Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 06-02-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 06-02-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. World Politics - UN Human Rights issues statement on farmers' protests in India - The official Twitter handle of United Nations Human Rights on 05-02-2021 wrote that "#India: We call on the authorities and protesters to exercise maximum restraint in ongoing #FarmersProtests." "The rights to peaceful assembly & expression should be protected both offline & online. It's crucial to find equitable solutions with due respect to #HumanRights for all," the tweet read. This was a serious development, as India's human rights treatment came to the world's notice. The same day, Government announced that 4G services were being restored across Kashmir region, blocked since August 2019. In parallel, domestic war of words on farmers' protests continued unabated, with pro-farmer and anti-farmer-protest camps battling it out in social media.
2. Environment and Ecology - Climate change and transmitting COVID-19 to humans: Study - Climate change may have played a "key role" in transmission of the novel coronavirus to humans by driving several species of pathogen-carrying bats into closer contact, a study predicts. Researchers from University of Cambridge found that over the last century, 40 species of bats relocated to southern China, Laos and Myanmar where, as per genetic analysis, COVID-19 first appeared. Early on in 2020, when the pandemic spread, it was suspected that Chinese citizens had moved deep into the natural spaces of these species, thereby providing pathways for viruses to jump into human society (in Wuhan region). In general, it is known that man's extraction of natural resources is giving opportunity to micro-organisms to proliferate.
3. Governance and Institutions - RBI's MPC Feb 2021 announcements - Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had decided to keep policy rates (repo, reverse repo) unchanged. The repo rate was maintained at 4 percent and reverse repo rate at 3.35 percent, and the accomodative policy stance would continue. So, growth considerations will continue to drive monetary policy “till the prospects of a sustained recovery are well secured. The MPC pegged real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth at 10.5 percent in 2021-22. The RBI had swung into action in April 2020, providing both conventional and unconventional tools to create liquidity in the economy, once lockdowns were initiated by the government.
4. Governance and Institutions - RBI's MPC Feb 2021 on inflation scenario - MPC said that the threat of inflation had been high, complicating policy choices for the MPC, but were now receded. The retail inflation, measured by the consumer price index (CPI), fell sharply to 4.59 per cent in December 2020, after remaining above the upper band of the MPC’s inflation targeting framework at 6%. MPC expects inflation to range between 5-5.2 per cent in coming months. RBI assured ample liquidity through staggering the hike in the cash reserve ratio (CRR). In 2020, there were demands to dilute the inflation targeting framework (FIT), allowing the MPC greater space to remain accommodative. Given the unpredictability it would have brought, nothing was changed.
5. Governance and Institutions - One Nation One Ombudsman - The Reserve Bank in its monetary policy announcement explained it will be integrating consumer grievances redressal under a single ombudsman as against three schemes working at present. Today, there are three dedicated ombudsman schemes devoted to  consumer grievance redressal in (a) banking, (b) non-bank finance companies and (c) digital transactions, respectively. To make the alternate dispute redress mechanism simpler and more responsive to the customers of regulated entities, they are being merged. The RBI is targeting to roll out the e-Integrated Ombudsman Scheme in June 2021, and financial consumer protection has gained significant policy priority across jurisdictions and the RBI has been taking a slew of initiatives on the same.
6. Healthcare and Medicine - Healthcare workers in Myanmar start anti-coup protests - Healthcare workers across Myanmar started a civil disobedience protest against February 2021's military coup amid a steady rise in COVID-19 cases. Medical workers wore red ribbons and declared that they won't work for the new military government, with some staff going on strike. Healthcare workers working in government hospitals and facilities had also issued a statement earlier opposing the coup. The Tatmadaw - Myanmar's military - had seized power ousting the elected government, that won recent elections too, under frivolous charges.
7. Energy - Denmark to build world's first energy island in North Sea - Denmark on 05-02-2021 approved a plan to build the world's first energy island in the North Sea. The artificial island will produce and store greenhouse energy to provide electricity for three million European households. The island, which is currently in its initial phase, will be the size of 18 football fields and would cost 210 billion Danish kroner ($33.9 billion). Located 80 kilometres west of the Jutland Peninsula, it will initially have an area of 120,000 square kilometres. The island will be linked up to hundreds of wind turbines providing power to several European countries. It’s a new way of thinking about offshore wind, because the usual way is to have one offshore wind farm that’s connected to land. The floating energy island could also be used to fuel ships, planes and trucks using renewable electricity. Wind power would be converted into hydrogen which can then be turned into liquid fuels. This would solve two problems: how to store renewable energy and how to get it into the transport sector.
8. Healthcare and Medicine - Covid, vaccine and health updates - Pakistan said that China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine was not effective for people over the age of 60 years. The expert committee did not authorise the Sinopharm vaccine for people older than 60, a day after Pakistan started its vaccination programme. In another development, Pfizer withdrew its vaccine's emergency use application from India. The US pharma giant's move came following the meeting of the Drug Regulatory Authority of India (DGCI) on February 3, 2021, attended by the company as well. India claimed that it was rolling out the vaccination successfully, and at the higest rate anywhere in the world. Meanwhile, Israel donated medical equipment to a Delhi-based hospital - Primus Super Speciality Hospital - on February 5, 2021, a week after a blast took place outside the Israel Embassy in Delhi. The equipment included AI-based technologies and ventilators to the hospital in an attempt to strengthen its friendship with India.
9. Defence and Military - India approves export of 156 defence equipment, including Brahmos, Tejas, Astra missile - In total, 156 defence equipment have been approved for export by the government to boost its arms export to the friendly nations.  The Central Government on February 4, 2021, gave its approval for the export of artillery guns, indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, tanks and missiles, explosive, anti-tank mines, and others. In total, 156 defence equipment have been approved for export by the government in order to boost its arms export to the friendly nations. The list of the items was released by the Defence Research Development Organisation. Earlier, India had given clearance for the export of Akash Missile, but now even Brahmos weapon system, Beyond Visual range air-to-air missile Astra and anti-tank guided missile Nag are also ready for the export.
10. Governance and Institutions - Schemes - (a) The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched web portal on Gobardhan scheme that seeks to support villages in managing the cattle as well as biodegradable waste. The scheme is likely to boost the farmers' income through the conversion of biodegradable waste into compressed biogas (CBG). (b) The Government launched a KAPILA campaign to raise awareness about Intellectual Property Rights. The Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness (KAPILA) Campaign will spread awareness about the intellectual property rights. The information regarding this was shared by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

