
landfills. Climate 2023 report, records for greenhouse gas levels,

• Industries should invest in the second-life use of subsurface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level
standard modules to delay waste creation. rise, Antarctic sea ice cover and glacier retreat have been
● Recycling of solar waste: There are two broad ways broken.
of recycling solar panels. World Meteorological Organization (WMO):
○ Conventional recycling or bulk material ● It is a specialized agency of the United Nations
recycling, which involves mechanical processes headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and is
like crushing, sieving, and shearing of the responsible for promoting international
waste. cooperation in atmospheric science and
■ While the majority of recycled materials meteorology.
consist of glass, aluminium, and copper, ● WMO monitors weather, climate, and water
more valuable materials like silver and resources and supports its members in forecasting
silicon cannot be recovered through this and disaster mitigation.
method. ● The organization is committed to advancing
○ High-value recycling. scientific knowledge and improving public safety
■ It involves the use of a combination of and well-being through its work.
mechanical, chemical, and thermal Key highlights of the report:
processes to recycle the modules. ● Heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and rapidly
■ Unlike conventional recycling, this method intensifying tropical cyclones caused misery and
can also recover silver and silicon with the mayhem, upending millions' everyday lives and
help of chemical processes. inflicting many billions of dollars in economic losses.
60
How are other countries handling solar waste? ● It confirmed that 2023 was the warmest year on
● The EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment record, with the global average near-surface
Page
(WEEE) Directive imposes responsibility for waste

C.C. APRIL ‘24
temperature at 1.45 °C (with a margin of
uncertainty of ± 0.12 °C) above the pre-
industrial baseline.
○ It was the warmest ten-year period on
record.
● On an average day in 2023, nearly one-third of
the global ocean was gripped by a marine
heatwave, harming vital ecosystems and food
systems.
○ Towards the end of 2023, over 90% of the
ocean had experienced heatwave
conditions at some point during the year.
● The global set of reference glaciers has
suffered the largest ice loss on record (since
1950), driven by extreme melt in western
North America and Europe.
○ Antarctic sea ice extent was by far the
lowest on record, with the maximum extent
at the end of winter at 1 million km2 below
the previous record year - equivalent to the
size of France and Germany combined.
● The number of people who are acutely food
insecure worldwide has more than doubled,
from 149 million people before the COVID-
19 pandemic to 333 million people in 2023
(in 78 monitored countries by the World Food ○ At the end of 2023, most of the global ocean
Programme). between 20° S and 20° N had been in heatwave
● Weather hazards continued to trigger displacement conditions since early November.
in 2023, showing how climate shocks undermine
■ The Mediterranean Sea experienced near
resilience and create new protection risks among the
complete coverage of strong and severe marine
most vulnerable populations.
heatwaves for the twelfth consecutive year.
Key messages from the Report: ○ Ocean acidification has increased due to
● Greenhouse gases: absorbing carbon dioxide.
○ Observed concentrations of the three main ● Sea level rise:
greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and ○ In 2023, the global mean sea level reached a
nitrous oxide – reached record levels in 2022. record high in the satellite record (the highest since
○ CO2 levels are 50% higher than in the pre- 1993), reflecting continued ocean warming (thermal
industrial era, trapping atmospheric heat. expansion) and melting glaciers and ice sheets.
○ The long lifetime of CO2 means that temperatures ● Cryosphere:
will continue to rise for many years to come. ○ Antarctic sea-ice extent reached an absolute
● Ocean heat: record low for the satellite era (since 1979) in
○ Ocean heat content reached its highest level in February 2023 and remained at a record low from
2023, according to a consolidated analysis of data. June until early November.
○ It is expected that warming will continue, an ○ Ice sheets:
irreversible change on scales of hundreds to ■ There are two principal ice sheets: the
thousands of years. Greenland Ice Sheet and the Antarctic Ice
○ More frequent and intense marine heatwaves Sheet.
negatively affect marine ecosystems and coral ■ Combining the two ice sheets, the seven highest
reefs. melt years on record are all since 2010, and
○ The global ocean experienced an average daily average mass loss rates increased from 105
marine heatwave coverage of 32%, well above the Gigatonnes per year from 1992–1996 to 372
61
previous record of 23% in 2016. Gigatonnes per year from 2016–2020.

Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● This is equivalent to about 1 mm per year ● It is being louded as a “landmark initiative” and a
of global sea level rise attributed to the ice “turning point” in the efforts to expand the use of
sheets in the latter period. nuclear energy for generating clean electricity.
○ Glaciers: ● The meeting was not meant to produce any decisions
■ Preliminary data for the hydrological year 2022- or finalize any agreement. Rather, it was another attempt
2023 indicate that the global set of reference to build momentum for a greater acceptance of
glaciers suffered the largest loss of ice on nuclear energy, which many countries are apprehensive
record (1950-2023), driven by the extremely about.
negative mass balance in both western North ○ Such apprehensions were aggravated by the
America and Europe. Fukushima accident (Japan) in 2011.
■ Glaciers in the European Alps experienced an ○ The continuing crisis at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear
extreme melt season. power plant in Ukraine, the first nuclear facility to
● In Switzerland, glaciers have lost around have been caught in a dangerous armed conflict,
10% of their remaining volume in the past two has also been a source of grave concern.
years. ● India also took part in the summit.
● Western North America suffered record IAEA initiatives to promote nuclear power:
glacier mass loss in 2023, at a rate five times
● IAEA is an intergovernmental organization that works
higher than the rates measured for the period
for the safe and peaceful use of nuclear science and
2000-2019.
technology.
Way Forward: ● The IAEA has launched an ‘Atoms4Climate’ initiative to
PEPPER IT WITH:
● One essential component for talk about nuclear energy and has begun an
Naming of Cyclones,
reducing the impact of engagement with the climate community, especially at
Cryosphere, Sendai
disasters is having effective the COPs or the annual year-ending climate
Framework for DRR
multi-hazard early warning conferences.
systems.
○ At COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, the IAEA set up a
○ The Early Warnings for All initiative seeks to pavilion for the first time, and at COP28 in Dubai
ensure that early warning systems protect everyone last year, about 20 countries pledged to work
by the end of 2027. towards tripling global nuclear energy installed
○ Development and implementation of local capacity by 2050.
disaster risk reduction strategies have increased
A COP outreach programme of IAEA:
since adopting the Sendai Framework for Disaster
Risk Reduction. ● In the last five years, nuclear energy has progressively
gained visibility at climate conferences, including the
● Renewable energy generation, primarily driven by the
Conference of Parties of the United Nations
dynamic forces of solar radiation, wind, and the water
Framework Convention on Climate Change
cycle, has surged to the forefront of climate action
(UNFCCC).
due to its potential to achieve decarbonization
● IAEA has now begun participating in these events as an
targets.
observer, organizing side events and talks on the
○ In 2023, renewable capacity additions increased by
potential of nuclear energy.
almost 50% from 2022, for a total of 510
gigawatts (GW) – the highest rate observed in the ○ The COP 28, which was held in Dubai, was
past two decades. particularly eventful for Nuclear Energy.
○ Representatives from 22 countries committed to
working together to triplicate global nuclear
Nuclear Energy Summit energy installed capacity by 2050 from 2020
levels and achieve global net-zero emission levels
by 2050.
Nuclear energy was presented as an 1 7
2 8
○ The final outcome from Dubai formally
important solution to global 3 9
4 10
acknowledged nuclear energy as one of the zero,
problems like climate change and 5 11
or low-emission technologies, that needed to be

6 M
energy security at the first-of-its-kind Nuclear Energy

accelerated to achieve rapid and deep
Summit that was hosted in Brussels, Belgium.
decarbonization.
Nuclear Energy Summit:
62
○ This was the first time that nuclear energy was

● The summit was organized by The International
mentioned in any COP outcome.
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Brussels.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Poor adoption and growth of Nuclear Power: constraints, making them unattractive for countries
● However, despite these advantages, there has been a wanting to quickly ramp up their electricity generation
serious lack of enthusiasm for the accelerated in an affordable manner.
deployment of nuclear energy. ○ Nuclear power is also the costliest electricity right
○ Only 31 countries in the

world use nuclear energy for
generating electricity. And
barely seven more are
working towards joining
this club.
○ The number of operational
nuclear reactors has actually
come down in the last 20
years, from 437 in 2003 to
411 now.
○ The average life of these
reactors is more than 31
years, which highlights the
fact that few new reactors
have come onboard in the last
decade.
○ The total installed electricity
generation capacity has
shown only a marginal
increase during this period,
from about 360 GW in 2003 to 371 GW now.
now.
● Nuclear energy accounts for less than 10% of global
● The kind of technology breakthroughs that have driven
commercial electricity generation, and its share has
down the costs of solar and wind in the last decade, thus
been declining for almost three decades now.
enabling rapid adoption, have not happened in the
Reasons: nuclear sector.
● There are safety concerns concerning nuclear power, ○ The technology of small modular reactors is far
particularly after the Fukushima accident. from being mature.
● Nuclear reactors require high investments and
63
Nuclear energy in India:

technology base, take years to build, and have to
● India, which currently has 23 operational nuclear
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operate under a variety of regulations and

reactors, acknowledges the role of nuclear energy in
C.C. APRIL ‘24
its decarbonization plan and is planning a rapid microns. (Section 2: Definitions, Sub-section (ac):
expansion in the coming years, even though the share Defines "Biodegradable plastics").
of nuclear energy in electricity generation is likely to What is Microplastic?
remain extremely modest in the foreseeable future. ● The term microplastics is used to describe plastic
● The currently operational reactors have a combined particles that measure less than 5 mm in size.
installed electricity generating capacity of 7,480 MW ● Some microplastics are intentionally produced at that
(about 7.5 GW). At least ten more reactors are under size for specific applications, like microbeads in
construction, and the capacity is supposed to triple to personal care products, or secondary microplastics,
22,480 MW by 2031-32. which result from the degradation and fragmentation
● The share of nuclear energy in total electricity of larger plastic items and can also originate from
sources like synthetic fibres from clothing and the
generation capacity is just about 3.1%, among the
abrasion of car tyres.
lowest in countries that do use nuclear energy.
● Registration Requirements: Sellers of plastic raw
Way Forward:
PEPPER IT WITH: materials and intermediate materials used in plastic
Government should invest packaging must register with the State Pollution Control
Fast Reactors, Fission vs
heavily in the field of nuclear Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned
Fussion, India’s 3-stage
energy to ensure its clean (Section 4: Prohibition on sale, stock, distribution, etc.,
nuclear programme
energy pledge. With proper Sub-section (4B): Registration requirement for sellers
safety measures, nuclear of plastic raw material or intermediate material used for
energy should be prioritized at the global level. plastic packaging).
Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) ● Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Producers,
Rules, 2024 importers, brand owners, and manufacturers are held
responsible for managing the plastic waste generated
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV from their products.
The Plastic Waste Management 1
2
7
8 ○ They are required to collect and manage the plastic
(Amendment) Rules 2024 were
3 9
4 10
packaging introduced into the market (Section 9:
introduced by the Ministry of
5 11
6 M
Extended Producer Responsibility, Sub-section (2A):
Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Obligations of producers, importers, brand owners,
● These rules aim to strengthen the regulation and manufacturers, and manufacturers of commodities
management of plastic waste in India by amending the made from compostable plastics or biodegradable
existing Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. plastics.).
India’s Plastic Situation: ● Labelling and Marking Requirements: Plastic
● Current Situation: packaging and commodities made from compostable or
○ Single-use plastics are defined as items intended for biodegradable plastics must be labelled appropriately to
one-time use before being disposed of or recycled. indicate their compostability or biodegradability.
○ They contribute significantly to plastic waste, with ○ Certification from the Central Pollution Control
India ranking third globally in single-use plastic Board is required for marketing or selling such
waste production and mismanaging 85% of its products (Section 11: Recycling of plastic packaging
plastic waste (Report released at UNEA-6 regarding and commodities, Sub-section (3): Labeling
single-use plastics (SUP)). requirements for plastic packaging made from
○ India announced plans to phase out single-use compostable plastics, Sub-section (4): Labeling
plastics by 2022. requirements for plastic packaging made from
■ A ban on identified single-use plastic items biodegradable plastics).
came into force on July 1, 2022, covering About the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):
19 selected items. ● It is a statutory organization constituted in
Key provisions in recent rules: September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and
● Definition of Biodegradable Plastics: The rules Control of Pollution) Act 1974. Further, CPCB was
redefine "biodegradable plastics" to specify that they entrusted with the powers and functions under the
should undergo degradation by biological processes in Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
specific environments without leaving any harmful 1981.
residues. ● It serves as a field formation and also provides
64
○ Microplastics are solid plastic particles insoluble in technical services to the Ministry of Environment
and Forests of the provisions of the Environment
water, with dimensions between 1 micron and 1,000
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(Protection) Act, 1986.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
● Local Body Responsibilities: Local bodies and ● Natural gas is neither corrosive nor toxic, its ignition
panchayats are tasked with assessing plastic waste temperature is high, and it has a narrow
generation, managing infrastructure, and preventing the flammability range, which makes it an inherently safe
use of prohibited single-use plastic items in their fossil fuel compared with other fuel sources.
jurisdictions (Section 7: Duties of Local Bodies, Sub- ● In addition, because of its specific gravity (density of
section (1): Assessment of plastic waste generation by a substance in comparison to the density of water)
local bodies). (0.60), which is lower than that of air (1.00), natural
● Reporting Requirements: Stakeholders, including gas rises if escaping, and thus dissipates from the
recyclers, manufacturers, and urban and rural local site of any leak.
bodies, must submit regular reports on their activities to Natural gas as a ‘bridge fuel’:
relevant authorities. These reports are subject to ● Natural gas has been called a ‘bridge fuel’ for
auditing and monitoring (Section 17, Sub Section 1-7). countries looking to transition away from coal and oil
● Annual Reporting: Detailed annual reports must be dependency and as they pursue a pathway towards
submitted by various stakeholders, including recyclers, renewable energy.
manufacturers, and urban and rural local bodies, to
○ As solar arrays and wind farms are being built,
monitor compliance and assess the effectiveness of
natural gas can be a stand-in for “dirtier” fuels,
plastic waste management efforts (Section 17: Annual
like coal and, in some cases, oil.
reports).
● It is hailed as a cleaner energy source than other fossil
Way Forward:
PEPPER IT WITH: fuels, especially coal.
● Strengthen enforcement
Single-use plastic, Plastic ○ Natural gas has a lesser climate impact than coal
by upgrading the capacity
Footprint, Great Pacific because it emits 50% less CO2 into the
of government officials atmosphere.
Garbage Patch
and providing necessary
Coal vs Natural Gas:
tools for inspections.
● From a climate standpoint, coal and gas are compared
● Mandate public disclosure of fines and enforcement
by assessing their life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG)
actions taken by authorities.
emissions.
● Implement a complete ban on all carry bags, regardless
○ A “life cycle assessment” evaluates all the
of thickness, as successfully done in some other
emissions throughout the coal and gas supply
countries and states.
chains from extraction, processing, and
● Recognize the full cost of plastic across its lifecycle and
transportation to end use.
invest in alternatives to single-use plastics.
○ Comparisons based only on end-use
● Promote alternative industry through subsidies,
combustion might be limited in their purview
reduced tax rates, and supportive infrastructure.
and paint an incomplete picture of the total
These amendments aim to address the environmental GHG emissions.
challenges posed by plastic pollution by introducing stricter ● Carbon emissions from power plants:
criteria for biodegradable plastics and expanding the scope ○ A coal-fired power plant in Europe emits GHG
of regulations to cover a wider range of plastic-related emissions of 970 tonnes of carbon dioxide
materials and activities. equivalent (CO2e) per gigawatt-hour of
electricity over its lifecycle.
Is natural gas cleaner than coal? ○ An oil-fired power plant emits 720 tonnes of
CO2e per gigawatt-hour.
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV ○ A gas-fired power plant emits 440 tonnes of
A new research indicates that natural CO2e per gigawatt-hour of electricity over its
1 7
2 8
gas, which has long been hailed as a

3 9
4 10 lifecycle.
good stepping stone for a world
5 11
6 M
Methane:
looking to replace coal with renewable energy, isn’t as ● Methane is an invisible but strong greenhouse gas.
climate-friendly as once thought. ○ A critical driver of climate change: When it
About Natural Gas: comes to trapping heat inside Earth's
● Natural gas is a fossil fuel energy source. It contains atmosphere, methane is over 28 times more
many different compounds. The largest component of powerful than carbon dioxide.
natural gas is methane (CH4). ○ Methane is the second-most abundant GHG
65
○ Methane is a highly flammable gas; it burns after CO2. Although methane dissipates faster
easily and almost completely and emits little air than CO2 in the atmosphere, it has a much
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pollution. stronger planetary warming effect.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ According to the UNEP, methane has 80 times (about half compared to the best coal technology),
the warming power of carbon dioxide during however, research shows that methane emissions during
the first 20 years after it is released into the extraction and transport diminish its climate-friendly
atmosphere. reputation. Therefore, labelling it as "cleaner" might not be
accurate.
○ Methane is responsible for 30% of global Isn't some improvement over coal better than nothing?
heating since the Industrial Revolution. While some improvement over coal is indeed better than
● Methane has a strong near-term warming effect, none, to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C as
unlike the long-term potency of CO2. Traditional outlined in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, emissions
climate models measuring the effects of methane over must reach net zero by 2050, leaving little room for fossil
100 years could end up overlooking its immediate fuel use. Emissions globally need to decrease by
heat-trapping potential, possibly skewing policy approximately 7.6% annually until 2030 to meet the 1.5°C
conclusions of natural gas versus coal emissions. target. However, the natural gas industry's rapidly growing
emissions present a significant challenge in addressing
Methane Leaks and Climate Change: Methane leaks
climate change. According to a U.N.-backed team of
can occur unintentionally during drilling and well
researchers, the world is projected to produce 70% more
completion, as well as from faulty gas equipment during
natural gas in 2030 than is compatible with the 1.5°C goal.
production and processing. On the other hand, intentional
methane releases happen through venting and flaring. Way Forward:
● Flaring involves burning off excess natural gas at the ● The oil and gas
PEPPER IT WITH:
production well, releasing methane and CO2, while industry emissions can
Carbon Offsetting, Global
venting directly releases small quantities of natural gas be cost-effectively
warming potential, Carbon
into the atmosphere. Both practices can lead to mitigated through
footprint, Emissions Gap
pollution and resource wastage. “ready-to-
Report
● Estimates of methane leaks vary depending on implement” measures
measurement methods, but even a small leakage rate, which include tackling
such as 0.2% of gas, can have a more significant impact methane emissions, eliminating all non-emergency
on the climate than coal in terms of net greenhouse gas flaring, and electrifying upstream facilities with low-
emissions. The global average natural gas leak rate is emissions electricity, among others.
reported to be between 2% and 3%. ● A report by the Climate Policy Initiative highlights
that the fossil fuel sector, particularly oil and gas,
Is natural gas a cleaner alternative to coal or oil
holds the highest methane abatement potential (34
in terms of emissions?
metric tonnes of CH4 per year) through cost-
66
While natural gas burns cleaner than coal or oil, producing effective measures, yet it receives less than 1% of
fewer conventional air pollutants like sulphur dioxide and tracked methane abatement finance.
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particulates and less carbon dioxide per unit of energy
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● In the pursuit of cleaner energy, evaluating the true 36 °F (2 °C), creating the perfect conditions for
climate impacts of natural gas and coal remains crucial uniquely Antarctic wildlife to flourish.
for informed decision-making in the transition away ● As the primary mixing zone between the world’s
from fossil fuels. major oceans, the Southern Ocean plays an important
role in the circulation of water around the globe.
○ It also plays a key role in regulating the
Earth’s climate through its currents and
seasonal sea ice and by absorbing heat and
Southern Ocean has Earth’s cleanest air
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
News Excerpt: ● The Southern Ocean is known for its strong winds,
The Southern Ocean is renowned for having the cleanest intense storms, dramatic seasonal changes and cold
air on Earth. But the precise reasons why have remained a temperatures.
mystery until now. ● The Southern Ocean is dominated by the Antarctic
About Southern Ocean: Circumpolar Current (ACC): the longest, strongest,
deepest-reaching current on Earth.
○ The ACC circulates clockwise around the
continent, carrying more water around the
globe than any other current.
● Powerful currents, cold temperatures and nutrient and
oxygen-rich waters make the Southern Ocean one of
Earth's most productive marine ecosystems.
What are the factors contributing to the clean
air over the Southern Ocean?
● Minimal human activity resulting in fewer industrial
emissions and less burning of fossil fuels.
● Aerosol levels are influenced by seasonal variations,
such as the amount of salt spray and the growth of
phytoplankton, which are a source of airborne sulfate
particles.
○ The Southern Ocean experiences fewer
sulfates during winter.
● Distinctive honeycomb-shaped cloud patterns in the
region influence the amount and distribution of
rainfall.
● The Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic
Ocean) is one of Earth's five great ocean basins. About Honeycomb Cloud:
○ It was formed around 34 million years ago ● Easily spotted by their honeycomb shape, open-cell clouds
when Antarctica and South America drifted are one of the most common cloud formations,
apart, creating the Drake Passage. ● It is found on the backside of low-pressure systems
○ This makes it the youngest ocean basin on skirting the edges of every continent.
Earth. ● Also called "Open-cell clouds"; they are low, flat clouds that
● Today, it is the only ocean that flows around the resemble a quilt to someone peering down from an
globe uninterrupted by land, encircling Antarctica airplane.
like a moat. ● The honeycomb is
● Around the Southern Ocean's northern limit is a created by a
natural, biological boundary called the Antarctic simple form of
Convergence, or Polar Front. convection, air
movement caused
○ North of the convergence, the water
by warm air rising
temperature near the surface sits at around
and cold air falling
42.1°F (5.6 °C), ideal for marine species adapted
(the same
to the subantarctic climate.
phenomenon that
67
○ South of the convergence, the water happens in a pot

temperature drops dramatically to below of boiling water).
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
● Clouds and rain play a crucial role in scrubbing the
atmosphere clean.
○ Research indicates that open honeycomb-
shaped clouds are prevalent in the Southern
Ocean,
○ It generates intense rain showers that effectively
wash aerosol particles out of the air.
● These open honeycomb clouds are more prevalent
during the winter months, coinciding with the period
when the Southern Ocean's air is at its cleanest.
National Information System for Climate

and Environment Studies (NICES)
News Excerpt:
The NICES programme invites Indian researchers to join
the fight against climate change. ● The NICES Program seeks project proposals in areas like
About NICES Programme: Space-based ECVs, Climate Indicators, Climate Change
● The National Information System for Climate and Challenges, Weather Extremes, and Climate Services.
Environment Studies (NICES) programme is operated Achievements:
by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) ● Developed and made accessible over 70 geophysical
and other ministries and institutions under the variables related to terrestrial, oceanic, and
Department of Space. atmospheric conditions.
● It operates within the National Action Plan on Climate ○ Contributed to documenting climate change and its
Change (NAPCC) framework. impacts by utilizing geophysical datasets derived
○ The NAPCC outlines a national strategy that aims to from satellites and other sources.
enable the country to adapt to climate change and
enhance the ecological sustainability of India‘s
development path.
Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport)
● NICES envisages the realization of national-level Rules, 2024
accurate, consistent, and long-term climate News Excerpt:
database generation derived from Indian and other The Centre has introduced the Captive Elephant (Transfer
Earth Observation (EO) satellites from both polar and or Transport) Rules, 2024, aiming to liberalize the
geostationary missions for climate change impact conditions surrounding the transfer of elephants within or
assessment and mitigation.
between states.
● NICES generates and disseminates long-term essential
What are the Circumstances for Captive
climate variables (ECVs) derived from Indian and other
Earth observation satellites. Elephant Transfer:
○ ECVs are critical to the characterization of the Earth’s ● Inadequate Maintenance by Owners: Captive
climate as they track climate change at a global elephants can be transferred when owners are unable to
scale. maintain them adequately, ensuring their welfare and
Aims of NICES: proper care.
● Better Care Elsewhere: If it is determined that captive
● The NICES program aims to enhance the participation
elephants would receive better care in a different
of academia and research institutions in addressing
environment or under different ownership, transfers
climate change-related challenges through dedicated
may be authorized.
multidisciplinary scientific investigations.
● State Chief Wildlife Wardens: The responsibility for
○ Project proposals are invited from individuals or
sanctioning transfers lies with the State Chief Wildlife
groups of scientists, academicians, and
Wardens.
researchers affiliated with various Indian
○ They have the authority to approve transfers based
government organizations, government-recognized
68
on the specific conditions outlined in the rules,

institutions, universities, and departments in India.
ensuring proper oversight and adherence to welfare
■ Projects are expected to be completed within 3
Page
standards.
years from the date of sanction,” states ISRO.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
What are the Rules Governing Captive Elephant Act introduced an exemption, permitting the transfer of
Transfer? captive elephants for the first time.
● Pre-Transfer Procedures: Elephant transfers require an Controversy and Recommendations:
application, which must be submitted to the Deputy ● Debate Over Exemption Clause: Despite the
Conservator of Forests (DCF), who oversees the region amendments, controversy ensued over the exemption
where the elephants are registered. clause, particularly its implications for elephant welfare
○ After receiving the application, DCF must: and conservation efforts.
○ Obtain a veterinarian's certificate. ● Parliamentary Committee Involvement: A
○ Investigate and physically inspect the facility where Parliamentary Committee led by Congress Rajya Sabha
the elephant is being held and where it is proposed recommended the deletion of the exemption clause,
to be housed. highlighting the need for a careful balance between
○ Submit the application and Report to the Chief tradition and conservation.
Wildlife Warden (CWW) within fifteen days. ● Retention of Exemption: Ultimately, the final version of
● Conditions for Transfer: Transfers of captive elephants the amended Act retained the exemption clause.
are permitted under specific circumstances, such as However, limitations were imposed on the movement of
when the current owner is unable to adequately care for elephants, allowing transfers only to those with existing
the elephant or when better upkeep is available certificates of ownership.
elsewhere, as determined by the State Chief Wildlife
Warden.
○ Additionally, no transfer is allowed unless the Gape Limitation
animal's genetic profile has been entered into the News Excerpt:
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate In ecology, the term ‘gape limitation’ stands for the idea
Change's (MoEFCC) electronic monitoring
that a predator can only eat things that fit in its mouth.
application.
What is a Gape Limitation?
● Interstate Transfers: Transfers across state borders
● Imagine a snake trying to eat a rabbit. If the rabbit is
require registration of the elephant's genetic profile with
too big to fit in the snake’s mouth, gape limitation says
the MoEFCC.
the latter won’t be able to eat it.
● Transportation Guidelines: During transport,
● It specifies which animals can eat which other
elephants must be accompanied by a mahout and an
animals.
assistant. A health certificate from a veterinary
○ For example, small predators can only eat small
practitioner, adherence to quarantine periods for
prey, while bigger predators can also eat bigger
contagious diseases, provision of adequate food and
prey.
water, and use of tranquillizers under veterinary
● From the prey’s point of view, if a predator’s mouth isn’t
guidance if necessary are essential.
big enough to devour it, perhaps those animals are safe
● Legislative Context: The Wildlife Protection Act was
from that predator.
amended to allow for the transfer of captive elephants,
albeit with limitations on the movement of elephants to Why is it important to study Gape Limitation?
those with existing certificates of ownership. ● Predicting how changes in predator or prey
Indian Elephant: populations, changes in habitats, and/or
What are the Shift
environmental disturbances could affect the structure
in the Legislative ● Scientific Name: Elephas
and function of ecosystems.
Landscape? maximus
● Understand the intricate dynamics of animal
● Previous ● Habitat: Dry-thorn forests,
interactions and the cascading effects they have on
Prohibitions: Until moist and dry deciduous
biodiversity.
August 2022, the forests, tropical evergreen and
Wildlife Protection semi-evergreen forests.
Act strictly ● As per the 2017 Elephant World Air Quality Report, 2023
prohibited the trade Census, Assam has the
News Excerpt:
of both wild and second-highest number of
According to the latest Report, the World Air Quality Report
captive elephants. elephants after Karnataka.
2023, released by the Swiss organization IQAir, Delhi was
● Introduction of Conservation status:
the most polluted capital city in the world last year and the
69
Exemption: ● IUCN status: Endangered

third most polluted city in India in terms of PM (Particulate
Subsequent ● CITES status: Appendix I
Matter) 2.5 levels.
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amendments to the ● WPA, 1972 Schedule

