Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 03-02-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 03-02-2021

• [message]
• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Defence and Military: Iran tests satellite carrier with its 'most powerful' solid-fuel engine - Iran has tested a new satellite carrier with its "most powerful" solid-fuel engine to date, Iran's defence ministry said. The test was the first launch of the Zuljanah hybrid satellite carrier for sub-orbital testing, said Ahmad Hosseini, the spokesman for the ministry's space division. According to Hosseini, it can carry a satellite weighing up to 220 kilograms. Iran has had a strong missile programme for many years now, and the West (and Israel) have tried to stop its development. Iran also has a potent nuclear weapons programme, that America tried to rein in through the Obama-era JCPOA deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action).
2. Healthcare and Medicine: 162 doctors, 107 nurses died of COVID-19 in India till Jan 22 - Central government told the Rajya Sabha that COVID-19 had so far claimed the lives of 162 doctors, 107 nurses and 44 ASHA workers in the country. Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey said so in the Rajya Sabha in reply to specific queries. The figures are based on information received from the states till January 22. Total 1,54,486 people have died due to COVID-19 in India. But by Feb 2021, the daily rate of cases had miraculously plummeted in India, making it a case study in crushing the Covid curve.
3. World Politics: Indian Embassy asks Indians in Myanmar to avoid travel after military coup - The Embassy of India in Yangon has asked Indian citizens residing in Myanmar to take precautions and avoid unnecessary travel, a day after the military took control of the country. The Embassy also informed that an Air India flight from Yangon to New Delhi scheduled for February 4 has now been rescheduled for February 11 due to "unavoidable reasons". The Tatmadaw (Burmese military forces) took control of Myanmar after the recent elections washed their chances off. State counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi too was arrested.
4. Healthcare and Medicine: German chancellor says may need COVID-19 vaccines for years - Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said that vaccination against COVID-19 may be required for "many years to come". "It's similar to the flu vaccine, where you re-vaccinate against the new mutation of the virus every time," Merkel said after a top-level meeting on vaccination campaign. She also promised all Germans a first dose by September-end if delivery commitments are met. Europe has stumbled badly in rolling out its vaccination campaign, and there is a rise in vaccine nationalism, despite EU ordering a large number of doses, far more than it would need.
5. Indian Politics: Rihanna speaks out on Indian farmers' agitation - Legendary US pop star Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty) has tweeted on the ongoing farmers agitation in India, asking "why are we not discussing this" and quoting a news article. That led to immediate reaction from Indian twitter users, with Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut attacking Rihanna, calling agitating farmers "terrorists" and "Khalistanis". Many others supported Rihanna, including climate activist Great Thunberg, and a twitter handle called "God". Rihanna (32 yrs) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna was discovered by American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the United States to record demo tapes. Rihanna has more than 101 million followers on Twitter (https://twitter.com/rihanna).
6. Science and Technology : US billionaire buys all four seats on SpaceX capsule to be launched this year - US billionaire Jared Isaacman, Founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, has bought all four seats on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft which will be launched this year for a multi-day journey, orbiting Earth every 90 minutes along a customized flight path, SpaceX announced. Isaacman said he aims to use the private trip to raise $200 million for St Jude Children's Research Hospital. Elon Musk's SpaceX is now getting into top gear, with ultimate plans to colonise Mars in another decade.
7. Science and Technology: ISRO's first unmanned space mission in December 2021 - FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her budget speech on February 1, 2021 that ISRO's first unmanned space mission as a part of Gaganyaan is slated for launch in December 2021. The unmanned mission was originally scheduled for launch in December 2020 but had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Finance Minister informed that four Indian astronauts are being trained in Russia on generic space flight aspects for the main Gaganyaan mission, India's first manned space mission. ISRO is facing new challenges from new age private firms, as technologies like reusable rockets come in vogue. Space sector is now opened up for privatisation in India.
8. Governance and Institutions: PM to inaugurate ‘Chauri Chaura’ Centenary Celebrations on 4th February - PM Modi will inaugurate the Chauri Chaura Centenary Celebrations at Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, on 4th February 2021 at 11 AM via video conferencing. The day marks 100 years of the ‘Chauri Chaura’ incident, a landmark event in the country’s fight for independence. Prime Minister will also release a postal stamp dedicated to the Chauri Chaura centenary during the event. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh will also be present on the occasion. The centenary celebrations and various events planned by the State government  will begin in all 75 districts of the State from 4th February 2021 and will continue till 4th February 2022.
9. Governance and Institutions: Sports budget takes cut of ₹230.78 crore, Khelo India allocated ₹657.71 crore - The government has reduced the sports budget by ₹230.78 crore, allocating ₹2596.14 crore for the financial year 2021-22. Last year, the government had allocated ₹2826.92 crore for sports, which was later revised to ₹1800.15 crore because of the lack of activity caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In the sports budget, the Khelo India programme has been allocated ₹657.71 core. The Khelo India programme aims at reviving sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establish India as a great sporting nation. Khelo India is built along 12 distinct verticals.
10. Healthcare and Medicine: India’s vaccine production capacity best asset - The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on January 28, 2021, called upon India to play a significant role in the global vaccination program. He termed the vaccine production capacity of the country as the best asset for today’s world. He said that in India there is a very high level of production of the Indian developed vaccines and the UN is in contact with the Indian institutions for that. He added that hopefully, India will have all the instruments that are essential to play a major role in making sure that a global vaccination campaign is made possible. The domestic vaccination programme is already on, in full swing.

