Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 27-05-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 27-05-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Polity and Constitution - SK Jaiswal is new CBI Director - Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, a senior IPS officer, was appointed as new director of the Central Bureau of Investigation. He is a 1985 batch IPS officer of Maharashtra Cadre and has been serving as the Director-General of CISF. A three-member selection committee led by the Prime Minister shortlisted Jaiswal’s name. The selection panel comprised PM Mr Modi, CJI J. Ramana, and Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The DoPT had drawn a list of 109 officers of 1984-87 batches, later trimmed to just 16 names, three hours before the selection committee was to meet. Along with the names of these 16 officers, DoPT sent an executive note and detailed profile of the contenders to the selection committee. In the meeting, CJI Ramana pointed out that “rule of law must be followed” in selection of the next CBI director, and cited three judgments — Prakash Singh, Vineet Narayan and PD Dinakaran — to put forth the argument that only officers who have six months or more of service left should be considered. While the top court guidelines in the Prakash Singh case were enforced in the appointment of state director generals of police (DGPs), but this was probably the first time they were discussed for the CBI director’s appointment. Hence, two favourites were ruled out (YC Modi and Rakesh Asthana).
2. Governance and Institutions - India's new Intermediary and Digital Ethics Code - The new rules for social media platforms and digital news outlets, called the Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code, came into effect from 26th May. The guidelines mandate all social media platforms to set up a grievances redressal and compliance mechanism, including appointing a resident grievance officer, chief compliance officer and a nodal contact person. The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology had also asked these platforms to submit monthly reports on complaints received from users and action taken. A key requirement is for instant messaging apps to make provisions for tracking the first originator of a message, something the platforms worry can violate the privacy rights of its users. Failure to comply with any one of these requirements would take away the indemnity provided to social media intermediaries under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. Section 79 says any intermediary shall not be held legally or otherwise liable for any third party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted on its platform. It is a safe harbour provision, just like Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act (CDA), 1996.
3. Governance and Institutions - WhatsApp lawsuit against government of India - Facebook-owned WhatsApp filed a lawsuit against the Government of India, in the Delhi High Court, seeking to block new IT regulations that came into force from May 26, 2021. The new digital media rules by the government will force the mega messaging platform to break its privacy protections, and endanger the famed end-to-end encryption feature. In its petition, WhatsApp said the rules that came into effect on 26th May were a “dangerous invasion of privacy" and pose a threat to free speech. Enforcement of Rule 4(2) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) will break WhatsApp’s encryption that ensures messages can only be read by the sender and receiver and the privacy principles underlying it. A key requirement is for instant messaging apps was to make provisions for tracking the first originator of a message. This is where it all breaks down, as privacy goes for a toss.
4. Energy - National Mission on Use of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants - The Ministry of Power has decided to set up a National Mission on use of Biomass in coal based thermal power plants. Objective is to increase the level of co-firing from present 5% to higher levels to have a larger share of carbon neutral power generation from the thermal power plants. Other goals are - (i) To take up R&D activity in boiler design to handle the higher amount of silica, alkalis in the biomass pellets; (ii) To facilitate overcoming the constraints in supply chain of bio mass pellets and agro- residue and its transport upto to the power plants; (iii) To consider regulatory issues in biomass co-firing. The Mission would have a Steering Committee headed by Secretary (Power). The Committee comprises stakeholders including representatives from Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) etc. The Executive Committee would be headed by Member (Thermal), CEA. Duration of the Mission: minimum 5 years.
5. Science and Technology - Man's long space journeys with "Induced Torpor" - A new study finds that the zebrafish’s hibernating habits (induced torpor) may help humans reach Mars. Induced torpor is a state of reduced metabolic activity. Hibernation is a physiological condition that protects various species against harsh conditions, such as food scarcity and low environmental temperatures. The researchers induced torpor in zebrafishes and exposed them to radiation like what would be experienced on a 6-month journey to Mars. The results showed that induced torpor lowered the metabolic rate within the zebrafish and created a radioprotective effect, protecting against the harmful effects of radiation. There was a reduction in metabolism and oxygen concentration in cells promotes less oxidative stress and greater resistance to radiation. These insights into how a reduction in metabolic rate could offer protection from radiation exposure could help humans achieve a similar kind of hibernation during long-term space flight. It may not be time for the cryo sleep that "Interstellar" (the movie) depicted, yet, but this is a good beginning.
6. Environment and Ecology - Naming tropical cyclones - Many wonder how cyclones get these strange-sounding names! Cyclone Yaas was the name of the cyclonic storm that was formed over north Andaman Sea and adjoining east Central Bay of Bengal. Oman named this cyclone as ‘Yaas’, which refers to a tree with good fragrance (the word is similar to Jasmine). Cyclones that form in every ocean basin across the world are named by the six regional specialised meteorological centres (RSMCs) and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs). As an RSMC, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) names the cyclones developing over the north Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. The IMD is also mandated to issue advisories to 12 other countries in the region on the development of cyclones and storms. The WMO/ESCAP (World Meteorological Organisation/United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) started naming the cyclones in the region in 2000. The countries that name the cyclones are Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. After each country sends in suggestions, the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) finalises the list. Guidelines - the proposed name (maximum length eight letters) of tropical cyclone over the north Indian Ocean should be new, neutral to politics and political figures, religious believes, cultures and gender, and must be chosen so it doesn’t hurt the sentiments of any group over the globe. It should be short and easy to pronounce.
7. Environment and Ecology - Enquiry into the Mekedatu dam project, Karnataka - The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed a joint committee to look into allegations of unauthorised construction activity taking place in Mekedatu, where the Karnataka government had proposed to construct a dam across the Cauvery River. Acting suo motu based on a media report, the NGT has directed the panel to submit a report on or before July 5. The Mekedatu multi-purpose project involves building a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River near Kanakapura in Ramanagaram district. It envisages supplying drinking water to Bengaluru and Ramanagaram districts, besides generation of power. The project was conceived in 2013 and in 2017, the Karnataka state cabinet decided to implement it. The project, however, ran into a controversy after Tamil Nadu opposed it on the grounds that the project violates the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award.
8. Indian Economy - PFRDA reaches milestone - The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) crossed the milestone of Rs 6 lakh crore (Rs 6 trillion) of Assets Under Management (AUM) under the National Pension System (NPS) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY), after 13 years. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the statutory authority established by an enactment of the Parliament, to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the National Pension System (NPS) and pension schemes to which this Act applies. NPS was initially notified for central government employees recruits w.e.f. 1st January 2004 and subsequently adopted by almost all State Governments for its employees. NPS was extended to all Indian citizens (resident/non-resident/overseas) on a voluntary basis and to corporates for its employees.
9. World Politics - Tulsa race massacre US - America's President Joe Biden will visit the city of Tulsa in Oklahoma state, in honour of the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre, known among the worst incidents of racial strife in American history. In 1921, from the evening of May 31 until the afternoon of June 1, a violent mob of Tulsa’s White residents attacked a prosperous Black neighbourhood, killing hundreds and leaving the locality in ashes. The massacre took place in Greenwood, a thriving Black-dominated neighbourhood that had sprung up at the start of the 20th century on the northern side of Tulsa, separated by a railroad track from the city’s White-dominated part on the south. Known as the “Black Wall Street”, Greenwood was a favoured destination for African Americans from the Southern US states– where laws actively upheld racism and disempowered Black people– to come and seek upward mobility. The visit by a US president on the occasion is being read as a signal to acknowledge the race massacre, whose history has long been suppressed and left out of national memory.
10. Indian Politics - Covid Update - (a) India saw a rise in new COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row as 2,11,298 people tested positive in the last 24 hours. India reported 2,08,921 COVID-19 cases on 26th May, while 1,96,427 new cases were reported on Tuesday. The country saw 3,847 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (b) The government angrily rejected the New York Times report on the potential number of Covid-dead in India, and said that "NYT report on Covid-19 toll in India was completely baseless & false; not backed by any evidence and based on distorted estimates". (c) The Jharkhand government has decided to promote students of class 9th & 11th students to the next class respectively, in view of Covid. (d) The health ministry said that more than 1.84 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses were still available with states and UTs, and they will receive over 11 lakh doses within the next three days. (e) India has scrapped local trials for "well-established" foreign coronavirus vaccines to fast-track imports. It has been inoculating people with the AstraZeneca vaccine produced locally at the Serum Institute, Covaxin made by local firm Bharat Biotech, and has begun rolling out Russia's Sputnik V. (f) NUMBERS - INDIA - Total cases: 27,367,935; New cases: 211,553; Total deaths: 315,263; New deaths: 3,842; Total recovered: 24,626,014; Active cases: 2,426,658.