RBI Monetary Policy - Feb 2021 - Full update

• Synopsis: The RBI did not make any major change in stance. It retained the repo rate at their record low of 4 per cent and the reverse repo rate at 3.35 per cent. All six members of the Monetary Policy Committee voted to leave the policy rate unchanged including the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das. This was the last bi-monthly meeting of the FY 2021.

• Key highlights of MPC Review:

1. MPC voted unanimously to leave repo rate, Reverse repo rate, MSF, Bank rate remain unchanged.
2. Inflation outturns have turned out to be better than expected as CPI Inflation in the Jan-Mar quarter at 5.2% and CPI Inflation in H1 of FY22 seen at 5.0-5.2%. Bumper Kharif crop, rising Rabi sowing are indicative of stable food inflation. Outlook for core inflation is influenced by cost-pushed pressures.
3. Active supply intervention contributed to lowering of inflation in December.
4. Outlook on growth has improved significantly; GDP growth is projected at 10.5% in 2021-22. Need of the hour is to continue to support growth as the objective is to return the economy to a higher growth trajectory
5. Signs of recovery has strengthened further, list of normalising sectors expanding. The policy stance remains accommodative as long as necessary.
6. Electricity demand reflect broader normalisation of economic activity than in December. Saw renewed confidence in the real estate sector. Vaccination drive to provide impetus for restoration of contact intensive sectors. Speed of daily highway construction is rising. Flow of financial resources to commercial sectors is improving. Economic Survey suggests further sequential improvement in loan demand.
7. Budget has provided strong impetus for revival of health, infra sector and will reinvigorate domestic demand. Atmanirbhar stimulus given earlier has started working its way through. Projected increase in capex by govt augurs well for investment demand, improving credibility of quality of spending.
8. Concerted policy action by both centre and state is critical to ensure that ongoing cost build up does not accelerate. Maintenance of financial stability, orderly evolution of yield curve was explicitly regarded as "public good".
9. Stance on liquidity management continues to remain accommodative and in consonance with policy stance will ensure adequate liquidity in the system.  Proactively took steps to insulate domestic markets from global spillovers.
10. CRR normalisation opens space for other market operations to inject liquidity; to announces two-phase normalisation of CRR. Restoration of CRR to happen in two phases from March; decided to gradually restore CRR to 3.5% from March and then 4% from May 22nd.
11. Financial stability at the core of RBI's objective. RBI will ensure orderly completion of govt's market borrowing program for FY22, and will include NBFCs under TLTRO on-tap scheme for incremental lending to stressed sectors. The MSF facility to banks will be available till September.
12. To extend dispensation of enhanced held-to-maturity (HTM) category under SLR to 22%. Banks will be allowed to deduct new credit to MSMEs from their NDTL. To defer implementation of last tranche of capital conservation buffer and implementation of MSFR by another 6 months.
13. To come out with consultation paper to harmonise regulatory framework in microfinance space. To allow retail investors to open gilt accounts with RBI (BBIIIGGG), to provide retail investors access to primary and secondary government securities market.
14. To provide retail investors online access to gilts market via Retail Direct. (a first time move, may be a precursor to CBDC - Digital Currency)
15. Allowing retail investors together with HTM relaxation will facilitate smooth completion of govt's borrowing programme in FY22. Indian economy is poised to move in only one direction, that is upwards.
16. In FY22, will undo damage that COVID inflicted on the economy.

