Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 21-06-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 21-06-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Infrastructure - Inland Vessel Bill 2021 - The Union Cabinet approved the Inland Vessels Bill, 2021, to replace the Inland Vessels Act, 1917. The Bill will regulate safety, security and registration of inland vessels, and be a unified law for the entire country, instead of separate rules framed by the States. A central database for recording the details of vessel, vessel registration, crew on an electronic portal will be created. All non-mechanically propelled vessels will also have to be enrolled at the district, taluk or panchayat or village level. It enlarges the definition of ‘inland waters’, by including tidal water limit and national waterways, and also deals with pollution control measures of Inland Vessels. It directs the Central Government to designate a list of chemicals, substances, etc. as pollutants.
2. Governance and Institutions - India’s anaemia situation - The National Family Health Survey - 5 (NFHS-5) data shows India’s anaemia situation has remained unchanged from the high prevalence of nearly 60% reported in the NFHS-4 survey (2015). It indicated there was a high anaemic population of Indian women and children that didn't respond to various iron supplementation and food fortification programs implemented in the last five years. The WHO haemoglobin (Hb) diagnostic cut-off to diagnose anaemia is 12 gm/decilitre for women, and between 11 and 12 gm/decilitre at different ages for boys and girls. The fear that anaemia is being over-diagnosed in India due to an inappropriately high WHO cut-off, and the assertion for the need for re-examining this Hb cut-off, may be wrong. That scepticism came from researchers using data from "Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS)" carried out in 2016-18 (by the Health Ministry in collaboration with UNICEF and the Population Council). CNNS is an exhaustive and quality-controlled survey that measures a number of biomarkers of health and nutrition with great precision in venous blood sampled from a very large number of children across India. The prevalence of anaemia in these children was 35%, when using the WHO cut-off, lower than what the NFHS surveys have found. If the proposed anaemia cut-offs were used, the burden of anaemia in Indian children would fall from present value (35%) to one-third (11%).
3. Science and Technology - Human DNA-inspired storage system - MIT researchers are working on a storage system that can hold ample data, without taking much space, inspired by the human DNA. So, a device the size of a coffee mug full of DNA could potentially store all of the world’s data. There are about 10 trillion gigabytes (GB) of digital data on Earth right now. Every day, another 2.5 million GB of data are added, consuming a lot of space as they are stored in enormous facilities known as exabyte data centers which can be the size of several football fields and cost around $1 billion to build and maintain. the advantages are that as human DNA doesn’t consume any energy, the data written on the DNA can be stored forever. Extreme stability, ease of synthesis and sequencing are other factors that favour DNA-based storage. Challenges in using DNA to store data include the cost of DNA synthesis and pulling out the vital file from the massive data repository. The MIT team developed a new retrieval technique to pull out the required data, involving encapsulating each DNA file into a small silica particle. Each capsule is labeled with single-stranded DNA “barcodes” that correspond to the contents of the file. This enables them to pull out the desired file while leaving the rest of the DNA intact to be put back into storage.
4. Governance and Institutions - Indian Certification of Medical Devices Plus Scheme - The ICMED 13485 PLUS scheme was launched by the Quality Council of India (QCI) and Association of Indian Manufacturers of Medical Devices (AiMeD). It adds more features to the ICMED the Scheme launched for Certification of Medical Devices in 2016. The ICMED Plus will verify the quality, safety and efficacy of medical devices, and integrate the Quality Management System components and product related quality validation processes through witness testing of products with reference to the defined product standards and specifications. Association of Healthcare Providers (AHPI) will encourage implementation of ICMED Plus. Importance is that it is the first scheme around the world in which quality management systems along with product certification standards are integrated with regulatory requirements.
5. Healthcare and Medicine - Sickle Cell anaemia - The Minister of Tribal Affairs inaugurated the Second National Sickle Cell Conclave on ‘Sickle Cell Disease’. The Conclave is being held to mark the World Sickle Cell Day observed on 19thJune 2021 every year. It is characterized by a modification in the shape of the red blood cell from a smooth, donut-shape into a crescent or half-moon shape. These cells lack plasticity and can block small blood vessels, impairing blood flow. This condition leads to shortened red blood cell survival, and subsequent anaemia, often called sickle-cell anaemia. This leads to chronic acute pain syndromes, severe bacterial infections, and necrosis (tissue death). Anaemia is a medical condition in which the red blood cell count or hemoglobin is less than normal. Symtoms of anemia include Fatigue, Shortness of breath, Hair loss etc.
