Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 24-04-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 24-04-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Governance and Institutions - India in global energy transition index - India has ranked 87th on the global transition index, out of 115 countries that were tracked on the basis of their energy systems. Sweden was ranked first, while Denmark and Norway were on second and third positions. China was ranked at 67. This index tracks nations on the current performance of their energy systems across various aspects, according to World Economic Forum (WEF). This was the 10th anniversary report, and as per WEF an opportunity to reflect and ask the question whether the energy transition is resilient and if the momentum is sufficient. A resilient transition is one that maintains the direction, speed and required rate of progress towards a secure, affordable, sustainable and inclusive energy system even in the face of disruptions. As of 2018, 81% of the world’s energy was still supplied by fossil fuels, global greenhouse gas emissions rose through 2019 and more than 770 million people around the world still lacked access to electricity. The transformation of our energy systems needs to increase its momentum to help achieve critical objectives such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.
2. World Politics - Bill passed to make Washington DC 51st state of the US - The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that will make Washington DC the 51st state of the USA. The legislation was passed with 208 Republicans voting against and 216 Democrats voting in favour. The Capital of the US, Washington DC, does not have elected voting representation in Congress. Historically, after the US declared independence from British rule in 1776, the country’s founding leaders wanted the national capital on a federal district, and not a part of any state (for partisan and security reasons). The district which was thus created was named after the explorer Columbus, and the city after George Washington, the first US president. In 1961, the 23rd Amendment to the US Constitution was passed, giving D.C. residents the right to vote for president starting in 1964. Since 1974, the city has had its own council and mayor, but continues to be under the direct jurisdiction of the US Congress. D.C. gets one member in the House of Representatives, who has no voting power. In 1985, a constitutional amendment that would have given DC several rights of a full state failed. Another setback came in 1993, when the House of Representatives voted down statehood for the city. In 2020, the DC statehood question again came to the fore after Black Lives Matter (#BLM) protests rocked the nation’s largest cities– including DC, where African Americans are the largest ethnic group, making up just less than half of the city’s 68 lakh population. The Senate now has to pass the Bill, and the President give his approval. Since Senate is tied 50:50 between Democrats and Republicans, the creation of a new state (largely Democrat leaning) will not be liked by the Republicans.
3. Science and Technology - Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment - NASA has announced that the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) aboard the Perseverance rover was able to produce oxygen from the thin Martian atmosphere for the first time. MOXIE produced 5 grams of oxygen from carbon dioxide, enough for an astronaut to breathe for 10 minutes in Mars. It is designed to generate up to 10 grams of oxygen per hour. [In Mars’ atmosphere, carbon dioxide makes up ~96% of the gas. But, oxygen is only 0.13%, compared to 21% in Earth’s atmosphere.] To produce oxygen, MOXIE separates oxygen atoms from carbon dioxide molecules by using heat at a temperature of around 800 degrees Celsius. In the process, it also produces carbon monoxide as a waste product, which it releases in the Martian atmosphere. Importance - A substantial amount of oxygen supply on Mars is essential for crewed missions to Mars - Astronauts could breathe it. The oxygen produced could be used as liquid oxygen propellant and the rockets could use it as fuel while coming back to Earth.
4. Indian Economy - Swamitva Scheme started - PM Modi launched the distribution of e-property cards under the SWAMITVA scheme on 24th April 2021 (National Panchayati Raj Day). More than nine lakh property owners were given their e-property cards on this occasion, which marked the rolling out of the SVAMITVA scheme for implementation across India. SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) was launched on 24th April 2020 as a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) to promote a socio-economically empowered and self-reliant rural India. It is touted to have the potential to transform rural India using modern technical tools of mapping and surveying. It paves the way for using the property as a financial asset by villagers for availing loans and other financial benefits. The Scheme will cover around 6.62 Lakh villages of the entire country during 2021-2025. The pilot phase of the Scheme was implemented during 2020–2021 in the States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and select villages of Punjab and Rajasthan.
5. Environment and Ecology - Tough Corals - Studies have suggested that coral structures may withstand climate change owing to their impressive process of forming rock-hard skeletons. Stylophora pistillata, a common stony coral in the Indo-Pacific revealed that coral structures consist of a biomineral containing a highly organized organic mix of proteins that resembles human bones. Several proteins are organized spatially – a process that’s critical to forming a rock-hard coral skeleton. Corals have survived global climate change over millions of years by the process called Biomineralization. It is the study of processes that lead to the formation of hierarchically structured organic–inorganic materials generated by living organisms, such as shells, bone and teeth. Corals are made up of genetically identical organisms called polyps. These polyps have microscopic algae called zooxanthellae living within their tissues. The corals and algae have a mutualistic relationship. The coral provides the zooxanthellae with the compounds necessary for photosynthesis. In return, the zooxanthellae supply the coral with organic products of photosynthesis, like carbohydrates, which are utilized by the coral polyps for the synthesis of their calcium carbonate skeletons. In addition to providing corals with essential nutrients, zooxanthellae are responsible for the unique and beautiful colors of corals.