 

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

Union Budget 2021-22: Rs.4,000 crore deep ocean mission

• Back to the seas: The Indian government wants to understand the oceans better, both as a resource and for the conservation of marine bio diversity — two research areas that could become conflicting in nature. The project will cover deep ocean exploration and conservation of biodiversity.
• Government intent: The FM said: “Our oceans are a storehouse of living and non-living resources. To better understand this realm, we will launch a deep ocean mission with a budget outlay of more than Rs 4,000 crores, over five years. This mission will cover deep ocean survey exploration and projects for the conservation of deep sea bio-diversity.”
• Learning oceans better: The objective is commendable since globally only 11 percent of marine species have been indentified. The deep ocean species are even less explored. In November 2004, Baban Shravan Ingole at the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research in Goa and J Anthony Koslow at the University of California, San Diego said the Indian Ocean floor at a depth of 3,000 m to 6,000 m was rich in bio diversity,  both small and large.
• Species going extinct: They had also found that most of these species found around underwater mountain ridges remain virtually unexplored. It took the Indian government 17 years to take note and start exploring the ocean depths and conserve its biodiversity. There might be many cases of species going extinct even before being discovered as unbridled exploitation of ocean resources is the primary threat to ocean biodiversity worldwide, according to the proceedings of the 2018 conference for Young Marine Researcher (YOUMARE) in Oldenburg, Germany.
• Two projects: There are two ongoing government projects on this subject under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

1. The first is the Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources, Modelling and Science (O-STORMS) project which does not have any budget estimate for this year. The project did not have a budget estimate or revised estimate for the last financial year as well but some activities have been undertaken as part of it. A polar remotely operated vehicle was indigenously developed for shallow waters of up to 500m depth under the project, Y S Chowdary, minister of state for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences had said in a parliamentary answer in March, 2018. It was successfully deployed in the Andaman coral islands.
2. The second ocean-faring endeavour under the MoES is the Ocean Services, Modelling, Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART) project. For this the budget estimate was Rs 567 crore in 2020-21 which was later revised to Rs 238.5 crore. This Budget, the project was allotted Rs 436 crore.

• SMART: An MoES press release from September 21, 2020 lists 16 objectives of the O-SMART scheme which includes collection of information of marine living resources, monitoring of pollution in the Indian Ocean and develop underwater vehicles. It also says that the project will be used “to carryout exploration of poly-metallic nodules from water depth of 5,500m in site of 75,000 square kilometre allotted to India by United Nations in Central Indian Ocean Basin”. This was to investigate the depths of the ocean for gas hydrates.
• Gas hydrates: These are ice-like crystalline minerals that form when low molecular weight gas (such as methane, ethane, or carbon dioxide) combines with water and freezes into a solid under low temperature and moderate pressure conditions. Most gas hydrates are formed from methane (CH4). Another aspect is that gas hydrates in the ocean can be associated with unusual and possibly unique biological communities that use hydrocarbons or hydrogen sulphide for carbon and energy via a process known as chemosynthesis. These gas hydrates “may contain roughly twice the carbon contained in all reserves of coal, oil, and conventional natural gas combined, making them a potentially valuable energy resource,” NOAA said.
• Dangerous: Gas hydrates could also be dangerous as their decomposition can release large amounts of methane, which is a greenhouse gas that could impact Earth’s climate. “Sudden release of pressurised methane gas may cause submarine landslides, which in turn can trigger tsunamis,” according to NOAA.