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

Industry captain wants RBI steroid for economy - Printing money!

 

• The story: India's famous banker Uday Kotak said that it was the right time for India’s central bank to print money to help save the economy. He said that as of now, India needed to use the steroids to save the Indian economy for sustained growth going forward. This will ensure a 'bounce-back’, put money in hands of the poor, and help small businesses survive.

• About Kotak: Mr Uday Kotak is the founder and managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank as well as being president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He said that this was the time the government should simultaneously help people at the bottom of the financial pyramid.

1. The way to do that is via “Direct cash transfers" which should be given to the poorest of the poor for meeting their day-to-day needs.
2. The government should provide “direct medical benefits to the poorest of the poor” and work programmes like NREGA, “should be strengthened.”
3. All this will boost dropping consumer demand.

• Fiscal balance sheet expansion: Kotak said this was the time for India to be able to expand the (fiscal) balance sheet, duly supported by the RBI which should deficit finance a part of the government’s expanded balance sheet rather than continue the market borrowing programme. Such a fiscal stimulus would mean that the RBI’s balance sheet would be expanded - a monetary expansion by printing of money. Kotak warned that unless India did it, it ran the challenge of trend growth rate getting more gradual (lower) on a long-term basis. It is clear that would hurt India's demographic dividend badly.
• The situation today: India’s economy shrunk by around 7-to-8 per cent in the fiscal year 2020-21. Before the second wave in 2021, the economy was seen growing by 10 per-cent-plus in 2021-22, making it the fastest-expanding economy globally. But economists have been steadily cutting their forecasts in the light of the Covid-19 surge.

• Inflation: Even before the pandemic erupted, India’s inflation was worrisome. For the first time since 2010, the wholesale price index (WPI) soared to 10.5 per cent in April from 7.4 per cent in March 2021. Rating agency Crisil warned that inflation risks were accelerating due to rising input prices and supply disruptions amid the second Covid-19 wave.