6. Defence and Military - IN-EUNAVFOR naval exercise in the Gulf of Aden - The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Trikand, a mission deployed for anti-piracy operations, participated in the maiden IN–EUNAVFOR Joint Naval Exercise in the Gulf of Aden. A total of five warships from four navies participated in the exercise on 18th and 19th June 2021 coordinated by European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR). The Gulf of Aden is also known as the Gulf of Berbera, and is a deepwater gulf between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channel, Socotra (Yemen), and Somalia to the south. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, and it connects with the Arabian Sea to the east. To the west, it narrows into the Gulf of Tadjoura in Djibouti. The waterway is part of the important Suez Canal shipping route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean, with 21,000 ships crossing the gulf annually. Important cities along the Gulf of Aden include the namesake Aden in Yemen. Other Yemeni cities are Zinjibar, Shuqrah, Ahwar, Balhaf, Mukalla. On the Horn of Africa side, the cities of Djibouti, Berbera, and Bosaso.
7. Indian Economy - The Cable TV Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 - The Central Government amended the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994 to provide a statutory mechanism for redressal of grievances and complaints of citizens relating to content broadcast by television channels in accordance with the provisions of the Cable Television Network Act, 1995. The Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021, provides for a three-level grievance redressal mechanism — self-regulation by broadcasters, self-regulation by the self-regulating bodies of the broadcasters, and oversight by an Inter-Departmental Committee at the level of the Centre. A viewer could file a complaint directly to the broadcaster, who would have to respond within 15 days. If the complainant was not satisfied with the response, the complaint could be escalated to the self-regulating bodies set up by TV channels, which should deal with the case in 60 days. If the complainant is not satisfied with the decision of the self-regulating body, he may, within 15 days of such decision, prefer an appeal to the Central government for its consideration under the Oversight Mechanism. Such appeals would be dealt with by the Inter-Departmental Committee set up under the Oversight Mechanism.
8. Indian Economy - Udyog Aadhar Memorandum (UAM) - The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises extended validity of Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum from 31st March, 2021 to 31st December, 2021. The Ministry had in September 2015 notified Udyog Aadhaar to ensure ease of registration and wider coverage of MSMEs to avail the benefits under various Schemes of Central/ State governments. Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum (UAM) can be filled online on the portal created by Ministry of MSME. UAM is a one-page registration form which constitutes a self-declaration format under which the MSME will self-certify its existence, bank account details, promoter/owner’s Aadhaar details and other minimum information required. There shall be no fee for filing the Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum. On submission of the form, Udyog Aadhaar Acknowledgement shall be generated and mailed to the email address provided in the Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum which shall contain unique Udyog Aadhaar Number (UAN).
9. Environment and Ecology - PUC certificate - The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) notified a common format for issuance of PUC (Pollution under Control) certificates across the country, under Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, and linking of PUC database with the National Register. The concept of Rejection slip is being introduced. This document can be shown at the service centre for getting the vehicle serviced or can be used, in case the PUCC centre device is not working properly when tested at another centre. There will be confidentiality of information viz. (i) Vehicle owner’s mobile number, name and address (ii) engine number and chassis number (only the last four digits to be visible, the other digits shall be masked). The owner’s mobile number has been made mandatory, on which an SMS alert will be sent for validation and fee. Enforcement would be IT-enabled and would help in better control over polluting vehicles. The QR code shall be printed on the form. It will contain the complete information about the PUC Centre.
10. World Economy - Bitcoin gets another jolt - The world's largest cryptocurrency Bitcoin fell 5.5% to $34,142 on 20th June as China ordered the closure of crypto mining projects amid concerns about energy usage. The hashrate in China started dropping significantly after the mines were closed. The drop was also seen after DeFi token TITAN crashed 100% on 17th June, raising potential regulatory scrutiny. The constant fluctuations in Bitcoin's value is creating a serious problem for investors and analysts alike, though the crypto-believers say the long-term scenario remains bright.