6. Agriculture - Agitating farmers firm - Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on said that the ongoing farmers' agitation may continue for the next five years, unless the govt. accepted their demands. He said that if the govt. can be run for five years, why not the farmers' agitation. He urged farmers to make "the agitation a part of their routine life". Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik said that he had told Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to accept the demands of agitating farmers. He also added that the agitation of farmers can't be suppressed. He said, "I will continue such efforts in the future too. I will do whatever is possible for it."
7. World Economy - Biden's mega tax proposals - President Joe Biden wants to end the preferential U.S. tax treatment of investment income that has benefited the nation’s wealthy. He wants to fund the sweeping new social-spending program, and will now need to overcome a major political hurdle in Congress to do so. He plans to propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for those earning $1 million or more, to 39.6%, which will impact 0.32% of American taxpayers (with reported adjusted gross income of more than $1 million and capital gains or losses on their returns). The move would send the top federal rate on the appreciation in assets sold by the rich as high as 43.4% when including a surtax to help pay for Obamacare. This would end the century-old precedent of under-taxing investment relative to wages and salaries. Tax rates will change for less than 1% of Americans (in fact, less than 1/2 of 1% of Americans). Surging stock and property prices over the past year only strengthened the Biden team’s determination to follow through on campaign pledges to demand higher taxes from the best-off. The new marginal 39.6% rate would be an increase from the current base rate of 20%. A 3.8% tax on investment income that funds Obamacare would be kept in place.
8. Science and Technology - Problem with vaccine makers in India - Even as Nobel laureates and public health voices call for a waiver of intellectual property on Covid-19 technologies, including vaccines, global vaccine industry representatives point to export bans as a key barrier to access. Collaborations between companies, competitors, countries and regulators has helped deliver multiple Covid-19 vaccines, but the road ahead is “bumpy”. On the raw-material shortage hampering vaccine supplies, chief of Bharat Biotech said that single use materials, plastic consumables were in short supply, and “there was no solution in sight”. The ban on raw materials by the US, following the invocation of its Defense Production Act, had been flagged recently by Serum Institute’s chief. Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel, pointed out, that a vaccine’s IP was available on the internet, the key really was the people and expertise involved in producing it. Companies should focus on getting enough vaccines out this year, he said, as the next year would have too much capacity and many vaccines. Companies need to stay agile, he said, as the virus was not “still” and variants were emerging. Moderna was working on a multi-valent, single dose booster.
9. World Politics - Covid update - The EU’s medicines agency recommended that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should carry a warning about blood clots being a very rare possible side effect, but reiterated that the benefits of the jab far outweigh the risks. A regulatory body in Brazil approved the emergency use of a cocktail of medicines to treat mild and moderate cases of covid-19. The treatment is thought to reduce the chances of hospitalisation significantly. The country’s death toll surpassed 3,80,000. Sweden’s government warned that it might introduce stricter restrictions. The US State Department updated its travel advice for American citizens. Its “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory will apply to 80% of the world’s countries. Vaccination was proceeding across the world, with the top 5 countries in terms of percentage of adult population given the first shot were Israel, Bhutan, UAE, Maldives and Britain.
10. Indian Politics - Covid update - Cases and deaths continued to rise in India, breaching world records straight for a week. The Delhi High Court (HC) took note of the IIT module predicting a 'COVID-19 tsunami' in mid-May 2021, and questioned the preparedness to deal with that. The IIT module has predicted that COVID-19's second wave may peak by May 15 with 33 to 35 lakh total active cases. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appealed to the Delhi government to provide all assistance to the families of those who died of oxygen shortage in Delhi. For the mega-vaccination programme starting May 2021, many states have started making preparations. Haryana CM Khattar said that everyone over the age of 18 years in the state will be vaccinated against coronavirus for free at government hospitals. Punjab's CM Capt Amarinder Singh ordered shutdown of operations in the state’s iron and steel industries to divert Oxygen for medical use, along with immediate establishment of Oxygen Control Rooms. Amid the COVID-19 surge in India, #PakistanStandsWithIndia became a top trend on Twitter in Pakistan, with people posting messages of support and hope for India. "All our prayers with Indian people in these difficult times," wrote Pakistani actor Farhan Saeed. Overall, fresh cases touched a new peak of 3.46 lakh in a single day in India while deaths hit a grim new record of 2,600. India now has a million new cases (9.94 lakh) in just three days, while 23-04-2021 was also the fourth day in a row of more than 2,000 deaths in 24 hours.