• [message]
• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

• [message]
• 1. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

NHAI fines up to Rs 10 crore for lapses

 

1. NHAI's new policy: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) now has a strict policy to deal with major lapses in structures that provides for a fine up to Rs.10 crore for defaulters besides debarment of the firm or personnel for up to three years. Goal is to maintain high-quality standards in highway development.
2. Details of penalties: The new policy allows NHAI to impose graded penalties that include heavy fines and initiate debarment and ban on bidding for any future NHAI projects for up to three years. Graded penal action will be taken against the defaulters in cases of minor lapses, major incidents and major failures resulting in loss of human lives. Under the graded penalty, the consultancy firm involved in the project will also be held liable with a fine of up to Rs 40 lakh and debarment from NHAI projects for a period of up to two years.
3. Major lapses: For major lapses where no casualties are reported, rectification by the defaulting contractors/concessionaires on their own cost and /or debarment of firm up to 1 year with a penalty up to Rs 5 crore along with debarment of concerned personnel for up to 2 years from NHAI projects has been provisioned.
4. Minor lapses: For minor lapses wherein no casualties are reported, the defaulting contractors/concessionaires will have to bear the expenses for carrying out the rectification work along with a penalty of Rs 30 lakh besides a written warning to the firm and the personnel involved.
5. SOP: As per the standard operating procedures (SOP), an Expert Committee will be constituted in compliance with an already established post-accident mechanism to investigate the matter. On the outcome of the investigation, a suitable penalty will be imposed, NHAI said.
6. Investigations: During the term of investigation, the concerned personnel of the contractor/concessionaire and the consulting firm may be kept under suspension from working on the project/ any other projects of the authority.

• 450 infrastructure projects show cost overruns of Rs 4.28 trillion

1. Running over the brim: As many as 450 infrastructure projects, each worth Rs 150 crore or more, have been hit by cost overruns totalling more than Rs 4.28 lakh crore, according to a report. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation monitors infrastructure projects worth Rs 150 crore and above.
2. Huge losses: Total original cost of implementation of the 1,687 projects was Rs. 21,44,627.66 crore and their anticipated completion cost is likely to be Rs.25,72,670.28 crore, showing an overall cost overrun of Rs. 4,28,042.62 crore (19.96 % of original cost). This is as per ministry's report in December 2020. Of the 1,687 such projects, 450 reported cost overruns and 558 were delayed.
3. Missing data: The expenditure incurred on these projects till December 2020 was Rs 12,17,692.37 crore, which was 47.33 per cent of the anticipated cost of the projects. The no. of delayed projects decreases to 408 if delay is calculated on the basis of latest schedule of completion. Further, for 923 projects, neither the year of commissioning nor the tentative gestation period has been reported.
4. Reasons: Many reasons for time overruns as reported by various project implementing agencies include delay in land acquisition, delay in obtaining forest and environment clearances, and lack of infrastructure support and linkages.
5. Minor reasons: Delay in tie-up for project financing, delay in finalisation of detailed engineering, change in scope, delay in tendering, ordering and equipment supply, and law and order problems, among others, are the other reasons. The report cited 'state-wise lockdown due to COVID-19' as a reason for delay in implementation of these projects.
6. Hiding the truth: Project agencies are not reporting revised cost estimates and commissioning schedules for many projects, which suggests that time and cost overrun figures are under-reported.