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

India power sector reforms

• The story: During the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the government brought a rescue package for India's power sector, under the Atmanirbhar Bharat plan. This was to prevent the entire power sector chain from suffering, as the Discoms were unable to pay up and meet their obligations. (Discoms - Distribution Companies)
• UDAY scheme: The govt. has tried earlier too, via its ambitious UDAY scheme (Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana). Now again, it had to step in to aid discoms and tackle the power distribution sector's problems. Even after the repeated interventions, the result has been zero. This shows the major structural problems ailing the power sector, needing a sustainable solution.
• Multiple issues: The sector suffers from legacy and concurrent issues.

1. AT&C Losses - The "Aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C)" losses arise from poor or inadequate infrastructure or on account of theft or bills not being generated or honoured. The UDAY scheme had envisaged bringing down these losses to 15 per cent by 2019. The UDAY dashboard shows that AT&C losses now stand at 21.7 per cent at the all-India level.
2. Cost-Revenue Gap - The difference between discoms’ costs (average cost of supply) and revenues (average revenue realised) is high, due to the absence of regular and revision in electricity tariffs.
3. Magnifying effect - The government's push for ensuring electrification of all has contributed to greater inefficiency, as household connections are getting ramped up (to support higher electrification levels) leading to reworked cost structures. The distribution network (transformers, wires, etc) need to be augmented. Without that upgradation, losses rise.
4. Pandemic impact - The economic fallout has been such that demand from industrial and commercial users has fallen, so revenues that would cross-subsidise other consumers, went down.
5. Poor investments - Due to poor financial health of the Discoms, fewer new investments happened, particularly by the private sector.
6. Fossil fuel based power - Thermal power (based on fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and diesel) accounts for 80% of the country's generation, and many plants in India are old and inefficient.

• Solutions: First, cross subsidization may be eliminated. The high tariffs for industrial/commercial customers has affected their competitiveness. Rationalization of cross-subsidy is the only way. Second, to manage the demand for power, it's necessary to introduce 100% metering - net metering, smart meters, and metering of electricity supplied to agriculture. Third, introducing performance-based incentives in the tariff structure. Fourth, greening of the grid by schemes like KUSUM will be an alternative to the power subsidy model in agriculture. The scheme intends to promote the use of solar pumps for agriculture and make provisions that local discoms should buy surplus power from the farmer. Fifth, the government needs to actively promote cross-border electricity trade to utilize existing/upcoming generation assets. The SAARC electricity grid is a step in the right direction.
• Summary: The creation of a national power distribution company is being talked about now, but without solving the systemic issues, a complete turnaround would be tough. (India already has a govt. firm "Powergrid" that maintains tranmissions pan-India)

The pandemic inequality of differential vaccinations

• From oil to viruses: In the 1970s, various countries learnt that oil was the commodity that would decide their fortunes. Today, it's the virus vaccine that is replacing oil. These too are also narrowly produced, delicately political, and unevenly distributed (like oil). Widespread vaccination has pushed America's core inflation to its highest rate since 1992. But rest of the world is suffering delays in buying, making and deploying shots.
• American economy: In June 2021, America’s Federal Reserve raised its forecast for growth, inflation and interest rates. It was solely due to the vaccine progress. The Fed now expects two rate hikes in 2023 (while it had earlier expected none)! The change of tone increased bond yields both in America and in economies on the other side of the vaccine divide.
• Global tale of two recoveries: While the global economy will grow this year by 5.6%, according to the World Bank, but it will be a “tale of two recoveries”. Rich countries and poor countries are actually moving in different directions now.