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

Stocks and Covid shock 2021

• Investors cautious now: The benchmark equity indices fell as investors’ appetite for risky assets remained low in light of soaring Covid-19 cases and deaths in India, and rising probability that restrictions (lockdowns) may have to be extended. With India's positivity rate inching higher, investors remain concerned despite the PM's assurance that a nation-wide lockdown is out of question.

• Meltdown averted: India's record breaking single-day spikes in new cases and deaths has everyone worried, including other countries. Till now, Modi’s reassurance of no lockdown and the government’s extension of Covid-19 vaccines to those aged above 18 years from May 1 has kept investors from panicking and pressing the sell button as they did in the crash of March 2020.

• Sharp change in narrative: The narrative has unfortunately changed very negatively for India. The sad truth is that India will get there either because of vaccine rollout or because so many people get Covid in this phase that there is herd immunity. India for now is one of the worst performing markets in equities and foreign exchange compared to the rest of Asia.

1. The intense focus on healthcare and ramping up capacity of critical drugs and vaccines helped pharmaceutical stocks in the market as drugmakers are expected to have a windfall from the unfolding healthcare crisis.
2. Metal stocks were doing well, with the second wave not impacting them, given the benign outlook for global growth, expectations of strong domestic demand in the second half of 2021 and consistent price hikes being undertaken by companies.

• Global scene: The weakness seen in US equities in light of the Biden’s administration’s new tax proposals will weigh on domestic Indian equities. The announcement from state governments and rising Covid-19 cases would continue to remain number one factor for investors to watch out for in the near term.

• Peep into the future: In the futures segment, traders unwound their long positions in the April contract of the index indicating that they remained wary of negative news flow related to Covid-19 over the weekend.

Bitcoin’s sharp drop in April

• Sharp swing again: The digital token BTC is known for its big price swings, and one more came along! The digital token plunged below $50,000 in trading on 23-04-2021 for its worst week in almost two months as a proposed tax hike for wealthy Americans intensifies an industry selloff.

• Expected: Many investors say it was a long time coming -- with recent rally in the satirical Dogecoin and the eye-watering valuation for Coinbase Global Inc. clear signs of market froth. Throughout April 2021, markets were slightly overheated due to a large number of margin and leveraged traders. This caused a runup and the correction was only to be expected. In addition, traders’ anxiety and the overall emotional nature of the crypto markets also may have played a role.

• Overdue: The price of Bitcoin fell only 25% from the recent all-time high and there are reasons to believe the overall trend will remain bullish unless the price drops below $40,000. Looking at the previous bull cycle (2016/17), there have been quite a few occurrences when Bitcoin loses momentum and dips below the 100-day moving average. This one was overdue.

• Multiple dimensions: The threat of regulation, either directly in developed markets or indirectly via the taxman, has always been crypto’s Achilles’s heel. Some say that this is a sign of Bitcoin becoming a ‘maturing mainstream asset’ if it falls 10% again.

1. Institutional demand that was high in recent months, has now indeed slowed. Either the market needs a big announcement like Tesla's or simply a correction and clearing of retail froth to incentivise institutional investors to re-enter the market.
2. The Coinbase listing was the end of the beginning for crypto.

• Summary: Prices were historically high and the recent fall was a fairly standard reversal after peak prices, which was magnified by three factors. First, the liquidation of a record number of leveraged bets. Second, there had been a build up of Bitcoin on exchanges, which is typical when people are waiting to see if the price will continue to rise or reverse. When it reversed these holders likely rapidly sold. Third, all of this happened in an illiquid weekend market that appeared to have relatively few buyers.

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

Blue Flag Beaches - not liked by all

• The story: Odisha government’s plan to get Blue Flag Certification for five beaches was opposed by the local fishermen. The state had planned to develop five more beaches in three districts to meet international standards after receiving the certification for Puri’s Golden Beach in 2020.

• What fishermen want: The proposed land for the certification is used by the fishermen to anchor their boats, and they want a permanent sea mouth to anchor the fishing boats. They demand protection of livelihood should be ensured, and reopening of a new fishing jetty.

• Blue Flag certification: The Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches of the world. The "Blue Flag" is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.

1. In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.
2. There are around 33 criteria that are to be met to qualify for a Blue Flag certification, such as the water meeting certain quality standards, having waste disposal facilities, being disabled- friendly, having first aid equipment, and no access to pets in the main areas of the beach.
3. Some criteria are voluntary and some compulsory.

• Organisations: The Blue Flag Programme for beaches and marinas is run by the international, non-governmental, non-profit organisation FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education). The FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education) was established in France in 1985. On the lines of Blue Flag certification, India has also launched its own eco-label BEAMS (Beach Environment & Aesthetics Management Services).

• BEAMS: The Beach Environment & Aesthetics Management Services that comes under ICZM (Integrated Coastal Zone Management) project. This was launched by the Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The objectives are (i) Abate pollution in coastal waters, (ii) Promote sustainable development of beach facilities, (iii) Protect & conserve coastal ecosystems & natural resources, (iv) Strive and maintain high standards of cleanliness, etc.

• Which ones in India: Till date, there are eight beaches in India which have received Blue Flag Certification - Shivrajpur in Gujarat, Ghoghla in Daman & Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri beach in Karnataka, Kappad in Kerala, Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh, Golden beach of Odisha, and Radhanagar beach in Andaman and Nicobar.

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

Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) - COVID-19 Vaccines

• The story: The ‘Emergency Use Authorisation’ (EUA) has drawn attention around the world in line with vaccines that can help fight COVID-19. In India, too, the drug regulator has given Emergency Use Authorisation to three anti-Covid vaccines, the latest one being Russian Sputnik V.

• What is EUA: A drug regulator would normally require some evidence for approving a drug, vaccine, device or a test. In the current pandemic situation, it may not be possible to have all such evidences. When there is a declared emergency, the regulator can decide whether it is worth releasing a drug or vaccine that is not fully tested for efficacy and safety. Here, it is the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India). If there is evidence to suggest it may benefit patients, then the regulator is well within its rights to issue an EUA to a medical product. It will then be made widely available for use.