1. Kotak did not directly comment on the impact that rapid monetary expansion might have on inflation. But India’s economic fundamentals were strong enough to allow significant monetary expansion.
2. That was so as the RBI was sitting on $ 580 billion of reserves, and the balance of payments was likely to be positive. That made for a strong external position.
3. Kotak said that India needed to ensure that the human cost (of the pandemic) was controlled and simultaneously (that) the economic cost is given a breather so that the economy can sustain and bounce back. These are one-time measures, or short-term steroids. They cannot be used for the long term.

• Jobs and ECLGS: For the businesses that can be saved, he urged that the government spend money generously and use schemes like the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) so they can survive this wave and come out. The ECLGS is a government guarantee for banks lending to stressed sectors. This could protect jobs, going forward.
• Two types of businesses hit: There were two types of businesses that have taken a hit in the wake of Covid-19 and one category could be rescued. Some were suffering “transitory pain and were likely to come out of it post-pandemic.” The second category may not be possible to revive because they are facing a “structural challenge because Covid has changed the business model to the extent that these businesses may not be viable in the future.”
• Summary: It was clear since 2020 that a huge fiscal stimulus was needed for the economy. But the government played conservative, and pushed just about Rs.2.5 lakh crore out of the Rs.20 trillion Atmanirbhar Bharat package announced (rest was monetary support from RBI). But now in 2021, without a direct fiscal intervention, the poor households may fall through the cracks, taking with them consumer sentiment and growth prospects for the GDP.

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

Protected Planet Report 2020 on biodiversity

 

• The story: A report titled "Protected Planet Report 2020" recorded the progress the world has made toward the ambitious goals agreed by countries in 2010 at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

• Convention on Biological Diversity: It is a legally binding treaty to conserve biodiversity that has been in force since 1993. Nearly all countries including India have ratified it (notably, the US has signed but not ratified). The CBD Secretariat is based in Montreal, Canada and it operates under the United Nations Environment Programme.

1. A supplementary agreement to the Convention known as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (adopted at COP5, 2000) seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
2. The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) was adopted in Nagoya, Japan at COP10.
3. The COP-10 also adopted a ten-year framework for action by all countries to save biodiversity.
4. Officially known as “Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020”, it provided a set of 20 targets, collectively known as the Aichi Targets for biodiversity.

• Points to note: The Protected Planet Reports are released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with support from the National Geographic Society, a global non-profit.

1. These are biennial landmark publications that assess the state of protected and conserved areas around the world. The report is the first in the series to include data on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) in addition to protected areas.
2. OECM are a conservation designation for areas that are achieving the effective in-situ conservation of biodiversity outside of protected areas.
3. The 2020 edition provides the final report on the status of Aichi Biodiversity Target 11, and looks to the future as the world prepares to adopt a new post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
4. Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 aimed to conserve 17% of land and inland water ecosystems and 10% of its coastal waters and oceans by 2020.

• Findings: It spoke of the increase in Protected Area, and reported that 82% of countries and territories have increased their share of protected area and coverage of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) since 2010. Protected areas covering almost 21 million km2 have been added to the global network.

1. Increase in OECMs - Since OECMs were first recorded in 2019, these areas have added a further 1.6 million km2 to the global network. Despite being limited to only five countries and territories, the available data on OECMs show that they make a significant contribution to coverage and connectivity.
2. Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) - The KBAs are sites that contribute significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity, in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. On an average, 62.6% of KBA either fully or partially overlap with protected areas and OECMs. The average percentage of each KBA within protected areas and OECMs is 43.2% for terrestrial; 42.2% for inland water and 44.2% for marine (within national waters). There was an increase of 5 percentage points or less in each case since 2010, the greatest growth in marine and coastal areas.

• Challenges: Management effectiveness assessments have been conducted across only 18.29% of the area covered by protected areas, and it is likely that many do not meet the standards for full effectiveness. Integrating protected areas and OECMs across landscapes and seascapes, and in development sectors, remains a crucial challenge for ensuring the persistence of biodiversity. Measurable targets for integrated land-use and marine spatial planning are needed to facilitate progress.
• Indian case: The Protected Areas in India are regions of land or sea which are given certain levels of protection for conservation of biodiversity and socio-environmental values. In these areas, human intervention and exploitation of resources is limited. India has a network of 903 Protected Areas covering about 5% of its total geographic area, and has the following kinds of protected areas, in the sense of the word designated by IUCN - National Parks, Wildlife sanctuaries, Biosphere reserves, Reserved and protected forests, Conservation reserves and community reserves, Private protected areas.
• Summary: Greater application of the global standard for effectiveness, the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, will help to address weaknesses. Increasing recognition of the role that protected and conserved areas can play as nature-based solutions to climate change and other global challenges, and their contribution to realising multiple Sustainable Development Goals, provides a strong justification for investing in more effective national and global networks. A global network of effective and equitable protected and conserved areas will play a vital role in safeguarding the health of people and the planet for generations to come.