 

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

Rihanna and Greta Thunberg versus Modi Government

1. Global celebrities on Indian farmers: The Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has been a worried man in February, not necessarily due to the Chinese troops massing at the border in the Himalayas but due to a celebrity with a global following. Rihanna, the 32-year-old Barbados-born reggae and hip-hop singer, swooped in unexpectedly to support Indian farmers surrounding New Delhi, following months of protest over new farm laws.
2. What farmers want: Indian farmers seek the repeal of three controversial laws passed in 2020. The laws are intended to reform India’s highly regulated and subsidized agricultural market but which, many farmers fear, will leave them defenseless against corporate power and increase their risk of uncertain returns. The Indian parliament passed those laws in unseemly haste, without the usual consultation or parliamentary scrutiny. Since then, protests have continued unabated, with farmers laying siege on the outskirts of New Delhi and embarrassing the government. The Indian Supreme Court has intervened and set up a committee to examine the laws.
3. What Rihanna said: She made no claims of being an expert on agriculture or India’s parliamentary procedures. Her concern was more straightforward: Why is the world not concerned about the stifling of dissent in India? Pointing out a CNN report about India blocking internet access around the protest sites, the singer asked in a tweet: “Why aren’t we talking about this?!” Internet blackouts have been normal in India for some time now.
4. Scale of outrage: Rihanna has more than 100 million (10 crore) followers worldwide. Within hours, other international celebrities had stepped in: Greta Thunberg, the teenage Swedish environmentalist, provided a link to a toolkit that explained in detail what people around the world could do to support Indian farmers. Meena Harris, the niece of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, whose mother was born in India, also joined in, as did Mia Khalifa, the Lebanese American former porn star. So did popular Canadian Indian poet Rupi Kaur. Politicians in Britain, Canada, and the United States have backed the protesters, as have British farmers. That led to a sudden backlash from Indian government at the higest levels.
5. MEA Jaishankar's response: He tweeted as if India were facing a real, grave crisis. And his ministry’s officials drafted a remarkable statement complaining that the “temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible.” Even as the officials were criticizing Rihanna, Thunberg, and others without naming them, leading Indian cricket players and film stars came out in support of the government in an orchestrated move, using the Twitter hashtag #IndiaAgainstPropoganda to voice their resentment.
6. Arrests: The government’s battle against the protesters and their celebrity supporters has gotten far more serious than social media exchanges. India used Section 69A of its Information Technology Act to require Twitter to take down dozens of accounts, including those of the magazine Caravan and the farmers’ movement, known as Kisan Ekta Morcha. Twitter initially complied without explaining why. Reports said it was because of an inflammatory hashtag but several of the affected accounts had not used that hashtag. Twitter soon reinstated most accounts.
7. Misogyny: Attacks against female celebrities abound, and in Rihanna’s case, there have been racist comments as well. Pro-government protesters also took to the streets and burned large photographs of Thunberg, Harris, and Rihanna. Others noted mockingly that Khalifa had acted in adult films and Rihanna posed topless in a field in Northern Ireland in 2011, as if that undermined their disapproval of India’s curbs on dissent. Kangana Ranaut, a pro-government film actor, called Rihanna a “fool”!