• Why important: In a pandemic situation, it is very important to restrain the spread of the pathogen in the quickest possible time. Typically, developing vaccines or drugs takes several years. A good part of this goes in carrying out trials to establish the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. So the longer the wait, more people are likely to die. Drug regulators in many countries follow a basic thumb rule. This is to approve a drug or a vaccine if the known and potential benefits outweigh the known potential risks.

• The modus operandi: An EUA does not mean that a vaccine has skipped essential safety trials. The regulators need to satisfy themselves that the product meets reasonable thresholds for safety and effectiveness before granting approval. In the US, for instance, the Food and Drug Administration grants EUA for Covid vaccines only after - a vaccine-maker has undertaken Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials, and it is able to provide safety and efficacy data for Phase 3 trials as well, using data generated from over 3,000 participants

1. In Phase 1 trials, a vaccine is given to a limited sample set of healthy people to assess its safety at higher doses.
2. If Phase 1 does not throw up safety concerns, Phase 2 is undertaken on hundreds of people with different health conditions and from different population strata. This helps assess both the effectiveness and the side-effects.
3. Phase 3 involves much larger sample, representative of the actual population, to assess both safety and efficacy.

• Indian case: The process for using the EUA is less clearly spelt out in India, but the DGCI has also been issuing EUAs based on clinical trial data. In January 2021, the DCGI approved the first two vaccines: (i) Covishield, produced by Pune-based Serum Institute of India under licensing agreement from AstraZeneca, and (ii) Covaxin, manufactured by Bharat Biotech.

• Summary: The emergency approvals given to the three vaccines in India have helped in rolling out the largest vaccination drive in the world. But with the second wave proving quicker to spread than the first, capacity constraints are hitting the ramping up of vaccine supplies. Thus, granting EUA to new vaccines that have already been approved for emergency use in other countries becomes essential.

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

Foodgrain for free for 80 crore Indian poor

• The story: The central government will spend Rs.26,000 crore to provide free foodgrain to the poor in the next two months under the PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), a scheme launched last year during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under this, five kilogram of free foodgrain will be provided to around 800 million beneficiaries, said an official statement. The idea is to shield the poor from disruptions caused by the severe second wave.

• NFSA beneficiaries covered: The scheme covers beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act which entitles up to three-fourth of the rural population and half the urban population to subsidized foodgrain under the targeted public distribution system. The free-food scheme announced in March 2020 as part of a ₹1.7 trillion humanitarian package was operated till November 2020. Then it was silently withdrawn.

• What's new: The scheme has now been resumed for two months — May and June 2021. This is over and above the monthly entitlement under the food security law. Last year’s supply of free foodgrain had the additional offer of 1 kg of pulses per family, which is not part of this year’s offer. The Centre will bear the expenditure of over Rs.₹26,000 crore on account of food subsidy and central assistance for intrastate transportation.

1. Under PMGKAY last year, over 20 million tonnes of free foodgrain were provided amounting to a fiscal outgo of over Rs.75,000 crore, covering over 800 million beneficiaries.
2. The nutrition support to the poor comes at a time when states are imposing curfews and strict lockdowns locally to break the chain of infections, a move which puts livelihoods at risk for the poor.

• The real challenge: Policymakers are now facing the challenge of ensuring access to healthcare facilities to people and of containing the pandemic’s toll. The surge in infections is threatening the country’s economic recovery impacting the viability of businesses and pushing more people into debt. In the FY22 central budget, the government gave a strong push to domestic manufacturing and capital investments into infrastructure to support economic recovery.

A massive second Coronavirus wave

• Record figures: As many as 3,32,730 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative caseload to 16,263,695, as per India's Union health ministry on 23-04-2021. The graph of daily new cases has gone up again, with India clocking in over 3 lakh for the second day in a row.
• Statewise: Maharashtra continues to be the biggest contributor to the daily tally. The state reported 67,468 new infections on Thursday. It is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 33,106 while Delhi reported 24,638 new cases. The virus seems to be spreading faster across the country than in the first wave. There were 317 districts—or 44% of all districts—that reported more than 1,000 new cases in the past seven days. Further, there are 70 districts, across 16 states, where the number of new weekly cases exceeded 5,000 in seven days. A month ago, the number of such districts was just nine, all in Maharashtra.
• Deaths: On the death toll front, 2,263 more people succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours. The cumulative fatalities in the country now stand at 1,86,920. There are 27 states where the number of Covid-19 deaths has increased for two weeks running. In addition to this, 1,93,279 were discharged from various hospitals, taking the total number of recoveries to 1,36,48,159. As a result, the active tally in India has surpassed the 24-lakh mark to stand at 24,28,616. The number was 22,91,428 on Thursday.
• Vaccinations in India: India has administered 13,54,78,420 anti-Covid jabs so far. The inoculation drive in India was rolled out on 16 January with HCWs getting inoculated and the vaccination of the FLWs started on 2 February, 2021. The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced on 1 March for those who are above 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions. India extended the drive to include everybody aged 45 on 1 April. Now, the government has announced that everybody above the age of 18 would be able to get vaccinated from 1 May, 2021. Registration for this category will begin from 28 April on the CoWIN platform and Aarogya Setu app.
• Oxygen supply: The central government directed states to ensure free movement of vehicles carrying oxygen amid reports of some states diverting the vehicles for local use. The home ministry invoked the stringent Disaster Management Act 2005, an emergency measure, to direct states to ensure the movement of oxygen tanks without any restriction of timings or other restraints. The government said medical oxygen is an essential public health commodity, and any impediment in the supplies may put the lives of patients at risk. Hospitals across the country continued to complain about shortages of oxygen. Sadly, many patients died across hospitals in major cities, waiting for oxygen to reach their beds, inside critical care units.