C.C. APRIL ‘24
Key highlights of the Report: on animals of high intelligence and the “self-aware”
● In 2023, Delhi’s annual average PM 2.5 level was 92.7 ones.
µg/m3, placing the Indian national capital at the top of ● The island nations are not the first to make legal
a list of 114 capital cities worldwide. changes to give more rights to animals.
○ This was followed by Dhaka in Bangladesh, with a In India's Context:
PM 2.5 level of 80.2 µg/m3. India was among the first countries to declare dolphins
○ Delhi’s most polluted month in 2023 was November, and whales as “non-human persons” in 2013.
with a PM 2.5 level of 255.1 µg/m3, followed by ● In India, the declaration supplements protections
December, with an average of 210 µg/m3 and the accorded to cetaceans under the Wild Life (Protection)
cleanest month was August – with an average PM 2.5 Act of 1972.
concentration of 34.8 µg/m3. ● The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
● Begusarai in Bihar and Guwahati in Assam fared Change (MoEFCC) recognizes cetaceans' high levels of
worse than Delhi in terms of annual average PM 2.5 intelligence and complexity of life and has prohibited
levels. their shows in water parks, dolphinariums, or aquariums
○ While Begusarai recorded an average of 118.9 since the 2013 declaration.
µg/m3 in 2023, Guwahati recorded 105.4 µg/m3. ○ Project Dolphin was announced in 2020 to boost
● Out of a total of 134 countries, India ranked third with marine and freshwater river dolphin populations.
an annual average PM 2.5 level of 54.4 µg/m3, after ○ Last year, the Ganges river dolphin was declared
Bangladesh and Pakistan, both of which had levels over India’s official aquatic animal.
70 µg/m3.
Different states have attempted to provide
● The Report estimates that 1.36 billion people in India
these rights to different animals:
experience PM 2.5 concentrations exceeding the WHO
recommended annual guideline level of 5 µg/m3. ● The Federation of Indian Animal Protection
Organisations (FIAPO) has been pressuring courts to
○ Furthermore, 1.33 billion, or 96% of the population,
give personhood status to elephants, among the most
experience PM 2.5 levels more than seven times the
intelligent animals on the planet.
WHO annual PM 2.5 guideline.
○ This trend is reflected in city-level data, with more
than 66% of the country’s cities reporting annual About FIAPO:
averages greater than 35 µg/m3. It is India’s apex animal rights organization. FIAPO is
● Data in the Report also shows that Delhi spent 56% of registered under the Indian Trust Act 1882 and enjoys tax
its annual hours in 2023 at a PM 2.5 level that exemption as a charity under Section 12A of the Income Tax
exceeds WHO guidelines by over 10 times. Act.
● Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland,
Mauritius, and New Zealand met the World Health ● The Uttarakhand High Court noted in 2018 that “the
Organization annual PM 2.5 average of 5µg/m3 or entire animal kingdom, including avian and aquatic,
less. are declared as legal entities having a distinct persona
with corresponding rights, duties, and liabilities of a
living person.”
Whales & dolphins get ‘personhood’ status
● In 2019, the Haryana High Court ruled that animals in
News Excerpt: India are entitled to the “Fundamental Right to
Indigenous leaders of the Pacific Islands of New Zealand, Freedom” under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Tonga, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands have signed an Personhood for plants, water bodies, and
international treaty granting legal personhood to nature:
cetaceans like whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
● In 2017, the Uttarakhand High Court recognized
More about the news: rivers as legal, living persons with human rights, the
● The treaty signed allows large marine animals the Punjab and Haryana High Court bestowed
right to freedom, life, and movement, freedom of personhood on the Sukhna Lake, and the Madras
natural behaviour, and freedom to live in a healthy High Court ruled that nature and the environment
environment. have rights.
● These animals are protected not only for their high ● While the above judgments are binding at the state
70
cognition and complex thinking but also for their level, no countrywide legal personhood law exists
importance to ecosystems. Such efforts focus mainly for animals, plants, water bodies, or nature.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Biomining ● The leakage and treatment of the acidic, metal-rich

solution created by the microbes, which is similar to the
News Excerpt: acid mine drainage from some abandoned mines.
Delhi's biomining project to clear landfill sites is likely to ○ This risk can be managed by ensuring that biomining
miss the 2024 deadline. is conducted under controlled conditions with
More about the news: proper sealing and waste management protocols.
● According to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Significance of Biomining:
officials, the ongoing biomining project at two of the ● Biomining holds significant promise for sustainable
Capital’s three landfill sites Ghazipur and Bhalswa are resource recovery and environmental remediation.
likely to miss the latest deadline of 2024 to clear the
sites. ● It offers a more environmentally friendly alternative
to traditional mining, reducing the need for extensive
○ The addition of fresh waste and weather
excavation and minimizing environmental disruption.
challenges at the Ghazipur and Bhalswa sites is
slowing down the biomining process. ● Biomining can help recover valuable metals from low-
● MCD launched the biomining project to clear its three grade ores or mine waste that would otherwise be
oversaturated landfill sites in July 2019 on directions uneconomical to extract, thus contributing to resource
of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). efficiency and conservation.
● The Ghazipur landfill, notorious for its immense size and ● Biomining can be used to clean up sites
environmental impact, caught fire on April 21, 2024. The contaminated with metals, offering a cost-effective
incident blanketed parts of Delhi in toxic smoke, raising and efficient solution for environmental
health concerns for residents. remediation.
What is Biomining:
● Biomining is a process of separating various United Nations World Water Development
components of legacy waste such as plastic, paper,
Report 2024
cloth, sand, and bricks by passing them through
trommel machines, which act as cylindrical rotating News Excerpt:
sieves. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2024
● It is the process of using microorganisms (microbes) to highlights that tensions over water are exacerbating
extract metals of economic interest from rock ores or conflicts worldwide. To preserve peace, States must boost
mine waste. international cooperation and transboundary agreements.
○ Biomining techniques may also be used to clean up More about the UN World Water Development
sites that have been polluted with metals. Report 2024:
What metals are currently biomined?
● The United Nations World Water Development Report
● Most current biomining operations target valuable 2024 was published by UNESCO on behalf of UN Water
metals like copper, uranium, nickel, and gold that on World Water Day (March 22, 2024).
are commonly found in sulfidic (sulfur-bearing)
minerals. ● Theme: Water for Prosperity and Peace.
● Microbes are especially good at oxidizing sulfidic Key highlights of the Report:
minerals, converting metals like iron and copper into ● The Report highlights how developing and
forms that can dissolve more easily. maintaining water security and equitable access to
○ Other metals, like gold, are not directly dissolved water services is essential to ensuring peace and
by this microbial process, but are made more prosperity for all.
accessible to traditional mining techniques because
● Equitable access to water resources, safe and affordable
the minerals surrounding these metals are dissolved
water supply and sanitation services, and the multiple
and removed by microbial processes.
benefits they generate are essential to building and
What are the environmental risks of biomining? maintaining prosperous and peaceful societies.
● Most current biomining operations use naturally
● Recent events, from global epidemics to armed
occurring microbial communities.
conflicts, have emphasized that the socio-political
○ The risks from the release of the microbes conditions under which water is supplied, managed,
71
themselves into the local environment are and used can change rapidly.
considered to be relatively small.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
● Water management needs to consider new economic ● Some facts about water scarcity from the Report:
and social realities, including climate change and ○ 2.2 billion people had no access to safely
geopolitical changes, and their implications for our managed drinking water in 2022.
water resources. ○ About 80% of jobs are water-dependent in
● Leveraging water for prosperity and peace, therefore, low-income countries where agriculture is the
requires actions beyond the water domain. main source of livelihood.
○ 72% of freshwater withdrawals are used by
agriculture.
World Water Day: ○ US$832 billion in economic losses were
● World Water Day is held every year on 22nd caused by floods in 2002–2021.
March. ○ 1.4 billion people were affected by droughts
● It is a United Nations (UN) day focused on raising in 2002–2021.
awareness of the importance of freshwater. ○ A 10% increase in global migration between
● The theme of World Water Day 2024 is Water for 1970–2000 was linked to water deficits.
Peace.
Water and the Sustainable Development Goals:
● The aim is to highlight the tensions that can emerge
● Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 is to “Ensure
over resources like water, leading to potential
availability and sustainable management of water
instability and conflict, as well as the role that water
and sanitation for all”.
can play, if carefully managed, in promoting peace.
● The targets cover all aspects of both the water cycle
Facts and Figures: and sanitation systems, and their achievement is
● Developing and maintaining a secure and equitable designed to contribute to progress across a range of
water future underpins prosperity and peace for all. other SDGs, most notably in health, education,
● The relationship also works in the opposite direction, as economics, and the environment.
poverty and inequality, social tensions, and conflict can
amplify water insecurity.
72
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) emissions, on average, account for 75 per cent of
Scope 1+2+3 emissions.
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV • A new analysis, ‘The Corporate Climate
A disputed recent decision by the Responsibility Monitor (CCRM) 2024’, by the New
1 7
2 8
Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)

3 9
4
5
10
11
Climate Institute and Carbon Market Watch, reveals
to allow carbon offsetting for 6 M
that Scope 3 emissions could go up to as much as
Scope 3 emissions of enterprises with SBTi-based climate 99%, as seen in the automobile sector.
targets has sparked debate and scepticism. o This makes measuring, reporting, and reducing
Scope 3 emissions incredibly important for
About Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi): companies.
• SBTi is essentially a standards-setting body for • In SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard Criteria, the
corporate climate targets. standard does not permit the use of carbon credits
• It also reviews climate targets that large companies to count as emission reductions toward a company’s
have set against its given framework and validates those near-term or long-term SBTs.
that meet its stringent criteria.
o Instead, they are only to be considered as an
• It guides businesses in setting greenhouse gas (GHG)
option for neutralising ‘residual emissions’,
emission reduction targets through what is called
which are emissions that persist after a company
‘Science-Based Targets' (SBT), which are based on the
has achieved its long-term SBTs.
standards, tools, and guidance developed by the
initiative. o Or they can be used to finance additional climate
• Over 4,000 global big and small companies have set mitigation efforts beyond their science-based
SBTs based on SBTi’s guidance, including Indian emission reduction targets, extending beyond their
companies such as those in the Tata Group, Mahindra value chain.
Group, Adani Group and Wipro. The controversy:
• SBTi’s frameworks have evolved into the most widely • In recent years, investing in carbon offset projects
adopted standard for corporate climate action over the has allowed some companies to claim ‘net-zero’ or
years. ‘carbon-neutrality’ without reducing their own
emissions;
What is the issue?
o In some cases, they also increase emission-
• The SBTi board of trustees recently announced its plan
intensive activities while relying on carbon
to expand the use of 'environmental attribute
offsets.
certificates' (EAC) to reduce Scope 3 emissions.
• The Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor
o SBTi defines EACs as including emission
(CCRM) 2024 highlights the potential consequences of
reduction credits (or carbon credits) and energy
allowing carbon offsets for Scope 3 emissions.
certificates.
o It argues that such a practice could effectively
• CDP’s (Carbon Disclosure Project) analysis of
absolve companies of accountability for a
emissions across all sectors revealed that Scope 3
significant portion of their emissions, focusing
attention primarily on Scope 1 and 2 emissions,
Carbon Disclosure Project:
which constitute a smaller share of a company’s
• CDP was established as the ‘Carbon Disclosure
Project’ in 2000, asking companies to disclose their total emissions.
climate impact. • In 2023, submissions were solicited for a call to
• It is a not-for-profit charity that runs the global evidence on the effectiveness of EACs, such as carbon
disclosure system to help investors, companies, offsets, which were being reviewed by a technical
cities, states, and regions manage their council.
environmental impacts. o This new decision to allow offsetting has led to
• The world’s economy looks to CDP as the gold accusations against the SBTi board of sidestepping
standard of environmental reporting, with the the process by not informing the technical council.
richest and most comprehensive dataset on corporate
• There has been a growing push for using carbon
and city action.
offsetting to address businesses’ Scope 3
• Since its inception, it has broadened the scope of
73
emissions.
environmental disclosure to incorporate
o The Voluntary Carbon Market Initiative
deforestation and water security.
Page
(VCMI), formed to guide corporate buyers on
C.C. APRIL ‘24
using high-integrity carbon credits, launched a • But it exhibits stark differences, notably in its lack of
“Beta Scope 3 Flexibility Claim” recently, liquid water on the surface due to its extreme
allowing carbon credits to offset up to 50 per cent temperatures and thick carbon dioxide-rich
of Scope 3 emissions. atmosphere.
o The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon • However, evidence suggests that Venus might have
Market (ICVCM), a body set up to ‘validate’ hosted liquid water in the distant past.
high integrity carbon credits, welcomed SBTi’s
decision.
o Carbon market participants have also welcomed
the announcement with renewed hopes of a
boost in demand for offsets in the voluntary
market.
• The New Climate Institute's analysis shows that if the
Beta Scope 3 Flexibility Claim is considered,
companies like Apple and H&M Group would only
need to reduce emissions by 20% and 2%,
respectively.
o Other companies PEPPER IT WITH
would no longer need Scope 3, CDP, CCRM,
to reduce emissions; SBTi, EAC
companies like
Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen Group, and Deutsche
Post DHL could increase their emissions covered by Bepi Colombo Mission Revelations:
Scope 3 targets by 20 per cent, 40 per cent, and 50
• In 2021, the BepiColombo mission made significant
per cent, respectively.
discoveries during its Venus fly-by, about
atmospheric escape mechanisms and Venus's
evolutionary trajectory.
Understanding Venus's Evolution:
• Insights gleaned from studying
atmospheric escape mechanisms are crucial for
comprehending Venus's evolution and its
transition to a water-deprived world.
• These findings offer valuable clues about
the planet's climatic history and habitability
potential.
Solar Wind Interaction and
Atmospheric Loss:
• Venus's absence of a strong magnetic
field exposes its upper atmosphere to the solar
wind, resulting in atmospheric escape.
Did you know Venus is leaking? • The interaction between charged particles emitted by
the Sun and Venus's upper atmosphere leads to the
News Excerpts: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV gradual loss of ions, such as hydrogen and oxygen,
Recent studies have suggested that into space, contributing to the planet's atmospheric
1 7
2 8
gases are escaping from Venus which erosion over time.

3 9
4 10
5 11
explains the possible phenomenon of 6 M
BepiColombo
how the planet lost its water. • A collaborative effort between the European Space
More About the News: Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace
• Venus, often referred to as Earth's "sister planet," or Exploration Agency (JAXA), embarked on its
Earth's "evil twin," shares similarities in size and journey to Mercury in October 2018.
74
composition. • Comprises two spacecraft, the Mercury Planetary

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Orbiter (MPO) provided by ESA and the Mercury
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) provided by • Hepatitis B and C are responsible for 96% of overall
JAXA. hepatitis mortality.
• Aim: • Hepatitis B and C are transmitted by unsafe injection
o Orbit Mercury from the end of 2025 onwards, practices and through contaminated syringes and
o Provide unprecedented insights into the needles, infected blood and blood products, sexual
innermost planet, transmission, from infected mother to child.
o Deepen our understanding of Mercury's origin, Key highlights of the report:
composition, geophysics, atmosphere, • India was second only to China in the viral hepatitis
magnetosphere, and history. burden.
Implications for Venus's Atmospheric • It registered 2.98 crore hepatitis B cases in 2022 while
Evolution: the number of hepatitis C infections stood at 55 lakhs.
• The study highlights the importance of characterizing • The number of deaths globally from viral hepatitis
the escape of ions from Venus for understanding the increased from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in
2022.
planet's atmospheric evolution, particularly regarding
the loss of water from its surface.
o 83% deaths were caused by hepatitis B, and 17%
by hepatitis C.
• These insights offer valuable perspectives on the general
o Every day, there are 3,500 people dying globally
climate and habitability evolution of terrestrial planets
due to hepatitis B and C infections.
and exoplanetary systems.
• WHO estimates indicate that 254 million people lived
Future Exploration PEPPER IT WITH with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C in 2022.
of Venus: BepiColombo, Venus's • Half the burden of chronic hepatitis B and C
• Several upcoming Evolution, Earth evolution infections is among people between 30 and 54 years
spacecraft missions old, with 12% among children under 18 years.
aim to investigate Venus and its environment further, o Men account for 58% of all cases.
promising to fill in many gaps in our understanding, • Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia,
including the Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Russian
o Indian Space Research Organisation's Shukrayaan Federation and Vietnam, collectively contribute nearly
orbiter, two-thirds of the global burden of hepatitis B and C.
o European Space Agency's Envision mission,
o NASA’s VERITAS orbiter and DAVINCI probe.
India second highest in hepatitis B & C after

China
According to a WHO’s 2024 Global 1

2
7
8
Hepatitis Report report, India has 3

4
9
10
the second-highest cases of

5 11
6 M
hepatitis B and C after China, with 3.5 crore cases in 2022.

Hepatitis:
• Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that is caused
by a variety of infectious viruses and non-infectious
agents leading to a range of health problems.
• It is the second-leading infectious cause of deaths
globally — with 1.3 million deaths per year, the same as
tuberculosis, a top spreadable killer.
• There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus,
referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
o While they all cause liver disease, they differ in
important ways including modes of transmission,
India’s hepatitis challenge:
• In India 98,305 people died due to hepatitis B while
75
severity of the illness, geographical distribution

and prevention methods. 26,206 succumbed to hepatitis C in 2022.
o Only 2.4% of those infected in the country had
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received diagnosis coverage.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
• Chronic hepatitis B infection,
which is vaccine
preventable, accounts for 40
to 50% of hepatocellular
carcinoma (a type of liver
cancer) and 20 to 30% of
cirrhosis cases in India.
• The hepatitis B vaccination
was first introduced in India in
2002–2003 as part of the
Centre’s Universal
Immunisation Programme.
o The vaccine was then
expanded throughout
the nation in 2010.
o It is now provided as part
of the pentavalent
vaccine at 6, 10 & 14
weeks apart from the birth
dose of hepatitis B
vaccine.
Way Forward:
• Emphasize targeted public
health interventions to
enhance awareness and
increase vaccination
coverage among vulnerable
populations, including
women, older individuals,
those with lower education
levels, and rural residents.
• Focus educational
campaigns on the general
public, with specific attention
to the aforementioned
groups, aiming to raise
awareness about Hepatitis B
transmission, its impact, and
the critical need for
vaccination.
• Ensure people understand the importance of World Hepatitis Summit (WHS) 2024:
completing the full vaccination schedule for optimal • WHS 2024 is being hosted in Lisbon, Portugal.
protection against Hepatitis B, emphasizing the • WHS is bringing together global experts to discuss
necessity for adherence to the recommended the latest advances in hepatitis prevention,
vaccination regimen. diagnosis, and treatment.
• Implement comprehensive strategies that integrate • Theme of the 2024 summit is “Integrate,
efforts to improve health literacy and enhance Accelerate, Eliminate”.
vaccination coverage, WHS 2024 was organised by the World Hepatitis
• Recognize the PEPPER IT WITH Alliance with the support of the Ministry of Health of
importance of these Hepatitis A, B and C, World Portugal.
measures in achieving Hepatitis Summit, WHO
76
both national and

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global targets for Hepatitis B control.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
World's most powerful MRI machine Electroencephalography (EEG) remains a crucial tool for
unveiled understanding the brain
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
1 7
The world's most powerful MRI 2
3
8
9
scanner has produced its initial 4
5
10
11
images of human brains, achieving an 6 M
unprecedented level of precision expected to illuminate

more about our enigmatic minds and the ailments that
afflict them.
How do electrical patterns arise in the brain?

• Electrical patterns arise in the brain due to the natural
repetitive activity, or oscillations, of neurons.
More About the News: o This oscillatory activity is a result of the way
• The machine was developed by France's Atomic neurons are connected and how they interact
Energy Commission (CEA) situated in the Plateau de through excitation and inhibition, creating
Saclay region south of Paris, known for its push-pull effects.
concentration of technology firms and academic • These local oscillations serve as fundamental building
institutions. blocks, contributing to the overall EEG
• The scanner generates a magnetic field of 11.7 teslas, (electroencephalogram) activity across the brain.
a measurement unit named after inventor Nikola • Interestingly, these oscillations can synchronize, or
Tesla. coalesce, into a common rhythm, leading to patterns
• This capability enables the machine to capture images observed in EEG, including seizure-like patterns in
with tenfold greater precision compared to the patients.
commonly used hospital MRIs, typically with a power
of up to 3 teslas.
• The researchers previously utilized the machine to scan
a pumpkin in 2021. Recently, health authorities
authorized the scanning of humans.
• This Machine has observed an unprecedented level of
precision, we can visualize the minuscule vessels
supplying the cerebral
cortex or discern details PEPPER IT WITH
of the cerebellum that EEG, ECG, Atomic Energy
were previously nearly Commission (CEA)
Junk DNA led to humans being tailless
invisible, which will
enable improved detection and treatment of brain News Excerpt:
pathologies. According to new research, a genetic change in our ancient
• Objective: To enhance our comprehension of brain ancestors may partly explain why humans don’t have tails
anatomy and the specific brain regions activated during like monkeys.
various tasks. More about the research:
o Utilizing MRIs, scientists have already • Scientists have traced our tail loss to a short sequence
demonstrated that the brain's cerebral cortex of genetic code that is abundant in our genome but
exhibits distinct patterns of activation when had been dismissed for decades as junk DNA, a
77
recognizing specific stimuli such as faces, sequence that seemingly serves no biological purpose.
locations, or words.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
• Bacterial genomes exhibit a tandem
arrangement of genes, where one gene end,
another begins.
Alu Element:
PEPPER IT WITH
• One such
Gene, DNA, RNA,
transposable Genome, Human
element, called Alu, is genome project, Junk
unique to primates DNA
(both apes and
monkeys).
• It is tiny, being made up of around 300
base-pairs (the human genome is
approximately 3 billion base-pairs), but has the
ability to copy itself and ‘jump’ within the
genome.
• They identified the snippet, known as Alu element, in
the regulatory code of a gene associated with tail
3-D map of the universe hints about dark
length called TBXT.
energy
About TBXT (T-box transcription factor T)
gene: News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
• The TBXT gene provides instructions for making a Scientists have known that our 1
2
7
8
universe is expanding at an
3 9
protein called brachyury. 4 10
increasingly faster pace. They

5 11
• Brachyury is a member of a protein family called T-box 6 M
proteins, which play critical roles during embryonic believed that 'dark energy' is causing this expansion, but
development. little is known about it. This may change soon.
• T-box proteins regulate the activity of other genes Key points about the Dark Energy
by attaching (binding) to specific regions of DNA. Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI):
• On the basis of this action, T-box proteins are called • DESI is a unique instrument with 5,000 robotic 'eyes', i.e.
transcription factors. the capability to observe 5,000 galaxies simultaneously,
What is a gene? each capable of separately capturing and processing
• A gene is a segment of DNA that contains sequences light from galaxies.
of many bases, varying in size from a few hundred to • It is mounted on the Nicholas W. Mayall 4-meter
2 million. Telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in
• Parents pass on their genes to their biological Arizona, USA.
children. As a result, each person has two copies of • It has been operating for three years and is scheduled
each human gene — one from each parent. to continue for at least two more years.
What is a genome? • Data from the first year of DESI observations:
• Every cell of an organism contains a full copy of that o It captures light from 6 million galaxies, some of
organism’s DNA, called the genome. which existed as far back as 11 billion years ago,
• The genome contains the information that the cell uses o It has been used to create the most comprehensive
three-dimensional evolutionary map of the
to make proteins, the workhorses of the cell.
universe to date.
• Genome refers to all the genetic material in an
• Using the first year's observational data:
organism. The human genome consists of around 3
billion DNA base pairs. o The DESI collaboration has calculated that the speed
o Almost every cell in the body contains a complete of expansion of the universe is increasing at a rate
of 68.5 km per second after every 3.26 million light-
copy of the organism’s genome, tightly
years of expansion.
packaged inside its chromosomes.
• Some of the calculated values from DESI's observations
Compact Genome: are not consistent with current well-established
• Scientists in the mid-1990s observed that simple theoretical models that describe the universe very well.
78
organisms like bacteria maintain highly compact Dark energy intensity:

genomes.
• Dark energy is causing the universe to expand more
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rapidly over time.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
o It is considered a constant in the leading model of Shortcomings of Earth based telescopes:
cosmology. • On the earth, optical telescopes (which collect visible
• The confidence level of these observations is currently light at longer wavelengths) and radio telescopes
around 2.5 sigma, or 95% confidence, which is not (which collect radio waves with the shortest
enough for a scientific discovery of such magnitude wavelengths) have to peer through layers of the
and implications. planet’s atmosphere.
o A higher confidence level of 6 sigma, or near • While it is becoming increasingly difficult for optical
certainty, is required. instruments to see through the polluted skies, radio
• If the changes in dark energy density are confirmed, telescopes also contend with radio and TV signals
it could lead to a complete overhaul of our current adding to the cacophony of the electromagnetic ‘hiss’
understanding of the universe. from the communications channels used by radar
o It would provide the first glimpse into the nature systems, aircraft, and satellites.
of dark energy, which is currently unknown. • It also does not help that the earth’s ionosphere
• Speculations about the nature of dark energy include it blocks radio waves coming from outer space.
being a new invisible field (like electric, magnetic, or Concept of Lunar orbit telescope:
gravitational) or a new particle. • Scientists tried to find a way out of this by launching
o The scientific community is keenly observing the radio telescopes into orbit around the earth. But this
DESI data for further insights. only made the problem worse, as orbiting telescopes
• It accounts for approximately 68% of the total energy started receiving radio noise from the whole planet
content of the universe as: along with signals from outer space.
o Astronomers have observed other galaxies getting • So, astronomers are now considering placing optical
farther away from us over time, they know the and radio telescopes on the far side of the moon,
universe is expanding. which always faces away from the earth.
o The pull of gravity implies this expansion should be • The pristine, airless desolation of the moon provides
slowing down—but over the past 7.5 billion years, it’s optical telescopes crystal-clear seeing conditions
been getting faster. throughout the two-week-long lunar night.
• The new research culminated in a 3D map measuring • Radio telescopes on the lunar far side will also be
how the universe has expanded over the past 11 protected by the moon (it will blot out radio
billion years. transmissions from the earth and electrically
o The data was collected by the Dark Energy charged plasma winds blowing from the Sun).
Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) • Moon promises to open up “the most radio-quiet
• The DESI collaboration plans to analyze data from location in the solar system.
subsequent years of observations immediately to About PRATUSH (Probing ReionizATion of the
further investigate the potential changes in dark energy Universe using Signal from Hydrogen)
intensity. • PRATUSH is a future radiometer in lunar orbit that
PEPPER IT WITH
• The key points focus on will reveal the Cosmic Dawn of our Universe.
DESI, 3-D Map
the theoretical • It is being built by the Raman Research Institute (RRI)
implications of constant in Bengaluru with active collaboration from the Indian
versus changing dark energy density, the initial hints Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
from DESI data, • ISRO will place PRATUSH into orbit around the
o The required confidence levels for scientific earth. After some fine-tuning, the space agency will
discovery, and the potential for new physics if launch it moonwards.
changes are confirmed. • Although earth orbit will have significant radio
India’s PRATUSH frequency interference (RFI), it will have advantages
compared to ground-based experiments, such as
operating in free space and lesser ionosphere impact.
Astronomers are looking forward to
1 7
• PRATUSH in lunar orbit will have the ideal observing