• [message]
• 2. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

Year 2020 tied for Hottest Year on record

 

1. A bad year: The year 2020 surely was one of the hottest years in recorded history, according to data by NASA and NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). NASA says 2020 tied with 2016 for the hottest year in the books, while NOAA placed it in the number-two spot.
2. Without El Nino: 2020’s feverish heat came without the major El Niño event that boosted global temperatures to a new high in 2016, and thus the year provides an important marker of the power of the long-term warming trend driven by human activities that emit greenhouse gases. Manking simply needs to cut emissions!
3. Competing with 2016: Year 2020 was just 0.04 degree Fahrenheit behind 2016, according to NOAA (whose records go back 141 years). NASA found that 2020 was in a statistical tie with 2016. The variation between NASA and NOAA is partly because of the different ways each processes temperature data: NOAA does not extrapolate temperatures over the Arctic to make up for missing data there.
4. Siberian heat: One of 2020’s notable hotspots was Siberia, which was covered by a deep-red blotch on global temperature maps. The region has been exceptionally hot since the beginning of that year, contributing to January 2020 being the planet’s warmest on record. The Siberian town of Verkhoyansk reported 100.4 degrees F. If this figure is verified by the World Meteorological Organization, it would be the first time recorded temperatures above the Arctic Circle have surpassed 100 degrees F.
5. Worldwide crisis: Above-average temperatures were prevalent over large swaths of the globe. Europe and Asia had their hottest years on record, while South America and the Caribbean had their second-hottest, according to NOAA. The world’s oceans had their third warmest year. (In 2019 the main hotspot was elsewhere in the Arctic, in an area encompassing parts of Alaska, Canada and Greenland.)
6. Long term trend: Broad areas of warmth and more localized hotspots are both linked to the long-term warming trend. A recent analysis of the role of global warming in Siberia’s prolonged heat found that such extremes would happen around once every 80,000 years in the absence of anthropogenic warming.
7. La Nina: Since 2020’s ranking at the top of the charts happened without an El Niño event (that helped propel 2016), it is worrisome. During an El Niño a band of warm ocean water covers the tropical Pacific Ocean, which can raise global temperatures. But an El Niño is not necessary to take the lead: both 2014 and 2015 became the then-hottest year without one. Even years with a La Niña event (which tend to be cooler, because colder ocean waters spread across the tropical Pacific) are warmer than El Niño years of decades past.
8. Baseline shift: Due to global warming, the earth’s baseline temperature has shifted so much higher that 1998 is now being left in the dust (2016, which had a similarly strong El Niño, was 0.63 degree F hotter). It has now officially been knocked out of NOAA’s top 10. All of the 10 warmest years in its records have occurred since 2005—and the top seven have occurred since 2014—says Ahira Sánchez-Lugo, a climatologist at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.

• [message]
• 3. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

Russian Opposition Leader Navalny sentenced

 

1. Sentenced: A Moscow court has sentenced Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to two years and eight months in a penal colony for violating the terms of his probation for a previous conviction, which he argues was politically motivated. The decision marks the first time the fierce Kremlin critic has been sentenced to serve an extended prison sentence, and comes amid mass protests.
2. Poisoned but survived: Navalny was detained at a Moscow airport in January after returning from Germany, where he had been flown for treatment after being poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok while on a trip to Siberia. An investigation by open-source researchers at Bellingcat later revealed that members of the Russian security services were involved in orchestrating the poisoning, which could have been lethal.
3. The psychology: Navalny said: “The main thing about this process is not how it ends for me. Will they convict me or not. It’s not difficult to imprison me, for this or another matter. The main reason this is happening is to intimidate a large number of people. This is how it works: One person is imprisoned to frighten millions.”
4. An insecure Putin: This sentencing highlights the increased insecurity on the part of the Russian authorities about his ability to mobilize public discontent as President Vladimir Putin’s popularity ratings have slumped in recent years. As his sentence was read out, Navalny looked over to his wife Yulia Navalnaya and drew a heart with his finger on the glass wall of the defendant’s box.
5. West unhappy: Western governments reacted with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying the US was deeply concerned by the decision. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called for the unconditional release of Navalny and of everyone arrested in recent weeks for protesting his detention. European Court of Human Rights ruled that the case was “arbitrary and manifestly unreasonable.