Biden and Indian Government

1. Indian democracy: The world feels that India is a democracy in decline. Freedom House now ranks the country in 83rd place, at the very bottom of officially “free” states, observing that India’s “departure from democratic norms … could blur the values-based distinction between Beijing and New Delhi.” Reporters Without Borders ranks India 142nd on press freedom, three slots below Myanmar!
2. Biden's stand: President Joe Biden was quick to denounce the military coup in Myanmar and Russia’s brutal treatment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. But India’s backsliding will pose a real problem for Biden. How will an administration dedicated to restoring democracy at home and abroad deal with an democracy that is a rising power in Asia and a crucial counterweight to China?
3. Dilemma: American presidents have faced some version of this problem since Jimmy Carter vowed to make human rights and the promotion of democracy “a fundamental tenet of our foreign policy.” Carter exempted the Shah of Iran from criticism because he regarded Tehran as an indispensable ally. President Ronald Reagan’s campaign for democracy bypassed anti-Communist dictatorships in Latin America and East Asia, while President George W. Bush blinked when Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak broke a promise to hold free and fair elections in 2005. Torn between professed values and geopolitical interests, presidents tend to default to the latter.
4. A democracy summit: Biden has explained that at the so-called Summit for Democracy he plans to convene later in 2021 will call on leaders to work together to fight corruption and authoritarianism and protect human rights. It is not at all clear whether illiberal democracies like Hungary, Poland, and Brazil — corrupt, authoritarian, rights-denying — would be invited to address their own failures.
5. Indian situation: Among these, India has a geopolitical status all its own. The world’s fifth-largest economy, India serves as a bulwark against China, which Biden administration regards as America’s most dangerous adversary. The Biden administration has adopted from Trump the premise of an “Indo-Pacific” region with India at its core. Kurt Campbell, appointed “Indo-Pacific Coordinator” at the National Security Council, has proposed forging a new system of alliances binding South and East Asia, and Asia and Europe, as well as of incorporating India, South Korea, and Australia into the G-7 to form a new “D-10”—the ten great democracies.

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

Power connection portability, Rs Three lakh crore reform schemes in Budget 2021-22 INSERT 

1. A huge package: The government will enable electricity connections portability to consumers by introducing competition in the power distribution space and kickstart a Rs 3 lakh crore reforms scheme for state power distribution companies, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced. She announced a distribution reforms scheme for the next five years. “The viability of distribution companies is a serious concern. A revamped, reform-based, results-linked, power distribution sector scheme will be launched with an outlay of Rs 3,05,982 crore over five years."
2. Giving customers the choice: The distribution companies across the country are monopolies, either government or private. There is a need to provide choice to the consumers by promoting competition. A framework will be put in place to give consumers alternatives to choose from among more than one distribution company.
3. Distribution reforms: The FM also announced a distribution reforms scheme for the next five years. “The viability of distribution companies is a serious concern. A revamped, reform-based, results-linked, power distribution sector scheme will be launched with an outlay of Rs 3,05,982 crore over five years. The scheme will provide assistance to discoms for infrastructure creation, inclusion of prepaid smart metering, feeder separation, upgradation of systems etc,” she said in Parliament.
4. Growth: India has added 139 GW of installed capacity, connected 2.8 crore households and added 1.41 lakh ckt km of transmission lines in the last six years.
5. Industry view: The Association of Power Producers director general Ashok Khurana said, "We welcome the announcement of the revamped reforms-based scheme for revival of the distribution segment (Rs 3,05,982 crore over 5 years). The Distribution segment has been the weakest link in the electrical system and providing assistance for infrastructure creation such as pre-paid smart metering and upgradation of systems, while tying the support to financial improvements, is vital for the sustainability of the entire power sector."

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

Corruption Perception Index 2020

1. The story: The Transparency International (TI)’s Corruption Perception Index 2020 (CPI) was recently released. The CPI score for India is constant this year as well as the previous year’s score. India’s rank is 86 out of 180 nations with a score of 40. It was ranked at 80th position out of 180 countries in 2019 with a score of 41.
2. Corruption Perception Index 2020: At 40, India’s score is below the average score of the Asia-Pacific region (31 countries) and global average, the CPI 2020 report stated. India’s overall score is also two points less than that of China, which docked at 78th position, with a score of 42. Pakistan, however, scored just 31 points, falling at the 144th position on the index.
3. Global Scenario: Denmark and New Zealand top the index, with 88 points. Syria, Somalia and South Sudan come last, with 14, 12 and 12 points, respectively. Nearly half of countries have been stagnant on the index for almost a decade, indicating stalled government efforts to tackle the root causes of corruption. More than two-thirds score below 50.
4. South Sudan is also perceived as one of the most corrupt countries in the world due to constant social and economic crises.
5. Key Recommendations: To reduce corruption and better respond to future crises, Transparency International recommends that - (i) all governments strengthen oversight institutions to ensure resources reach those most in need; (ii) anti-corruption authorities and oversight institutions must have sufficient funds; (iii) resources and independence to perform their duties; (iv) ensure open and transparent contracting to combat wrong-doing; (v) identify conflicts of interest and ensure fair pricing; (vi) defend democracy and promote civic space to create the enabling conditions to hold governments accountable; (vii) Publish relevant data and guarantee access to information to ensure the public receives easy, accessible, timely and meaningful information.