2 8
3 9
opening a new window on the 4
5
10
11 conditions operating in free space with minimal RFI
universe by posting high-resolution 6 M
and no ionosphere to speak of.
telescopes on the moon, and in orbit around it.
• It will carry a wideband frequency-independent
79
• One of the proposals is from India called PRATUSH. antenna, a self-calibrating analog receiver and a
digital correlator to catch radio noise in the all-
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important signal from the Dark Ages.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
Significance of PEPPER IT WITH consists of a torus-shaped chamber surrounded by
PRATUSH: ESA, ISRO, RFI, PRATYUSH, magnetic coils.
• PRATUSH will answer Lunar Probe
the question of when
the first stars formed in our universe, the nature of
the first stars, and what was the light from the first
stars or, in other words, the colour of the light of
Cosmic Dawn.
• PRATUSH will be the pioneering space telescope that
will reveal, for the first time, the history of our infant
Universe as it transformed after the Big Bang - from
cold gas into stars and galaxies and the universe as
we know it today.
• PRATUSH will inform us of the first rays of the first Sun
in the infant universe.
'Artificial Sun' reaches a temperature of 100

million Celsius
News Excerpt:
Scientists from South Korea have been able to produce heat
of 100 million Celsius from their reactor for a record period
of 48 seconds.
More About the News: o Inside the chamber, hydrogen isotopes are heated
• The Korea Institute of Fusion Energy's (KFE) Korea to extremely high temperatures, forming a
Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research plasma. Magnetic fields generated by the coils
(KSTAR) fusion reactor has achieved a groundbreaking confine the plasma, preventing it from contacting the
milestone by reaching temperatures seven times walls of the chamber.
hotter than the Sun's core. o This confinement PEPPER IT WITH
o During testing between December 2023 and allows the plasma to ITER, Plasma, Isotopes,
February 2024, the KSTAR reactor sustained reach the Uranium
temperatures of 180 million degrees Fahrenheit temperatures and
(100 million degrees Celsius) for 48 seconds, densities necessary for nuclear fusion reactions to
surpassing previous records. occur.
o This accomplishment demonstrates progress • Tungsten diverters are critical components in fusion
towards sustaining high-temperature plasma, reactors, as they expel waste gases and impurities while
which is crucial for nuclear fusion reactions. enduring high surface heat loads.
Maintaining the high confinement mode (H- o Earlier the Carbon diverters were used but with the
mode) for over 100 seconds further showcases coming of tungsten diverters there is a 25% increase
KSTAR's capabilities. in Surface temperatures ultimately enhancing the
▪ H-mode provides a stable plasma state reactor's operational capabilities.
essential for efficient fusion reactions. By o Tungsten has one of the highest melting points of all
employing tungsten diverters instead of carbon, metals, making it capable of withstanding the
the KSTAR team successfully extended plasma intense heat generated in fusion reactions.
stability. • Artificial Sun: The term is used to describe tokamak
• Nuclear Fusion: reactors because they replicate the conditions found
o Process where two atomic nuclei combine to form in the Sun's core where nuclear fusion naturally
a heavier nucleus, releasing a significant amount of occurs.
energy in the process. o By creating a controlled fusion reaction on Earth,
• Tokamak: scientists aim to unlock a nearly limitless source of
80
o A tokamak is a device used to confine and control clean energy that could help address the world's
hot plasma in the process of nuclear fusion. It energy needs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels
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and mitigating climate change.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
o Thus, the “leap second” was born to adjust that

the “day” was getting longer.
Negative Leap Second What is a Leap Second?
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
• Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is based on
The melting of polar ice due to global
1
2
7
8
International Atomic Time (TAI) but is adjusted by
warming is affecting Earth’s rotation
3
4
9
10 seconds to account for the difference between the
and could impact precision
5
6 M
11
definition of the second and the rotation of the
timekeeping, according to a paper in the journal Nature. Earth.
• Occasionally, 1s is added to the UTC time scale. This
Making the leap:
second is called a leap second.
• The establishment of two versions of time —
• Its purpose is to keep the UTC time scale within ±0.9 s
astronomical and atomic came more than 55 years
of the Universal Time (UT1) time scale, which
ago when atomic clocks were adopted as the official
changes slightly due to variations in the rotation of the
time standard.
Earth. UT1 refers to astronomical time.
• In atomic time, a second is defined as 9,192,631,770
• Twenty-seven leap seconds have been added to
oscillations of a Cesium atom and thus, these clocks do
Universal Coordinated Time since 1972. The addition of
not slow down.
a leap second happens at the last tick of the clock on
• In the early 1970s, Earth was slowing down in its
the night of Dec. 31 or June 30.
81
rotation, and a gap formed between atomic time and

• In a leap second, instead of 11:59 and 59 seconds
astronomical time. Astronomical time fell behind
turning to midnight, there is another second at 11:59
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atomic time by 2.5 milliseconds every day.

and 60 seconds.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
India is deploying atomic clocks across the country to Now:
ensure that the time shown in our digital watches, • But now, the Earth is not slowing down anymore. There
smartphones, and laptops is truly based on Indian hasn’t been a leap second added since the end of
Standard Time (IST). 2016.
Background: • Earth's rotation has PEPPER IT WITH
• Currently, most software operating modules in been speeding up, IST, UTC, GPS, Atomic clock
India rely on US-based Network Time Protocol overtaking atomic
servers. time. This means that to bring the two measurements
• The Indian government wants all software to be in sync, timekeepers may have to introduce the first-
synchronised with indigenous atomic clocks ever negative leap second.
instead, both for uniformity in time and as a • The melting of the ice caps in Antarctica and
defence mechanism, especially in times of war. Greenland shifts mass (i.e. all that extra liquid is
• The Consumer Affairs Ministry’s Legal Metrology redistributing weight across the planet) toward the
Department and the National Physical equator. That process increases the equatorial bulge of
Laboratory, or NPL, the nation’s timekeeper, are the planet.
installing the atomic clocks. • A negative leap second would go from 11:59 and 58
• So far, India has atomic clocks in Ahmedabad and seconds directly to midnight, skipping 11:59:59.
Faridabad, and more are being installed in • Overall, the Earth’s rotation is too unpredictable to
Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, and Hyderabad. definitively say when (or if) we’ll need that negative leap
• Only four other countries - the US, the UK, Japan, second in 2026, 2029, or anytime soon.
and Korea - have their own atomic clocks.
About Atomic Clock:
Small-scale LNG as fuel for India
• An atomic clock works like a conventional clock.
Still, the time-base of the clock, instead of being an News Excerpt:
oscillating mass as in a pendulum clock, is based on Recently, the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
the properties of atoms when transitioning dedicated to the nation India’s first small-scale liquefied
between different energy states. natural gas (SSLNG) unit at GAIL (India) Ltd’s Vijaipur
o An atom, when excited by an external energy complex in Madhya Pradesh.
source, goes to a higher energy state. Then, Why small-scale LNG?
from this state, it goes to a lower energy state. • The government aims to increase the share of natural
In this transition, the atom releases energy at a gas in its primary energy mix to 15% by 2030 from
very precise frequency, which is characteristic of a little more than 6% at present.
the type of atom. • Natural gas is far less polluting than conventional
hydrocarbons like coal and oil.
• It is also cheaper than oil, more than 85% of India’s
requirement for which is met through costly imports.
• Natural gas is seen as a key transition fuel in India’s
journey towards green energy and future fuels.
Why is the use of LNG in long-haul trucks and
buses attractive?
• LNG is significantly cleaner than diesel- with reduced
carbon dioxide emissions and negligible amounts of
particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur
dioxide emissions.
Need of the adjustment: • LNG offers a slightly longer range to vehicles than
• Timekeeping is an exact science in a highly diesel with similar-sized fuel tanks and is usually
technological society, which is why a need was felt to cheaper than crude oil, from which diesel is derived.
invent the concept of the “leap second” and “negative • Although India imports around half of its natural gas
leap second”. requirement, this dependency level is much lower
• Global Positioning System (GPS) as well as Stock than that for crude oil.
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Trading requires split-second accuracy thus, this new o Replacing a major chunk of India’s diesel
difference of a leap second could impact them vastly. consumption by LNG could lead to substantial
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foreign exchange savings.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
• LNG has been used successfully and aggressively in market is due to a lack of clear demand signals to the
medium and heavy commercial vehicles in many vehicle manufacturers.
countries, most notably in China. o Demand aggregation would help optimize the cost
of LNG HDV and further improve its
adoption.
• Non-fiscal incentives for
demand creation: A procurement
policy could be formulated to adopt
LNG HDVs in PSUs for transportation
service contracts.
o Non-fiscal incentives play a key
role in signalling the government’s push
for adopting a certain alternative fuel.
o Such incentives for LNG could
lead to the private sector getting
involved in the market development for
the alternative fuel.
• Regulatory interventions –
Regulations for mobile refuelling of LNG
Challenges: HDV are to be approved to alleviate fuel availability
• A major challenge in scaling up gas consumption lies in concerns, which have been raised by fleet operators.
transporting gas to places that are not connected by • Signalling and outreach – A “Natural Gas Mobility
India’s natural gas pipeline grid. Dashboard” must be created with information on LNG
o This problem also hinders the direct use of LNG as refuelling stations, locations, and retail prices for fleet
fuel for long-haul trucks and inter-city buses. operators to plan and deploy LNG HDVs accordingly.
• Large-scale pipeline projects that are in the works will
take years to be completed; even so, last-mile
delivery challenges may persist in many parts of the
country.
• The challenges in India include -
o Lack of easy availability of LNG-powered vehicles, First tidally locked super-Earth exoplanet
o The higher initial cost of these vehicles compared confirmed
with diesel,
News Excerpt:
o Absence of an LNG vehicle financing ecosystem,
An international team of astronomers and astrophysicists
o The virtually non-existent LNG retail network.
has confirmed the first known observance of a tidally locked
Way Forward: super-Earth exoplanet.
• Road toll-fee exemption PEPPER IT WITH More about the news:
for LNG HDV: Fiscal LNG, CNG, EV vehicles, • Scientists have confirmed the existence of a super-
incentive in the form of toll- Global Fuel Economy Earth exoplanet, named LHS 3844b, that is tidally
fee exemption to LNG HDV
Initiative locked to its star.
will reduce the total cost of
• This means that one side of the planet is always
ownership and could
facing its star, while the other side is perpetually
incentivize adoption.
turned away.
• Reduction of VAT on LNG sale to HDV and natural
• The team’s innovative approach to studying the
gas to be under GST - A reduction of VAT to 5 percent
planet’s characteristics has shed light on a
on the sale of LNG to HDV will help in LNG price
phenomenon that, while suspected in exoplanets, had
harmonization across states and further bring down the
not been conclusively proven until now.
LNG HDV operating costs. In addition, natural gas
should come under GST to ensure the availability of Tidal Locking:
input tax credits. • Tidal locking happens when an object’s orbital period
83
• Demand aggregation model for LNG HDV adoption matches its rotation period, leading to the same side
– Currently, the unavailability of LNG HDV models in the always facing the planet or star it orbits.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
• Tidal locking is a natural consequence of
the gravitational distortions induced by
a body on another.
• The Moon is tidally locked to the Earth
because it rotates in exactly the same
time as it takes to orbit the Earth. That
is why we only see one side of the Moon.
o For this reason, the Moon has
what is commonly described as a
"far side"—the side we never
see.
• The idea is, that in the case of an emergency where
LHS 3844b: mobile connectivity may be severely impacted
• LHS 3844b is a super Earth exoplanet that orbits an because of a natural calamity or any other disaster,
M-type star. people can call for help directly, by connecting to an
• Its mass is 2.25 times that of Earth, it takes 0.5 days to overhead communication orbiter.
complete one orbit of its star, and is 0.00622 AU from • The idea for such a satellite came about after 2008,
its star. when Sichuan, a province in southwestern China, was
• Its discovery was announced in 2019. struck by a devastating magnitude-8 earthquake,
What is an Exoplanet? resulting in the tragic loss of over 80,000 lives.
• An exoplanet is any planet beyond our solar • What made the situation far worse back then was the
system. communication breakdowns in affected areas, which
• Most exoplanets orbit other stars, but free-floating in turn severely hindered rescue operations, thus
exoplanets, called rogue planets, orbit the galactic compounding the crisis.
center and are untethered to any star. • In response to this disaster, the Chinese government
started the Tiantong Project, a satellite
Tiantong Satellite communication system.
• The purpose of the satellite is to provide universal
News Excerpt: access to communication services irrespective of
Chinese scientists have developed the world's first satellite socio-economic status.
capable of enabling smartphone calls directly without the
need for ground-based infrastructure such as mobile
Europa Clipper Mission
towers. News Excerpt:
About the news: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• The deployment of the Tiantong-1 series involves (NASA) is preparing the Europa Clipper spacecraft for a
launching three satellites orbiting synchronously at mega launch in October this year.
an altitude of 36,000 kilometers. This has the
More about Europa Clipper mission:
potential to revolutionize communication across the
• Europa Clipper is a robotic solar-powered spacecraft
Asia-Pacific region, from the Middle East to the Pacific
built to conduct the first detailed investigations of
Ocean.
Jupiter's icy moon Europa.
• However, the realization of direct satellite connectivity
• It is NASA’s Largest Planetary Mission Spacecraft.
for mobile phones posed formidable technical
challenges, particularly concerning passive • The spacecraft will arrive at Jupiter in 2030. Once in
intermodulation (PIM) interference. orbit around Jupiter, it will conduct nearly 50 flybys of
• PIM has plagued commercial communication Europa.
satellite networks, hindering further technological
advancements. In response, Chinese scientists
spearheaded groundbreaking research to mitigate
PIM effects.
Background:
• Named after the Chinese term for “connecting with
84
heaven,” reminiscent of the biblical Tower of Babel,

the project symbolized a commitment to enhancing
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communication resilience in the face of adversity.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
• Europa Clipper will launch in October 2024 on a o Scientists predict that there is a probable sea on
SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Europa containing twice as much water as all of
Center in Florida. Earth’s oceans combined.
What will Europa Clipper do? o It also has the right chemical elements – the
building blocks of life.
• Europa Clipper’s main science goal is to determine
o All lifeforms need energy to survive. On Earth,
whether there are places below the surface of
Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life. most of that energy comes from the Sun.
▪ Europa's surface is blasted by radiation
• The mission’s three main science objectives are to
from Jupiter. That's a bad thing for life on the
understand the nature of the ice shell and the ocean
surface – it couldn't survive. But the radiation
beneath it, along with Europa's composition and
may create fuel for life in an ocean below
geology.
the surface.
• Europa Clipper will perform 50 flybys of Europa to
gather measurements of the internal ocean, map the
surface composition and geology, and hunt for SAKHI App
plumes of water vapour that may be venting from the
News Excerpt:
icy crust.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
(VSSC), the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) facility at Thumba in
Thiruvananthapuram, has developed a
multi-purpose app that will help
astronauts on the Gaganyaan space
flight mission.
About Space-borne Assistant
and Knowledge Hub for Crew
Interaction (SAKHI) app:
• It can carry out a range of tasks
such as looking up vital technical
information or communicating with one
another.
• It will monitor the astronauts'
health, help them stay connected with
Earth, and even alert them about their
dietary schedules.
• The astronauts may need to
look up technical documents and
training manuals at short notice during
the mission.
Europa: o SAKHI will ensure that they have all the
• Europa is the sixth-largest moon in the Solar System required data at their fingertips.
and Jupiter’s fourth-largest satellite. • The astronauts can use the app to maintain a log on
• Despite its cracked and discoloured appearance, it is the mission in multiple formats, including voice
the smoothest solid object in the Solar System. records, texts, and images.
Potential for life: • This comprehensive system provides information on
key parameters like blood pressure, heart rate, and
• Europa is considered one of the "most promising
oxygen saturation, providing invaluable insights into
potentially habitable environments" in the solar
the crew’s physical condition throughout their mission.
system.
• Life as we know it seems to have three main • SAKHI will keep the crew connected with the
requirements: liquid water, certain chemical onboard computer and ground-based stations,
elements, and an energy source. guaranteeing a seamless communication link.
85
• Astrobiologists – scientists who study the origin, • The app will also remind them about their hydration,
evolution, and future of life in the universe – believe dietary schedules, and sleep patterns.
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Europa has the essential elements to support life.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
NASA's SOHO Mission TSAT-1A Satellite

News Excerpt: News Excerpt:
NASA's SOHO mission celebrates a milestone as it captures TASL announces successful deployment of sub-metre
the 5,000th comet on its journey around the Sun. resolution optical satellite TSAT-1A.
About SOHO Mission: Key points about Tata Advanced Systems'
• SOHO, the Solar & Heliospheric Observatory was TSAT-1A satellite deployment:
launched on December 2, 1995 with a package of 12 • Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) successfully
instruments onboard. deployed its sub-metre resolution optical satellite,
o The mission has 12 instruments, including TSAT-1A, in space.
telescopes and spectrometers, which observe • The satellite was
the Sun in various wavelengths of light, from launched aboard
ultraviolet to visible X-rays. SpaceX's Falcon 9
• A joint project of the European Space Agency (ESA) rocket as part of the
and NASA. It is designed to study the Sun, its Bandwagon-1
atmosphere, and the solar wind. mission from
• It has provided knowledge into the structure of the Kennedy Space
Sun, including its magnetic field, solar flares, Center, Florida, U.S.
coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and solar variability. • The Bandwagon-1
• SOHO monitors the effects of space weather on our mission was
planet, and it plays a vital role in forecasting potentially SpaceX's first dedicated rideshare mission launched
dangerous solar storms. into a mid-inclination orbit, offering a higher revisit
Latest Findings: rate for satellite imaging.
• Now, the SOHO mission has achieved a milestone in • The deployment is a result of TASL's collaboration with
its journey by capturing its 5,000th comet as it Satellogic, leveraging their expertise in developing and
traverses around the solar star in our cosmic integrating earth observation satellites.
neighborhood.
Applications:
• These observations help scientists better understand
• In addition to TSAT-1A, the mission carried 11 other
solar phenomena and their impact on space weather,
spacecraft, including those from Korea, HawkEye
which can affect satellites, power grids, and
360, Tyvak International, iQPS, and Capella Space.
communication systems on Earth.
• TSAT-1A will deliver high-resolution optical satellite
• The latest comet, named SOHO-5000, belongs to the
images with increased collection capacity, dynamic
Marsden group.
range, and low-latency delivery through its
o It is a part of the larger comet 96P/Machholz.
multispectral and hyperspectral capabilities.
• SOHO shows no signs of slowing down.
• SOHO has provided information about its core and Military applications:
outer atmosphere. • Delivers high-resolution imagery with precision less
o Notable achievements include the first-ever than 1 meter per pixel, suitable for military/defence
images of the Sun's convection zone and sub- applications.
surface sunspots, as well as detailed • Primary customers are the government and armed
measurements of rotation and temperature. forces.
• It has also pinpointed the origins and acceleration • India possesses a limited number of military spy
mechanisms of the solar wind, particularly in satellites developed by ISRO.
magnetically "open" polar regions • TASL intends to establish a constellation of similar
o while uncovering novel solar phenomena like satellites in the future, with its manufacturing facility
coronal waves and solar tornadoes.
86
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
primed to produce up to 25 low earth orbit (LEO) o These substances make the moon a potential
satellites for military purposes. candidate for supporting life in the Solar
• The necessity for high-resolution imagery has System beyond the earth.
heightened following conflicts with China along the • Callisto’s surface is heavily cratered, indicating a long
Line of Actual Control (LAC). history of being struck by asteroids and comets. (It
o This implies that TSAT-1A's capabilities are may have the oldest surface in the Solar System).
intended to support India's military and o It also lacks the extensive seismic activity seen
defence operations in regions of heightened on some of Jupiter’s other moons, such as Io
tensions or conflicts. and Europa.
• The satellite was assembled at TASL's Assembly, • The presence of relatively few geological features
Integration, and Testing plant in Vemagal, suggests Callisto’s surface is geologically inactive.
Karnataka. o Its surface has likely been relatively stable for
a long time.
Ozone on Jupiter’s moon Callisto • This stability could be vital to preserve any subsurface
ocean or potential habitats beneath the icy crust.
News Excerpt: • The detection of sulfur dioxide on Callisto’s surface
Strong evidence of ozone's presence on Jupiter's moon has encouraged the scientists to conduct
Callisto has been found by a team of scientists. spectroscopic observations to gain a better
Key Highlights of the study: understanding of the moon’s surface composition
• Study outlines the researchers’ investigation into the and formation.
chemical evolution of “SO2 astrochemical ice”, which
is ice primarily composed of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in Gaia mission
the presence of ultraviolet irradiation.
• This shed light on the chemical processes and News Expert:
composition on the surface of Callisto. By analyzing the Astronomers have detected the largest stellar black hole in
UV absorption spectra of the irradiated ice samples, the Milky Way galaxy, with a mass 33 times that of the
Scientists identified a distinct signature indicating the Sun. It is also the second closest black hole to Earth,
formation of ozone. sitting just 2,000 light years away from the planet.
• They corroborated their findings by comparing them About the newly discovered stellar black hole
with data from the Hubble Space Telescope to “Gaia BH3”:
understand Callisto’s environment and the potential • “Gaia BH3” stellar black hole has dethroned Cygnus X-
habitability of icy moons in the Solar System. 1, which is 21 times as massive as the Sun, to become
Callisto and its unique environment: the most massive black hole of stellar origin in the Milky
• After Saturn, Jupiter has the most moons in the Solar Way.
System. • It sits in the Aquila constellation. Gaia is a Latin word
o Callisto is one of Jupiter’s largest moons and that means “the eagle”.
the third-largest moon in the Solar System • Nearly all stellar black holes were found because they
after Ganymede and Titan. exist in binaries or pair up with a companion star.
• Despite being as big as the planet Mercury, it has less o The more massive of the two likely evolves
than half as much mass. into a black hole, with its companion orbiting it.
o Callisto is primarily composed of water ice, o Gaia BH3 was observed, causing an odd
rocky materials, sulphur dioxide, and some ‘wobbling’ motion on the companion star
organic compounds. orbiting it.
87
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
• Researchers used data from ground-based Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) “Pushpak”
observatories, including from the Ultraviolet and
Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) instrument on News Excerpt:
ESO’s VLT located in Chile’s Atacama Desert. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has
o These observatories studied key properties of the reached a significant milestone in Reusable Launch Vehicle
companion star, which allowed astronomers to Technology with the successful landing experiment of the
measure the mass of BH3 precisely. RLV LEX-02.
About Gaia mission: Key Points:
• Gaia was launched in 2013 from the European • The RLV LEX-02 mission demonstrated the
Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on a Soyuz- autonomous landing capability of the reusable launch
STB/Fregat-MT launch vehicle. vehicle from challenging initial conditions after release
• Its goal was to build our galaxy's largest, most from a helicopter.
precise three-dimensional map by surveying nearly • The experiment, conducted at the Aeronautical Test
two billion objects. Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka.
o The mission also involves studying more than one • It marks a crucial step forward in the development of
million distant quasars and providing stringent reusable launch vehicles (RLVs).
new tests of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of About Pushpak:
Relativity. • The Pushpak RLV is designed as an all-rocket, fully
• Gaia monitors each of its target stars about 14 times reusable single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle,
per year. incorporating several major elements such as the X-33
o It is precisely charting their positions, distances, advanced technology demonstrator.
movements, and changes in brightness. o The X-34 testbed technology demonstrator,
• Gaia is creating an extraordinarily precise three- and the upgraded DC-XA flight demonstrator.
dimensional map of nearly two billion objects • Pushpak demonstrated autonomous landing
throughout our Galaxy and beyond, mapping their capability from off-nominal initial conditions at release
motions, luminosity, temperature and composition. from a helicopter.
o This huge stellar census is providing the data • It performed difficult manoeuvres with dispersions,
needed to tackle an enormous range of important correcting both cross-range and downrange to
open questions relating to the origin, structure precisely land on the runway.
and evolutionary history of our Galaxy.
o For example, Gaia is identifying which stars are
relics from smaller galaxies long ago ‘swallowed’ by
the Milky Way.
o By watching for the large-scale motion of stars in
our Galaxy, it is also probing the distribution of
dark matter, the invisible substance thought to
hold our Galaxy together.
• Gaia is achieving its goals by repeatedly measuring the
positions of all objects down to magnitude 20
(about 400,000 times fainter than can be seen with
the naked eye).
• For all objects brighter than magnitude 15 (4000 times
fainter than the naked eye limit), Gaia is measuring their
positions to an accuracy of 24 microarc seconds.
o This is comparable to measuring the diameter
of a human hair at a distance of 1000 km. FIGURE: PUSHPAK
• At its heart, Gaia contains two optical telescopes that
work with three science instruments to determine • Pushpak was released from a height of 4.5 km by an
the location of stars and their velocities precisely and Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter, and it
to split their light into a spectrum for analysis.
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autonomously approached the runway from a distance