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

Supreme Court's decision on "Judges pro tem"

• The story: The Supreme Court in April 2021 decided to invoke a “dormant provision” in the Constitution (Article 224A) to clear the way for appointment of retired judges as ad hoc judges.
• Logic of SC: The objective is to clear the mounting arrears in various High Courts, since numbers both in respect of pendency of cases and vacancies in the High Courts are quite concerning. There exists a backlog of over 57 lakh cases, and a vacancy level of 40%, with five High Courts accounting for 54% of these cases. The Article 224A provides for appointment of ad hoc judges in the High Courts, based on their consent.
• Issues related: The move reflects the extraordinary delay in filling up judicial vacancies, although the fault may lie with the Collegium system or the Centre’s tardiness. There is little doubt that the unacceptable delay in the appointment process in recent times has caused huge vacancies in the High Courts. Official data suggests that there need not be a correlation between the number of vacancies and the large backlog. How? The Madras High Court has 5.8 lakh cases against a relatively low level of vacancy at 7%. As many as 44% of the posts in the Calcutta High Court are vacant, but the cases in arrears stand at 2.7 lakh.
• Guidelines: The provision (Article 224A) has been utilised only sparingly in the past, and for the limited purpose of disposing of particular kinds of cases. The Supreme Court has now made a beginning by directing that the trigger point for such an appointment will be - when the vacancies go beyond 20% of the sanctioned strength, (or) when more than 10% of the backlog of pending cases are over 5 years old (or) when cases in a particular category are pending for over 5 years, (or) when the rate of disposal is slower than the rate of institution of fresh cases. (a) The Bench ruled that the current Memorandum of Procedure be also followed for appointing ad hoc judges with a suggested tenure of 2 to 3 years. This is a process initiated by the Chief Justice of a High Court. (b) The Court has also clarified that this is a “transitory methodology” and does not constrain the regular appointment process.
• Government's action: Roping in retired HC judges to clear backlog should not be at the cost of regular appointments, and the government must expedite the regular appointment process from its end. It should give up its tendency to hold back some recommendations selectively. The judiciary too should ensure that only retired judges with experience and expertise are offered the temporary positions, and there is no hint of favouritism.

Supreme Court clarifies oxygen matter and High Courts' involvement

• The story: On 23-04-2021, the Supreme Court clarified that it has not restrained the high courts from passing orders to combat the coronavirus crisis, after several senior advocates criticized the court’s decision to intervene in pandemic-related cases pending before high courts. The bench, headed by now former Chief Justice of India (CJI) S.A. Bobde, said the apex court never stopped the high courts from taking up covid-related matters. It also asked the Centre to present before it a national plan to deal with the crisis that has now made India the ground zero of the global pandemic.

• Why the clarification: It came after several senior lawyers criticized Justice Bobde’s bench taking suo motu (on its own motion) cognizance of the crisis on the eve of the chief justice’s retirement and naming senior advocate Harish Salve as 'amicus curiae' while Salve represented Vedanta, which wanted its plant in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi to reopen for producing oxygen.

1. Soon, Salve opted to withdraw as amicus, citing adverse comments made by some lawyers against his “friendship" with justice Bobde and a possible conflict of interest. “It is the most sensitive case this court will look into. I don’t want this case to be decided under the shadow that I knew CJI from school and college and allegations being made or there is a conflict of interest," he said.
2. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta requested Salve not to succumb to “pressure" and stay on, but Salve stuck to his decision. Despite the crushing urgency, Mehta also asked for an adjournment till next week to present the national plan on availability and distribution of essential supplies and services, saying he would not want justice Bobde’s last day in office to get mired in any controversy.

• Action taken: The CJI accepted Salve’s withdrawal, observing: “We were also pained at reading what some senior advocates had to say. But everyone is entitled to their opinion. In future, we will have to appoint someone as amicus only when we don’t know that person. But we will honour your sentiments and allow you to recuse." The bench included justices L. Nageswara Rao and S. Ravindra Bhat, and it expressed its displeasure at “some senior lawyers" questioning the suo motu proceedings.

• High courts across the country have kept the Centre as well as states on their toes regarding supply of essential medicines, medical oxygen and hospital beds. Justice Rao said that even before the order was passed, motives were imputed that we were going to stop the high courts, and that some senior advocates were "destroying the institution". The judge then turned to senior advocate Dushyant Dave, who was one of the lawyers questioning the intervention of the Supreme Court and expressed displeasure. Dave defended himself.

• Summary: The Bench finally clarified that it had not said a word and did not stop the high courts. The CJI Bobde retired soon thereafter.