• Will President Biden be able to leave Afghanistan

1. Multiple crisis at home: Afghanistan isn’t high on U.S. President Joe Biden’s list of priorities, given the number of crises he faces at home and abroad. But the deadline to withdraw all U.S. troops as part of a deal reached in 2020 between the Taliban and the Trump administration, will force a decision soon.
2. No more wars: Given Biden’s promise to end the so-called “forever wars,” the question is not whether he will withdraw troops. Rather, it’s how he can do so in a way that preserves something of the gains made in Afghanistan and ensures that decades of American sacrifice weren’t in vain.
3. Stuck: The problem is that Washington is stuck between two unpopular movements. The Taliban, who’ve spent the past year on a rampage, are despised nationally, with approval ratings in the single digits. But Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s government is also extremely unpopular. Most Afghans and U.S. officials agree that the Taliban’s ability to continue the insurgency has been largely due to Ghani’s bad leadership—and he has shown little interest in reaching a lasting peace agreement that might usher him out of power.
4. Short term problem: The biggest near-term obstacle for the Biden team might be its inheritance of the Doha agreement, the 2020 peace deal urged by former President Donald Trump and negotiated by (then and still) U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad. It was a well-intentioned but deeply flawed effort to end America’s two-decade presence in the country; under pressure from Trump to pull U.S. troops out quickly, Khalilzad was unable to secure guarantees on human rights, democracy, or protection for women’s rights. The deal has no provision for a cease-fire or even an express promise by the Taliban to end violence.
5. Taliban rising: From their point of view, the Taliban are still at war in Afghanistan and have only pledged to negotiate both as part of an intra-Afghan peace deal. The lopsided deal was seen as an act of bad faith by the Afghan people and rightly convinced the Taliban that the United States was rushing for the exit. This perceived victory over the U.S. occupation has given them confidence to stand firm in their negotiations with Afghan groups.
6. Ghani happy: Biden’s national security team is striking a notably skeptical tone about the deal, and nobody is happier than Ghani. The new U.S. national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, told his Afghan counterpart in one of his first calls that the administration is “taking a hard look” at whether the Taliban were meeting their commitments under the agreement. US must also warn Ghani, who fears that an intra-Afghan deal could spell an end to his presidency, that spoiling the peace process will not be tolerated.
7. Endgame: The Afghan army, particularly the elite U.S.-trained special forces, has been effective in routing out the Taliban and most other terrorist groups and is a respected institution among the Afghan people. In addition to reaffirming its commitment to funding and logistical support, Washington must seek to protect Afghan security personnel from corruption and political abuse. Washington should not be forced to stay in Afghanistan to prop up Ghani’s weak government.
8. India's case: Biden administration, with whatever Afghan government it works with, must also make the Taliban accept that Afghanistan in the future cannot, and will not, return to the 1990s. For India, the stakes are pretty high, as the Taliban are hand-in-glove with Pakistan which will exercise tremendous influence if they grab power.

• [message]
• 4. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

14th instalment of Rs. 6,000 crore released to the States for GST shortfall  

1. More pending money for states: The Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure has released the 14th weekly instalment of Rs. 6,000 crore to the States on 03-02-2021 to meet the GST compensation shortfall. Out of this, an amount of Rs. 5,516.60 crore has been released to 23 States and an amount of Rs. 483.40 crore has been released to the 3 Union Territories (UT) with Legislative Assembly (Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir & Puducherry) who are members of the GST Council. The remaining 5 States, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim do not have a gap in revenue on account of GST implementation.
2. Total: A total amount of Rs. 84,000 crore released so far to all States and UTs with legislature This is in addition to additional borrowing permission of Rs. 1,06,830 crore granted to the States. Till now, 76 per cent of the total estimated GST compensation shortfall has been released to the States & UTs with Legislative Assembly. Out of this, an amount of Rs. 76,616.16 crore has been released to the States and an amount of Rs. 7,383.84 crore has been released to the 3 UTs with Legislative Assembly.
3. Earlier solution: The Government had set up a special borrowing window in October, 2020 to meet the estimated shortfall of Rs. 1.10 lakh crore in revenue arising on account of implementation of GST. The borrowings are being done through this window by the Government of India on behalf of the States and UTs. 14 rounds of borrowings have been completed so far starting from 23rd October, 2020.
4. Rate of interest: The amount has been borrowed this week at an interest rate of 4.6144%. So far, an amount of Rs. 84,000 crore has been borrowed by the Central Government through the special borrowing window at an average interest rate of 4.7395%.
5. GST problem: In addition to providing funds through the special borrowing window to meet the shortfall in revenue on account of GST implementation, the Government has granted additional borrowing permission equivalent to 0.50 % of Gross States Domestic Product (GSDP) to the states choosing Option-I to meet GST compensation shortfall to help them in mobilising additional financial resources. All the States have given their preference for Option-I. Permission for borrowing the entire additional amount of Rs. 1,06,830 crore (0.50 % of GSDP) has been granted to 28 States under this provision.