of 4 km.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
• The mission successfully simulated the approach and
high-speed landing conditions of an RLV returning
from space. India elected as Co-chair of ITU’s Digital
• The endeavour to launch RLV requires several state-of-
Innovation Board
the-art technologies. That also includes accurate
navigation hardware and software, a Pseudolite News Excerpt:
system, Ka-band Radar Altimeter, NavIC receiver, India led a high-level delegation to Geneva for a series
indigenous Landing Gear, Aerofoil honey-comb of crucial meetings at the International Telecommunication
fins, and brake parachute system. Union (ITU) Headquarters.
• The winged vehicle and all flight systems used in RLV- • The visit focused on fostering collaboration and
LEX-01 were reused in the RLV-LEX-02 mission after exploring innovative initiatives in the
proper certification/clearances, demonstrating the telecommunications and information and
reuse capability of flight hardware and flight systems. communication technology (ICT) sectors.
o Based on observations from RLV-LEX-01, the The key highlights of the visit include:
airframe structure and landing gear were
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has
strengthened to tolerate higher landing
started the Innovation and Entrepreneurship
loads.
Alliance for Digital Development to respond to
• The mission was accomplished by Vikram Sarabhai
significant unmet needs of ITU Membership in the area
Space Centre (VSSC), Liquid Propulsion System
of innovation, as articulated in the Kigali Action Plan
Centre (LPSC), and ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU),
adopted at the World Telecommunication
with collaboration from various agencies including
Development Conference 2022 (WTDC-22).
the Indian Air Force (IAF), Aeronautical
Development. • The Outcomes of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference
2022 (PP-22). The Alliance has three main vehicles:
What is RLV?
o Digital Transformation Lab
• An RLV is a vehicle that is launched into space many
o Network of Acceleration Centres
times. As the vehicle can be used for many relaunches,
o Digital Innovation Board
it goes a long way in mitigating costs.
• The Alliance establishes the Digital Innovation Board to
• The idea of a re-usable landing vehicle was mooted
provide strategic guidance, expertise and advocacy
to regain super expensive rocket boosters that are used regarding its mission of building critical local
for launching spacecraft. It could be later used to refuel enablers and fostering innovation and
and reuse in space flights. entrepreneurship in digital development to create a
How are RLV LEX-01 and RLV LEX-02 similar to more inclusive and equitable digital future for all.
and different from each other?
• The flight systems and the wing body used in the first How do mosquito bats work?
leg of RLV LEX were reused for RLV LEX-02.
• After evaluating the results of the first experiment, ISRO News Excerpt:
made some improvements such as strengthening the Among all the electronic and chemical technologies
airframe structure and landing gear so that Pushpak humans have developed to battle the mosquitos, the most
can tolerate higher landing loads during RLV LEX-02. impressive is the 'electric tennis bat'.
• The difference between RLV LEX-01 and RLV LEX-02 About Mosquito bats:
is that in the first leg of the autonomous landing • The bat’s working principle is simple.
mission, Pushpak was released mid-air after certain o There are three metal meshes. The one at the
predetermined conditions were achieved. Meanwhile, center is positively charged and the outer ones
for RLV LEX-02, Pushpak was subject to off-nominal are negatively charged.
conditions. o When the layers don’t touch each other, current
• Therefore, not only did ISRO successfully accomplish can’t flow. But when a mosquito connects them,
the autonomous landing of a reusable launch a current pass through and kills the insect.
vehicle prototype, but also demonstrated reuse • Essentially the mosquito receives an electric shock as
capabilities of flight hardware and flight systems. the circuit for the flow of current gets completed.
• The current generated in the bat is around 1,400 V,
89
which is equivalent to about a thousand regular

batteries.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
• This voltage drives a powerful electric current through o This double-membrane structure makes them
the mosquito while also creating sparks. more resistant to certain antibiotics and
contributes to their pathogenicity.
o They are harder to kill because of their
harder cell wall.
o When their cell wall is disturbed, gram-
negative bacteria release endotoxins that can
make the symptoms worse.
• They are found in various environments, including soil,
water, and within the bodies of humans and
animals.
E.g.- Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella spp.,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Scientific Principle: About Project ANAGRANINF:
• Electric current is the flow of electrons through a • The Project is a collaborative endeavour to foster
complete circuit of conductors. When the negative innovation in the field of healthcare.
and the positively charged meshes get in touch o It is a joint effort between Indian and Spanish
through the mosquito, the circuit gets completed. companies, led by the Department of Science &
• Electric current is carried by electrons, the negatively Technology and the Centre for the Development
charged fundamental particles that usually revolve of Technology and Innovation, E.P.E. (CDTI).
around positively charged protons in every atom. o The bilateral programme aims to drive market-
o Every atom has an equal number of protons driven research and technology development
and electrons, rendering them electrically while fostering partnerships and business-led
neutral. collaborative projects between the two nations.
• A battery generates electric force. How much electric Objectives of Project ANAGRANINF:
force is generated depends on the battery’s voltage
• Create a novel lead compound, particularly an
value. The higher the voltage, the greater the force.
antibiotic which is capable of inhibiting the FabI
o For example, the pencil battery that powers our enzyme and effectively fighting against gram-
wall clocks is usually 1.5 V. A phone battery has a negative pathogens.
comparable range. • Produce a series of compounds that exhibit enhanced
• These are strong enough to drive currents through efficacy for tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
clocks and phones but not strong enough to give infections, by harnessing the power of proprietary AI
humans electric shocks. tools and adhering to stringent guidelines such as the
• The current supplied to our household appliances entry rules.
comes with a voltage of 220V, which is enough to • The selected hit molecule MMV1578564 has exhibited
electrocute us. promising activity against gram-negative pathogens,
serving as a foundation for further research and
development efforts.
• Identify a candidate that meets WHO's innovation
Project ANAGRANINF criteria, ensuring a new chemical structure, no cross-
resistance with existing commercial classes, a novel
News Excerpt:
target, and a novel mechanism of action.
The Technology Development Board (TDB) has signed an
agreement with Peptris Technologies and the Foundation
for Neglected Disease Research (FNDR), for the WHO launches ‘CoViNet’
development of the project "ANAGRANINF”- (a novel News Excerpt:
class of Antibiotics Against Gram-Negative Bacterial-
The World Health Organization (WHO) has established a
Infections).
new network called CoViNet, aimed at enhancing global
Gram-negative bacteria:
capacities for the detection, monitoring, and assessment of
• These are a type of bacteria characterized by the
coronaviruses.
structure of their cell walls.
90
• These bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer About the news:

sandwiched between two membranes, with an outer CoViNet expands upon the groundwork laid by the WHO
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membrane containing lipopolysaccharides. COVID-19 reference laboratory network established in

C.C. APRIL ‘24
January 2020, broadening its focus beyond SARS-CoV-2 • It is trained to provide information on major health
to include other coronaviruses such as MERS-CoV and topics, including healthy habits and mental health, to
potential novel coronaviruses of public health importance. help people optimize their health and well-being
What is CoViNET? journey.
• S.A.R.A.H. can support people in understanding risk
• The CoViNet initiative underscores a comprehensive
factors for leading causes of death like cancer, heart
One Health approach, which integrates expertise from
disease, lung disease, and diabetes.
various sectors including human, animal, and
• It can provide up-to-date information on quitting
environmental health.
tobacco, being active, eating a healthy diet, and de-
• By pooling resources and expertise, CoViNet seeks to
stressing, among other things.
effectively monitor and assess the evolution and spread
• S.A.R.A.H. is powered by generative AI, it can provide
of coronaviruses.
more accurate real-time responses, engage in
• Why it came into the picture?
dynamic personalized conversations,
o The WHO SARS-CoV-2 Reference Laboratory
o It provides nuanced, empathetic responses
Network, established in 2020, initially aimed to
in a judgment-free environment.
provide confirmatory testing to countries with
• S.A.R.A.H. is a continuous learning and development
limited testing capacity for SARS-CoV-2.
project, aiming to inspire reliable, responsible, and
o However, as the pandemic progressed, the need to accessible information.
monitor the virus's evolution, the spread of • Previous iterations of S.A.R.A.H. were used during the
variants, and their impact on public health became COVID-19 pandemic under the name Florence.
increasingly apparent.
CoViNet's core objectives include:
Introducing "nitroplast" - The first
• Early and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-
CoV, and other novel coronaviruses of public health nitrogen-fixing organelle
importance. News Excerpt:
• Surveillance and monitoring of the global An international team of researchers has discovered the
circulation and evolution of these coronaviruses, “nitroplast” — the first known nitrogen-fixing organelle
adopting a One Health approach that includes within a eukaryotic cell.
expertise in animal health and environmental
More About News:
surveillance.
• Timely risk assessment to inform WHO policies The nitroplast organelle discovery marks the fourth
related to public health and medical countermeasures. instance of primary endosymbiosis in history, a process
• Support for capacity building of laboratories, where a prokaryotic cell is engulfed by a eukaryotic cell
particularly in low- and middle-income countries, to and evolves into an organelle.
address the needs of WHO and CoViNet. Significance of Nitroplast discovery:
• Data generated and synthesized through CoViNet will • Organelles rarely arise from these types of things.
support WHO decision-making, particularly through • The first time an organelle arose was the event that
Technical Advisory Groups on Viral Evolution (TAG-VE) gave rise to all complex life, referring to the origins of
and Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC). mitochondria.
• Everything more complicated than a bacterial cell owes
its existence to that event, referring to the origins of the
S.A.R.A.H mitochondria.
News Excerpt: • This is the second time an organelle arose around a
billion years ago with the chloroplast, which gave rise
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced
to plants.
the launch of S.A.R.A.H., a digital health promoter
Implications for ocean ecosystems and agriculture:
prototype.
• The discovery of the nitroplast provides new insights
More about S.A.R.A.H into ocean ecosystems.
• S.A.R.A.H. is a Smart AI Resource Assistant for o UCYN-A is globally important for its ability to
Health that represents an evolution of AI-powered fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, and
health information avatars, using new language models researchers have found it in various locations,
and cutting-edge technology. from the tropics to the Arctic Ocean, where it
91
o It can engage users 24 hours a day in 8 fixes a significant amount of nitrogen.

• The nitroplast also has the potential to revolutionize
languages on multiple health topics, on any
Page
agriculture.
device.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
• The Haber-Bosch process, which synthesizes • There are multiple causes of meningitis, including viral,
ammonia fertilizers from atmospheric nitrogen, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic pathogens.
allowed agriculture and the world population to • Bacterial meningitis is the most serious among the
take off in the early 20th century. five.
• However, it also creates enormous amounts of carbon
• Symptoms- fever, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to
dioxide, accounting for about 1.4% of global
light (photophobia), nausea, vomiting, confusion,
emissions.
altered mental state, etc.
Nitroplast evolution from symbiosis to • Although meningitis affects all ages, young children
organelle: are most at risk with around half of cases and deaths
• Initially, scientists considered UCYN-A as an occurring in children under 5 years of age.
endosymbiont closely associated with an alga.
o However, two recent papers suggest that
UCYN-A has co-evolved with its host Whooping cough outbreak
beyond symbiosis and now meets the News Excerpt:
criteria for an organelle.
Whooping cough outbreak has left health authorities
• A study published in March 2024 in Cell showed that across different countries worried. Apart from several
the size ratio between a specific group of nitrogen- deaths reported in China, cases have also been reported in
fixing cyanobacteria and their marine haptophyte the US, UK, Philippines, Czech Republic and the
algal hosts remains consistent across various species Netherlands.
of Braarudosphaera bigelowii algae.
What is whooping cough?
• The findings indicate that UCYN-A has evolved from
• It is also called pertussis.
being a symbiotic partner to meeting the criteria for an
organelle, similar to how mitochondria and o It is a highly contagious bacterial infection,
chloroplasts evolved. caused by bacteria Bordetella pertussis, and is
common in infants and young children.
o It usually causes lengthy and repeated bouts of
Rollout of Men5CV vaccine in Nigeria coughing.
News Excerpt: o These coughing episodes can continue for weeks
Nigeria has become the first country in the world to roll or even months after first developing symptoms
out a new vaccine (called Men5CV) recommended by the of the illness.
World Health Organization (WHO), which protects o The infection transmits easily from person to
people against five strains of the meningococcus person mainly through respiratory droplets
bacteria. produced by the infected person while coughing
or sneezing.
About the news:
• The new vaccine offers a powerful shield against the
How's it diagnosed?
five major strains of the meningococcal bacteria (A, • Diagnosis is usually based on coughing fits in presence
C, W, Y, and X) in a single shot. This provides broader of known exposure to disease.
protection than the current vaccine used in much of o Laboratory tests, such as polymerase chain
Africa, which is only effective against the A strain. reaction (PCR) or culture of respiratory
• The vaccine and emergency vaccination activities are secretions,
funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which funds the • It can confirm the diagnosis by detecting the presence
global meningitis vaccine stockpile and supports lower- of Bordetella pertussis bacteria.
income countries with routine vaccination against Prevention:
meningitis. • Vaccination is the most effective measure to prevent
• Nigeria is one of the 26 meningitis hyper-endemic this infection.
countries of Africa, situated in the area known as the o DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular
African Meningitis Belt. Pertussis) vaccine is recommended for children.
• Nigeria’s rollout moves the world one step closer to o Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and acellular
WHO's goal of defeating meningitis by 2030. Pertussis) vaccines can be given to adults that
About Meningitis: provide protection against pertussis.
▪ Adults between the ages of 19 and 64 should
92
• Meningitis is a serious infection that leads to the

inflammation of the membranes (meninges) that receive a one-time booster pertussis
Page
surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. vaccine called the Tdap vaccine.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
• "Preventing whooping cough is essential using DTaP • Deaths from prostate cancer have seen a decline in
vaccine, which is recommended for children at 2, 4, 6, most high-income countries (HICs) since the mid-
and 15-18 months of age, with a booster dose at 4- 1990s.
6 years old. • Prostate cancer is a significant contributor to mortality
o In addition, good hand hygiene, covering face and disability, accounting for 15% of all male
while coughing/sneezing and avoiding close cancers globally.
contact with sick individuals can help reduce the o In the United Kingdom, it ranks as the second most
spread, common cause of cancer deaths among men,
• The DTaP vaccine is routinely administered to infants while in more than half of the world’s countries, it
and young children in multiple doses, stands as the most prevalent form of male cancer.
o Starting at 2 months of
age as it protects against
diphtheria, tetanus, and
pertussis.
▪ Boosters are
recommended for
adolescents and
adults.
• Pregnant women also can
receive the Tdap (Tetanus,
Diphtheria, and acellular
Pertussis) vaccine, which provides additional
protection against pertussis. Causes of Prostate Cancer:
o Pertussis-containing vaccines are safe even for • Genetic Factors:
expectant mothers. o Family History like number of affected relatives.
▪ Pregnant women are advised to receive the o Genetic Mutations: Certain inherited gene
whooping cough vaccination between 20 mutations, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are
and 32 weeks to boost their protection linked to breast Cancer and ovarian cancers, also
against whooping cough. increase the risk of prostate cancer in men.
o Race and Ethnicity: More prevalent in African-
American men and less common in Asian and
Global Prostate Cancer Crisis
Hispanic men.
News Excerpt: • Age and Hormonal Factors:
A report on prostate cancer by the Lancet Commission has o Risk increases after the age of 50 and continues
unveiled a looming global crisis in the fight against the to rise with age.
disease. o Hormonal Imbalances: Testosterone, the male
Key findings of the report: sex hormone, may promote the growth of prostate
• Cases of prostate cancer are set to double from 1.4 cancer cells.
million annually in 2020 to a staggering 2.9 million • Environmental Factors:
per year by 2040. o Diets high in red meat and high-fat dairy products
• It will be the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and low in fruits and vegetables.
that will see the surge in these cases. o Sedentary lifestyles and obesity.
• The Commission estimates an 85% increase in annual • Medical Factors:
deaths worldwide over the same 20-year period, o Chronic inflammation of the prostate, often seen
soaring from 375,000 deaths in 2020 to nearly in conditions like prostatitis.
700,000 deaths by 2040. o Sexually Transmitted Infections
93
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
INTERNAL SECURITY
Digital financial frauds in India ● By the time a money trail is established, the funds are
typically withdrawn from the system, making it
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
II III IV GS I II III IV challenging to identify perpetrators or recover the
A report by the Indian Cyber Crime
1 7
2
3
8
9
money.
Coordination Centre has revealed 4
5
10
11 How can certain basic changes to the form of
that digital financial frauds accounted 6 M
data provided to enforcement agencies help in
for a staggering ₹1.25 lakh crore over the last three years.
minimizing delays?
Key points of Report: ● Banks, NBFCs, and SEs must be mandated to provide
● According to the National Crime Records Bureau data in a predetermined format with all the terms
(NCRB), cybercrimes in India in 2023 resulted in a explained. The data must be given in a CSV or XLSX
staggering loss of ₹66.66 crore, with 4,850 reported file. For example, the CDR (Call Data Record) shared
cases. with enforcement agencies has a fixed format and fixed
● According to the National Cybercrime Reporting file types, such as CSV or XLSX.
Portal (NCRP), in 2023, at least ₹10,319 crore was ○ Currently, banks give the statement either in
reported to be lost by victims of digital financial printed hardcopy or PDF format, which causes
fraud. huge inconveniences to the investigating
○ According to the report, the number of officers.
complaints received in 2023 alone was 6.94 ● The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)
lakh.
must be recorded.
Modus operandi of the digital financial frauds: ○ All banking and financial apps must be
mandated to save the IMEI details of the device
• Convincing the victim to send money, either by
being used. Fraudsters use fake mobile numbers
impersonation (fake WhatsApp/FB/Insta, social media
and fake bank accounts across different States to
profiles) or by giving them a false promise of greater
add layers to increase anonymity and prevent
return (investment, crypto, held up custom package,
agencies from prosecuting them.
etc.)
■ Thus, the IMEI becomes crucial evidence in
• By taking credentials such as Unified Payments
determining the device and its location.
Interface ID (UPI), Personal Identification Number
(PIN), One-Time Password (OTP) or Internet ■ Recording IMEI will provide stronger
banking ID/password from the victim. evidence for establishing a device and its
• The scammers can also convince the victims to give connection to fraudsters in a court of law.
out those details over the phone. When these details Way Forward:
are used on official banking apps, this gives the ● The Bhartiya Nagarik PEPPER IT WITH:
fraudsters access to even Fixed Deposits/Recurring Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, NCRB, NCRP, Bhartiya
Deposits, which are also siphoned out in most cases. which is set to replace the Nagarik Suraksha
• By taking card details and convincing the victim to Indian Penal Code of 1861, Sanhita, 2023
share OTP. recognizes organized
Hindrances faced by the enforcement agencies crime as a "continuous
unlawful activity." This definition covers digital
in tracing money trails:
financial fraud.
● Rapid movement of siphoned-off funds across
● Law enforcement agencies face a lot of difficulties in
multiple bank accounts and digital wallets impedes
conducting interstate raids and arrests.
tracking efforts.
○ It requires a large team and coordinated
● Supervised entities such as banks, NBFCs, and wallets effort.
often struggle to promptly provide necessary details to
○ The fintech and telecom industries must be
law enforcement.
mandated to take certain preventive steps in their
● Crimes are generally reported after 24 hours of technology and provide data in a manner that
occurrence, delaying investigative action. enables speedier investigation. This will make
● Victims' actions, such as deleting evidence from their prevention, detection, recovery, and
devices due to stress and trauma, further hinder the
94
conviction much more effective.

investigation. ○ Faster availability of data will make it easier to
Page
identify and convict pan-Indian gangs.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Suspension of Operations pact with Kuki-Zo ● The pact also requires these groups to abide by the
Indian Constitution, the laws of the land, and the
insurgent groups territorial integrity of Manipur.
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
● The SoO pact further bars these groups from
Two months after the Manipur 1
2
7
8 committing any activity that amounts to atrocity or,
government refused to send a 3
4
9
10 extortion, or any other unlawful operation.
representative to a meeting called by
5 11
6 M ● The militant cadres are to be confined to designated
the Centre to extend the Suspension of Operations (SoO) camps identified by the government. Arms are
pact with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, there is a “status deposited in a safe room under a double-locking
quo” on the agreement on the ground. system. The groups are given arms only to guard their
Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact: camps and protect their leaders.
● The Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact is a tripartite ● As part of the rehabilitation package, the cadres living
agreement signed between the United Peoples’ in the designated camps are given a monthly stipend
Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organization of 6000 Rs. Financial assistance is also being provided
(KNO), an umbrella of 25 insurgent groups, the Union to maintain the designated camps.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Manipur Demand for suspension of the Pact:
government. ● After ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo people
○ Of these insurgent groups, 17 come under the and the Meitei people erupted in the State in May
Kuki National Organization (KNO), and 8 2023, there were strong demands from the Valley
belong to the United People's Front (UPF). areas to abrogate the SoO agreement.
● The agreement was signed in the wake of the Kuki- ● The Manipur government had claimed that SoO
Naga clashes in the 1990s when hundreds were killed. groups violated ground rules and instigated the
The insurgent groups demanded an independent land violence.
for the Kuki-Zo.
● Meitei civil society groups have also demanded that
the MHA not extend the pact.
● The Manipur Assembly has also passed a resolution
to urge the Central government to abrogate the SoO
pact with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups.
Current Status:
PEPPER IT WITH:
● The Manipur UAPA, North East States
government did not
Peace Pacts, PVTGs
send its representative
to the last meeting,
which was held in February, to discuss the extension of
SoO.
● Without the participation of the Manipur government,
the SoO pact could not be extended on paper. As of
now, the status quo exists.
What are the terms of the SoO pact? Strategic military infra upgrade for A & N
● The Suspension of Operation agreement is for one Islands
year, but it is extendable according to the progress of
its implementation. GS I II III IV GS I II III IV
The Andaman and Nicobar (A & N)

1 7
To oversee the effective implementation of the SoO

2 8
● 3 9
Islands are undergoing a significant 4 10
pact, a committee called the Joint Monitoring Group 5 11
upgrade in military infrastructure. 6 M
(JMG), with representatives from all the signatories,
has been formed. Key points regarding the infrastructure
● According to the pact, the Centre and state upgrade in the A & N Islands:
governments agreed that the security forces would ● The enhanced infrastructure aims to facilitate the
95
not launch any operations against these groups. In deployment of additional military forces, larger
return, the insurgent groups will also not launch any warships, aircraft, missile batteries, and troops.
Page
such operation.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● The upgrade includes the modernization of airfields Lakshadweep, the Navy, and NRSC to discuss the
and jetties, enhancement of logistics and storage surveillance of uninhabited islands.
capacities, improvement in troop accommodations, What is the strategic importance of the
and establishment of a strong surveillance system. Andaman and Nicobar
● The ongoing construction activities come amid Islands? PEPPER IT WITH:
growing Chinese attempts to expand its influence in UNCLOS, Theatre
● The island chain is
the region, including constructing a military facility at Commands, Shaheed
located 700 nautical
Myanmar's Coco Islands, which are 55 km north of the Dweep & Swaraj Dweep
miles (1,300 km)
A & N Islands.
southeast of the Indian
● There are plans to significantly enhance the
mainland.
surveillance infrastructure at one of the northern
● The Malacca Strait, the main waterway that connects
islands and construct a permanent habitat for troops
the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, is less than a day’s
there.
steaming from Port Blair.
● The length of an airstrip at a vital naval air station is
● The islands share four of India’s international
being increased to enable the landing of larger aircraft
maritime zone delimitations with Myanmar,
like P8Is and fighter jets, and its jetty is also being
Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.
expanded for use by larger ships.
● They also give India substantial ocean space under the
● There are 836 Islands in A&N, of which only 38 are
United Nations Conference on the Laws of the Sea
inhabited.
(UNCLOS) in terms of exclusive economic zone and
● The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), continental shelf.
established in 2001, is the first and only tri-service
command in the islands.
Doxxing
News Excerpt:
Doxxing allows abusers and criminals who are thousands of
miles away to target victims by putting their private details
online for others to exploit.
What is Doxxing?
● Doxxing is the intentional revelation of a person's
private information online without their consent,
often with malicious intent.
● It includes sharing phone numbers, home addresses,
identification numbers, and essentially any sensitive
and previously private information.
Other major infrastructure upgrades:
● E.g., Personal photos could make the victim identifiable
● The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), and potentially exposed to further harassment,
established in 2001, is the first and only tri-service humiliation and real-life threats, including stalking
command in the islands. and unwanted encounters in person.
● The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Navy Chief ● Doxxing can also expose the people who live or work
have inaugurated various facilities to enhance the near the victim, increasing the affected person’s
operational capability of the ANC, including: chances of being evicted or fired.
○ a modern hangar and dispersal system at INS
Utkrosh in Port Blair,
○ a Precision Approach Radar (PAR)
○ an Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence
and Surveillance System,
○ Naval Communication Network (NCN) Legal provisions against Doxxing in India:
Centres ● In India, there is no law in place to prevent and/or
96
● The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held a Multi- punish doxxing directly, though there are laws in place
Agency Maritime Security Group (MAMSG) Policy against voyeurism (Section 354C IPC and IT Act),
Page
meeting with officials of coastal security of A&N and divulging sexually explicit content (The IT Act) and
C.C. APRIL ‘24
obscene content (Section 292 IPC), defamation (Section ○ The PAC-2 interceptor uses a blast-
499 IPC) and online stalking (Section 354D IPC). fragmentation warhead,
● Doxxing violates the victim's Right to Privacy (A ○ while the newer PAC-3 missile uses more
Fundamental Right) and threatens their Right to advanced hit-to-kill technology.
Dignity (Article 21 – Constitution of India).
● The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act,
2023, which is intended to protect citizens' data
privacy, specifically states that it does not apply to
"personal data that is made or caused to be made
publicly available."
● But if a person is affected by doxxing, then he/she
can register a complaint at his/her nearest
cybercrime police station or register an online
complaint on cybercrime.gov.in.
Patriot Air-Defense System

News Excerpt:
Germany has agreed to send Ukraine a Patriot air
defence system and missiles for existing systems.
About Patriot air-defense system:
● PATRIOT (Phased Array Tracking Radar to
Intercept on Target) is a theatre-wide surface-to-
air missile defence system built by Raytheon
Technologies Corp.
● It is considered one of the most advanced air
defence systems in the U.S. arsenal.
● The system was first used in combat during the 1991
Gulf War, with batteries protecting Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait and Israel, and later used during the U.S.
invasion of Iraq in 2003.
● Its latest modification, PAC-3, is designed to engage Igla-S
and intercept targets at up to 24 km altitudes. News Excerpt:
○ Newer variants of Patriot are capable of The Indian Army has received the first batch of Igla-S Man
engaging ballistic and cruise missiles,
Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) from Russia.
loitering munitions, and aircraft.
More about the news:
○ A typical Patriot battery includes a radar set,
engagement control station, power ● The Igla-S Air defence systems will be deployed at the
generation and other support vehicles, and China and Pakistan borders.
several launch stations. ● These systems enhance the Army's Very Short-Range
● The main feature of the latest PATRIOT modification Air Defence (VSHORAD) capabilities, particularly in
is its ability to shoot down ballistic missiles (including high mountainous terrain along the northern border.
Iskanders, which Russia uses to attack Ukraine), as well ● The procurement includes domestic production in
as Kinzhals (Russian hypersonic air-launched India, with one regiment already deploying the
missiles) and Zircons (a Russian hypersonic anti-ship systems.
missile) ● This acquisition replaces outdated Igla-1M systems
● The average effective range of a PATRIOT launcher is and aligns with plans for future indigenous VSHORAD
150 km. advancements.
● The air defence system can track targets moving at Capabilities of Igla-S:
speeds of up to 2,200 m/s at a distance of up to 180 ● The Igla-S is a hand-held defence system that can be
km.
97
operated by an individual or crew.