1. Among the big economies highlighted by the World Bank, the ten with the highest vaccination rates are forecast to grow by 5.5% this year on average.
2. The ten with the lowest are set to grow by just 2.5%. The divide also shows up in forecast revisions.
3. In the world’s poorest 29 economies (including 23 in sub-Saharan Africa), only 0.3% of the population has received even one dose of vaccine. This group’s growth prospects have deteriorated. Their combined GDP is set to grow by 2.9% this year (not 3.4% as forecast six months ago).

• How vaccination helps economies: First, it allows countries to relax lockdowns or any other restrictions on social interaction that are still inhibiting the economy. Second, it reduces the risk of a future outbreak, making growth more resilient. There is also an “effective lockdown index” that combines a tally of policy measures with data on mobility drawn from mobile phones. It shows that social hustle and bustle has returned to many countries with high vaccination rates.
• Who is where: Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Turkey and Mexico will each get at least one shot into the arms of half their population by August, but South Africa and India will not reach that benchmark until December 2021. In both, many people have recovered from the virus, giving them some level of natural immunity. India could reach a 70% immunity level by Jan 2022, counting everyone who has had either a past infection or a first shot of a vaccine. An uneven recovery is better than none.
• Inflation problem: America's rapid growth will push inflation, and even temporary inflation can unsettle financial markets, making investors doubt the Fed’s commitment to easy money. That could increase the risk premium emerging markets pay on their borrowing. These inflationary pressures can complicate policymaking in emerging markets, especially those with large amounts of foreign-currency debt.
• Summary: Global inflation in 2021 will not be like the double-digit rates experienced in the stagflationary 1970s. But the oil crisis had forced policymakers to raise interest rates in the face of economic weakness, 2021's vaccine shortage can create similar a discomfort. The price of uneven vaccination may be premature austerity and monetary tightening in some unprotected parts of the world.

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

Arctic sea ice thinning rapidly

• The story: Sea ice in the coastal Arctic may be thinning far faster than scientists believed, and ice in places like the Kara, Laptev and Chukchi seas, bordering parts of Siberia and Alaska, us shrinking nearly twice as fast as estimates.
• Devil lies in detail: That's because research didn't completely account for a key variable in the Arctic: the influence of climate change on snow.

1. Measuring sea ice thickness is tough, as unlike sea ice extent — the amount of ocean covered by ice at any given time — the thickness can't be measured by looking at satellite images. Scientists use special satellite instruments to send out radar pulses, which hit the ice, bounce back and tell them the height of the ice that's poking out from the surface of the water. This helps them calculate the thickness of the ice.
2. The process is "a bit like waiting for the echo to come back." But there's a catch. As snow builds up, it can weigh down the ice, causing it to sit lower in the water. That means scientists must account for the amount of snow on top in order to accurately estimate the thickness of the ice.

• Using old maps: Till recently, research groups used a snow map developed with data collected by drifting stations scattered across the ocean. The map tells scientists how deep the snow is at different times of the year in different parts of the Arctic. But the map doesn't account for changes in the sea ice over time, particularly changes caused by Arctic warming. When it was developed, the Arctic was mostly covered with multi-year ice. Multi-year ice has survived more than one season, and it's typically much thicker than first-year ice. But in the last few decades, the warming Arctic has seen much of its multi-year ice disappear. The younger ice that remains hasn't had as much time to accumulate snow. That means the older snow map may not reflect all the realities of the new, warmer Arctic.
• New study: It finds that ice is getting thinner over time — and that these thinning trends are much steeper than previous research indicated. Sea ice thickness is a less talked-about trend than sea ice extent. But thinner, more fragile ice could have serious implications for both the Arctic climate system and human activities in the Arctic Ocean. It breaks more easily, melts faster in the summer and allows more sunlight to reach the water below. It may accelerate Arctic warming and cause ice extent to shrink even faster. It may make shipping and oil drilling easier, but ice fishing and hunting more difficult, particularly for Indigenous communities.
• Summary: Arctic sea ice, on average, has gotten thinner over the last few decades as older ice has disappeared and younger ice has taken its place.
  