India's Strategic Crude Oil Reserves

1. Oil is strategic: Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited (ISPRL), a Government of India Special Purpose Vehicle, has established Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) facilities with total capacity of 5.33 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) at 3 locations, namely (i) Vishakhapatnam, (ii) Mangaluru and (iii) Padur. As per the consumption pattern of 2019-20, the total capacity is estimated to provide for about 9.5 days of crude oil requirement.
2. Companies too: In addition, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the country have storage facilities for crude oil and petroleum products for 64.5 days, thus the current total national capacity for storage of crude oil and petroleum products currently is 74 days.
3. Make use of low prices: Taking advantage of low crude oil prices in April/May 2020, the Strategic Petroleum Reserves have been filled to full capacity, leading to notional savings of approximately INR 5000 crore. (prices in Feb 2021 had shot up again)
4. Road ahead: Under Phase II of the SPR Programme, the Government has given ‘in principle’ approval in June 2018 for establishing two additional SPR facilities with total storage capacity of 6.5 MMT at two locations namely (i) Chandikhol in Odisha (4 MMT) and (ii) Padur in Karnataka (2.5 MMT). As per the consumption pattern of 2019-20, 6.5 MMT SPR capacity is estimated to provide for about additional 12 days of India’s crude oil requirement.

• [message]
• 5. POLITY AND CONSTITUTION (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

The long story of Article 356

1. SC stays AP HC order: In January 2021, India's Supreme Court had stayed the Andhra Pradesh High Court order that sought to convene a suo moto judicial inquiry into whether there is a “constitutional breakdown” in the Andhra Pradesh Government. SC considered it a case of 'judicial overreach' by the A.P. High Court.
2. What is this breakdown: The question of a “constitutional breakdown” or the failure of constitutional machinery is dealt with under Article 356 of the Constitution, whose invoking comes under the prerogative of the executive and not the judiciary. Though the SC rightfully intervened in a tussle between the judiciary and the elected government, the A.P High court’s order opens up the possibility of use or even misuse of Article 356 by the judiciary.
3. Background of this Article: No liberal democratic Constitution in the world  (except the Constitution of Pakistan) has a provision such as India's Article 356 that gives the central government the power to dismiss a democratically-elected State government. It is a hangover from the Government of India Act, 1935 (Section 93). The leaders of the Indian freedom struggle had forced the British government to suspend it. But it came into existence after freedom!
4. Article 356's misuse: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had assured that it would remain a dead letter, Article 356 has been used/misused more than 125 times till date. In almost all cases it was used for political considerations rather than any genuine breakdown of constitutional machinery in the States. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi used Article 356 as many as 27 times, in most cases to remove majority governments on the ground of political stability, absence of clear mandate or withdrawal of support, etc. In retaliation, the Janata government removed nine state Congress governments, when for the first time they formed the government in 1977. Then Indira Gandhi on her return to power in 1980, removed nine Opposition majority governments at one go. It made a mockery of democracy in India.
5. Article 356's safeguards: The 1994 Supreme Court (S.R. Bommai case) majority decision, in essence, overturned a long tradition that the use of Article 356 was not really subject to review by courts, a doctrine articulated in a landmark 1977 case, State of Rajasthan vs Union of India. The Bommai case verdict laid down the conditions under which State governments may be dismissed, and mechanisms for that process. In the S.R. Bommai case, a nine-member bench of the Supreme Court construed the scope of Article 356, which also allows the imposition of President’s Rule in the States, with stringent conditions.
6. Road ahead: The judiciary must realise that Judicial activism may be good as a rare exception but an activist judiciary is neither good for the country nor for the judiciary itself. The governor also must act judiciously, impartially and efficiently while exercising his discretion and personal judgment. The recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission and Punchhi Commission should be followed in true spirit. The 'procedure for appointment of governors should be clearly laid down' and conditions of appointment must also be laid down and must assure a fixed tenure for the governor. The President under the Indian constitution is bound by the aid and advice of the Indian Constitution. However, the President can use its suspensive veto in case of malicious application of Article 356. Former president K.R. Narayanan twice returned the cabinet’s recommendation on October 22, 1997, in respect of the Kalyan Singh government in Uttar Pradesh which had just won the controversial confidence vote and stating that imposition of President’s Rule would be constitutional impropriety.