● The system has different capabilities depending on the
Page
type of interceptor used.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● It is designed to bring down low-flying aircraft and ● The C-Dome interceptor is extremely agile and has a
can also identify and neutralize air targets such as high rate of turn, enabling the interception of even
cruise missiles and drones. the most maneuverable targets.
● The Igla-S systems are intended for new air defence Iron Dome air defence system:
formations for high mountainous terrain along the ● Iron Dome is a short-range anti-rocket, anti-
northern border. mortar, and anti-artillery system with an intercept
range of 4-70 KMS.
● MANPADS are portable surface-to-air missile
systems. ● It was developed by the Rafael Advanced Defence
Systems of Israel.
● The air defence units in high mountainous regions use
● Israel has put Iron Dome’s interception rate at as
MANPADS to neutralize low-altitude aerial threats
high as 97%.
such as aircraft, drones, and missiles.
Russian Contract and Indigenous Production:

● India signed a contract with Russia in November last
year for 120 launchers and 400 missiles. While the first
batch came from Russia, an Indian company will make
the rest of these systems in India through a Transfer of
Technology (ToT) from Russia.
India- Russia Defence relation:
● India enjoys friendly relations with Russia, including
notable deals about arms and weapons, among
other bilateral agreements.
● In a report, the Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute (SIPRI) revealed that India's arms imports
increased by 4.7 per cent between 2014–2018 and
2019–2023, with Russia retaining main arms
supplier status, accounting for 36 per cent of its
arms imports.
C-DOME Naval Area Defense System
News Excerpt:
Israel, for the first time, has deployed its ship-mounted
defence system, called the C-Dome, against a "suspicious"
target that entered the country's airspace.
Parivartan Chintan
More about C-Dome: News Excerpt:
● The C-Dome is a naval version of the Iron Dome air The heads of all tri-service Armed Forces gathered in New
defence system, which shields against rocket and Delhi for the first-ever tri-service planning conference
missile attacks. called the ‘Parivartan Chintan’.
● It is mounted on Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, German- Key highlights:
made warships, and uses the same interceptor as the ● This pioneering tri-service conference aims to
Iron Dome.
generate new and fresh ideas, initiatives and reforms
● C-Dome has three components:
to propel jointness and integration efforts.
○ TAMIR interceptors
● The conference was to be chaired by the Chief of
○ A modular Vertical-Launch Unit (VLU)
Defence Staff (CDS).
○ A Command & Control (C2) component.
● C-Dome does not require dedicated radar and uses ● It took place against the backdrop of the three services
the ship’s surveillance radar to detect and track planning to establish Integrated Theatre Commands
threats. (ITC), which would contain elements of the Army,
Navy, and Air Force.
● A highly advanced air defence system ensures high kill
probability against a wide range of targets. ● This was the first-ever conference of the Heads of all
Tri-Services Institutions, the Department of Military
Affairs, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, and
98
the three Services, recommending measures to swiftly

Page
achieve the desired “Joint and Integrated” end state.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
What are Integrated Theatre Commands (ITC)? Sittwe Port Agreement

● A theatre command deploys elements of the three News Excerpt:
services (Air, Navy, and Land) under a single, unified After the Chabahar Port in Iran, India has gained the right
command structure. to operate a second overseas port, Sittwe, in Myanmar.
● India created its first tri-service command—the
About the news:
Andaman and Nicobar Command in 2001.
● In the United States and China, the theatre commands ● The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has approved
are based on the region of operation, but India is a proposal for India Ports Global (IPGL) to take over
taking a different approach. the operations of the Sittwe port located on the
Kaladan River.
● In an integrated theatre command, one commander
will take unified command of the three services for ● IPGL is 100 per cent owned by the Ministry of Ports,
security concerns in a particular geographical Shipping and Waterways, Government of India.
theatre. Significance of the decision:
○ The commander of ITC has the power to efficiently ● Kaladan project is aimed at connecting the port of
and quickly deploy all the military resources that Kolkata with the port of Sittwe in Rakhine or Arakan
are at his disposal. State which would then be connected to Mizoram by
● According to initial plans: road and the Kaladan river which flows by Paletwa.
○ The Army’s South Western Command (SWC) in
● The Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project
Jaipur will serve as the headquarters of the
was jointly identified by India and Myanmar to create a
integrated theatre command that will counter
multi-modal mode of transport for shipment of
Pakistan.
cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar as
○ The Central Command, based in Lucknow, will
well as to the North-Eastern part of India through
serve as the headquarters of the integrated
Myanmar.
theatre command that will safeguard the borders
● This project, which will connect Sittwe Port in Myanmar
with China.
to the India-Myanmar border, is expected to contribute
○ The theatre commanders will be four-star rank
to the economic development of the North-Eastern
officers, equivalent to the Chiefs of Army, Navy, and
States of India by opening up the sea route for the
Air Force, with the CDS commanding all six.
products.
■ All the theatre commanders and the
● It also provides a strategic link to the North-East,
commanders of new commands will report to
thereby reducing pressure on the Siliguri Corridor.
the Department of Military Affairs (DMA),
which is headed by the CDS himself. ● In the absence of an alternate route, the development
of this project not only serves the economic,
● The Defence Minister had earlier urged the armed commercial and strategic interests of India, but also
forces to be prepared to meet the challenge of contributes to the development of Myanmar, and its
warfare's fast-changing nature and stressed the present economic integration with India.
complex world
situation, which
affects everyone
globally. He focused on
how:
○ Unconventional
and asymmetric
warfare, including
hybrid war, will be
part of the future
conventional wars.
○ Cyber, information,
communication,
trade and finance
have all become an
inseparable part of
99
future conflicts.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● Since the project is of political and strategic CBI, Europol sign Working Arrangement
significance, it was decided to execute this project
through India's grant assistance to Myanmar. News Excerpt:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the
European Union Agency for Law Enforcement
Akashteer Command and Control Systems Cooperation (Europol) have signed a Working
News Excerpt: Arrangement, establishing cooperative relations between
The Indian Army has initiated the induction of control and the law enforcement authorities of India and the Europol.
reporting systems under 'Project Akashteer' to enhance its Details of the Working Arrangement:
air defence capabilities. ● This Working Arrangement is comprehensive and
About the news: includes 26 detailed articles enumerating the
● The Indian Army has declared 2024 as the 'Year of modalities for wide-ranging cooperation in over 30
Technology Absorption' and is undertaking various different crime categories.
initiatives to induct niche technology and systems into ● The cooperation, in addition to the exchange of
its inventory. information, may include the exchange of specialist
knowledge, general situation reports, results of
Project Akashteer
strategic analysis, participation in training activities,
● ‘Project Akashteer’ is a cutting-edge initiative and the provision of advice and support in individual
designed to automate air defence control and criminal investigations.
reporting processes by digitizing them. Significance of the Working Arrangement:
● It was developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) ● This arrangement promotes direct cooperation
as part of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. between both organizations to build on their
● This project is poised to significantly enhance the respective mandates, strategies and to explore the
operational efficiency and integration of the Army’s potential for synergies.
air defence mechanisms.
● The Working Arrangement underscores the
○ ‘Project Akashteer’ will empower the Air Defence interconnected nature of security threats and the
units of the Indian Army with an indigenous, state- necessity of international cooperation to effectively
of-the-art capability, to effectively operate in an address them.
integrated manner.
○ It will enhance cooperation in jointly tackling
○ Akashteer will enable monitoring of low-level various forms of crime inter alia, including organized
airspace over the battle areas of the Indian Army and crime, financial crimes, frauds, corruption,
effectively control the Ground Based Air Defence terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking, drug
Weapon Systems. trafficking, money laundering, environmental
○ This will enable the Indian Army to respond crimes, illicit trafficking in cultural goods,
swiftly to hostile threats while minimizing the including antiquities and works of art, etc.
risk of friendly fire incidents. ● The arrangement also enables wide cooperation among
○ 'Akashteer' integrates radar and all the law enforcement agencies in India and 27
communication systems into a unified network, European countries that Europol represents, as well as
providing the Indian Army with unprecedented third countries and organizations associated with
situational awareness. Europol.
○ This will enable them to detect and engage The European Union Agency for
hostile targets more effectively, ensuring the Law Enforcement Cooperation
safety of friendly aircraft in contested airspace. (Europol):
● The system's vehicle-based and mobile Control ● Europol is the EU’s law
Centers are designed to maintain operational enforcement agency, whose
capabilities even in challenging communication mandate is to help make
environments. Europe safer by assisting law
● Overall, the deployment of 'Akashteer' signifies a leap enforcement authorities in EU
towards complete automation of air defence member countries.
operations. ● It is based in The Hague (Netherlands).
● The Treaty provisions on Europol fall under the Treaty
100
on the Functioning of the European Union (Article 88-

Area of freedom, security and justice).
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
OPERATION “INDRAVATI” OPERATION ATALANTA

● Operation Atalanta, which was earlier known as the
News Excerpt: European Union Naval Force for Somalia, is an
India launched 'Operation Indravati' to evacuate its ongoing counter-piracy military operation at sea off
nationals from violence-torn Haiti to the Dominican the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean.
Republic. ● The operation was launched in 2008 by the European
Union to support the Coastal States in the
combined effort for peace, stability and Maritime
security.
● With up to 95% of EU Member States’ trade (by
volume) transported by sea and 20% of global
trade passing through the Gulf of Aden, EU
NAVFOR makes considerable effort to safeguarding
trade and freedom of navigation through this
strategic area.
Exercise Gagan Shakti

News Excerpt:
Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted its 10-day Gagan
Shakti war drill to test its capabilities.
About the exercise Gagan Shakti:
● The exercise involved all Air Force bases and
Operation Indravati: assets scattered across the country.
● India doesn't have an embassy in Haiti, and the ● The exercise sought to test the IAF’s readiness for a
situation in the country is being monitored by the two-front war with China and Pakistan.
Indian mission to Santo Domingo, the capital of the ● The Indian Army also moved ammunition and about
Dominican Republic. 10,000 IAF personnel on 12 passenger trains in order to
● 12 citizens have been successfully rescued to the validate the IAF’s Operational Rail Mobilization Plan.
Caribbean nation Dominican Republic by the ● The passenger trains were named Sanyukta Express to
government of India. denote the inter-service camaraderie.
● ‘Gagan Shakti’ was last held in 2018.
About Haiti:
● Located between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, Haiti occupies the western one-third IMT TRILAT 24
of the island of Hispaniola.
News Excerpt:
● The Dominican Republic borders Haiti on the
The second edition of the India-Mozambique-Tanzania
eastern side of the island. Haiti's closest neighbours
Trilateral Exercise was conducted at Nacala,
include Jamaica to the west and Cuba to the
northwest. Mozambique, in March 2024.
● Hayti means "land of the mountains” in the About the IMT TRILAT Exercise:
Indigenous, or native, Taíno language. ● The week-long exercise underscores the importance of
● The country’s highest peak, Pic la Selle, is part of the enhanced maritime cooperation and interoperability
Massif de la Selle range located in southeastern Haiti between the Navies of India, Mozambique, and
and reaches nearly 9,000 feet (2,715 meters). Tanzania.
● INS Tir and Sujata participated in IMT TRILAT 24
OPERATION ATALANTA through a series of joint exercises, training sessions and
collaborative activities, providing invaluable
News Excerpt:
opportunities for all three Navies to exchange
A compliance operation of Op-Atlanta has revealed that
knowledge, enhance capabilities and bolster maritime
Somali pirates used an Iranian fishing vessel to hijack the
security in the region.
MV Ruen vessel off the coast of Yemen.
101
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
GEOGRAPHY
India to receive above-normal monsoon • This above-normal seasonal rainfall was “very likely”
over most parts of the country, except in some areas
rains: IMD
over northwest, east, and northeast India, where
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
below-normal rainfall was “very likely”.
The India Meteorological
1
2
7
8 • The country's seasonal rainfall will likely be 106% of
Department (IMD) has forecast a the long-period average (LPA), with a model error of
3 9
4 10
+/-5%.
5 11
bountiful monsoon for the year. The 6 M
agency has forecast that the rains in June-September will Categorization of Seasonal Rainfall:
be 6% more than the annual average of 87 cm during • The LPA for the period between June and September is
these months. 87 centimetres (870 mm) and is calculated as the
IMD's Monsoon Forecasting Approaches: average rainfall between 1971-2020. By this
• The IMD uses multiple approaches to forecast the calculation, there would be 92.2 cm of rainfall across
monsoon. India.
o One is to use statistical associations and draw • The forecast suggests a 31% probability of an above-
upon its vast historical database of over 150 normal monsoon, a 29% probability of a normal
years to correlate certain global meteorological monsoon, a 30% probability of an excess monsoon, an
parameters, such as ocean temperatures and 8% probability of below normal monsoon, and only a
snow cover in Europe, to the performance of the 2% probability of a deficient monsoon.
monsoon.
o The other way is to use the dynamical approach,
which involves simulating the global weather on
a particular day and having powerful computers
extrapolate the data into a prediction for any future
day or time period. Factors for the forecast of Rainfall:
• Both these models indicated a similar outlook for the
• El-Nino and La-Nina: Moderate El Niño conditions
monsoon this year.
currently prevail over the equatorial Pacific region.
Rainfall forecast for the monsoon season (June Climate model forecasts indicate neutral conditions
– September), 2024: by the beginning of the monsoon season and La Niña
• This is the first time, after a gap of eight years, that the conditions during the second half of the monsoon
IMD has forecast “above normal” rains in the country. season.
• Indian Ocean Dipole: Neutral Indian Ocean Dipole

(IOD) conditions are prevailing currently. Climate
model forecasts indicate that positive IOD conditions
are likely to develop during the monsoon season.
• Snow Cover: The northern
hemisphere snow cover PEPPER IT WITH:
102
extent during the last three El-Nino, La-Nina,

months (January to March Indian Ocean Dipole
Page
2024) was below normal.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Winter and spring snow cover extent over the Northern • The study developed six classifications for soil erosion,
Hemisphere and Eurasia has a generally inverse ranging from "minor" to "catastrophic", regarding soil
relationship with the subsequent monsoon season eroded in tonnes over a hectare per year.
rainfall. • The Brahmaputra Valley in Assam is India's biggest
Long Period Average: hotspot for soil erosion. The state has lost nearly 300
• The IMD predicts a "normal," "below normal," or square kilometres or 31% of its surface soil to
"above normal" monsoon in relation to a benchmark "catastrophic" erosion.
"long-period average" (LPA). • The lower reaches of the Himalayas, which are
• According to the IMD, the “LPA of rainfall is the characterized by loose soil and unstable slopes, are
rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given another hotspot.
interval (like month or season) average over a long o The region spans from the Kashmir Valley to the
period like 30 years, 50 years, etc." southern regions of Himachal Pradesh and
• The IMD’s prediction of a normal monsoon was based Uttarakhand and extends across the border into
on the LPA of the 1971-2020 period, during which Nepal and parts of Odisha.
India received an average of 87 cm of rain for the o This region is one of the most prominent erosion
entire country. hotspots in the country, exacerbated by its
o The IMD has calculated the LPA at 88 cm for susceptibility to seismic activity.
the 1961-2010 period and at 89 cm for the • Odisha is also a hotspot for "catastrophic" erosion.
1951-2000 period. o This erosion extends from the southern reaches of
• While this quantitative benchmark refers to the the Mahanadi River, traversing along the western
country's average rainfall recorded from June to borders of the state's lush green cover and natural
September, the amount of rain that falls every year forests, all the way to the northern parts of Andhra
varies from region to region and month to month. Pradesh.
• Therefore, in addition to the countrywide figure, the o This underscores the significant soil degradation
IMD maintains LPAs for every meteorological experienced by the forest cover in the region.
region. This number ranges from around 61 cm for • The study highlighted nine out of the country's 20
the drier Northwest India to more than 143 cm for the most susceptible districts to soil erosion are in Assam.
wetter East and Northeast India. • The national mean for soil in the country stood at 21
tonnes per hectare per year.
Significance of the study:
‘Catastrophic’ Soil Erosion • It provides a holistic view of soil status and would help
plan soil conservation.
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
1 7
Nearly 30% of the country’s 2
3
8
9
landmass is experiencing “minor” 4
5
10
11
soil erosion, while a critical 3% faces 6 M
“catastrophic” topsoil loss.

About the "Geospatial Modelling and Mapping
of Soil Erosion in India" study:
• It classified soil erosion across India for the first time.
Before this study, there was no classification for
different levels of soil erosion in India.
o Soil erosion is a process that removes the upper
layer of soil, from which plants get most of their
nutrients and water. It is the most common type of
land degradation.
• The study used the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation
(RUSLE) equation.
o It considers factors such as predicted crop loss,
rainfall, and runoffs, also known as the R-factor,
103
soil erodibility, slope steepness and length, crop

management, and support practices like strip
cropping, etc., to estimate soil loss at a 250-meter
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spatial resolution.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
• The data gathered would be available for anyone to prevent erosion and allow more water to flow to
use in the future. crops.
Implications of the erosion: o In addition, hillside farm fields need full crop cover
to help keep the soil in place. This can be
• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization
accomplished by intercropping, which means
of the United Nations, it could take up to 1,000 years
growing two crops together in the same field, such
to produce 2 to 3 centimetres of top or surface soil,
as planting rows of maize or soybean between rows
which has a depth of 6 cm.
of oil palm trees.
• Topsoil — the uppermost layer of soil — is vital for
o For smallholders, agroforestry systems where
agriculture as it holds nutrients and moisture essential
diverse crops, including trees, are grown together
for plant growth.
can be effective.
• Erosion significantly reduces fertility and can lead to
o Access to manure improves the organic matter of
decreased crop yields.
the soil, inhibiting erosion.
o Alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted

Soil Erosion vis-a-vis Climate Change: crops improves soil structure and reduces erosion.
• Erosion degrades land, which means it can support • Offer incentives for land management:
fewer plants that can take in climate-warming carbon o Governments and banks must help farmers access
dioxide. credit and support in implementing erosion
• Soils could sequester enough greenhouse gases prevention. The cost of erosion prevention is far
annually to equal about 5% of all annual human-made lower than the price of land restoration and
GHG emissions. rehabilitation.
• On the flip side, unchecked climate change can worsen o Better land management can help keep soils intact
erosion. Due to emissions-driven temperature so they can grow more carbon-sucking
changes, the risk of erosion will increase, resulting in vegetation. This is already happening in China,
decreased agricultural production, land value, and where the Grain-for-green project in the Yellow
human health. River basin conserved soil and water and reduced
Way Forward: PEPPER IT WITH: carbon emissions.
• Use soil-friendly Soil Health Card, • Prevention and Rehabilitation:
104
agricultural practices: National Watershed o The key to managing and reducing soil erosion is to
o Terrace farming needs Development Project rehabilitate already damaged land, stop further
to be implemented to degradation, and make erosion-preventative
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make hillside agriculture manageable. Terraces measures the core of land management policy.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Annual Land Use and Land Cover Atlas of Key highlights of the LULC atlas:
India • India’s built-up area has steadily increased over the
past 17 years from 2005-06 to 2022-23, expanding by
News Excerpt: GS I
GS C ON N EC T
almost 2.5 million hectares.
1 7
The National Remote Sensing Centre, 2
3
8
9 • The trend highlighted the rapid pace of urbanization
Hyderabad, has published a 4
5
10
11 and infrastructure development across the country
comprehensive assessment of annual 6 M
during this period.
land use and land cover. • A large part of the increase was caused by the diversion
About the Annual Land Use and Land Cover of agricultural land.
(LULC) Atlas of India: • A substantial percentage of built-up area expansion
• The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), originated from agricultural land covers, which includes
Hyderabad has been undertaking an annual 6.3% of double/triple/annual crop, 5.3% of Kharif
assessment of LULC for the country under the Natural crop, 3.1% of rabi crop, 2.9% of plantation, and 5.8%
Resources Census (NRC) Programme of ISRO Since of fallow land.
2005. o The term ‘built-up area’ refers to an area with
buildings (roofed structures), paved surfaces
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC):
• The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) at (roads, parking lots), commercial and industrial
Hyderabad has been converted into a full-fledged sites (ports, landfills, quarries, runways), and
centre of ISRO since September 1, 2008. urban green areas (parks, gardens).
• Earlier, NRSC was an autonomous body called the o The built-up land showed a modest increase with an
National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) under the overall growth of around 31% during the period
Department of Space (DOS). from 2005-06 and 2022-23.
• It is responsible for remote sensing satellite data
• During this period, around 35% of the built-up area has
acquisition and processing, data dissemination, aerial
remote sensing and decision support for disaster been added, with an average increase of around 2.4%
management. annually from land cover, which includes wasteland
Importance of Land Use and Land Cover and agricultural land cover.
o Wasteland, which includes degraded and
Assessment:
unproductive land, contributed significantly
• Land use and land cover monitoring is the essential
(12.3%) to built-up area expansion.
practice of observing, assessing, and recording the
• The trends of built-up area for rapidly growing states
transformations that occur on Earth's surface.
seem to be quite stable, with a slight rise in area in 17
• This systematic examination of how the land is utilized
years. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, West
and its associated characteristics offers invaluable
Bengal and Andhra Pradesh showed a distinct
insights into the evolving dynamics of our
increase in the built-up area.
environment.
Impact of infrastructure development on land
• From urban development to agricultural expansion
and natural resource management, understanding use:
these changes is pivotal for informed decision- • While such infrastructural development is important, it
making, sustainable planning, and effective comes at the cost of agricultural land, which is the
environmental conservation. source of livelihood for
farmers. PEPPER IT WITH:
• After the acquisition of Land Reforms, Land
land for infrastructure, the Reformation, Reclamation
farmers were not and Degradation
adequately
compensated, as shown by the recent protests by
farmers against poor compensation for such
development projects.
o In Gujarat, farmers protested against the
development of NH-56 from Vapi to Shamlaji.
o In February 2024, farmers in Madhya Pradesh, too,
105
came out in protest against the land acquisition for

Indore’s Western Ring Road and the Indore-
Budhni rail link.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
• In this context, the atlas's findings on land cover and use such as a circular vent and the appropriate gas pressure
are very relevant to the formulation of development and composition.
projects, including infrastructural projects. • According to volcanologists, no volcano on Earth
produces as many vapor rings as Etna," indicating
that Etna is particularly prolific in producing these rings.
Volcanic Vortex Rings
News Excerpt: Integrated River Basin Management
Mount Etna, the largest volcano in Europe and among News Excerpt:
the world's most active has been sending up almost perfect A report by the International Centre for Integrated
rings of smoke into the air called Volcanic Vortex Rings. Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Australian
About Mount Etna: Water Partnership (AWP) describes climate change as the
• Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of urgent catalyst for collaboration across eight nations on
Sicily, Italy. three key river basins in Asia: the Indus, the Ganga, and
• Etna has been a World Heritage Site since 2013. the Brahmaputra.
What are Volcanic Vortex Rings? Key Points of the report:
• Vortex rings are generated when gas, predominantly • Three major studies by ICIMOD and AWP highlight that
water vapour, is released rapidly through a vent in the these basins are critical for food and water security,
Etna's volcano crater. industry, and economic policies in the region.
o If the vent is nearly perfectly circular, the vortex • Climate change exacerbates existing pressures on
rings formed will be circular. water resources, leading to increased risks from floods,
• The phenomenon of volcanic vortex rings was first land erosion, and salinity. There is a pressing need for
observed and documented at Mount Etna and Mount collective action to address humanitarian, ecological,
Vesuvius in Italy in 1724, with an engraved plate and economic risks. This further calls for the
depicting it from 1755. importance/ need of sustainable development for
• In more recent times, volcanic vortex rings have been humankind.
observed at various volcanoes, including Redoubt • The report provides recommendations to mitigate risks
by focusing on multi-dimensional perspectives/ issues,
i.e., economic, ecological, energy, social,
geopolitical, and governance issues.
• Report advocates for integrated river basin
management (IRBM) approaches by emphasizing on
the importance of data sharing and multi-stakeholder
engagement.
o Collaboration is essential for identifying areas of
common interest and promoting mutual benefits.
What is Integrated River Basin Management
(IRBM)?
• IRBM is the process of coordinating the conservation,
(Alaska), Tungurahua (Ecuador), Pacaya management, and development of water, land, and
(Guatemala), Eyjafjallajökull and Hekla (Iceland), related resources across sectors within a given river
Stromboli (Italy), Aso and Sakurajima (Japan), Yasur basin, to maximize the economic and social benefits
(Vanuatu), Whakaari (New Zealand), and derived from water resources equitably while preserving
Momotombo (Nicaragua).
and restoring freshwater ecosystems.
• According to volcanologists, volcanic vortex ring • It is mainly suitable for India and other developing
formation is similar to how dolphins blow bubble countries.
rings. • The aforementioned development is concerned with
o The process involves compressing the gas (water identifying structural and non-structural measures
vapor) and pushing it out through a circular to ensure water availability, overcoming its spatial &
aperture, creating a high-pressure zone and
106
temporal variability to meet development objectives.