 

Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha

1. A vacant chair: Till Feb 2021, nearly 19 months after the 17th Lok Sabha was constituted, the constitutionally mandated post of Deputy Speaker was lying vacant. Article 91 of the Constitution provides that while the office of Speaker is vacant, or during any period when the Vice-President is acting, or discharging the functions of President, the duties of the office shall be performed by the Deputy Speaker. If the office of Deputy Speaker is also vacant, by such member of the Council of State as the President may appoint for the purpose.
2. More: It further mentions that during the absence of the Speaker from any sitting of the House, the Deputy Chairman, or, if no such person, as may be determined by the Council shall act as Chairman. Similar constitutional provisions exist in respect to the position of the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
3. Deputy Speaker position: The constitutional office of the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha is more symbolic of parliamentary democracy than with some real authority. There is no need to resign from their original party though as a Deputy Speaker, but they have to remain impartial. They act as the presiding officer in case of leave or in absence caused by death or illness of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
4. Election: Usually, the Deputy Speaker is elected in the first meeting of the Lok Sabha after the General elections from amongst the members of the Lok Sabha. It is by convention that position of Deputy Speaker is offered to opposition party in India.
5. Tenure and removal: They hold office until either they cease to be a member of the Lok Sabha or they resign. They can be removed from office by a resolution passed in the Lok Sabha by an effective majority of its members.

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

Largest sea on Saturn’s moon Titan could be more than 1,000 feet deep

• Story of Titan: Saturn’s largest of the 82 moons, Titan’s biggest water body is more than 1,000 feet deep near its centre. The Kraken Mare is so deep that its exact depth could not be measured. The new findings were obtained from the data collected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Cassini mission. Seven years ago, it was believed that the depth of the extraterrestrial lake was 115 feet at least.
• Kraken Mare: The depth and composition of each of Titan’s seas had already been measured, except for Titan’’s largest sea, Kraken Mare, which not only has a great name, but also contains about 80% of the moon’s surface liquids.
• Possibilities: As a result of the new findings of the mystery moon, researchers believe that they can send a robotic submarine to Kraken Mare. The mission is subjected to be funded and approved by NASA. But, if it happens, by the end of the decade we will be poised to know more about Saturn’s fascinating moon. “Thanks to our measurements, scientists can now infer the density of the liquid with higher precision, and consequently better calibrate the sonar aboard the vessel and understand the sea’s directional flow,” said Poggiali.
• Scientific Study: The measurement was done using echoes of radar waves sent by the Cassini spacecraft from 965 km above Moray Sinus, an estuary located at the sea’s northern end. The depth was calculated using the time it took for the radar signal to bounce back from the liquid surface of the water body and its bottom. The difference between the two was calculated keeping the factors like the composition of the lake’s liquid into account as it absorbs the energy of the signal.
• New learning: Also, scientists were surprised by the composition of the lake which was previously believed to be mostly ethane given the lake’s size and location. However, the new research unveils that it is a mix of methane and ethane. Researchers believe that this may help them understand the precipitation cycle on the moon as well.
• Source of Methane: They also hope to find out in the future the origins of liquid methane on Titan despite being 100 times less energy than Earth and being 10 times away from it.