• [message]
• 6. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

Intense marine heat waves 

 

1. Ocean's layers: The mixed layer of the ocean which blankets the top 20 to 200 metres is becoming thinner each year, says a new study which warns that the continued loss of this buffer may lead to more frequent and destructive warming events such as marine heat waves. As the climate continues to warm and the mixed layer continues to thin, scientists might lose the ability to predict annual ocean surface temperatures.
2. Heat events: The thickness of this top layer of the ocean is responsible for marine heat events. The thicker this mixed layer, they said the more it can act as a buffer to shield the waters below from incoming hot air. Scientists found in new research that this armour is thinning, causing the oceans to become more susceptible to rapid swings in temperature.
3. Intensity: Marine heatwaves will be more intense and happen more often in the future. When the mixed layer is thin, it takes less heat to warm the ocean more. Scientists found that over the last 40 years, the layer has thinned by nearly three metres in some regions of the North Pacific.
4. Thinner: By 2100, the mixed layer could be four metres thinner which is about 30% less than what it is today. This thin mixed layer combined with warmer global temperatures could set the stage for drastic swings in ocean temperatures, leading to much more frequent and extreme heating events.
5. An analogy: Think of the mixed layer as boiling a pot of water. It will take no time at all for an inch of water to come to a boil, but much longer for a pot filled to the brim to heat through. Scientists also warned that as the climate continues to warm and the mixed layer continues to thin, scientists might lose the ability to predict annual ocean surface temperatures.
6. Losses: Fisheries and other coastal operations could be in danger without this ability to accurately forecast ocean temperatures, the scientists warned. 

Solar–Biodiesel Minigrid System dedicated to nation

 

1. A new innovation: The CSIR-CMERI-Centre of Excellence for Farm Machinery has developed Off-gridSolar Biodiesel Hybrid Minigrid of 50kW peak capacity system for providing 24X7 power to Center for Excellence in Farm Machinery (CoEFM) Residential Colony at Gill Road, Ludhiana (Punjab).
2. Fuel type: In India, the major share of the installed power capacity is from fossil fuel sources like coal, diesel etc., which have serious implications on country's energy security and environmental pollution. These high power centralized generation systems also warrant investment on expensive Transmission & Distribution infrastructure leading to higher transmission losses.
3. Local wanted: Hence, localized regionspecific distributed generation systems like Minigrids with small scale Renewable Energy Sources can be potential generators of electricity near load centres and can help in addressing energy needs of local communities. They can be a unique solution for uninterrupted power in remote areas, villages, hilly area etc.
4. Smart cities: The Solar Biodiesel Hybrid Minigrid system developed at CSIR-CMERI has applications in Smart city projects, because of its inherent smart features with respect to integration of different sources. Unlike in rural areas, power requirement of domestic loads in cities are higher along with huge fluctuations due to varied usage patterns making the power balancing a challenging issue.
5. Good applications: Both Solar Photovoltaics and Biodiesel are renewable in nature and can help in reducing pollution. Solar PV systems installed on different capacities of Solar Trees (2 Nos of 3.05kWp, 1Nos of 8.125kWp & 3 Nos of 11.375kWp)  use less land space which is of great advantage in urban areas.

• [message]
• 7. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

Role of NGOs in India story

 