forming the vortex ring shape. • The seven key elements of a successful IRBM
• The occurrence of these rings is relatively rare, as it initiative are:
Page
requires specific conditions within the volcanic crater,
C.C. APRIL ‘24
o A long-term vision for the river basin, agreed to by Ringwoodite
all the major stakeholders.
o Integration of policies, decisions, and costs across News Excerpt:
sectoral interests such as industry, agriculture, urban Scientific news about a massive ocean hidden under the
development, navigation etc. Earth's crust has gained traction on social media.
o Strategic decision-making at the river basin
scale, which guides actions at sub-basin or
local levels.
o Effective timing, taking advantage of
opportunities as they arise while working
within a strategic framework.
o All relevant stakeholders must participate
actively in well-informed and transparent
planning and decision-making.
o Adequate investment by governments, the
private sector, and civil society organizations is
needed to build capacity for river basin
planning and participation processes.
o A solid foundation of knowledge of the river
basin and the natural and socio-economic
forces that influence it.
IRBM: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Historically, projects have been undertaken in a
fragmented manner such as management of
individual reservoirs to meet local irrigation
demand, abstraction of ground water for drinking
water etc. Key highlights of the findings:
Indus Water Treaty: • The water is stored 700 kilometers below the surface
• The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 with of the Earth in a rock known as ringwoodite.
Pakistan concerning the use of waters of the Indus
o This subterranean reservoir is three times the
system of rivers.
volume of all the planet's surface oceans
• The Treaty extends to main rivers of Indus basin i.e.
combined.
Sutlej, Beas, Ravi (Eastern rivers) and Jhelum,
Chenab and Indus (Western rivers) including their • Ringwoodite is like a sponge soaking up water; there
tributaries and sub tributaries and other water bodies. is something very special about the crystal structure
• All the waters of the Eastern Rivers were allocated of ringwoodite, which allows it to attract hydrogen
to India for her unrestricted use, while India is under and trap water.
obligation to let all the waters of the Western Rivers • Researchers made the discovery after studying
flow, except for the domestic, non-consumptive, and earthquakes and discovering that seismometers were
other uses permitted in the Treaty. picking up shockwaves under the surface of the Earth.
Ganga Water Treaty:
• The high-water storage capacity of minerals in
• A Treaty was signed with Nepal in 1996, viz.
Earth's mantle transition zone (410- to 660-kilometer
Mahakali Treaty concerning the integrated
depth) implies the possibility of a deep H2O reservoir,
development of the Mahakali River (known as the
which could cause dehydration and melting of the
river 'Sarda' in India) includes the Sharda Barrage,
Tanakpur Barrage, and Pancheshwar Project. vertically flowing mantle.
• The Ganga / Ganges Water Sharing Treaty was o They also found intergranular melt in the
signed with Bangladesh in the year 1996 for the transition zone.
sharing of Ganga/Ganges waters at Farakka.
107
• As per the Treaty, the Ganga/Ganges waters are being

shared at Farakka during lean period, from 1st January
to 31st May every year, on a 10-day period basis as per
Page
the formula provided in the Treaty.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
o These results suggest hydration of a large • Taiwan is prone to earthquakes as it lies along the
region of the transition zone and that Pacific “Ring of Fire” — where 90% of the world’s
dehydration melting may act to trap H2O in earthquakes occur.
the transition zone. • According to the USGS, the island and its surrounding
waters have registered about 2,000 earthquakes with a
magnitude of 4.0 or greater since 1980 and more than
100 earthquakes with a magnitude above 5.5.
• Taiwan experiences earthquakes due to the interactions
of two tectonic plates — the Philippine Sea Plate and
the Eurasian Plate.
Afar Triangle
News Excerpt:
Nestled within the Horn of Africa lies the Afar Triangle, a
geological hotspot where the divergence of the Nubian,
Somali, and Arabian plates set the stage for monumental
tectonic shifts.
• This area is part of the East African Rift system,
extending from the Afar region to eastern Africa.
Background:
• Since 2005, when a 35-mile-long rift cracked open the
Importance of research:
Ethiopian desert, global attention has turned to the
• This discovery potentially reshapes our understanding of slow but steady separation of the African continent.
Earth’s water cycle. It proposes that water may exist
• This rift shows that immense forces are already at play
within the mantle, migrating amid rock grains.
beneath the Earth's surface as tectonic plates gradually
• It can play a major role in maintaining water beneath drift apart.
the Earth’s surface, without which water would
predominantly reside on the planet’s surface, rendering
Rare phenomenon:
only mountain peaks visible. • Amidst the vast expanse of Earth's oceans, geologists
have ignited discussions of a potential sixth ocean
emerging from the depths of Africa.
Earthquake hits Taiwan • Reports citing geologists speculated that Africa could
News Excerpt: be cleaved in two within the next 5 to 10 million
years.
On April 4, Taiwan was hit by its biggest earthquake in at
least 25 years. o This could further give rise to a new ocean basin.
o This transformation would see the Red Sea and the
About the news:
Gulf of Aden inundating the Afar region.
• The quake's epicentre was located just 18 kilometres
o This could lead to the birth of a distinct continent
south-southwest of Hualien County, which is situated
in East Africa.
in eastern Taiwan.
• The formation of a new ocean typically occurs through
the process of plate tectonics.
• When two tectonic plates move away from each
other, they create a gap or rift between them.
o As the plates move apart, magma from the mantle
rises to fill the gap. This magma cools and solidifies
to form a new crust along the boundary.
• As more magma rises and solidifies, the oceanic crust
continues to expand outward from the mid-ocean
ridge.
108
o This expansion pushes the existing oceanic crust

away from the ridge.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
o As the process of seafloor spreading continues, the About the news:
gap between the diverging plates widens, • The new geoparks are situated in Brazil, China,
eventually forming a new ocean basin. Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece,
• The formation of a new ocean basin is a continuous Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.
process that can take millions of years. • There is an additional new transboundary geopark
• The potential formation of a sixth ocean in Africa is a spanning Belgium and the Netherlands.
subject of scientific inquiry and a reminder of the • The addition of 18 new sites brings the total number
Earth’s ever-changing nature. of geoparks to 213 in 48 countries.
• India does not have a UNESCO-
designated Geopark.
About UNESCO Global Geopark:
• The UNESCO Global Geopark
designation was created in 2015 and
recognizes “geological heritage of
international significance”.
• Global Geoparks are single, unified
geographical areas where sites and
landscapes of international geological
significance are managed with a
holistic concept of protection,
education and sustainable
development.
• Geoparks serve local communities by
combining conservation with public
outreach and a sustainable approach
UNESCO names 18 new Geoparks to development.
• UNESCO Global Geoparks are given this designation for
News Excerpt:
a period of four years, after which their functioning
UNESCO has endorsed the addition of 18 new sites from
and quality are thoroughly re-examined during a
around the world to its network of outstanding Geoparks.
revalidation process.
Swell waves
News Excerpt:
Swell waves have inundated coastal areas in central
and southern Kerala.
What are swell waves?
• A swell is a series of mechanical or surface
gravity waves generated by distant weather
systems that propagate thousands of
kilometers across oceans and seas.
• Swell waves are not generated by local
winds blowing near the shore. Instead, they're
the result of the interaction of severe
storms with a large fetch of water that takes
place in the open ocean, thousands of
kilometres away from land mass.
• The phenomenon is referred to as
‘Kallakkadal’ locally in Kerala.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
Kallakkadal
• ‘Kallakkadal’ is a colloquial term used by Kerala fishermen to
refer to flash flooding events. India's Disaster Management Authority
• In Malayalam, Kallan means thief or mischievous one, and head appointed UN Asst Secretary-General.
Kadal means sea.
• Fishermen use the term ‘Kalla Kadal’ to refer to the unusual News Excerpt:
occurrence of high swell waves during good weather. The United Nations Secretary-General announced the
• 'Kalla Kadal' usually occurs along the southern coast of India, appointment of Kamal Kishore of India as Assistant
mainly during the pre-monsoon period, in April and May Secretary-General and Special Representative of the
during clear weather conditions.
Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, United
• In 2012, UNESCO formally accepted the term for scientific use.
Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
About UNDRR:
Giant rogue waves • The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR),
formerly UNISDR, was established in 1999 to
News Excerpt:
coordinate disaster reduction efforts within the UN
A University of Melbourne expedition to the southernmost
system and promote synergies with regional and
waters encircling Antarctica has discovered that wind
humanitarian organizations.
drives the formation of colossal rogue waves.
• The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
About rogue waves: (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United
• A rogue wave is a single swell that is much higher Nations system for coordinating disaster reduction.
than nearby waves, which can damage ships or • Role of UNDRR:
coastal infrastructure. o UNDRR works globally with a wide range of
• The first scientific measurement of a rogue wave partners and stakeholders to prevent new
was the 25.6-meter Draupner wave, recorded in the disasters and reduce existing disaster risks.
North Sea in 1995. o Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals,
• Ocean waves are among the most powerful natural the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and
forces on Earth, and as global trends suggest, ocean other global development goals, UNDRR promotes
winds will blow harder because of climate change, so the strengthening of resilience through successful
ocean waves could become more powerful. multi-hazard disaster risk management.
UNDRR delivers through four Strategic
Objectives and one Enabler:
• Strategic Objective 1: Countries use quality risk
information and analysis to reduce risk and inform
development decisions.
• Strategic Objective 2: Disaster risk reduction
governance strengthened at global, regional, national,
and local levels.
Key highlights of the study: • Strategic Objective 3: Catalyze investment and action
• Using state-of-the-art technology and embarking on in disaster risk reduction through partnerships and
an expedition to one of Earth's most volatile oceanic stakeholder engagement.
realms, the research team deployed a novel • Strategic Objective 4: Mobilize governments & other
technique for three-dimensional imaging of ocean stakeholders through advocacy and knowledge sharing
waves. to make DRR central to sustainable development.
• Operating stereo cameras aboard the South African • Enabler: Strengthened organizational performance
icebreaker SA Agulhas II during the Antarctic G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group:
expedition in 2017, they captured rare insights into the • Established under India’s G20 presidency in 2023, the
behavior of waves in this remote region. Working Group aims to integrate disaster risk reduction
• The observations show that unique sea conditions into the G20's work and support for developing countries.
with rogue waves arise during the waves' 'young' • The Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group supports
stage when they are most responsive to wind.
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G20 countries in developing and implementing

national policies that reduce risk today and build
resilience against future shocks by sharing expertise
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
and good practices and developing guidance documents • According to IMD, around 50% of the countries do not
and common approaches. have an early warning system.
The Working Group’s activities focus on six high-impact • Poor countries, least developed countries, and small
areas for disaster risk reduction: island nations, such as the Maldives and Seychelles,
• Combating Inequalities and Reducing Vulnerabilities do not have the capacity to provide early warning
• Universal Coverage or Early Warning Systems about extreme weather events.
• Disaster and Climate Resilient Infrastructure • India will help them set up meteorological
• Financing Frameworks for Disaster Risk Reduction observatories, allow them access to its numerical
• Disaster Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction models, and create a decision support system and
• Nature-Based Solutions and Ecosystem-Based computing power.
Approaches for Disaster Risk Reduction • The IMD will provide forecasts and warnings, and the
Ministries of Communication of the respective
nations have been roped in to help develop a system
India Helping 5 Nations Develop Early for data exchange and warning dissemination.
Warning Systems • Financial support will be provided through public-
private partnerships.
News Excerpt:
India is helping Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Early Warnings for All: Executive Action Plan 2023-2027
and Mauritius develop early warning systems to reduce • Early Warnings for All is a groundbreaking initiative
the loss of life and property due to extreme weather events. to ensure that everyone on Earth is protected from
hazardous weather, water, or climate events through
More about the News: life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027.
• India's efforts are part of the 'Early Warnings for All' • The Action Plan calls for investments of US$3.1 billion
initiative announced by the United Nations in 2022. over five years—just 50 cents per person per year—to
Technical and Financial support to be given: strengthen disaster risk knowledge and management,
observation and forecasting, dissemination and
• India is helping five of the 30 countries establish early
communication of warnings, and preparedness and
warning systems in the first phase of the initiative.
response capabilities.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
ART & CULTURE

The science behind Surya Tilak o The light will then be reflected in three other
mirrors and will pass through four lenses until it is
News Excerpt: of the desired intensity. It will then be directed to
On the occasion of Ram Navami, a beam of sunlight lit up the idol's forehead.
the forehead of Lord Ram's idol in Ayodhya's newly built o The mirrors directed the beams while the lenses
temple. made them converge to the required intensity.
Key Points: The principle
● A three-minute-long Surya Tilak ceremony — where a behind it:
beam of sunlight was projected onto the forehead of ● This opto-
Lord Ram’s idol — was performed at noon on April 17. mechanical
● This was achieved using a special mirror-lens system operates on
arrangement designed by astronomers at the Indian a principle similar
Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, which a to that of a
team from the Central Building Research Institute, periscope.
Roorkee, installed in the building. o Given that the
The science behind Surya Tilak Sun's position
● Step 1: Predict the Sun’s position (each year) vis-à-vis the first
o Following the Gregorian calendar, the date of Ram mirror will vary
Navami (the Hindu festival celebrating Lord Ram's each year, a
birth) varies yearly. specially designed 19-gear system was built to
make requisite adjustments.
o This is because the Gregorian calendar is solar
(based on Earth’s
revolution around the
Sun), while the Hindu
calendar is lunar
(based on the Moon’s
revolution around
Earth).
o Thus, the IIA team
would have to
calculate the
position of the Sun in
the sky on that day in
any given year.
● Step 2: To channel the
Sun’s rays
o After astronomers
estimate where the
Sun would be in the
sky, their second task
would be to channel
the sunbeam in a o Once a year, one tooth of the gear must be
manner that it will fall on the idol’s forehead for manually turned so that the angle of the pickup
a certain amount of time. mirror (first mirror) is adjusted and ready to capture
About the instruments: the Sun's rays.
● The IIA team used a four-mirror-and-four-lens array ● The number 19 was chosen to correspond to the
for this purpose. Metonic cycle — a period of 19 years in which there
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o The first mirror, responsible for receiving the are 235 lunar months, after which the Moon’s phases
sunlight, has to be positioned at an angle along the recur on the same days of the solar year.
path of the Sun's rays. ● This means that every 19 years, the system will
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effectively reset, and the cycle will then begin again.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
Sannati: The Buddhist site of Karnataka ○ The emperor is seen surrounded by his queens and
female attendants in this rare sculpture.
News Excerpt: ○ The sculpture had the words “Raya Asoko” etched
In July 2022, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) started on it in Brahmi script, leaving little scope for
a major restoration project on the ancient Buddhist site mistaking the man's identity.
of Sannati.
● While the Stupa is believed to be one of the largest
The discovery of Sannati: Stupas built at the time, the stone portrait is considered
● The site was accidentally discovered in 1986 when to be the only surviving and available image of the
some villagers found a stone slab with a Prakrit Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
inscription in Brahmi script. ● Bodhi Tree sculpture:
● The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began ○ Ashoka is shown as paying obeisance to the tree.
excavating the area in 1994. ● Jataka story sculptures:
● Sannati, apart from its Buddhist association, is also ○ The birth narratives of the Buddha are among the
known for Sri Chandrala Parameshwari, a deity in a most interesting sculptures.
9th-century CE temple.
○ They commence with his mother's dream,
● It is located on the bank of the Bhima River in the
Mayadevi, and finally culminate with his great
Kalaburagi district of Karnataka.
departure, Maha Parinirvana.
○ The Jataka tales narrate the incidents of the Buddha's
previous life as Bodhisattva.
○ The recoveries included around 60 dome slabs with
sculptural renderings of selected Jataka stories.
Ikshvaku-era coins unearthed in Telangana

News Excerpt:
Telangana’s Department of Heritage has unearthed a
coin hoard at Phanigiri, a renowned Buddhist heritage
site located 110 km away from the state capital of
Hyderabad.
More about the discovery:
● The lead coins were found in an earthen pot during the
ongoing excavations in Telangana’s Suryapet district.
Major findings from the site: ● The coins numbering 3,730 bore an elephant symbol
● Abandoned Well: It firmly establishes that this was on the obverse and a Ujjain symbol on the reverse.
indeed the site of Adholoka Maha Chaitya [the Great ● Studies concluded that the coins belonged to the
Stupa of the Netherworlds] as it was described in Ikshvaku period.
many inscriptions in the Ashokan era. ● Many other valuable cultural antiquities and structural
● Maha Stupa: remains, including beads of stone and glass, shell
○ The Maha Stupa is believed to have been developed bangle fragments, stucco motifs, broken limestone
in three constructional phases – Maurya, Early sculptures, toy cartwheels, iron nails, and pottery,
Satavahana and Later Satavahana. were also unearthed during the excavation.
○ It is built with locally available limestone. About Phanigiri:

○ The Sannati stupa also has symbolic and ● Phanigiri (meaning hillock of snake hood) is a small
anthropomorphic forms of the Buddha. village in Suryapet district, about 150 km from
Hyderabad. The word Phani in Sanskrit means snake,
○ The Sannati stupa has the maximum number of
and Giri means hillock.
inscriptions among all stupas (more than 700
inscriptions). ● Phanigiri is believed to be one of the important
Buddhist monasteries strategically located on a
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● Sculpture of the emperor:

hilltop, on the ancient trade route (Dakshinapatha)
○ The excavation also recovered a stone sculpture
connecting the west and east coasts of the Deccan.
portraying Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
Earlier excavations at Phanigiri: How did Gulaal Gotas become a tradition in
● Various stages of earlier excavations here discovered Jaipur?
Mahastupa, apsidal Chaityagrihas, Votive stupas, ● Gulaal Gotas are made by Muslim lac makers, called
pillared congregation halls, Viharas, platforms with Manihaars, in Jaipur.
staircases at various levels, octagonal stupa chaitya, ● Manihaars’ ancestors were shepherds and horse
24-pillared mandapam, circular chaitya, and traders from Afghanistan. They settled in Bagru, a
cultural materials that included terracotta beads, town near Jaipur, and learned lac-making from local
semi-precious beads, iron objects, Brahmi label artisans.
inscriptions and holy relic casket.
● The city of Jaipur was established in 1727. Its
● The Phanigiri Gutta, where most of the discoveries of
founder, Sawai Jai Singh II, an admirer of art,
the early Buddhist era were made, is considered a
dedicated a lane at the Tripoliya Bazaar to the Manihaar
narrative-changing find.
community, naming it “Manihaaron ka Raasta.”
● The thoranas discovered at Phanigiri are very
important as they are among the first ones found ● In older times, kings would ride through the city on
south of Sanchi. elephant backs on Holi and toss Gulaal Gotas to the
● The same thorana has a panel that shows both public.
Mahayana and Hinayana schools of thought, which
shows that despite philosophical differences, both sects Mohiniyattam open to boys
co-existed in Phanigiri.
● There is evidence from Phanigiri that shows the News Excerpt:
deification of Buddha. The Kerala Kalamandalam, a deemed university for arts
The Ikshvaku dynasty:
and culture, has lifted gender
● The Ikshvaku dynasty (225-340 A.D) was feudatory restrictions for learning
under the patronage of the Satavahana Empire. Mohiniyattam.
● They ruled over the delta of the Krishna and Godavari Mohiniyattam:
rivers on the east coast of the Andhra region. ● Mohiniyattam is the
● Their capital was situated at Dharanikota (present-day classical solo dance form
Amravati).
of Kerala and has deep
● The Ikshvakus inscriptions obtained from
roots in Hindu mythology
Nagarjunakonda, Jaggayyapetta, Amravati, and
and temple traditions.
Bhattiprolu record their activities, such as donations,
construction, etc. ● The dance form is
● The Puranas also record the existence of Ikshvakus as characterized by delicate
Andhrabhrtyas (servants of the Andhras) and as body movements and subtle facial expressions, which
Sriparvatiyas. are inherently feminine and thus ideally suited for
performance by women.
● Historical References:
Gulaal Gota ○ Ancient texts like Mazhamagalam Narayanan
News Excerpt: Namputiri's Vyavaharamala (1709) and Kunjan
Nambiar's Ghoshayatra mention Mohiniyattam.
A Gulaal Gota is a small, lightweight ball made of lac that is
filled with dry gulaal and thrown at people during Holi in ○ The Travancore Kings, particularly Maharaja
Kartika Tirunal and Maharaja Swati Tirunal,
Jaipur.
structured the dance form into its present
classical format in the 18th and 19th centuries.
● Temple Origins:
○ Mohiniyattam's roots trace back to the temples of
Kerala, where female temple dancers, known by
various names like Nangai, Dasi, and Koothachi,
performed expressive gestures to accompany
temple rituals.
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The salient features of the Mohiniyattam dance

include:
● Graceful and swaying body movements:
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Mohiniyattam is known for its fluid and graceful

C.C. APRIL ‘24
movements, devoid of abrupt jerks or sudden leaps. It ● Its strategic location on the basalt rock hills is
belongs to the lasya style, characterized by femininity, mentioned as 'Gopachala, Gopagiri’ and other allied
tenderness, and grace. names, all of which mean ‘cowherds’ hill in the old
● Importance of hand gestures and facial expressions: Sanskrit Inscriptions.
Mohiniyattam places significant emphasis on Hastha ● The fort's imposing structure inspired Emperor Babur
Mudras (hand gestures) and Mukhabhinaya (facial to describe it as ”the pearl amongst the fortresses of
expressions), which convey emotions and narratives Hind."
with subtlety and precision. ● Particularly worth seeing is the statue of
● Influences from Nangiar Koothu and folk dances: Shalabhanjika, the tree goddess, from Gyaraspur. It is
Mohiniyattam has borrowed movements from Nangiar the epitome of perfection in miniature.
Koothu, a temple art form, as well as from folk The historic ensemble of Dhamnar:
dances like Kaikottikali and Tiruvatirakali.
● The Dhamnar caves
MP’s 6 heritage sites included in UNESCO's are located on a hill
tentative list near the village of
Dhamnar in the
News Excerpt:
Mandsaur district of
Six heritage sites in Madhya Pradesh have been included in Madhya Pradesh.
the tentative UNESCO list.
● This rock-cut site
The sites included in the new list are: consists of a total of 51
• Khooni Bhandara, caves of varying sizes
Burhanpur: carved into the
o Khooni Bhandara laterite hill.
is an ● The hill consists of two
underground groups of structures:
water the series of Buddhist
management caves and the Hindu
system temple complex known as the Dharmarajeshwara
comprising eight temple, also called Dharmanath temple.
waterworks built ● The series of caves consists of 14 larger caves and 37
in the historical city of Burhanpur, Madhya smaller caves.
Pradesh in 1615.
Bhojeshwar Temple:
o Khooni Bhandara consists of 103 kundis (well-
● Bhojpur Temple (also known as Bhojeshwar Temple),
like storage structures) constructed in a row.
often
o This system checks the flow of rainwater from
known as
the Satpura hills towards the river Tapti.
the
o The design is based on the simple law of gravity. Somnath
o The technique used in Burhanpur was taken from of the
the Persian Qanta systems of Iran and Iraq by East, is
the Mughals. located on
o It provided water to the entire city for as long as the banks
300 years before it collapsed in 1977. of the
o The hint of red colour in this mineral-rich water Betwa
gave it the name khooni (bloody). River in
the Raisen district.
Gwalior Fort:
● It is named after the ruler of the region, King Bhoj,
● The historic and the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
fortress of
● Raja Bhoj ordered the construction of the temple
Gwalior was
between 1010 and 1053 AD.
initiated by Raja
Sourya Sena, ● The Bhojpur temple is unusual in numerous ways; the
115
who finished the absence of a Mandapa attached to the Garbhagriha

fortification and the use of a rectilinear roof rather than the more
traditional curved Shikhara can be noted.
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system in 773 CE.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● The 7.5-foot-tall stone Shivling lies on a 21-foot-tall About Konda Reddi Tribe:
platform. The shivling at Bhojpur temple is about 18 ● Habitat: Konda Reddis live along the banks of the
feet in circumference. Godavari River In the hilly and forested areas of the
Rock Art Sites of Chambal Valley: East and West Godavari and Khammam districts of
● The Chambal Basin Andhra Pradesh.
and Central India ● Language: Their mother tongue is Telugu in its purest
region contain the and chaste form, and they have a unique accent.
world's largest
● Marriage: The Konda Reddy tribe regulates marriage
known rock art
relations by dividing itself into exogamous septs.
sites.
● Family & Religion: The Konda Reddi family is
● The Chambal Basin
covers parts of patriarchal and patrilocal.
Madhya Pradesh, ○ They worship Muthyalamma (Village deity),
Rajasthan, and Bhumi Devi (Earth Goddess), Gangamma Devi
Uttar Pradesh. (River Goddess), etc.
● Rock art in the Chambal Basin has been crafted by
Indian Laurel tree:
various civilizations over different historical periods.
● The Indian Laurel tree also known as Indian Silver
Gond Memorial of Ramnagar, Mandla:
Oak, scientifically known as Ficus microcarpa, is a
● The main palace was built by the Gond king Hriday tropical or subtropical tree found primarily in
Shah in 1667 after Ram Nagar was made the capital. several parts of Asia, Western Pacific Islands and
● It is a magnificent and beautiful sample of Gond Australia.
architecture. ● As an ornamental tree, it provides a dense canopy,
has smooth light-grey bark, and has shiny green
lanceolate leaves.
● Its thick foliage creates excellent habitat for
various bird species, and its small round figs serve
as food for birds.
● Indian Laurels are also known as ‘strangling figs’
because they are often seen growing on other trees
and seriously threaten their host’s survival.
● The rock inscription showing the genealogy of the

Gond Royal Dynasty is found in this huge palace.
Statue of Valour
● This is a protected monument of the Department of
Archaeology, Govt. of M.P. News Excerpt:
The Newly inaugurated Statue of Valour depicts Lachit
Borphukan, the iconic Ahom general revered for leading
Konda Reddi tribe & the Indian Laurel tree the Battle of Saraighat in 1671.
News Excerpt: About the Statue of Valour:
A member of the Konda Reddi tribe, a Particularly ● It is a 125-foot bronze statue
Vulnerable Tribal Group, confirmed that the Indian laurel of Ahom general Lachit
tree stores water in summer. Borphukan at his burial site
in eastern Assam’s Jorhat
district.
● It was unveiled at the Lachit
Borphukan Maidam
Development Project at
Hollongapar, Assam.
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● Veteran sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, a Padma Bhushan

awardee, built the statue. He had earlier crafted the
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Statue of Unity in Gujarat.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Who was Lachit Borphukan? ● It was decided to march to the nearby Chavadar tank,
where untouchables were not allowed to draw water.
● He was a legendary army commander of the Ahom
kingdom (1228-1826). ● On March 20, Ambedkar and attendees marched to the
tank, shouting slogans of equality.
● He is known for his leadership in the ‘Battle of
● Ambedkar entered the tank and picked up water,
Saraighat (1671).
followed by others who drank the water..
● He defeated the Mughal forces, led by Raja
● Upper-caste Hindus conducted a purification ritual of the
Ramsingh-I, in this battle.
tank by emptying 108 pots of cow urine into it.
● Unlike the Mughals, who preferred battles in the
● Undeterred by the backlash, Ambedkar announced
open with their massive armies, Borphukan preferred
another conference, consciously calling it a Satyagraha, on
guerrilla tactics, which provided an edge to his a larger scale on December 26, 1927, at the same venue to
smaller but fast-moving and capable forces. showcase the resolve of the Dalit community.
He was buried at the ‘maidam’ (burial grounds for Ahom ● On December 12, upper-caste Hindus filed a case against
royals and nobles) at Hollongapar. Ambedkar and his followers, claiming the tank was private.
On December 14, the court issued a temporary
injunction barring Ambedkar and Dalits from accessing
Remembering Ambedkar the tank until further notice.
News Excerpt: Mahad Satyagraha, December 1927:

India pays homage to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar on his birth ● Despite a court injunction against the Satyagraha, around
anniversary. 4,000 Satyagrahis from various villages gathered in
Mahad with a resolve to continue the protest.
About Mahad Satyagraha:
● On December 24, when Ambedkar reached the spot, the
● In August
police informed him about the lawsuit and asked him to
1923, the postpone the Satyagraha.
Bombay
● Deliberations were held on whether to go ahead with the
Legislative
Satyagraha in the changed circumstances. Most people
Council
wanted to continue, but it was suspended on Ambedkar's
passed a
advice.
resolution by
the social ● Unlike the previous occasion, no water was drawn from
reformer Rao the Chavadar tank during this Satyagraha.
Bahadur S K ● Ambedkar argued that their struggle was against caste
Bole, allowing untouchable classes to use public water Hindus, and their objective of demonstrating unity and
sources, wells, dharamshalas, schools, courts, offices, and determination was fulfilled. He advised against directly
dispensaries. confronting the state by defying the court injunction.
● Despite the resolution, upper-caste Hindus did not allow ● In a powerful symbolic rejection of the caste system,
lower castes to access public water sources. Ambedkar and his followers ceremoniously burnt a copy
● Ramchandra Babaji More, a Dalit political leader from of the Manusmriti, sending shockwaves through Hindu
Mahad, approached B.R. Ambedkar to preside over a society.
conference of untouchables in Konkan. Significance of Mahad Satyagraha:
● Ambedkar at the time was helping Dalits fight against the ● The Mahad Satyagraha is the "foundational event" of the
social evil of untouchability through the Bahishkrit Dalit movement, marking the first collective stand
Hitkarini Sabha, founded by him in 1924. against the caste system and for human rights. Earlier
● Ambedkar agreed More’s proposition and oversaw the anti-caste protests were localized and sporadic.
preparations for the conference, in Mahad town in the ● The Mahad Satyagraha was to become the blueprint for
Konkan (now in Maharashtra’s Raigad district). organizing future movements against the caste system
What happened at the Satyagraha? and its practices.
● Ambedkar delivered a speech emphasizing the need for
awakening among the untouchable communities.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
Festivals in News
BAISAKHI It is the spring festival observed on April 13th or 14th of every year, which marks the first day of the
month of Vaisakh and the beginning of the harvest season.
● Baisakhi, also known as Mesh Sankranti, marks the beginning of the solar calendar. On this
day, the Sun enters the Mesh Rashi, the first of the twelve zodiac signs.
● The other spring festivals that fall on or around Baisakhi are Pana Sankranti in Odisha, Poila
Baisakh in West Bengal, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vaishakhi in Bihar,
and Poooram Vishu in Kerala.
● The day acquired historic and spiritual significance since 1699 when on this day, the tenth Guru
of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa Panth.
UGADI/ GUDI PADWA ● In different parts of the country, the first day of the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar is
celebrated as the new year. This festival is recognized by different names.
● For instance, in Maharashtra and Goa, it is celebrated as Gudi Padwa, while in Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it is known as Ugadi. In West Bengal, Poila Boishak is
celebrated on this day.
● The term Ugadi, also referred to as Yugadi, combines two Sanskrit words: ‘Yug,’ which signifies
an era, and ‘Adi,’ which denotes a beginning, meaning that this festival marks the advent of a
new era.
● The 12th-century Indian mathematician Bhaskaracharya recognized Ugadi as the
commencement of the New Year.
● According to Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma created the world on this day, and since then, the
new year has been regionally celebrated.
● A unique aspect of this festival is the commencement of the sixty-year cycle, known as
Samvatsara, with each year in this cycle bearing a distinct name.
GOOD FRIDAY ● The Friday before Easter is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus
Christ and his death at Calvary.
● Members of many Christian denominations observe Good Friday with fasting and church
services.
● On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was crucified by Roman soldiers on charges of blasphemy from
the religious leaders.
● According to the biblical record, his death was a sacrifice meant to absorb sins and allow the
followers to reenter a relationship with God.
NAVROZ ● The word Nowroz is made up of two Parisian words: now means 'new' and ruz means 'day',
so the meaning of Nowruz/Navroz is 'a new day'.
● It is a festival of new beginnings, which marks the victory of light over darkness.
● Navroj or Nowruz is considered a holy day for Baha'is, Zoroastrians and some Muslim
communities worldwide.
● The United Nations acknowledges March 21st as the International Day of Nowruz.
Why is Navroz celebrated twice in India?
● Nowruz will be observed in India on two different dates due to the following calendars.
● The first date is March 20th, 2024, which, according to the Solar Hijri calendar, aligns with the
global observance of the spring equinox.
● The second date is August 15th, 2024, which follows the Shahenshahi calendar.
● Leap years are not calculated in the Shahenshahi calendar, which is why it is a unique tradition
118
of the Indian Parsi communities to celebrate this festival two times a year.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
60 products from across India earn GI tags ● With these six new additions, Uttar Pradesh has
retained its position as the state with the most GI-
News Excerpt: tagged products in India.
A record number of 60 products from across India, have ● The total number of GI-tagged products from Uttar
been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Pradesh are 75.
Chennai-based Geographical Indications registry. ● Tamil Nadu is second with 58 GI products.
Some important GI Tags:
Product About
Asharikandi ● Asharikandi in Assam is one of the largest clusters of Terracotta and Pottery in North
terracotta East India.
craft (Assam) ● This art involves products made of clay and sand and baked with earthen color, a
brownish red known as Terracotta.
Pani Meteka ● Pani Meteka or Water Hyacinth is one of the most widely distributed species in
craft (Assam) this region.
● In the past, it was considered only as a waste and was either cleared up or left
unused.
● However, the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM) in recent years
started utilizing them for making crafts, which generated employment for
many locals.
Mising ● Mising Taat or Mising Handloom Products are part of traditional cloth-making
Handloom of Assam’s Mising indigenous tribal community.
Products ● Mostly women are involved in making handloom products including garments
(Assam) and mekhela chador, a traditional women’s attire, etc.
● These clothes have cultural significance. Mising women weave these products
especially before marriages and other occasions at home.
Sarthebari ● Sarthebari Metal Craft are traditional handmade bell metal utensils found in
metal craft Assam’s Barpeta.
(Assam) ● It has a socio-cultural and religious significance.
● These products are part of ritual practices of Nava Vaisnava religion advocated
by Srimanta Sankardeva.
● Apart from the Assamese Vaisnava Prasanga, these bell metal utensils are part of
Buddhist worship, according to locals.
Bodo Eri silk ● Bodo Eri silk is referred to as the fabric of peace or ahimsa (non-violence).
(Assam) ● It comes from the silkworm Samia ricini that feeds mostly on the leaves of
the castor plant (Ricinus communis), and cassava.
Jaapi (bamboo ● Japi is a traditional symbol of Assamese folk culture and it is made with
headgear of bamboo/cane and palm leaves (tokou)
rural Assam) ● In the earlier days when umbrellas were unheard of, farmers used Japi as a
headgear to protect them from the sun and rain.
Bihu dhol ● Assamese Bihu Dhol, also known as Pati Dhol, is a two-faced drum
(Assam) played with a stick and a hand.
● It is one of the most important musical instruments in the folk
entertainment and culture of Assam.
Banaras ● Thandai is a chilled milk-based drink prepared with a soaked paste of

Thandai (Uttar almonds, cashews, and pistachio along with saunf etc.
119
Pradesh) ● The drink was first introduced many centuries ago as an offering to the
Shri Kashi Vishwanath deity on the occasion of Mahashivaratri,
Rangbhari Ekadasi, and Holi.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
Pachra-Rignai ● Pachra Rignai is a traditional attire of tribal women from Tripura.
(Tripura) ● It is a handwoven cloth used as tribal women’s upper garment, and also as
headgear or a stole, and it is also given to others as a gift as a mark of love and
respect.
Matabari Peda ● Matabari pera is a sweet made from milk and sugar.
(Tripura) ● It is offered as prasad at the famous Tripureswari temple in Tripura.
● Tripurasundari temple is one of the 51 shaktipitha.
Lyrnai Pottery ● The Larnai pottery is a traditional Black pottery produced in Larnai village of Jaintia
(Meghalaya) Hills in Meghalaya.
● It is locally known as khiew larnai or khiew ranei.
Chubitchi ● Chubitchi or Chubok is a traditional rice based alcoholic beverage of the Garo
(Meghalaya) tribe.
● This staple drink is offered to their God, Saljong (Sun God) during the Wangala
festival, marriage ceremonies and even funerals.
New Gi-Tagged Products of UP
Product Details
Banaras Tirangi ● Tirangi Barfi is a sweet made with cashews and pistachios, coloured in the three
Barfi stripes of the Indian flag: green, saffron, and white.
● It was first introduced in 1942 by Shri Ram Bhandar of Thatheri Bazar locality in
Varanasi, following Mahatma Gandhi's call for decisive action.
Banaras Metal ● Varanasi is the home of utilitarian utensils, puja vessels and decorative art pieces.
Casting Craft ● They are made of brass, copper and brass-copper combination.
● The surface of these articles is either smoothened by chiseling, in which case the
surface gives a bright appearance, or by hammering in which case a dotted surface
is the result.
Lakhimpur ● The craft in Lakhimpur Kheri is mainly handmade and people of the Tharu tribe of the
Kheri Tharu district are engaged in making these traditional hand-woven and embroidered cloths.
Embroidery
● The Tharu households prepare several articles for domestic use and these household
articles are decorated with embroidered cloth.
Bareilly Cane ● Bareilly was once known as 'Baans Bareilly' famous for cane and wooden furniture
and Bamboo manufacturing.
Craft
● Nearly 10000 artisans are involved in the different types of furniture making using
cane and bamboo.
● The furniture frame is made with thick bamboo by heating, bending and joining.
● Finally, the frame is rounded with a thin processed cane called 'Gola'.
Bareilly Zardozi ● In Bareilly Zardozi Craft, Zari work is done using the Ari needle and varieties of
Craft embroidery needles.
● Motifs used in the Bareilly Zardozi Craft are mostly inspired by nature, like flowers,
leaves, trees, animals and birds.
● Other than this, the geometrical and abstract motifs, inspired by art and spiritual
beliefs are also commonly used.
Pilkhuwa Hand ● Today Pilkhuwa in Hapur district is the world famous place for its printed bed sheets.
Block Print ● The current block printers claim that the printing legacy in this area is around 100 -
120
Textile
125 years old.
● In the earlier phase bed covers (Khes) were the only products printed with hand
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blocks.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
GOVT SCHEMES & INITIATIVES

SWAMIH fund Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS)
News Excerpt: News Excerpt:
The government-backed SWAMIH (Special Window for The Ministry of Heavy Industries has approved 11 Electric
Affordable and Mid-Income Housing) Fund has helped Vehicle (EV) manufacturers to receive incentives under the
complete over 28,000 homes and is projected to deliver recently introduced Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme
another 60,000 homes. (EMPS) 2024.
About the news: About the news:
● According to the National Real Estate Development ● A total of 11 firms have been approved for the EMPS.
Corporation (NAREDCO), the Fund played a critical ● The scheme aims to sustain the growth in EV sales,
role in the growth of many ancillary industries in the replacing the former Faster Adoption and
real estate and infrastructure sector having Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles – II (FAME-II)
successfully unlocked liquidity of more than Rs scheme.
35,000 crore. Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024
● The report also found that housing inventory (EMPS 2024):
overhang has significantly dropped from 41 months
● The EMPS scheme was introduced by the Ministry of
in 2017 to 15 months at the end of 2023.
Heavy Industries to further accelerate the country's
● Housing demand and new supply in the top 7 cities
adoption of EVs.
have soared in the last 10 years, particularly post the
● This is a fund-limited scheme with a total outlay of
pandemic, and housing sales are now aligned with
new launches. Rs. 500 crore for 4 months, w.e.f. 1st April 2024 till
31st July 2024.
● The report also highlights the positive impact of
various other government-backed initiatives such ● The scheme aims for faster adoption of electric two-
as PMAY (Urban & Gramin), GST, demonetization, wheelers (e-2W) and three-wheelers (e-3W) to
and the growing adoption of technology in real estate. provide further impetus to the green mobility and
development of the electric vehicle (EV)
About the SWAMIH Fund:
manufacturing ecosystem in the country.
● It is a social impact fund specifically formed to
complete stressed and stalled residential projects. ● The Scheme promotes an efficient, competitive, and
● The Fund is sponsored by the Ministry of Finance, resilient EV manufacturing industry in the country,
Government of India, and is managed by SBICAP thereby promoting the vision of Aatma-Nirbhar
Ventures Ltd., a State Bank Group company. Bharat.
● Since the Fund considers first-time developers,
established developers with troubled projects, and
developers with a poor track record of stalled
projects, it is considered the lender of last resort for
distressed projects.
● The Fund’s presence in a project often acts as a catalyst
for better collections and sales, primarily in projects
that have been delayed for years.
● Launched in November 2019, the Fund has raised Rs
15,530 crore so far to provide priority debt financing for
the completion of stressed, brownfield, and Real
Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA)-registered
residential projects that fall in the affordable, mid-
income housing category.
● It has so far provided final approval to about 130
projects with sanctions worth over Rs 12,000 crore.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
● For this purpose, the Phased Manufacturing National Highway Authority of India (NHAI):
Programme (PMP) has been adopted which ● It was set up by an act of the Parliament, NHAI Act,
encourages domestic manufacturing and 1988.
strengthening of the EV supply chain. ● NHAI is mandated to implement the National
● The scheme will also create significant employment Highways Development Project (NHDP) which is
opportunities along the value chain. India’s largest-ever Highways Project in a phased
Eligible EV categories: manner.
● Two Wheelers (electric) (e-2W) ● Mission
● Three-wheeler (electric) including registered e- ○ To develop, maintain, and manage National
rickshaws & e-carts and L5 (e-3W) Highways vested in it by the Government.
● With greater emphasis on providing affordable and ○ To collect fees on National Highways, regulate
environment-friendly public transportation options for and control the plying of vehicles on National
the masses, the scheme will apply mainly to those e-2W Highways for its proper management.
and e-3Ws registered for commercial purposes. ○ To develop and provide consultancy and
● Further, in addition to commercial use, privately or construction services in India and abroad and
corporate-owned registered e-2W will also be eligible carry on research activities in relation to the
under the scheme. development, maintenance, and management of
● No such benefits are extended to electric four- highways.
wheelers (e4W) and e-buses under the EMPS scheme. ○ To advise the Central Government on matters
○ The exclusion of e4W and e-buses from the EMPS relating to highways.
is due to existing schemes like the Auto
To assist on such terms and conditions as may be
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme and
mutually agreed upon, any State Government in the
PM-eBus Sewa Scheme catering to these categories.
formulation and implementation of schemes for highway
EV sales data: development.
● EV sales this year have seen a significant increase of ● FASTag is issued to each vehicle based on the
over 45 percent. registration certificate (RC) of the vehicle. Once it is
● This growth has propelled the overall EV penetration affixed to a vehicle, it cannot be transferred to another
in India to 6.3% from 4.8% in 2022, exceeding the 5% vehicle.
mark. ● It is affixed to the windscreen of the vehicle and
enables the customer to drive through toll plazas
One Vehicle, One FASTag implemented without stopping for any toll payments.
○ The toll fare is directly deducted from the
News Excerpt: customer's linked account.
The 'One Vehicle, One FASTag' initiative of the National ● FASTag can be purchased from any of the National
Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was implemented on Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) Member Banks.
April 1, 2024. ○ The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
About FASTag: has developed the NETC program to meet the
● FASTag is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag electronic tolling requirements of the Indian market.
used for making toll payments directly from the
customer's linked prepaid or savings/current account.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
● With a penetration rate of around 98% and over 8 Fields Medal:
crore users, FASTag has revolutionized the Electronic • The Fields Medal, often regarded as the Nobel Prize
Toll Collection system in the country. of mathematics, is awarded every four years to
One Vehicle, One FASTag concept: mathematicians who are under the age of 40.
● It aims to deter the practice of using a single FASTag for • It was established using excess funds raised by John
multiple vehicles or associating multiple FASTags with Charles Fields (1863–1932), a mathematics
one vehicle. professor at the University of Toronto.
● The concept indicates that a vehicle owner is permitted World Water Day
to have only one active FASTag for one vehicle.
● It has been observed that it is to be done with the News Excerpt:
mandatory KYC process to adhere to the RBI's World Water Day, celebrated on March 22 every year, is
mandate. an occasion to realize the importance of freshwater,
Significance of the initiative: especially this year amid the ongoing Bengaluru water crisis.
● It will enhance the efficiency of the Electronic Toll Historical background:

Collection system and provide seamless movement at ● In 1992, the United Nations Conference on
the Toll Plazas. Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro saw
● FASTag offers the convenience of cashless payment the first formal proposal of World Water Day under
along with benefits like - savings on fuel and time, as Agenda 21.
the customer does not have to stop at the toll plaza. ● The United Nations General Assembly adopted a
resolution in December 1992 by which March 22 was
declared World Water Day.
Significance
Abel Prize ● The United Nations (UN) marks this day to advocate
for the sustainable management of freshwater
News Excerpt: resources.
A French mathematician, Michel Talagrand, has been ● On this day, the UN’s flagship report on water and
awarded the Abel Prize - one of the most prestigious sanitation is launched every year.
honours in the field.
About: Theme
● Michel Talagrand, 72, ● The theme for this
received the award for year is ‘Water for
his "groundbreaking prosperity and
contributions" for his peace’.
work in probability ● Thus, the 2024
theory involved edition of the UN’s
understanding flagship World
random phenomena. Water
● He is the fifth Development
Frenchman to win the prize since it was founded in Report (WWDR)
2003. report will explore
● He has made profound contributions to our this theme.
understanding of random, and in particular, ● The theme changes every year, but the central focus
Gaussian processes. remains on topics relevant to clean water, sanitation,
● The award is presented by Norway's King Harald V at and hygiene (WASH), which is in line with the targets
a ceremony in Oslo. of Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Awards in Maths:
Abel Prize: Key takeaways from UN’s World Water Day
● It is a prestigious international award recognizing 2024:
outstanding contributions to the field of ● Water can create peace or spark conflict: Tensions in
123
mathematics. societies arise when water is scarce or polluted or when

● Named after the Norwegian mathematician Niels people struggle for access. We can balance everyone’s
Henrik Abel, it is awarded annually by the water needs only through cooperation.
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Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
● Prosperity and peace rely on water: Mass migration ○ From 2019 to 2023, game downloads in India
and political unrest make water cooperation a central soared from 5.65 billion to a staggering 9.5
part of how nations manage climate change. billion.
● Water can lead us out of crisis: Harmony between ○ This growth propelled India's share of global game
communities and countries can be fostered by uniting downloads to a substantial 16% in 2023, followed
around the fair and sustainable use of water. by Brazil and the US with 4.5 billion (7.6% market
share) and 4.4 billion (7.4% market share) downloads,
respectively.
India Gaming Report 2024 ● Mobile dominance:
News Excerpt: ○ Mobile gaming accounts for 90% of the Indian
A joint report by the Interactive Entertainment and gaming market, compared to around 37% and
Innovation Council and an online gaming firm projects about 62% in the US and China, respectively.
paying gamers will reach 240 million by 2028 from 144 ○ The growth in smartphones to over 820 million,
million paid users for games in 2023. driven by affordability, increased phone memory
Key highlights of the report: by 3-4 times in the past five years, and low-priced
data, will be key growth drivers for the Indian
● Industry landscape:
gaming industry.
○ India is the fastest-growing mobile gaming
● Cost advantage:
market, and the annual revenue of the Indian
○ On average, game development costs in India can
gaming industry is expected to double by almost $6
be up to 50-60% lower than those in Western
billion by 2028 from $3.1 billion in 2023.
countries, making it an exceptionally attractive
○ The Indian gaming industry comprises over 1,400 outsourcing destination.
gaming companies, including 500 gaming studios.
● Job creation:
○ The report projects that India's online gaming Earth Hour Day 2024
industry will add 2.5 lakh more jobs in the next News Excerpt:
10 years, which currently employs 1 lakh skilled
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India celebrated Earth
gaming professionals directly and indirectly.
Hour 2024 on March 23 from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.
○ The Indian gaming sector is presently witnessing worldwide to raise awareness about environmental
a surge in demand for talent, with job openings issues.
ranging from 50,000 to 60,000 across various roles,
About Earth Hour:
including developers, programmers, testers,
artists, and customer support. ● The first Earth Hour event was held on 31 March 2007.
● Demand for talent: ● Earth Hour serves as a
○ The number of professional players will grow by beacon of positivity,
2.5 times over the next five years from 500 in hope, and
2023 on the back of recognition by the government inspiration, rallying
people around the
of esports and various state government-led
globe to come
initiatives to develop talent around esports.
together in solidarity
○ The report estimates that India has a consumer
with the
base of around 568 million gamers and is home to
environment.
approximately 15,000 game developers and
programmers. ● The aim was to
● Demographic trends: engage as many
individuals as possible, especially those who may not
○ Approximately 40% of the gaming populace in
yet be fully aware of the environmental crisis we
India is made up of women, whereas three years
face.
ago, only one in five gamers in India were women.
● Earth Hour saw participation from over 190 countries
○ Among the gaming community, nearly 50% fall
and territories, with millions of people contributing their
within the age bracket of 18 to 30 years.
time to support the cause.
○ Conversely, the report found that about 30% of
Why is World Earth Hour Day celebrated?
124
Indian gamers are between 31 and 45 years old,

and their gaming preferences lean towards strategy ● Earth Hour encourages people worldwide to turn
games. their lights off for 60 minutes to raise awareness
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● Game downloads: about environmental issues.
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● It’s a movement that, for the last 18 years, has
Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis):
continued to inspire and mobilize people globally,
reminding us of our collective responsibility to create ● It is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the
a more hopeful and resilient future for our planet. protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi or (T.
cruzi).
World Wildlife Fund: ● Chagas disease is prevalent among poor populations
● It is an international non-governmental of continental Latin America.
organization. ● It can be transmitted by the triatomine bug
● The work of WWF has evolved from saving species (vector-borne), as well as orally (food-borne),
and landscapes to addressing the larger global during pregnancy or birth (congenital), through
environmental threats and forces that impact blood/blood products, organ transplantation, and
them, with people at the center of its work, and laboratory accidents.
organized around six priority areas for improved ● Chagas disease is named after Carlos Justiniano
environmental management comprising climate, Chagas, a Brazilian doctor who discovered the disease
forests, food, freshwater, wildlife, and oceans. in 1909.
● Chagas disease is clinically curable if antiparasitic
treatment is initiated at an early stage. Therefore,
World Chagas Disease Day universal access to prompt diagnosis and care is
News Excerpt: essential.
World Chagas Disease Day is a global healthcare event ○ There is no vaccine to prevent Chagas disease.
observed on the 14th of April every year. ● Symptoms: Chagas disease has two successive
World Chagas Disease Day: phases: an acute phase and a chronic phase.
● It was first celebrated on the 14th of April 2020 after ○ Most acute phases are asymptomatic or have
it was approved and endorsed by the World Health non-specific symptoms.
Assembly at the World Health Organization (WHO) ○ During the chronic phase, patients may also be
in May 2019. symptom-free, but some may progress to clinical
● World Chagas Day aims to raise awareness of Chagas forms of the disease (cardiac, digestive, and/or
disease, improve early detection, expand diagnostic neurological), which can be life-threatening if
coverage, and provide equitable access to clinical care. left undiagnosed and untreated.
● Theme 2024: “Tackling Chagas disease: detect early ● Chagas disease can be treated with benznidazole or
and care for life”. nifurtimox. Both medicines kill the parasite and are
○ This theme emphasizes raising public awareness of fully effective in curing the disease if given early in the
Chagas disease and developing more funding and acute phase.
support for early detection along with follow-up care ● WHO recognized Chagas disease as a Neglected
initiatives. Tropical Disease (NTD) in 2005.
○ NTDs are diseases of neglected populations
that perpetuate a cycle of poor educational
outcomes and limited professional opportunities;
in addition, they are associated with stigma and
social exclusion.
○ They are ‘neglected’ because they are almost
absent from the global health agenda and have
very limited resources.
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SPECIES IN NEWS
SPECIES DETAILS
Baobab Tree About Baobab Tree:
● All Baobabs are deciduous trees ranging in height from
News Excerpt: 5 to 20 meters. It grows in low-lying areas in Africa and
The Global Society for Australia.
the Preservation of ○ Also known as the upside-down tree or
Baobabs and Adansonia trees.
Mangroves (GSPBM) ○ Prefer hot, sandy plains.
has initiated a mission - ● Widely distributed in belts across Africa. They also
ARO (Assessment, grow in Madagascar, Zimbabwe, India, Ceylon, and
Research, and Australia.
Outreach) Baobab ● Very difficult to kill, they can be burnt, or stripped
Project to rejuvenate of their bark, and they will just form new bark and
the iconic baobab trees. carry on growing.
These ancient giants, ● When they do die, they simply rot from the inside and
threatened by collapse, leaving a heap of fibres, which makes many
deforestation and people think that they don't die at all, but simply
climate change, are disappear.
receiving a lifeline How is climate change driving the loss of baobab
through seedling forests?
transplantation. • Reduced rainfall is hampering the growth of baobab
seedlings.
• Climate change exacerbates forest fragmentation, isolating baobab habitats and disrupting
the ecological balance.
• The increased dryness caused by climate change, and human activities are contributing
factors to the fires.
Why are baobab trees so important to Madagascar?
● Ecological Importance:
○ Keystone species in Madagascar's unique landscapes.
○ Their massive trunks and extensive root systems help store water in arid environments.
● Economic Potential:
○ Sustainable development through the utilization of their highly nutritious fruits and
seeds.
● Cultural & Spiritual Significance:
○ Deeply woven into the Malagasy way of life.
Javan tiger ● The last confirmed sighting of a Javan tiger
was in 1976 in Meru Betiri National Park,
News Excerpt: East Java.
A single hair found on ● In August 2019, a Javan tiger was reported in
a village fence in the a community plantation near the village of
west of the island of Cipeundeuy in South Sukabumi, West Java.
Java in 2019 has been ○ Subsequently, a hair strand belonging to
DNA-tested and found a tiger was found on a fence, along with
to be belonging to the footprints and claw marks.
extinct species of Javan ○ The analysis concluded that the hair
Tiger. sample belonged to the Javan tiger.
● The taxonomy of tigers was revised in 2017, categorizing the Sunda Island tigers, including
IUCN Red List: extinct the Javan tiger, as Panthera tigris sondaica, distinct from mainland tiger subspecies.
in 2008 Javan Tiger:
126
● Its an endemic subspecies of tiger found only on the Indonesian island of Java.
● It descended from the Sunda tiger, a shared ancestor of the Sumatran (P. tigris sumatrae)
and Bali (P. tigris balica) tigers.
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Physical characteristic:
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● The Javan tiger exhibited significant sexual dimorphism in size; males averaged 200-245 cm
in length and 100-140 kg in weight, while females were smaller at 180-215 cm long and
75-115 kg.
● It boasted a rich, rusty orange coat adorned with distinct, narrower dark stripes, ideal for
blending into Java's lush forests and grasslands.
○ Its underparts and inner legs featured a white fur characteristic shared with numerous
tiger subspecies.
● It sported notably short and dense fur and flatter skull, differing from mainland subspecies.
Habitat:
● The Javan Tiger primarily inhabited the dense forests and grasslands across the Indonesian
island of Java.
● Despite habitat shrinkage due to human activities, critical areas such as Meru Betiri and Ujung
Kulon National Parks provided safe havens for the Javan Tiger.
Bumblebee species About Bumblebee:
● Bumblebees belong to the genus Bombus within the
News Excerpt: family Apidae.
Scientists have revealed ● The family Apidae includes the well-known
queens of the common honeybees and bumblebees, as well as carpenter
eastern bumblebee, a bees, cuckoo bees, digger bees, stingless bees,
species widespread in and orchid bees.
eastern North ○ Bumble bees are important pollinators of wild
America, can withstand flowering plants and crops.
submersion for up to a Features:
week when ● Bumblebees are large yellow and black flying
hibernating. insects with a distinct buzz. There is variation in coloration among bumblebees and some
species have bands of red, yellow and black.
● They have stocky bodies that are covered with many hairs to which pollen adheres.
● Bumblebee workers and the queens can sting, and their stinger is smooth.
○ Male bumblebees cannot sting as they do not have a sting.
● Bumblebees have four wings, the two rear wings are small and usually attached to the fore
wings by a row of hooks called hamuli.
● Range / Habitat: There are over 250 known species, existing primarily in the Northern
Hemisphere. Hedgerows near orchards provide food and shelter for pollinators like
bumblebees.
● Diet: Bumblebees harvest nectar (carbohydrates) and pollen (protein) from flowering
plants.
● Behavior: Bumblebees are social insects that live in colonies. The queen bee, drones and
worker bees all have specific tasks to help support the colony. The queen bee lays hundreds
of eggs.
Brucethoa isro About Brucethoa isro:
● Brucethoa isro was discovered at the base
News Excerpt: of the gill cavity of the Spinyjaw
A newly discovered greeneye, a species of marine fish.
species of deep-sea ● The new species has been named in
isopod found off the honour of the ISRO’s “successful space
coast of Kollam in missions, including the recent
Kerala has been named successful lunar mission Chandrayaan-
in honor of the Indian 3.”
Space Research ● It marks the second documented species
Organisation (ISRO) by within this genus to be recorded in India.
researchers. ○ Females typically exhibit larger
127
sizes compared to males, reaching approximately 19 mm in length and 6 mm in width,