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

Mutant Covid-virus variants prevalent

• The story: The spike in Covid cases in India, in the second wave could be due to the increased prevalence of mutant variants of SARS-COV2, especially in Delhi, Maharashtra and Punjab. This is the assessment of the National Centre for Disease Control.

• Data: It said that in Punjab, it found that the UK strain was the primary variant. In Maharashtra, B.1.617 (the double mutant) variant was over 50%, and in Delhi, both the UK strain and B.1.617 were increasing in prevalence, as found after genome sequencing of randomly collected positive samples.

1. Since the scenario was unfolding, a rise from 28% of samples having UK variant in the second week of March to 50% was seen till the last week of March. That was the time the surge happened.
2. While these variants are becoming prevalent in different pockets of India, overall, their prevalence is low.
3. Authorities said that genomic sequencing of over 13,000 samples showed that 11% of them were infected with the UK strain, while the B.1.617 variant was found in 7% of the samples. The South African variant, which sees significantly reduced vaccine efficacy, has been found in less than 1% of the total samples.

• Summary: Since 22 January, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG), the government’s group of laboratories running genome sequencing tests, has tested over 15,000 samples, which includes international travellers and the wider community. India reported 5.63 million cases since January, indicating that genome sequencing has been conducted on less than 0.3% of the total positive cases. This is much lower than the target of 5% of total samples set by the Centre.

Raw material shortages could hit vaccine supplies

• A clear problem: Even as Nobel laureates and public health voices call for a waiver of intellectual property on Covid-19 technologies, including vaccines, global vaccine industry representatives point to export bans as a key barrier to access. Collaborations between companies, competitors, countries and regulators has helped deliver multiple Covid-19 vaccines, but the road ahead is “bumpy”, said an industry panel that reflected Big Pharma and companies from the developing world, speaking in a single voice.
• Technical issues: On the IP waiver, experts said that the big picture was to deliver healthcare solutions during the pandemic and that can be done through technology transfer. But then again, technology can be transferred only to companies with the expertise to deliver a quality product. Technology-transfer is an important tool that needed to be encouraged, but vaccines were complex to make and the recipient company needed to have the expertise to make the product innovation. Over 100 components come from different parts of the world and it would be difficult to get the recipient company to speed up in three months.
• Consumables in short supply: On the raw-material shortage hampering vaccine supplies, experts say that single use materials, plastic consumables were in short supply, and “there was no solution in sight”. The ban on raw materials by the US, following the invocation of its Defense Production Act, had been flagged recently by Serum Institute’s chief. The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) said the US DPA was “well intentioned, but misguided.” It needed to be resolved to get more supplies on the road.
• Moderna's stand: Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel, pointed out, that a vaccine’s IP was available on the internet, the key really was the people and expertise involved in producing it. Companies should focus on getting enough vaccines out this year, he said, as the next year would have too much capacity and many vaccines. Companies need to stay agile, he said, as the virus was not “still” and variants were emerging. Moderna was working on a multi-valent, single dose booster. In general, technology-transfers were difficult as they involved shifting the technology to different equipment, ensuring that it behaved the same and making sure the sterile product was of the highest quality.
• Summary: It is clear the raw material shortage would affect vaccine-makers’ efforts to ramp-up capacities. There are 275 partnerships in place, of which 214 were technology transfers. On the WHO’s recent suggestion for tech-transfer on mRNA vaccines, it may not be for this pandemic, but more for the long term. The three entities, IFPMA, BIO and DCVMN said, the one billion Covid-19 vaccine production milestone had been reached, and projections are to get to 10 billion doses by end of 2021. According to a World Bank report, this would be sufficient to achieve global equity in the distribution of vaccines and attain worldwide herd immunity by March 2022, they pointed out. But much hinged on keeping the supply lines flowing.

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

Poor denied rightful food rations

• Aadhar once again: The Supreme Court had asked the centre to respond to a PIL alleging that ration cards were cancelled due to insistence on Aadhaar linkage.
• Survey findings: In the 2019 National Election Study (NES), people were asked whether they had been denied food grains due to non-possession of Aadhaar or failure of biometric authentication. Based on the responses from the ration-card (RC) holding households, it turned out that one in four households were denied food grains due to such issues. The frequency of such denial was on rise that has raised the concern over food security. Ever since Aadhaar-based biometric authentication was introduced in PDS, people complain about fingerprints not getting confirmed, no backup of iris poor Internet connection. This has forced people to spend on another trip to the shop.
• Other learnings: This seeding and authentication problems not only occur in remote areas but also in urban areas. In rural areas, 28% of respondents belonging to RC-holding households were refused ration due to Aadhaar-related issues and in urban areas this was around 27%. In both rural and urban areas, the poorest were worst affected – 39% of households whose monthly income below Rs 2,000 -were at some point denied PDS ration due to Aadhaar problems. There was a striking difference noticed based on the responses of the Hindi-speaking heartland states vis-à-vis the other states.
• Summary: In the Hindi belt-‘Bimaru’ states- as many as 40% of RC-holding households reported a denial of ration due to Aadhaar issues as compared to 20% households in the rest of India. The problem was less due to non-possession of Aadhaar and more due to biometric authentication and server issues.  In states like Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh the situation is as grave as the NES data suggests. The proportion of RC-holding households who were denied ration due to Aadhaar-related factors was:  Rajasthan-36%; Chhattisgarh, -39%; MP& Jharkhand- 40%; Bihar, high as 56%.