• Simple and complex problems: In any democratic country, the government (state) is the primary agent that formulates and implements social and economic development programmes. But in modern societies, the problems that people face (especially the poor) are much more complex. This is more true in a country like India where a large number of vulnerable sections are experiencing inequalities at all the levels.
• What is development: It does not only mean economic development but also includes promoting social equality, gender equality, improving quality of life etc. Pure economic growth without social growth has no meaning at all. Governments alone cannot effectively execute complex development activities. Other groups and organizations to support the government on various fronts are needed. This is where civil society comes in, in the form of Non Governmnt organizations (NGOs).
• Who are NGOs: Non-Government organizations (NGOs) are the groups or institutions or organizations that are not reducible to the administrative grasp and work on ‘non-profit’ basis with the principles like social equality, altruism and human development as their foundations. In India at present there are nearly 25,000 NGOs spread across India.
• History: While social service was always a Gandhian principle, the formal registration and formation of NGOs emerged in India from early 1970s. Immediately after their formal inception, NGOs received thrust form the Government in more than one ways. In the Sixth Five year plan the government with its famous "GARIBI HATAO" (remove poverty) slogan recognized their importance. In the Seventh FYP, it gave a task of developing “self-reliance communities” to NGOs for promoting rural development. Later in the Eighth FYP, government sought to promote nationwide network of NGOs. In its Ninth FYP, it envisaged the primary role of in promoting PPPs (public private partnerships) in India. The Tenth FYP envisaged the need and importance of NGOS in developing agricultural sector by promoting awareness among the farmers about various modern farm techniques and government initiatives for their benefit.
• What they do: NGOs work on development activities by taking up specific issues like Poverty alleviation, child rights, caste stigma and discriminations, women rights, child labour, rural development, water and sanitation, environmental issues etc. NGOs have become proactive in the social sector development-education, health etc., playing a crucial role in sending the school dropouts back to the school especially in rural areas thus upholding the Right to education. And also the heath sector development programmes like Leprosy eradication programme and programs on eliminating TB, malaria and improving water and sanitation facilities by NGOs have met with huge success.
• The legal influence: NGOs have influenced governments to bring out various development-oriented policies and laws. Some examples are the Right to Information, Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), MNREGA, various policies on women development, forest and environment development, anti-trafficking, people with disability etc.
• Controversies: Over time, many NGOs in India have come under the red scanner and their functioning have to be seen with suspicion. This is because of loss in credibility and lack of accountability. The recent report of Intelligence bureau (IB) stated that the working of few NGOs in the name of protests against the government activities have become detrimental to the nation development. It also mentioned that the protests of ‘foreign funded NGOs’ led to loss of 2-3% of country’s GDP. It is true that NGOs must raise voice to protect the rights of people and protest but it is also equally important for them to provide the alternatives for the government to ensure development.
• Foreign funding: It is known that several NGOs obtaining funds from the foreign sources for their activities. It is also true that these NGOs played crucial part in protests against setting up coal and thermal project plants and nuclear project which led to power shortages in the respective states. But instead of blocking the foreign funds it may be better for the government to ensure further transparency in categorizing the NGOs based on their funds sources. It would also prove effective if government tightens the scrutiny procedures through Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.

• [message]
• 8. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

India’s Defence Budget falls short of expectations

 

1. Not happy: The Defence budget 2021 has fallen far below the expectations of many. Various defence experts and professionals were expecting a sizeable increase in the defence budget allocation for the financial year of 2021-22 owing to the dual China-Pak threat also termed as the “Two Front War” dilemma.
2. DM speaks: Mr Rajnath Singh, the defence minister of India said, “I specially thank PM & FM for increasing the defence budget to 4.78 lakh cr for FY 21-22 which includes capital expenditure worth Rs 1.35 lakh crore. It is nearly 19 percent increase in Defence capital expenditure. This is highest ever increase in capital outlay for defence in 15 years”.
3. Actual numbers: The FM allocated Rs 4,78,195 cr for defence for the FY 2021-22, compared to Rs. 4,71,378 cr for last year (an increase of Rs 6,817 cr). The increase is of 1.44 % while inflation rate is at 4.95 % for 2020. So there is a decrease in budgetary allocation in the real terms.
4. Revenue side: On the revenue side of the defence budget FY 20-21, a sum of Rs 2,09,319 was allocated and later revised to Rs 2,09,312 in the RE. This year in the BE of FY 21-22,Rs 2,12,027.56 have been allocated reflecting an overall increase of Rs 2,715 CR viz-a-viz RE of 2020. This is budget utilised for pay and allowances, training and the running cost of the Indian armed forces.
5. Capital side: For purchase of new weapons and platforms necessary for modernization of our armed forces, the capital outlay is used. In 2018, the then Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Sharath Chand told the parliamentary committee standing committee that “this year’s budget allocations have dashed our hopes for modernisation”. The story remains unchanged even in FY 21-22.
6. The future: India wants a rapid modernisation of its forces amidst growing threat from the Chinese and the Pakistanis combined. With the Chinese sitting on the line of actual control and refusing to budge, restoration of the status quo pre May 2020 is unlikely in near future. As a result the cost factor for sustenance of the Indian army’s deployment in the high altitude frontier has gone up many folds. The cost is as an impediment towards modernisation.