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

Foreign affairs update - India-US relations

 

 

• The story: India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar visited US in May 2021. The visit was expected to deepen the strategic partnership between the nations.
• The history of ties: During the Cold War (1949-1991), India and US were ideologically not aligned, which limited the possibilities for international cooperation. But after USSR collapsed in 1991 and the Cold War ended, India rallied behind China and Russia on multilateral issues. However, the idea that multilateralism is a natural domain for India-China cooperation took a back seat when China blocked India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and also a permanent seat in the UNSC. It was the US which ended India’s nuclear isolation, and over the years, India’s default position of opposing the West started to abate. That was the dawn of a new beginning in relationship with the West.
• Getting close to US: In the last couple of years, India has actively backed the European Alliance for Multilateralism and is open to positive engagement with US on global issues. There were military agreements that were signed, and strategic engagements initiated, e.g. the Quad alliance.

• The 2021 talks: EAM Jaishankar discussed a range of issues, including climate change, which was on agenda when U.S. special envoy John Kerry visited India in April. This should pave the way for the US to support India’s transition to green growth. There exist some differences on trade-related issues between the two nations and an unexpected convergence is not possible. Both are convinced that overexposure to China has reduced their domestic manufacturing strengths, so they will explore the possibilities for a new bilateral trade compact and potential cooperation to reform the global trading order.

1. The conversation will go beyond the bilateral issues and will have regional and global dimensions. In the past, regional issues, including those in the subcontinent and broader Asia, were a major source of friction between the countries.
2. The mechanism of the Quadrilateral Security Framework, which arose out of the India-US bilateral defence cooperation is emerging as instrument to shape the regional architecture in the east. The US has now embraced and reinforced the idea of an Indo-Pacific regional space which provides regional cooperation.
3. India’s principal national challenge today is combatting the Covid virus through vaccination, which is part of the talks.

• Fighting the pandemic: The US facilitated the release of essential items for vaccine production and delivering significant relief supplies. Even before the virus began to surge in April, it saw the partnership with India as a critical element in the regional effort. This was to expand the production of vaccines and deliver them across the Indo-Pacific. As the second wave begins to recede and India’s vaccine production revives, the strategy to vaccinate the Indo-Pacific may again come centrestage. Both can pool their resources and strategies in boosting the global resilience against the pandemic and frame new international norms to combat it. India had welcomed the US move to reverse the earlier decision to move out of the World Health Organisation.
• Summary: As the two largest democracies in the world, both India and the US will chart the course for democracy in the world. China's steady rise has given enough impetus to this bilateral relationship to flourish, despite all the shortcomings and problems.

Foreign affairs updates

 

• China's crypto crackdown: Comments from Chinese Vice Premier Liu He that further restricting bitcoin mining was “necessary” sparked another sudden crash in the volatile cryptocurrency market, knocking bitcoin prices down from $42,000 to $32,000. A significant amount of Bitcoin remains controlled by Chinese traders, mostly because of its value for money laundering in a country with extremely tight currency laws. The cost of moving money illegally significantly increased after anti-corruption purges in 2013. Inner Mongolia is a very popular region for bitcoin miners due to cheap electricity and cold temperatures, which help prevent overheating on the enormous computer rigs necessary for mining. The authorities there have discussed a specific provincial crackdown, which could limit mining even more than the national plan.
• China's national icon Yuan Longping dies at 90: The Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, whose development of hybrid rice in the 1970s helped bring an end to famine for millions of people throughout Asia and Africa, died at the age of 90. In China, where Yuan was a national icon, it dominated the news. Yuan’s early years were marked by war and hunger, as a child during the Japanese invasion and as a young man during the Great Leap Forward (1959-1961), when somewhere between 20 million and 45 million Chinese starved to death. As an agricultural scientist, Yuan crossbred a rice species to produce 20 to 30 percent greater yields than previous strains. His work was part of the Green Revolution that transformed global food supplies and staved off warnings of overpopulation and mass famine in the 1960s and 1970s. Numerous factors make Yuan a particularly beloved figure in China. He was the first modern scientist working in the country to make a breakthrough with global recognition—without clashing with the politics of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), when he did his most significant work. Agricultural science was to some degree politically shielded from assaults on universities and scientific institutions. (Yuan’s initial genetic research was conducted in secrecy since Mendelian theory was politically anathema.) China owes much to Yuan, whose work helped bring the country out of the persistent food insecurity that reached its nadir in the 19th and 20th centuries, thanks to overpopulation, political collapse, and ecological disaster. Even today, the first central government document issued every year still concerns China’s food supply.
• The first Biden-Putin summit: U.S. President Joe Biden will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16. The meeting will take place after Biden attends a G-7 summit in the United Kingdom. The leaders will discuss the full range of pressing issues, as they seek to restore predictability and stability to the U.S.-Russia relationship.
• Dutch climate ruling: A Dutch court ruled on whether the Anglo-Dutch company Royal Dutch Shell, one of the world’s biggest oil companies, had a legal responsibility to combat climate change. The case was brought by the Dutch arm of "Friends of the Earth" and alleges that Shell is violating human rights by continuing to extract fossil fuels and is thereby working against the goals of the Paris climate accord. Although the ruling will only be legally binding in the Netherlands, the case was being closely watched by environmental campaigners across the world. Finally, the court ruled that the oil giant Shell must reduce its emissions. By 2030, Shell must cut its CO2 emissions by 45% compared to 2019 levels. The Shell group is responsible for its own CO2 emissions and those of its suppliers, the verdict said.

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

Central package for Covid orphans

 

• The story: The second wave of coronavirus has been brutal on Indian families, with many breadwinners dying. The huge financial impact on such families made it imperative for the government to help them directly. Now, data on these families is already being collated, and a package is being prepared.