Surgery and Ayurveda

• The story: A government notification listed out specific surgical procedures that a postgraduate medical student of Ayurveda must be practically trained to acquaint with, as well as to independently perform. This was strongly criticised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), a national voluntary organisation of Doctors of Modern Scientific System of Medicine, which looks after the interest of doctors as well as the well being of the community at large.

• Points to note: It is claimed that the Rigveda is the earliest account of ancient Indian civilization which mentions that Ashwini Kumaras known as Dev Vaidya were the chief surgeons of Vedic periods, who had performed rare legendary surgical operations. There are many Granthas and Samhitas dealing with Ayurveda; among them, Charak Samhita, Sushrutaa Samhita, and Ashtanga Sangraha are the three main pillars of Ayurveda. Charak Samhita and Ashtanga Samhita mainly deal with medicine knowledge while Sushrutaa Samhita deals mainly with surgical knowledge. Sushruta is known as the father of surgery, his works are compiled as Sushrutaa Samhita. He described 60 types of upakarma for treatment of wounds, 120 surgical instruments and 300 surgical procedures.

• Details: Sushruta considered surgery the first and foremost branch of medicine and stated that surgery has the superior advantage of producing instantaneous effects by means of surgical instruments and appliances and hence is the highest in value of all the medical tantras.

1. Today's debate revolves around allowing postgraduate students in Ayurveda undergoing ‘Shalya’ (general surgery) and ‘Shalakya’ (dealing with eye, ear, nose, throat, head and neck, oro-dentistry) to perform 58 specified surgical procedures.
2. Those who support this move say there are two branches of surgery in Ayurveda, Shalya Tantra and Shalakya Tantra. All postgraduate students of Ayurveda have to study these courses, and some go on to specialise in these, and become Ayurveda surgeons. Postgraduate education in Ayurveda is guided by the Indian Medical Central Council (Post Graduate Education) Regulations. The 2016 regulations allow postgraduate students to specialise in Shalya Tantra, Shalakya Tantra, and Prasuti evam Stree Roga (Obstetrics and Gynecology). Students of these three disciplines are granted MS (Master in Surgery in Ayurveda) degrees. The process of education, internship and learning for Ayurveda students is similar to that of Modern Medicine students. As per the Ayurveda practitioners, the latest notification just brings clarity to the skills that an Ayurveda practitioner possesses.
3. Those against this move claim that the new notification gives the impression that the skills or training of the Ayurveda doctor in performing modern surgeries are the same as those practising modern medicine which is misleading and an encroachment into the jurisdiction and competencies of modern medicine. Just because Ayurveda institutions prescribe textbooks from modern medicine, or that they carry out surgeries with the help of practitioners of modern medicine, is not reason enough to allow this encroachment. The IMA doctors have asked the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM- functions under the Ministry of Ayush) to explain, with proof, how each of the procedures mentioned in Ayurveda literature is equivalent to the modern surgical procedures.

• Nature of surgery: Surgery involves technical expertise developed through many workshops to standardise training and impart it. The infrastructure of training, research and exchange of knowledge in modern medicine is much better evolved than in Ayurveda. The Government-funded Ayurvedic colleges are not equipped with the necessary infrastructure, skilled manpower and supporting staff to impart quality training.

1. According to research earlier this year by Brookings Institute, a US-based policy organization, the country has only 0.55 beds per 1,000 people. The government informed Parliament in 2019, there is only one modern medicine doctor for every 1,445 Indians.
2. The World Health Organisation’s norm is one doctor per 1,000 people. The shortage of allopathic doctors, including surgeons is compounded by the concentration of medical colleges in Southern States, as well as the unwillingness of doctors to serve in rural areas despite measures such as compulsory rural internships.

• Initiative to resolve: The AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres (AYUSH HWCs) is a component of the Ayushman Bharat. The government has to take steps to improve healthcare service however it should make sure that safety standards should not be compromised while inducting Ayurveda practitioners to perform surgery. But it should rethink and introduce bridge courses as mentioned in the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2017 which should be aimed to serve an important part of a broader effort to empower and better utilise the capabilities of Ayush practitioners for healthcare delivery. It needs to explore creative ways of addressing this gap by evidence-based approaches, such as task-sharing, supported by efficient and quality referral mechanisms. India should achieve Medical pluralism which is already a reality in several countries like China, Japan, etc. The need of the hour is an adequate investment, for creating a health system that can withstand any kind of public health emergencies, deliver universal health coverage and meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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