• Brazilian, Indian start-up satellite in ISRO’s first mission in 2021 on Feb 28

1. ISRO's Amazonian venture: In its first mission in 2021, India’s space agency ISRO planned to launch on February 28 Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 and three Indian payloads, including one built by a home-grown start-up. Amazonia-1, reportedly the first earth observation satellite entirely developed by Brazil, is the primary payload. ‘Anand’, ‘Satish Dhawan’ satellite and ‘UNITYsat’ will be the co-passengers.
2. Anand: The satellites are slated to be launched onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-51 at 10.24 am from the Sriharikota spaceport, over 100 km from Chennai. ‘Anand’ is built by Indian space startup, Pixxel, and ‘Satish Dhawan Satellite’ by Chennai-based Space Kidz India.
3. What it is: UNITYsat is a combination of three satellites designed and built as a joint development by Jeppiaar Institute of Technology, Sriperumpudur (JITsat), G. H. Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur (GHRCEsat) and Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore (Sri Shakthi Sat). PSLV-C51 marks the launch of the countrys first commercial private remote-sensing satellite (Anand) on an ISRO PSLV rocket.
4. A leap: Bengaluru-based Pixxel has said it plans to build a constellation of 30 satellites by 2023. According to Space Kidz India, Satish Dhawan satellite (SD SAT), named after former ISRO chairman Satish Dhawan, aimed to study space radiation and Magnetosphere and demonstrate the indigenously designed and developed nanosatellite components.

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

Poverty and Covid-19 - a deep relationship

• Dangerous possibilities: An additional 207 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030 due to the severe long-term impact of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total number of the world’s extremely poor to more than a billion, a new study from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has found. UNDP’s study finds that investments in welfare programmes, governance and green economy could prevent the rise of extreme poverty and better the world’s pre-pandemic development trajectory.
• SDGs: The study assesses the impact of different Covid-19 recovery scenarios on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), evaluating the multidimensional effects of the pandemic over the next decade. The study is part of a long-standing partnership between the UNDP and the Pardee Center for International Futures at the University of Denver.
• 100 Cr. by 2030: Severe long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic could push an additional 207 million people into extreme poverty on top of the current pandemic trajectory, bringing the total to over 1 billion by 2030.
• Worrying scenario: The ‘Baseline Covid’ scenario, based on current mortality rates and the most recent growth projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), would result in 44 million more people living in extreme poverty by 2030 compared to the development trajectory the world was on before the pandemic. Under a ‘High Damage’ scenario, where the recovery is protracted, Covid-19 is likely to push an additional 207 million people into extreme poverty by 2030, and increase the female poverty headcount by an additional 102 million compared to that baseline, says the report.  The ‘High Damage’ scenario anticipates that 80 per cent of the Covid-induced economic crisis would persist in 10 years’ time due to loss in productivity, preventing a full recovery to the growth trajectory seen before the pandemic.
• Focus on welfare, governance: However, the study also finds that a focused set of SDG investments over the next decade in social protection/welfare programmes, governance, digitalisation and a green economy could not only prevent the rise of extreme poverty, but actually exceed the development trajectory the world was on before the pandemic. This ambitious, yet feasible ‘SDG Push’ scenario would lift an additional 146 million people out of extreme poverty, narrow the gender poverty gap, and reduce the female poverty headcount by 74 million, even taking into account the current impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Solution: The concerted SDG interventions suggested by the study combine behavioural changes through nudges for both governments and citizens, such as improved effectiveness and efficiency in governance and changes in consumption patterns of food, energy and water. The proposed interventions also focus on global collaboration for climate action, additional investments in Covid-19 recovery, and the need for improved broadband access and technology innovation, UNDP said.

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

First thunderstorm research testbed of India

• A first: India’s first thunderstorm research testbed will be established in Balasore, Odisha. It is being established to minimize the human fatalities and loss of property because of the lightning strikes.
• Key points: The announcement was made by the Director-General of India Meteorological Department, Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, who said that a Monsoon Testbed will also be set up near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The monsoon testbed would also be first-of-its-kind.
• Thunderstorm testbed: It will be established in a collaboration among the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and India Meteorological Department (IMD). All have units in Balasore. The observatories will be set up to cater to the adjoining areas.
• What it will have: The testbed will comprise of several observational networks, radar, auto-station, a full-fledged observatory, a wind profiler and a microwave radiometer.
• The need: Many lives are lost in Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand because of lightning strikes during the months of April to June every year. On an average, more than 350 people are killed in Odisha because of lightning strikes. As per a report, in the span of nine years (till 2020), 3218 people have died due to lightning. Thus, there is a need to set up the testbed to predict the thunderstorm and save life.
• India Meteorological Department (IMD): It was established in the year 1875. It is an agency which is responsible for weather forecasting, meteorological observations, and seismology. The agency works under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The headquarters are in Delhi. Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra is currently serving as the Director-General of India Meteorological Department. He is often nick-named as ‘Cyclone Man of India’ because of his accurate prediction of cyclones in Indian subcontinent.