while males are roughly half the size.
● They are deep-sea parasitic isopods.
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
○ Isopods are an order of invertebrates (animals without backbones) that belong to the
greater crustacean group of animals, including crabs and shrimp.
○ Isopods have two pairs of antennae, compound eyes, and four sets of jaws.
Caracal ● Caracals, also known as desert lynx or African
News Excerpt: lynx, are medium-sized wild cats native to Africa
An estimated 50 and Asia.
caracals are left in the ● These animals have a distinctive appearance, with
small clusters in the long, tufted ears and a short, beige-brown coat.
states of Rajasthan They are known for their agility and speed.
and Gujarat, making ● They are found in small herds and inhabit dry, arid
caracal the second cat regions and moist woodlands.
species after the Asiatic ● The caracal is known by multiple distinct
cheetah to reach the vernacular names in India.
brink of extinction in ○ For instance, in Rajasthan, its known as
India. Mor Todni and Mor Mar Bagheri due to
Conservation status: its reputation as a killer of peafowl.
● IUCN Red List: Geographic Range of Caracal:
‘least concern’ ● Widely distributed across Africa, Central Asia, and south-west Asia into India.
● Conservation ● While it is relatively common in Africa, there is concern over the status of the Caracal
Assessment and population in India.
Management Plan ● Today it has a wide but patchy distribution and is restricted to specific pockets in western
(CAMP) and IUCN India in the state of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Locally, the species is facing a threat of going
Red List into extinction in India.
assessment in ● The areas in Kutch (Gujarat), Aravalli mountains (Rajasthan), Malwa plateau (Rajasthan
India: ‘near and Madhya Pradesh) and Bundelkhand region (Madhya Pradesh) were potentially
threatened’ suitable habitats for caracals.
● Indian Wildlife Act
● It further identified the Ranthambore-Kuno Landscape (RKL), which falls in Rajasthan and
of 1972: Schedule
Madhya Pradesh, as a highly potential caracal habitat area and a suitable site for the
I
conservation of the Caracal.
● CITES: Appendix I
New species of Cicada ● This cicada, belonging to the genus
in Meghalaya Becquartina, marks the first-ever record of
this genus in India.
News Excerpt: ● The colorful wings of the cicada earned it the
Scientists have nickname “butterfly cicada”, with the species
uncovered a dazzling name “bicolour” reflecting its two distinct
new cicada species colour forms.
known colloquially as ● It is a unique cicada generally grouped as
“Butterfly Cicadas” ‘butterfly cicada’ because of its colourful wings.
from Meghalaya. ● It has not been found in other parts of Northeast India.
○ The species is localized in Garo Hills and Ri-Bhoi district, preferring thick forests and
native vegetation.
What are cicadas?
● Any member of the family of insects that produce sound.
○ They have three simple eyes, two pairs of membrane-covered wings, and a
conspicuous compound eye is called a cicadas.
● Cicadas range in size from 2 to 5 cm (0.8 to 2 inches), which is medium to large.
● Male cicadas vibrate membranes close to the base of their abdomens to make loud noises.
● Typically, female cicadas deposit their eggs in the woody plant tissues that fall off the plant
either immediately after the eggs hatch or later.
● There are currently about 3,000 identified species of cicadas.
128
● Cicadas are tropical insects that live in deserts, grasslands, and woodlands.
○ They are members of the Cicadidae family.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
M. Thounaojam, a brilliant and honest IPS Officer, has been posted State Director-General of Police (DGP). Following a massive police
to a district in a border State. This border post shares an action against the cartel, many members were caught and sent to
international border infamous for drug, human trafficking, and jail. Police raids ignited tensions between the communities and led
infiltration. to significant riots between the two communities, although the real
The demography of the bordering State is complex, with 90% of motive behind the unrest was drug-related.
the population residing in the plains (10% of the total area of the Due to growing violence in the
State) and 10% living in the hilly areas (90% of the total area of the State, Thounaojam was
State). The hilly region is notorious for illegal opium cultivation, summoned by the DGP and
leading to the formation of cross-border cartels. This region has instructed to withdraw the
also witnessed continuous cases of infiltration, with some people report. The DGP informed him
from the hilly regions supporting and acting as a bridge for the that the higher authorities did
cross-border infiltrators to transport opium to the market. not appreciate the report as it
After taking charge as the SSP in the district, Thounaojam received tarnished the government's SCAN THIS QR FOR
a directive from the Chief Minister to crack down on the notorious image regarding law and order MODEL CONTENT
drugs and infiltration gangs. While acting on confidential in the State. Thounaojam was
intelligence reports, Thounaojam conducted surprise checks on the warned that failure to withdraw the confidential report could have
border posts with his Special Forces team. During one such severe consequences, including threats to his life, transfer from his
operation, they caught three families comprising 18 members who prestigious appointment and jeopardising his future promotions.
had infiltrated with the connivance of the security personnel at the (a) What are the ethical dilemmas M. Thounaojam is facing?
border posts. Further investigation revealed that once the migrants (b) What options are available to M. Thounaojam as the SSP of
from the neighbouring country infiltrated, their documentation, the bordering State? Do a critical analysis of the options and
such as Aadhaar Card, Ration Card, and Voter Card, were forged, suggest the best option available.
and they were made to settle in the remote pockets of the hilly (c) What policy measures would you suggest to combat the
areas with the help of the local community. menace of infiltration of illegal migrants and drug trafficking
Thounaojam prepared a detailed and comprehensive report, from the neighbouring country?
exposing the entire nexus and the involvement of individuals from (Answer in 250 words) 20
both within and outside the State. He submitted the report to the
Ordinary to Extraordinary!
“वह पथ क्या पथथक, कुशलता क्या, थिस पथ पर थिखरे शूल न ह ।ों
नाथवक की धैर्य कुशलता क्या, िि धाराऐों प्रथतकूल न ह ।ों “
This line conveys that being able to perform your best is created by thinking. Ponder, question, enquire, and gradually
in adverse settings is what makes a man extraordinary. you transform. This is the Choice of Intellect.
Let us look at two familiar cases: But is materialistic success the only parameter of being
extraordinary? Whose parameters are these? Your ordinary
Case I: In the movie 12th Fail, a young boy in a remote village in could be someone's extraordinary, and vice versa.
the Chambal Valley has a dream. He wants to become an IPS After making the choices, the main thing comes to satisfaction.
officer and serve the country even though he has no money and Learn to remain content and satisfied with what comes with our
no help achieving his goal. Yet he achieves the impossible. choices. No life is ordinary; it just boils down to making it more
Case II: Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, fought hard for satisfactory. The more satisfied you are,
success at the age of 63, and after a lifetime of drama and bad the more extraordinary you become.
luck, he triumphed. The satisfaction could come from both
In both these cases, did you notice something similar? Both of your personal or professional life and
these ordinary men could have easily given up amidst the could range from a plate of Dal-Chawal
adversities of daily life, but they CHOSE NOT TO and thus, cooked by someone special for you to
became extraordinary. finally buying that dream car you
Thus, everything comes down to CHOICES. We all have the choice always wanted. And that satisfaction
of action and intellect. is for nobody to judge. To each their
The Resources and Opportunities will come with the right choices own.
we make at the correct times. The attitude to not let anything A calm mind is the precursor to
hamper our dreams, for they come first, be it age, finances, or excellence. When the mind is quiet, the intellect is clear, and the
129
people themselves. This is the Choice of Action. actions are brilliant. This clarity in life makes an individual
The intellect needs to be developed. Everyone has talent. To transcend from ordinary to extraordinary. Finally, when success
translate this talent into excellence, you need intellect. The intellect comes your way, enjoy those moments. But do not depend on
them. Your transformation is not just a journey from ordinary to
Page
extraordinary but also a passage to inner satisfaction.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
130
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
PLACES IN NEWS DETAILS

TIGER HILL NEAR ● Tiger Hill is
DARJEELING famous for
watching
News Excerpt: sunrises in the
The eastern zonal background of
bench of the National Mt
Green Tribunal in Kanchenjunga.
Kolkata has issued ● It is part of the
notices to several key Senchal
Union and state Wildlife
government Sanctuary, one
departments, asking of the oldest
them to respond to wildlife
the allegation that the sanctuaries in
environmental status the country,
of the iconic Tiger established in 1915.
Hill has severely ○ The sanctuary holds two lakes that are the main sources of drinking water for the town of
deteriorated due to Darjeeling.
unplanned activities. ● From Tiger Hill, Mount Everest (8848 m) is just visible. Kanchenjunga (8598 m) looks
higher than Mt. Everest, owing to the curvature of the Earth, as it is several miles closer than
Everest.
○ The distance in a straight line from Tiger Hill to Everest is 107 miles (172 km).
● Weather is relatively cold in Tiger Hill, with temperatures going up to 18 °C to 11°C during
summers. It has sunny, clear days and cold, low-pressure winds at night.
Wayanad Wildlife ● Wayanad Wildlife
Sanctuary Sanctuary is contiguous
to the protected areas
News Excerpt: of Nagarhole and
Close to 100 hectares Bandipur in Karnataka
of forest were recently on the northeast and
destroyed in a fire in Mudumalai in
the Sulthan Bathery Tamilnadu on the
forest range under the southeast.
Wayanad Wildlife ○ The sanctuary is an
Sanctuary (WWS). integral part of the
Nilgiri Biosphere
Reserve.
● History:
○ The area was
declared a
sanctuary in 1973.
○ The deep forests of this area had provided shelter for Pazhassi Raja during his rebellion
against the British force.
○ The sanctuary is part of Project Elephant.
○ Visitors need prior permission to enter the sanctuary and are restricted to the outer
zone.
● Climate: Temperature varies from 13ºC to 32ºC.
131
● Topography: Altitude ranging from 650 to 1150m. The highest peak is Karottimala
(1158m).
● Rainfall: The average annual rainfall is 2000 mm.
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
● Forest Types: The forest types include South Indian Moist Deciduous forests, West Coast
semi-evergreen forests and plantations of teak, eucalyptus and Grewelia
● Flora: The major tree species are Tectona grandis, Terminalia sp, Dalbergia latifolia, Anogeissus
latifolia, Grewia tiliaefolia, Adina cordifolia Cirmamum zeylanicum, Pterocarpus marsupium,
Vateria indica, Largerstroemia lanceolata, Artocarpus hirsute, Macranga peltata etc.
● Fauna: The major mammals are elephant, Gaur, Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Spotted deer, Barking
deer, Wild boar, Sloth bear, Nilgiri langur, Bonnet macaque, Common langur, Wild dog,
common otter, and Malabar giant squirrel.
Jiadhal river in ● The Jiadhal River
Dhemaji spans two states of
India: Arunachal
News Excerpt: Pradesh and Assam.
Excessive rainfall has ● A north-bank
triggered tributary of the
unprecedented shifts Brahmaputra, the
in the course of the Jiadhal River
Jiadhal river. originates in the
lower Himalayan
ranges in the West
Siang District of
Arunachal Pradesh.
● It flows southward
through the flood
plains of Dhemaji
District in Assam in
a complex network
of channels before meeting the Brahmaputra near Majuli Island.
● The Jiadhal River catchment covers an area of 1,205 km2, of which 370 km2 (31 per cent) lie
in the hills of Arunachal Pradesh and 835 km2 (69 per cent) lie in the plains of Assam.
● The sub-tropical monsoon climate may be stated as the general climate for the whole
catchments.
○ The average annual rainfall in the catchment ranges from 2,965 to 4,386 mm, with
a mean annual rainfall of about 3,150 mm.
East Kolkata
Wetlands (EKW)
News Excerpt:
In the last 30 years, the
East Kolkata Wetlands
have lost 36% of their
total area – from
65,300 sq. km in 1991
down to 42,000 sq. m
in 2021.
132
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C.C. APRIL ‘24
● It is located on the eastern fringes of Kolkata city and forms one of the largest assemblages
of sewage-fed fish ponds.
● It was designated a Ramsar site in 2002.
● There are three reasons for the shrinkage of Kolkata’s wetlands:
○ Human encroachment (“wetland hunting” by land developers and real estate agents, as
one group of researchers described it),
○ Eutrophication,
○ Transformation of wetlands into fishing ponds.
● The East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006, represents an
important landmark as it paved the way for the establishment of the East Kolkata Wetlands
Management Authority (EKWMA) for the conservation and management of the EKW.
● Large birds (such as the Openbill Stork and Spoonbill) and birds of prey, such as Brahminy
Kite and Pallas’s Fishing Eagle, which used to be common in the recent past, are now no
longer seen.
Nethravathi River ● The Netravati River originates in the Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka at Bangrabalige
News Excerpt: Valley, Yelaneeru Ghat in Kudremukh.
○ The river merges with the Kumaradhara River, which also originates in the Western
The principal bench of Ghats in the Subramanya range near Uppinangadi village.
the National Green ● Along its course, the Netravati flows through the popular pilgrim place Dharmasthala.
Tribunal (NGT) has
● Geography of Netravati River:
initiated action on
the Netravati ○ With a drainage area of about 1,353 square miles, the Netravati River has an apparent
Waterfront breadth of almost 200 yards.
Promenade ○ The river bed mainly comprises hornblende rock containing spangles of mica and
Development Project small garnets, which act to fetter the river bed.
in Mangaluru. ■ The river bed also has sienites that form fragments of a beautiful pegmatite with
flesh-coloured feldspar.
133
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
1. It's not faith in technology; it is faith in people

2. "We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last
generation that can do something about it."
3. We are only as blind as we want to be. - Maya Angelou.
SCAN THIS QR FOR

MODEL CONTENT
1. Highlight the critical observations of India's Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Atlas. By emphasizing the importance
of land use and land cover assessment, discuss how infrastructure development impacts land use and why it needs
to be considered seriously.
2. What do you understand by Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM)? Define the key elements of a successful
IRBM initiative that make it a multidisciplinary approach.
3. India is expected to generate 600 kilotons of solar waste by 2030. In light of the above statement, define solar waste
and its impact on the environment and human life. Suggest innovative measures to deal with it.
4. Discuss how nuclear energy is essential for global problems like climate change and energy security. However, nuclear
energy has its own challenges and roadblocks. What are they, and how can they be overcome?
5. The recently released World Happiness Report for 2024 shows India's poor ranking. Explain the possible reasons for
this ranking and suggest important policy measures that must be taken to improve this situation.
6. Discuss the factors contributing to the decline in India's total fertility rate (TFR). Analyzing its impact, suggest the
best policy forward so that India can manage its population well.
7. By explaining the need for the CDP-SURAKSHA initiative, suggest its benefits on the farmer's income. How can this
initiative be further improved? Give your suggestions.
8. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has revealed that digital financial frauds accounted for a staggering
₹1.25 lakh crore over the last three years. What is the modus operandi of digital financial fraud, and what hindrances
do enforcement agencies face in tracing money trails? Supplement your answer with a best-case example of dealing
with such crimes.
9. What do you understand by the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact? Explain its terms and conditions and comment
on its effect on maintaining sustained peace and development in Manipur.
10. What do you understand by reverse flipping? Explain the reasons behind startups opting to reverse flip. What benefits
and challenges are there in doing so? Elaborate briefly.
11. Highlight the key provisions of the new EV policy approved by the Union Government. Also, discuss the policy's
impact on various stakeholders, including the industry and the end consumers. What must be done to improve EV
adoption in India?
12. What do you understand about postal ballots, and who is eligible to cast their vote through postal ballots? Discuss
the steps taken by the Election Commission of India for inclusive elections in India.
13. Social media has become the stage for free speech but has also raised defamation cases. Analyze defamation under
Indian law and explain how to balance the right to speech and defamation.
14. How will the recent Iran-Israel conflict impact India's diplomatic and strategic relationship with both countries?
Explain India's stance and suggest future policy initiatives in this regard.
15. Many areas of India are facing catastrophic soil erosion. Enumerate the possible reasons for it and suggest creative
134
ways of controlling it.

Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
PT ORIENTED QUESTION
Q1. Consider the following statements: 1. DEMP must be prepared at least three months
Statement-I before the tentative Poll Day.
Doxxing is the intentional revelation of a person's 2. The DEMP enhances the voting experience by
private information online without their consent, making it more organized and accessible for
often with malicious intent. everyone.
Statement-II 3. The execution of the DEMP involves both the
Doxxing directly attacks a person's physical, digital, election officials and administrative authorities.
and emotional security. How many of the above statements is/are correct?
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the (a) Only one
above statements?
(b) Only two
(a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and
(c) All three
Statement II is the correct explanation for
d) None
Statement I.
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and
Q5. With reference to the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit
Statement-II is not the correct explanation for
Trail (VVPAT), consider the following statements:
Statement-I.
1. It is attached to the ballot unit of the EVM.
(c) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect.
2. The VVPAT was used for the first time in 2013.
(d) Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct.
3. The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 were
amended to allow for a printer with a drop box to
Q2. With reference to Patents, consider the following
be attached to the EVM.
statements:
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
1. It is a statutory right.
(a) Only one (b) Only two
2. The patent system in India is governed by the
(c) All three (d) None
Patents Act, of 1970.
3. The term is 10 years from the date of filing of
Q6. Consider the following statements:
application.
Statement-I
Kallakkadal is a colloquial term used by Kerala
(a) Only one
fishermen to refer to flash flooding events.
(b) Only two
Statement-II
(c) All three
'Kallakkadal' usually occurs along the southern coast
(d) None
of India, mainly during the pre-monsoon period
Which one of the following is correct with respect to
Q3. With reference to the Unified Payments Interface the above statements?
(UPI), consider the following statements:
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and
1. It is an instant payment system developed by the
Statement-II is the correct explanation for
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Statement-I.
2. It is built over the IMPS infrastructure and allows
the transfer of money between any two parties'
bank accounts instantly.
Statement-I.
3. It powers multiple bank accounts into a single
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.
mobile application.
(d) Statement-II is correct but Statement-I is incorrect.
(a) Only one
Q7. With reference to the Afar Triangle, Consider the
(b) Only two following statements:
(c) All three 1. This area is part of the East African Rift system.
(d) None 2. It is nestled in the Horn of Africa.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
135
Q4. With reference to the District Election (a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
Management Plan (DEMP), consider the following
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
statements:
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
Q8. Consider the following statements regarding the 3. It provides equity capital or loans to industrial
Surrogacy Act: concerns and financial assistance to research and
1. A woman can become a surrogate mother only development institutions.
once in her life. How many of the above statements is/are correct?
2. It is permitted for non-altruistic purposes. (a) Only one
3. Currently surrogacy in India is not prohibited for (b) Only two
commercial purposes. (c) All three
Which of the following statements is/are correct? (d) None
(a) Only one
(b) Only two Q12. With reference to the Igla-S, consider the following
(c) Only three statements.
(d) All four 1. It is a hand-held defence system that can be
operated by an individual or crew.
Q9. With reference to the Science Based Targets 2. It is designed to bring down low-flying aircraft.
Initiative (SBTi), consider the following statements: 3. It is acquired from France to enhance the Army's
1. It is essentially a standards-setting body for Very Short-Range Air Defence (VSHORAD)
corporate climate targets. capabilities.
2. It reviews climate targets that large companies How many of the above statements is/are correct?
have set against its given framework and validates (a) Only one
those that meet its stringent criteria. (b) Only two
3. It guides businesses in setting greenhouse gas (c) All three
(GHG) emission reduction targets. (d) None
(a) Only one Q13. With reference to the Gulf Cooperation Council
(b) Only two (GCC), consider the following statements:
(c) All three 1. It is an economic and political bloc formed in 1981.
(d) None 2. It includes six nations Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi
Arabia, the UAE, and Oman.
Q10. Consider the following statements: 3. These nations have the lowest GDPs per capita
Statement-I worldwide.
Hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of How many of the above statements is/are correct?
death globally. (a) Only one (b) Only two
Statement-II (c) All three (d) None
It is an inflammation of the liver that is caused by a
variety of infectious viruses. Q14. Which among the following is the largest operator
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the of the Patriot Air Defense System?
above statements? (a) U.S.A.
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and (b) Israel
Statement-II is the correct explanation for (c) Russia
Statement-I (d) France
Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Q15. Consider the following statements about Project
Statement-I Akashteer:
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect 1. Akashteer is the vehicle-based and mobile control
(d) Statement-II is correct but Statement-I is incorrect reporting system of the Indian Air Force.
2. It is an indigenous system developed by Bharat
Q11. With reference to the Technology Development Electronics Limited (BEL).
Board (TDB), consider the following statements: 3. It will enable monitoring of low-level airspace over
136
1. It works under the Department of Science and the battle areas of the Indian Army.
Technology. How many of the above statements is/are correct?
2. It was constituted in 1996, under the Technology (a) Only one (b) Only two
Page
Development Board Act, 1995.

C.C. APRIL ‘24
Q16. Consider the following statements: Q19. Consider the following statements:
Statement-I Statement-I
World Happiness Report released annually by the Mumps is primarily transmitted by respiratory
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions secretions, such as droplets and saliva, and direct
Network (SDSN). contact with an infected person.
Statement-II Statement-II
It now provides separate rankings by age group. It is a viral and contagious infection.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Which one of the following is correct in respect of the
above statements? above statements?
Statement-I
Statement-I
Statement-I
Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-II is correct but Statement-I is incorrect
Q20. With reference to the Sannati culture site, consider

Q17. With reference to the Institute for Human the following statements:
Development (IHD), consider the following 1. It was discovered in 1986.
statements:
2. Stone slab written in Prakrit inscription in Brahmi
1. It was established in 1998 under the aegis of the script.
Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE). 3. It is located on the bank of the Bhima River near
2. It is a non-profit autonomous institution. Kanaganahalli in Kalaburagi.
3. It aims to contribute towards building a society that How many of the above statements is/are correct?
fosters and values an inclusive social, economic, (a) Only one
and political system. (b) Only two
How many of the above statements is/are correct? (c) All three
(a) Only one (d) None
(b) Only two
(c) All three Q21. With reference to the Mohiniyattam, consider the
(d) None following statements:
1. It is a classical solo dance form of Kerala.
Q18. With reference to the International Labour 2. The dance form is characterized by delicate body
Organization (ILO), consider the following movements and subtle facial expressions.
statements: 3. Mohiniyattam performances are accompanied by
1. It was created in 1919 as part of the Treaty of classical Carnatic vocal music.
Versailles. 4. It belongs to the Lasya style.
2. At present, the ILO has 187 Members.
(a) Only one
3. India is a founding member country.
(b) Only two
4. In 1946, the ILO became a specialized agency of the (c) Only three
United Nations.
(d) All four
(a) Only one Q22. With reference to the Ikshvaku dynasty, consider
(b) Only two the following statements:
1. It was feudatory under the patronage of the
(c) Only three
137
Satavahana Empire.
(d) All four
2. Their capital was situated at Dharanikota (present-
day Amravati).
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
3. They ruled over the delta of the Mahanadi and (b) Only two
Godavari rivers on the east coast of the Andhra (c) All three
region. (d) None
(a) Only one Q26. With reference to Chagas disease, consider the
(b) Only two following statement:
(c) All three 1. It is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by
(d) None the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi or (T.
cruzi).
Q23. Consider the following statements: 2. It is named after Carlos Justiniano Chagas, a
Statement-I Brazilian doctor, who discovered the disease in
SWAMIH Investment Fund is a social impact fund 1909.
specifically formed for completing stressed and stalled 3. The UN recognized Chagas disease as a Neglected
residential projects. Tropical Disease (NTD) in 2005.
Statement-II How many of the above statements is/are not correct?
It is sponsored by the Ministry of Housing and Urban
(a) Only one (b) Only two
Affairs, Government of India.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the
above statements?
Q27. Consider the following statements:
Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
Statement-I AUKUS is a trilateral security alliance established in
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and September 2021.
Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-II
Statement-I It is a partnership between Argentina, the United
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect Kingdom, and the United States of America.
(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct Which one of the following is correct in respect of the
above statements?
Q24. With reference to the Electric Mobility Promotion (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and
Scheme (EMPS), consider the following Statement-II is the correct explanation for
statements: Statement-I
1. It was introduced by the Ministry of Heavy (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and
Industries. Statement-II is not the correct explanation for
2. A total of 20 firms have been approved for the Statement-I
EMPS.
3. It aims to sustain the growth in EV sales.
(a) Only one
Q28. With reference to the United Nations Security
(b) Only two
Council (UNSC), consider the following statements:
(c) All three
1. It has 10 permanent and 5 non-permanent
(d) None
Members and each Member has one vote.
2. It gives primary responsibility for maintaining
Q25. With reference to FASTag, consider the following
international peace and security to the Security
statement:
Council.
1. It is issued to each vehicle based on the registration
3. Under the Charter of the United Nations, all
certificate (RC) of the vehicle.
Member States are obligated to comply with
2. When needed it can be transferred to another
Council decisions.
vehicle, after affixed to a vehicle.
How many of the above are/are not correct?
3. FASTag can be purchased from any of the National
138
Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) Member Banks. (a) Only one (b) Only two
How many of the above statements is/are correct? (c) All three (d) None
Page
(a) Only one

C.C. APRIL ‘24
Q29. With reference to the Eurasian Economic Union Q30. With reference to the Central Pollution Control
(EEU), consider the following statements: Board (CPCB), consider the following statements:
1. It comprises five member states. 1. It is a statutory organization constituted under the
2. In the EEU bloc, Russia is India’s top trading Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981.
partner. 2. It was entrusted with the powers and functions
3. It is an ambitious project for economic integration under the Water (Prevention and Control of
in the former Soviet region. Pollution) Act, 1974.
How many of the above statements is/are correct? 3. It provides technical services to the Ministry of
(a) Only one Environment and Forests.
(b) Only two How many of the above statements is/are correct?
(c) All three (a) Only one
(d) None (b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
ANSWER KEY
1. B 7. C 13. B 19. A 25. B
2. B 8. A 14. A 20. C 26. A
3. C 9. C 15. B 21. D 27. C
4. B 10. A 16. B 22. B 28. A
5. C 11. C 17. C 23. C 29. C
6. B 12. B 18. D 24. B 30. A
139
Page
C.C. APRIL ‘24
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C.C.

SCAN THIS QR FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES

POLITY ................................................................. 6 PRE-SHOTS ....................................................... 46

Paira Rice Cropping System................................................................... 44 Tiantong Satellite ...................................................................................... 84

CDP-SURAKSHA ........................................................................................ 45 Europa Clipper Mission ........................................................................... 84

HEALTH .............................................................90 ART & CULTURE ............................................. 112

● This slip of paper, containing the candidate's serial

Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with the vote

VVPAT in all constituencies.

be unscientific and cumbersome.

and those involved in essential services such as

(ECI) has announced that media 3

persons covering "polling day 5

collected by postal authorities and brought to the

frequently invoked the ● The suggestion of truth for the public

environmental issues, including the Right to live in a healthy

● This provision criminalized sending The Supreme Court (SC) brought to 1

“offensive messages” using "a light the unholy nexus of politicians, 3

computer resource or a forest officials, and local contractors 5

● Kejriwal’s case: report in the next three months.

is allegedly defamatory on the Twitter account

surrogacy rules. been a surrogate only once in her life.

Canada, Ukraine, Russia, and some Southeast

FIGURE: LEGAL & SOCIAL CHALLENGES

infirm persons, students or children sleeping early.

without breaching the oath of office. optional.

denounces any attempt by a

control rooms, home voting options and advanced

Impact of Food waste:

wasted an estimated 19% of the food produced globally

separate reporting of inedible parts where

worldwide, representing about a fifth of all food

Anaemia prevalence in 8 States over-

A study across eight States

been overestimated by previous surveys.

food waste in households.

diets with limited intake of

affecting life satisfaction in India. Individuals with from 25% in 2015.

social castes reported higher happiness levels.

it a unique model. products being sold on their websites.

University Rankings Computer science IIT Delhi 63

business and management studies, while IIM- Finance

human rights worldwide, addressing situations of

Decentralized Industrialization Model spread out, facilitated by the development of various

Part of Tamil Nadu's economic 1

Entrepreneurship from below:

industrialization has been notably decentralized and relevant factors.

To provide more flexibility to PPI holders, RBI has

proposed to permit the linking of PPIs through third-

On Unemployment in Indian States The determinants of unemployment:

Development (IHD) revealed that two out of every three

On education and employment:

force) and unemployment rates across states.

● As economies develop, they experience a reduction in

India lags far behind global 1

Institute for Human Development (IHD):

● The objective of PLFS is primarily twofold:

The startup ecosystem in India is

○ Taiwan is also ahead of India, having grabbed a 2 8

experiencing a notable rise in

25.6% share of incremental exports, rising from

● Mexico: About Reverse Flipping:

The Ministry of Commerce and 1 7

Industry notified the Patents