• Details: The Centre is said to be leaning towards a package that ensures a sustained livelihood avenue for the affected family. The second key package in the works is for children impacted adversely by the pandemic. The govt. is working out a ‘comprehensive plan’ for those children left orphaned after both parents succumbed to Covid-19. The Centre estimates that, so far, about 577 children have lost both their parents to the second wave. (This is likely a gross under-estimate!)

1. While the details of the child-specific package are still being worked out, elements under discussion will involve fostering options by like-minded families.
2. There also are possible plans for educational grants, linkages with existing scholarship schemes, career guidance and even coaching modules to ensure such a child is professionally settled.
3. The women and child development ministry has already swung into action. Child welfare committees have been activated and district collectors have been alerted to mobilise the Rs.10 lakh grant given to each district under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme for non-institutional childcare.
4. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also stepped in, as has the Union education ministry, to look holistically at all child-specific concerns.

• State level actions: Several states have also begun announcing ex-gratia payments and welfare schemes for both families who have lost their earning member as well as orphaned children. Political parties have also drawn the Centre’s attention to the financial difficulties such families are faced with. Demands for temporary relief - from loan and utility payments and school fee subsidies - are also being made.
• Summary: Given the extent of death and debilitation caused in urban and rural areas, the government needs to compile honest data, so that all affected may get access to urgent help. Rural areas too need special attention, as there are reports of widespread trouble due to Covid amid poor healthcare facilities.

NPS and APY - Securing the golden years

 

• The story: In May, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) announced that Assets Under Management (AUM) under the National Pension System (NPS) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY), crossed the milestone of Rs. 6 trillion. AUM is the total market value of the investments that a person or entity handles on behalf of investors. (1 trillion = 1 lakh crore)

• Points to note:

1. National Pension System (NPS) - The Central Government introduced the National Pension System (NPS) with effect from January 2004 (except for armed forces). In 2018, to streamline the NPS and make it more attractive, the Union Cabinet approved changes in the scheme to benefit central government employees covered under NPS. It is being implemented and regulated by PFRDA in the country. The National Pension System Trust (NPST) established by PFRDA is the registered owner of all assets under NPS. The NPS is structured into two tiers - (i) Tier-I account - This is the non-withdrawable permanent retirement account into which the accumulations are deposited and invested as per the option of the subscriber, and (ii) Tier-II account - This is a voluntary withdrawable account which is allowed only when there is an active Tier I account in the name of the subscriber. The withdrawals are permitted from this account as per the needs of the subscriber as and when claimed. As for beneficiaries, the NPS was made available to all Citizens of India from May 2009. Any individual citizen of India (both resident and Non-resident) in the age group of 18-65 years can join NPS. But OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) and PIO (Person of Indian Origin) card holders and Hindu Undivided Family (HUFs) are not eligible for opening of NPS accounts.
2. Atal Pension Yojana (APY) - The scheme was launched in May, 2015, with the objective of creating a universal social security system for all Indians, especially the poor, the under-privileged and the workers in the unorganised sector. It has been implemented comprehensively across the country covering all states and Union Territories with male to female subscription ratio of 57:43. But only 5% of the eligible population has been covered under APY till date. It is administered by the PFRDA through NPS. Any citizen of India can join the APY scheme. The age of the subscriber should be between 18-40 years. The contribution levels would vary and would be low if a subscriber joins early and increases if she joins late. Benefits include a minimum guaranteed pension ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 on attaining 60 years of age. The amount of pension is guaranteed for lifetime to the spouse on death of the subscriber, and in the event of death of both, it is paid to the nominee.

• PFRDA: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority is the statutory Authority established by an enactment of the Parliament, to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the National Pension System (NPS). It works under the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance. Its key role is appointing various intermediate agencies like Pension Fund Managers, Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) etc., and to develop, promote and regulate the pension industry under the NPS and also administers the APY.

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

Safe harbour provisions in social media

 

• The story: The new IT rules came into effect in India from 26th May, 2021, taking away the protection granted to social media intermediaries under Section 79 of the IT Act, if they fail to comply with certain norms.
• The new rules: The new rules for social media platforms and digital news outlets, called the "Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code", came into effect from 26th May. Now all social media platforms have to compulsorily set up a grievances redressal and compliance mechanism, including appointing a resident grievance officer, chief compliance officer and a nodal contact person. The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY) had also asked these platforms to submit monthly reports on complaints received from users and action taken. A stringent requirement is for instant messaging apps was to make provisions for tracking the first originator of a message.
• Safe harbour no more: Failure to comply with any one of these requirements would take away the indemnity provided to social media intermediaries under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act.

1. Section 79 says any intermediary shall not be held legally or otherwise liable for any third party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted on its platform. This protection is applicable if the said intermediary does not in any way, initiate the transmission of the message in question, select the receiver of the transmitted message and does not modify any information contained in the transmission.
2. Like Section 79 of India’s IT Act, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of USA states that “no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider”.
3. Under new rules, this protection lapses if the intermediary, despite being informed or notified by the government or its agencies, does not immediately disable access to the material under question.