 

PMMVY beneficiaries cross 1.75 crores

• WCD: The Ministry of Women and Child Development informed that the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana which is central government’s maternity benefit scheme has crossed 1.75 crore eligible women till the financial year 2020.
• Key points: The central government initial estimate states that the government had the aim of covering 51.60 lakh women per year under the scheme. A total of ₹5,931.95 crore has been paid to the 1.75 crore eligible beneficiaries in the financial year 2018 to 2020. In the fiscal year 2020-2021, ₹2,063.70 crore was paid to 65.12 lakh eligible beneficiaries.
• About PMMVY: The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), and comprises provision of assisting the pregnant women and lactating mothers with Rs 5,000 on the birth of their first child. This amount is paid in three instalments after certain conditions are fulfilled.
• Conditions for beneficiaries: The PMMVY scheme targets only those women who are delivering their first child. Further, the pregnant women are required to do the registration early. The women should have at least one ante-natal check-up and registration of child birth. The maternity benefits are not provided to women in the regular employment with the Central Government or State Government. Women employed in any Public Sector Undertaking or who are receiving similar benefits under any law are not eligible for the maternity benefits.
• Objectives: The scheme is to provide the partial compensation for the wage loss so that the woman can take proper rest before and after delivery of the first living child and to provide the cash incentives in order to improve the health seeking behaviour and raise awareness regarding the health benefits among the Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.

 

National Horticulture Fair 2021

• Details: The National Horticulture Fair will start on February 8, 2021. It is a five-day event that will be organised at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) campus. People from all across India will also participate the event virtually.
• About: The theme of the National Horticulture Fair 2021 will be: ‘Horticulture for Start-Up and Stand-Up India’. It seeks to encourage the farmers to become entrepreneurs. The fair will be organised by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR). It will be held virtually as well as offline. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical entry of participants is restricted to 30,000.
• Farmers will also participate in the event with the help of 721 Krishi Vijnana Kendras and 11 Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes.
• Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR): Tt is an autonomous organization engaged in basic, strategic, anticipatory and applied research on various aspects of horticulture. It is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The institute is a subsidiary of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It works under the nodal head of the Ministry of Agriculture.
• Horticulture: It is a branch of agriculture that involves the intensively cultured plants which are directly used by man for food, medicinal purposes and aesthetic gratification. It involves the cultivation, production and sale of fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, ornamental or exotic plants. L.H. Bailey is called as the Father of American Horticulture. On the other hand, M.H. Marigowda is called as the Father of Indian Horticulture.

RBI to adopt “One Nation One Ombudsman” approach

• Announcement: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that it will integrate the consumer grievances redressal under a single ombudsman as opposed to the three grievance redressal schemes working at present.
• Key facts: Currently, there are dedicated ombudsman schemes for the consumer grievance redressal in the banking, non-bank finance companies and digital transactions. Now, RBI has decided to integrate the three Ombudsman schemes. RBI has also operationalized the complaint management system (CMS) portal as a one stop solution. This portal will be used for the alternate dispute resolution of the customer complaints which are not resolved by regulated entities.
• One Nation One Ombudsman approach: The RBI will adopt the ‘One Nation One Ombudsman’ approach to make the alternate dispute redress mechanism simple and more responsive to the users. The mechanism will cater to all the customers from banks, NBFCs and the non-bank issuers of prepaid payment instruments. The e-Integrated Ombudsman Scheme will be rolled out in June 2021.
• Objectives: The central bank has decided to adopt the approach of “One Nation, One Ombudsman” with the objective of making process of redress of grievances easy. The approach will make the grievance process easy by enable the customers to register the complaints under the integrated scheme with a centralised reference point.
• Banking Ombudsman: It is a quasi-judicial authority that was created in the year 2006 under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme 2006. The authority was created to enable the resolution of complaints of bank customers.
• Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006: It is an inexpensive forum for the redressal of grievances of bank customers. Banking Ombudsman Scheme was first introduced in the year 1995. The scheme was revised in the year 2002. Currently, the Banking Ombudsman Scheme 2006 is operating.

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