NITI Aayog plan for Little Andaman

1. What it is: The NITI Aayog has released its plan for Little Andaman titled “Sustainable Development of Little Andaman Island Vision Document”.
2. Background: The Little Andaman is a 680 sq km fragile Island in the Andaman and Nicobar island group. The fragile environment of the island has raised alarm among conservationists. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, also declared in the year 2020 that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be developed as a “maritime and start-up hub”. The document by NITI Aayog has been formulated in that context only.
3. Objectives of document: To invest in the strategic location and natural features of the island because this island is critical for India’s security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). To provide a better infrastructure and connectivity to the island that will, in turn, help India to enhance its military and naval strength in the islands.
4. The plan: NITI Aayog has planned to build a new greenfield coastal city. It has planned to develop the city as a free trade zone. It will also compete with Singapore and Hong Kong. The developmental plan has been divided into three zones.
5. About Little Andaman: The little Andaman is the part of the Little Andaman Group. This is the fourth largest island in Andamans. It is famous for its main village and the largest settlement on the island called Hut Bay also known as the Kwate-tu-kwage. The island is at about a distance of 120 Kilometers by sea from the Port Blair. The island is home to Onge Tribes apart from other multilingual settlers of Bengali, Telugu, Tamil and Ranchi communities.

Kerala’s first human milk bank

1. First ever: Kerala opened its first Human Milk Bank (HMB) on February 5, 2021.
2. Highlights: This is a state-of-art facility that will be opened at the Ernakulam general hospital by the Health Minister of Kerala, KK Shailaja. The milk bank is being set up with the support of the Rotary Club of Cochin Global. It will ensure the availability of the breast milk for new-born babies who are not breastfed by their own mothers who are sick or deceased or due to insufficient production of breast milk.
3. The need: Approximately 3600 babies are born in the general hospital a year. Among them, 600 to 1,000 sick babies are admitted into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). But mothers are unable to feed them sufficiently because of low birth-weight of premature babies or babies separated from mothers. Thus, the pasteurized breast milk from the milk bank will reduce the risk of infections and help in boosting their immunity. This concept of milk bank had come to India 32 years back but Kerala did not have a milk bank until now.
4. Collecting the milk: The milk will be collected by following all the safety protocols and procedures and it will be preserved and provide it to needy children as per government guidelines. The collected milk will be stored for 6 months safely in the bank. The milk will be donated by the mothers from the hospital who have delivered babies.
5. Structure: This human milk bank comprises of a pasteurization unit, deep freezers, refrigerators, sterilizing equipment, RO plant, and computers. It has been set up at a cost of ₹35 lakh following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between the state health department and Rotary Club of Cochin Global in the year 2020. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) together and the Indian Association of Pediatricians (IAP) will be providing trained nursing staff to operate the milk bank. 

UAE’s new Citizenship Policy

1.  A new idea: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced its new citizenship policy. The government has planned to offer citizenship to a select group of foreigners. The UAE has thus become the first Gulf Arab nation that formalized the process of giving expatriates a bigger stake in the economy.
2. Aim: The policy aims at attracting talent to the UAE in order to boost the growth. The country is considering longer residency and limited citizenship for foreigners because it seeks to attract the investment and diversify from oil. 
3. History: The UAE earlier used to give citizenship in the UAE to some foreigners in special cases. They were given citizenship for providing service to the state. The Foreign residents accounts for more than 80% of the total population od UAE. The residents are thus the mainstay of UAE’s economy since decades. 
4. Who can be given citizenship: The government has formulated following conditions to provide citizenship: (i) Investors should own a property in the UAE, (ii) They are required to obtain one or more patents approved by the UAE Ministry of Economy or any other reputable international body, (iii) Doctors and specialists should be specialised in a unique scientific discipline or the scientific principles that are highly required in the UAE, (iv) Scientists should be an active researcher in a university or research center. They should have practical experience of at least 10 years in the same field, (v) Individuals with creative talents like intellectuals and artists should be pioneers in the culture and art fields. They should be a winner of one or more international award.
5. 5. Withdrawal of Citizenship: The citizenship of the individual can be withdrawn if there is a breach of the conditions.

• [message]
  

9.1 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

• [message]
• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

---