• What happens without safe harbour: For the time being, social media intermediaries (Facebook, Twitter etc.) will continue to function, without any major trouble. Users can continue using these, as earlier. But they have to urgently create the official structures as per new rules. The Rule 4(a) of the IT Rules, which mandates that significant social media intermediaries must appoint a chief compliance officer (CCO) who would be held liable in case the intermediary fails to observe the due diligence requirements, also undermines the safe harbour protections. So if a tweet, a Facebook post or a post on Instagram violates the local laws, the law enforcement agency can arrest the executives of these companies as well! This liability can even be criminal in nature where the CCO can be made to serve a prison term of up to 7 years.
• Summary: The absence of the umbrella protection of Section 79 could also lead to situations where employees of the platform may be held liable for no fault on their part. 

 The POCSO Act - Evolution with time

• The story: There is growing international jurisprudence around child sexual abuse issues. A fundamental limitation of the POCSO Act in India is its inability to deal with historical cases. It is time to revise the law in this context.
• POCSO: The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) came into place in 2012. POCSO is the law in India to protect children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography.
• Historical child sexual abuse: "Historical child sexual abuse" refers to incidents that are reported late. It is not just confined to institutions, but also includes intra-familial abuse.
• Delayed reporting justified: It is often difficult for the child to report the offence or offender at the earliest, and it takes time for the child to recognise what has happened and become confident to report. The delay may be due to many reasons, including lack of awareness, the trauma caused, threats from the perpetrator, fear of public humiliation, or absence of a trustworthy confidant. Another reason is to do with the accommodation syndrome. [The child keeps the abuse as a secret because of the fear that no one will believe the abuse, leading to accommodative behaviour.]

• Legal barrier involved: The Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) makes it clear that any delay in filing complaint dilutes the efficacy of the prosecution’s case. It prohibits judicial magistrates from taking cognisance of criminal cases beyond a specific time period.

1. Earlier, cases involving child sexual abuse not amounting to rape was defined under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It was classified under the lesser offence of outraging the modesty of a woman (Section 354 of the IPC).
2. Any reporting, under Section 354 of the IPC, more than 3 years after the date of incident would be barred by the CrPC. So, this renders historical reporting of child sexual offences which took place before 2012 legally implausible.

• Why needed now: The limitation provisions were incorporated into the CrPC to avert delayed prosecution. But child sexual abuse cannot be viewed in the same manner as other criminal offences. There is thus a compelling need to allow delayed reporting and prosecution in this. A major drawback of delayed reporting is the lack of evidence to advance prosecution. It is believed that there would be very less chance for gathering direct physical and medical evidence in such cases. India, in particular, suffers from a lack of procedural guidance as to how to prosecute historical cases of child sexual abuse.
• Summary: The POCSO Act must rightly be amended to balance the rights of the victims and the accused.

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

How the zebrafish can make long-duration space flight possible

 

 

• The story: When man went to the Moon, it was not a very long distance requiring months of travel. The distance of 3.84 lakh km does not take more than 3 days. But Mars being at least 22.5 crore km away from Earth, it may take many months to reach there. That brings up many practical problems, like radiation exposure from Sun, ageing of the astronauts, etc.

• Science leads the way: A new research in zebrafish has demonstrated how induced hibernation (torpor) may protect humans from the elements of space, especially radiation, during space flight. The researchers exposed zebrafish to radiation like what would be experienced on a six-month journey to Mars. They observed signs of oxidative stress (imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals), DNA damage, stress hormone signaling and changes to the cell-division cycle. The researchers then induced torpor in a second group of zebrafish which were then exposed to the same dose of radiation. The results showed that torpor lowered the metabolic rate within the zebrafish and created a radioprotective effect, protecting against the harmful effects of radiation.

1. Torpor, a form of hibernation, is a brief spell of suspended animation. It usually lasts less than a day. When in torpor, an animal's metabolism, heartbeat, breathing, and body temperature are greatly reduced.
2. The idea is that if "induced torpor" can be used for human, then long-distance spaceflights can become possible

• Zebrafish: Its scientific name is "Danio rerio". It is a small (2-3 cm long) freshwater fish found in the tropical and subtropical regions. The fish is native to South Asia’s Indo-Gangetic plains, where they are mostly found in the paddy fields and even in stagnant water and streams. They are classified as a species of least concern on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. They have been used to study vertebrate development, evolution, genetics, and disease due to its adequate regeneration capacity of almost all its organs, including the brain, heart, eye, spinal cord. Zebrafish have a similar genetic structure (around 70%) to humans. As a vertebrate, the zebrafish has the same major organs and tissues as humans. Their muscle, blood, kidney and eyes share many features with human systems.

• Need for this study: Recent technological advancements might have made space travel more accessible. However, long-term space travel is incredibly detrimental to human health. The study could help in understanding how a form of hibernation, known as induced torpor (a state of reduced metabolic activity) may provide radio-protective effects.

1. Hibernation is a physiological condition found in many species. It protects them against harsh conditions, such as food scarcity and low environmental temperatures. Replicating hibernation may therefore protect astronauts against the harsh conditions of space flight, which include challenges such as radiation exposure, bone and muscle wastage, advanced ageing and vascular problems.
2. The European Space Agency (ESA) is also conducting research into the impacts of hibernating astronauts not just for health reasons, but because it could reduce the amount of consumables required for a space journey and allow the mass of a spacecraft to be reduced by a third.