Export of processed food products increases

• The story: The exports of processed food products during April-February 2020-21 grew by 26.51%, and amounted to Rs 43,798 crores. The Food Processing Industry (FPI) is a major thrust area for the government.
• Processed food products: The major food products exported during 2020-21 were processed vegetables, pulses, processed fruits and juices, guar gum, groundnuts, milled products, oil meals, alcoholic beverages and oil meals. The export of processed vegetables and alcoholic beverages increased by 40% in 2020-21. According to APEDA, the exports of processed food products is to continue in 2021-22. This is mainly because the demand for processed fruits and vegetables, pulses are increasing in markets such as middle east, US, UK.
• Steps by GoI: In March 2021, Government of India approved Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLIS) for FPI. Through this, GoI aims to provide Rs 10,900 crores of incentives to the Food Processing sector. The incentive is to be paid for six years under the scheme. The Pradhan Mantri SAMPADA Yojana is being implemented to develop food processing centres in the country. SAMPADA is Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters. The scheme will create Mega Food Parks. In 2020, GoI sanctioned 134 food processing projects. This includes 21 agro-processing clusters, 43 food processing units, 47 cold chains, 8 backward and forward linkages, 3 Operation Greens and twelve food testing laboratories.
• FPI: The FDI inflows in Food Processing Industry increased from $ 628.24 million in 2018-19 to $ 904.7 million in 2019-20. APEDA is making Action Plans to increase export of millet between 2021 and 2026. It is the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.

Glacier burst in Sumna, Neeti Valley

• The story: On April 23, 2021, a glacier burst occurred in Sumna, Neeti Valley located in Chamoli district in India-China border. A Border Road Organisation Camp came under the avalanche. The Indian Army began its rescue operations.
• Earlier: In February 2021, flash floods occurred in Chamoli district due to Glacial burst and killed dozens. Earlier, the breaking of Nanda Devi Glacier triggered avalanche, landslides and flash floods in the tributaries of the Ganges. The floods due to the breakage damaged two hydroelectric power projects.
• Criticality: According to United Nations ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific), various glaciers in India, Bhutan, Nepal and China have lost a vertical foot and a half of ice since 2000. This is double the amount of melting that occurred between 1975 and 2000.
• Glacier bursts: These are caused by the build-up of water pressure. The high temperatures coupled with less snowfall accelerates melting and causes water to rise to dangerous levels in glacial dams. This increases water pressure and leads to glacier bursts. The Glacial dams are formed when glaciers block the flow of water out of a lake. Unlike the usual lakes, the Glacial lakes are made of ice boulders that have the potential to burst the glacier banks. The Nanda Devi Glacier Burst that occurred in Uttarakhand might be because of one such reason. However, the real reason behind the Glacier burst is yet to be found. The 2013 Kedarnath tragedy was due to cloudbursts.

Zydus drug Virafin gets DCGI nod

• The story: The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) provided “Restricted Emergency Use Approval” for the use of “Virafin”. Virafin is used to treat moderate COVID-19 infections.
• Virafin: A single dose of Virafin during the early stage of infection, will help COVID-19 patients recover faster. Also, it will help to avoid complications. It will help to reduce the need for oxygen support. It improves recovery time in moderate cases of COVID-19. According to Zydus 91.15% of adult patients treated with Virafin tested negative using RT-PCR in seven days. Zydus is also working on COVID-19 Vaccine ZyCoV-D.
• ZyCoV-D: It is a DNA plasmid-based vaccine. In January 2021, the DGCI provided permission to conduct the Phase III trials of the vaccine. The trials are expected to be completed by May 2021.
• DNA Vaccine: It is a type of vaccine that is produced by transfecting antigen-coded DNA sequence into immunised cells. Transfection is the process of introducing purified nucleic acids into Eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotes are organisms whose cell nucleus are enclosed in a nuclear envelope (called the nuclear membrane). On the other hand, prokaryotes are organisms that lack nuclear membrane around their nucleus. Antigen is a toxin or foreign substance that induces an immune response in the body. These responses are usually in form of antibodies.

Money transfer outside banking system

• The story: The RBI proposed to enable payment system operators regulated by the central bank to take direct membership in RTGS and NEFT.
• Details: People will be able to transfer money to another person without depending directly on a bank through RTGS, NEFT and centralised payment systems (CPSs) of RBI. This is expected to minimise settlement risk in the financial system and non-banks can expand their foothold in the traditional area of banking. But entities will not be eligible for any liquidity facility from RBI to facilitate settlement of their transactions in these CPSs & the facility is subjected to an overall limit of Rs 2 lakh.
• Iimplications: This move of opening the payment system to non-banks would increase digital payments and transactions significantly. It will prepare a digital trail of all individuals doing digital transactions on channels outside the banking system, which could help the overall financial system. Until now, an individual’s credit profile was available primarily with the banks. Now, individual credit profiles can also be tracked while taking a loan from FinTech Company, investing through it or spending through it.
• Who can do it: The RBI will now allow non-bank entities — Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuers, Card Networks, White Label ATM, TReDS platforms — to become members of CPS. Mobile wallets like Google Pay, Mobikwik, PayU, Ola Money, PhonePe and Amazon Pay can provide NEFT and RTGS facilities to their customers. But this transfer will be allowed only to KYC compliant entities.
• Hike in cash limit: The RBI has decided to increase the limit of outstanding balance in PPIs of non-banks from the current level of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. This will facilitate and incentivise online transfer and cash withdrawal from non-banks and enable them to go for full KYC compliance and interoperability. Interoperability of the PPI wallet will expand the market size and will be beneficial to the end consumers.

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

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