• Challenges of space travel: The first is radiation. Any space flight is outside Earth’s protective magnetic field, where radiation is much higher as compared to International space stations. The International space station is just within the earth’s protective atmosphere; even then radiation is 10 times higher when compared to earth. Radiation exposure increases cancer risk, damages the central nervous system, can alter cognitive function, reduce motor function and prompt behavioural changes. Then comes isolation and confinement, leading to behavioural issues among astronauts crammed in a small space over a long period of time. Sleep loss, circadian desynchronization, and work overload compound this issue and may lead to performance decrements, adverse health outcomes.
• Distance from Earth: As distance of space flight increases from earth, communication delay increases. For example, there will be a communication delay of 20 minute in space travel to Mars. Different planets have different gravitational pull, for example astronauts would need to live and work in three-eighths of Earth’s gravitational pull on Mars. Additionally, explorers will experience total weightlessness during the course of travel. To further complicate the problem, when astronauts transition from one gravity field to another, it’s usually quite an intense experience. Blasting off from the surface of a planet or a descent through an atmosphere is many times the force of gravity.
• Hostile environments: NASA learned that the ecosystem inside the spacecraft plays a big role in everyday astronaut life. Microbes can change characteristics in space, and microorganisms that naturally live on your body are transferred more easily from person to person in closed habitats like the space station.
• Summary: As man moves ahead with space research, it remains to be seen how possible it would be to truly conquer the vast depths. Perhaps man is destined to live only on this planet, perhaps not. Time will tell.

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

Making India safe for children in third Covid wave 

• The story: After being wrong-footed in the second Covid wave, India has begun the task of preparing its medical facilities to treat children in case the expected third wave hits them worse than earlier waves of coronavirus.
• Treatment protocol: A new treatment protocol is being worked on for children who test positive. Beds and wards are being modified to create space for parents. Medical staff are being retrained. Equipment is being assessed to see if it needs re-calibration for younger bodies. If the parents are covid negative, they may have to be kept in partitioned rooms with their child. For children above 10-12 years, the parent can stay in the hospital but in a different room and meet the child from time to time with precautions. Hospitals have not allowed attendants to stay with Covid patients. For children, this has to change.
• Drugs: As limited drugs are available to treat children, getting the treatment protocol right is now the top priority of leading paediatricians. This entails what kind of oxygen therapy should be given to children, what are the other supportive therapies, which medicines are permissible etc.
• Hope and fear: Doctors are hopeful the worst won't come to pass, but are preparing just in case. They are also hopeful that children will not experience the cytokine storm that adults have experienced. The immune system of children is not mature enough to create such a strong response, which is a good thing. (a) But children have experienced what is called the "Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome" or MIS-C. This is a rare but serious complication associated with Covid in which different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, or eyes. (b) According to the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, the majority of children with MIS-C are likely to recover, if treated in time. But that means India needs to be prepared with more in-patient beds and intensive care beds for children.
• Summary: The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights has asked all states to provide data on critical health care facilities for newborns and paediatric care, such as the number of paediatricians, nurses, support staff, and paramedical staff. One can hope and pray that there is no third wave at all, and if it does arrive, it spares the children.

NGT and rights of Banni grasslan pastoralists

 

 

• The story: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered all encroachments to be removed from Gujarat's Banni grasslands within six months. It also said the Maldharis (Pastoralists) will continue to hold the right to conserve the community forests in the area, granted to them as per the provisions in Section 3 of Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.
• Points to note: The Banni grassland is the largest grassland of Asia situated near the Great Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, spread over 2,618 kilometres and accounts for almost 45% of the pastures in Gujarat. Two ecosystems, wetlands and grasslands, are mixed side by side in Banni. Vegetation in Banni is sparse and highly dependent on rainfall. Traditionally, it was managed following a system of rotational grazing. Banni is dominated by low-growing plants, forbs and graminoids, many of which are halophiles (salt tolerant), as well as scattered tree cover and scrub. The area is rich in flora and fauna, with 192 species of plants, 262 species of birds, several species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
• Reserve Forest: In 1955, the court notified that the grassland will be a reserve forest (the most restricted forests classified according to Indian Forest Act 1927). In 2019, the tribunal ordered to demarcate the boundaries of the Banni grassland and restricted non-forest activities. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified this grassland reserve as one of the last remaining habitats of the cheetah in India and a possible reintroduction site for the species.
• Maldharis: The Maldharis are a tribal herdsmen community inhabiting Banni. Originally nomads, they came to be known as Maldharis after settling in Junagarh (mainly Gir Forest). The literal meaning of Maldhari is keeper (dhari) of the animal stock (mal). The livestock include sheep, goats, cows, buffalo, and camels. The Gir Forest National Park is home to around 8,400 Maldharis.

• Provisions of the Forest Rights Act 2006: Under the provisions of the Act, forest dwellers cannot be displaced unless the rights settlement process has been completed. The Act has a special provision for setting up ‘Critical Wildlife Habitats (CWH)’, for the conservation of the species. It strengthens the conservation regime of the forests while ensuring livelihood and food security of the FDST (Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes) and OTFD (Other Traditional Forest Dwellers). The Act identifies four types of rights:

1. Title rights - It gives FDST and OTFD the right to ownership to land farmed by tribals or forest dwellers subject to a maximum of 4 hectares.
2. Use rights - The rights of the dwellers extend to extracting Minor Forest Produce, grazing areas etc.
3. Relief and development rights - To rehabilitate in case of illegal eviction or forced displacement and to basic amenities, subject to restrictions for forest protection.
4. Forest management rights - It includes the right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource which they have been traditionally protecting.

• NGT: The National Green Tribunal is a specialised body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources. It is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing the same. The NGT has five places of sittings, New Delhi is the Principal place of sitting and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai are the other four. Being a statutory adjudicatory body like Courts, apart from original jurisdiction on filing of an application, NGT also has appellate jurisdiction to hear appeal as a Court (Tribunal).

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

Kerala’s Smart Kitchen Scheme 

 

 

• The story: The CM of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, announced that new guidelines will shortly arrive for implementation of “Smart Kitchen Scheme” in state, to fulfil commitments of LDF.
• The scheme: The Smart Kitchen Scheme will be launched by July 10, 2021. Under the scheme, women of state will be given loan to refurbish their kitchen. These loans will be provided with a low-interest rate in instalment schemes. The key idea is to reduce workload of women’s domestic labour.
• Left Democratic Front (LDF): It is an alliance of left-wing political parties of Kerala which has again come power after winning elections in 2021. The party is in power since 2016. It is major political alliances in Kerala along with Congress-led UDF.  LDF has been in power in State Legislature of Kerala under E. K. Nayanar, who is the longest serving Chief Minister of Kerala and has served for 11 years during 1980-1981, 1987-1991, 1996-2001.
• 2021 Assembly election: The LDF led by Pinarayi Vijayan returned to power in 2016 Assembly Election in which it won 91 out of 140 seats. This number again increased to 99 seats in 2021 Assembly Election. Pinarayi Vijayan has become the first Chief minister of Kerala who was re-elected after a full term five years in office in 2021 election. This election was historic because, incumbent government won again for first time in 40 years.

SeHAT OPD Portal launched 

• The story: The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the ‘Services e-Health Assistance & Tele-consultation (SeHAT) OPD Portal.
• Details: Service will be provided by defence services doctors who are on regular duties. Persons aged 75 and above can consult without waiting. Similar portal called “e-sanjivani platform’ have provided facility of telecommunication to about 5 lakh people in recent months.
• SeHAT Portal: This has been launched to provide telemedicine services in Armed Forces, further strengthening the commitment governments towards e-governance and digital India. Through this OPD, serving defence personnel from Army, Airforce, Navy and ex- service personal can get tele consultations from specialists’ doctors in Armed forces. OPD will provide benefits to around four crore people and family members of defence personnel.
• E-sanjeevani platform: The eSanjeevani is the first component of telemedicine service, implemented under Ayushman Bharat health initiative, providing doctor-to-doctor interaction. It connects all the 1.5 lakh health and wellness centre established under Ayushman Bharat. Service is restricted to Android users currently and has been implemented in 23 States. The eSanjeevaniOPD is the second component of tele-consultation service which enables patient-to-doctor interaction. It was launched amid COVID-19 pandemic to ensure health services reaches to doorstep following the norms of social distancing.

Amartya Sen conferred Spain’s Top Award in Social Science

 

 

• The story: Noted Indian economist and Nobel Laureate, Dr. Amartya Kumar Sen, was conferred with “Princess of Asturias Award” in social sciences category which is Spain’s top prize. He was selected out of 41 candidates from 20 countries.
• Why selected: Dr. Sen was selected for his best-known work- “Poverty and Famines”. In this work, Sen has demonstrated, “hunger is not a result of lack of food, but is result of inequalities in its mechanisms of distribution.
• About the Award: The “Princess of Asturias Award” comprises a Joan Miro sculpture as a symbol, an insignia, a diploma, and a cash prize of 50,000 Euros. His candidature was forwarded by Director General of Casa Asia (Barcelona), Javier Parrondo.
• About Dr. Sen: An Indian economist and philosopher, he has taught and worked in United Kingdom and United States since 1972. He has made contributions to welfare economics, economic and social justice, social choice theory, economic theories of famines, development economics, decision theory, public health etc. Currently, he is a professor in Thomas W. Lamont University and Professor of Economics & Philosophy at Harvard University. On 1998, he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, and later the Bharat Ratna in 1999 in the category of welfare economics. The 2020 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade was conferred upon him by German Publishers and Booksellers Association for his scholarship on ïssues of global justice and combating social inequality in education & healthcare”.

Veteran Children author Eric Carle dies

 

 

• The story: Beloved Children’s author and illustrator, Eric Carle, died at age 91. He was famous among children for his classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other such works.
• About Eric Carle: He was an American designer, illustrator, and children’s author. He wrote a famous picture book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” that has been translated into about 66 languages. About 50 million copies have been sold. His career as an illustrator and children’s author gained pace when he collaborated on “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”.  He had illustrated more than 70 books.
• Awards: He has been awarded with American Library Association called “biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal” which is now called as Children’s Literature Legacy Award. This prize is conferred on writers or illustrators of children’s books published in U.S. Eric Carle was also a U.S. nominee for international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010.
• Early Life: He was born to German immigrant parents in Syracuse, New York. However, they had returned to Nazi Germany (then), when Eric was 6. Under the Nazis, modern, expressionistic and abstract art works were banned. They only allowed realistic and naturalistic arts.

9.1 Today's best editorials to read

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

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

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

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