Can economies keep growing indefinitely

• The story: The electric vehicle (EV) is a modern symbol of a world awakened to the challenges of unsustainability and climate change. But even “sustainable” technologies such as electric vehicles and wind turbines face unbreachable physical limits and cost a lot environmentally.
• A perfect EV: For a “perfect” EV, it will be solar powered, efficient, reliable and affordable. But is it sustainable?

1. EVs powered by renewable energy (RE) may help reduce the carbon footprint of transport. But sustainability is not only about the carbon footprint but the material footprint also - the aggregate quantity of biomass, metal ores, construction minerals and fossil fuels used during production and consumption of a product.
2. The approximate metric tonne weight of an EV constitutes materials such as metals (including rare earths), plastics, glass and rubber. Therefore, a global spike in the demand for EVs would drive an increased demand for each of these materials.
3. Every stage of the life cycle of any manufactured product exacts environmental costs: habitat destruction, biodiversity loss and pollution (including carbon emissions) from extraction of raw materials, manufacturing / construction, through to disposal. Thus, it is the increasing global material footprint that is fundamentally the reason for the twin climate and ecological crises.

• How the world consumed: The global material footprint has grown in lockstep with the exponentially rising global economy (GDP) since the industrial revolution. This is because of huge consumption by the super-affluent in a socioeconomic system founded on growth without limits. Today, technological innovation and efficiency improvements are cited as ways to decouple growth in material use from economic growth.
• Limits to everything: The engine efficiency of airplanes has improved little for decades since they have long been operating close to their theoretical peak efficiency. There is a hard limit on the efficiency of photovoltaic cells (of about 35 percent) because of the physical properties of the semiconductors that constitute them. The power generation of large wind farms is limited to about one watt per square meter as a simple yet utterly unavoidable physical consequence of wake effects. The exponential increase in computing power of the past five decades will end by about 2025 since it is physically impossible to make the transistors on the computer chip much smaller. (already 5 percent of the size of the coronavirus)
• Physics helped, and Physics will limit: Some physical principles that allowed incredible technological leaps over the past 100 years also have limited them. Extensive recycling of materials may perhaps be the only way to offset efficiency limits. But while glass and metals can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality, materials such as paper and plastic cannot be recycled indefinitely. And, recycling itself may be an energy- and materials-intensive process.
• The permanent link: It is impossible to decouple material use from economic growth. No country has really achieved a planned, deliberate economywide decoupling for a sustained length of time. Claims by the Global North to the contrary conceal the substantial offshoring of its production, and the associated ecological devastation, to the Global South. The proposals for 'ecocidal' deep-sea and fantastical exoplanetary mining are a consequence of a growth thought that refuses to accept these inconvenient truths.
• Summaray: To survive, manking will need to ensure resource use curves be simultaneously flatlined and all pollution curves simultaneously extinguished. Ecological integrity is being integrated, even with electric vehicles (EVs).

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

Supreme Court ends the "Italian Marines Case"

• The story: The Indian Supreme Court finally ordered the closure of proceedings in India against two Italian marines, accused of killing two fishermen off the Kerala coast in February 2012. The controversial case became politically charged early on, when opposition parties (BJP) accused the INC of going soft on the marines.
• Case details: On February 15, 2012, Indian fishermen were returning from a fishing expedition near Lakshadweep islands onboard fishing vessel "St Antony" but were gunned down by two Italian marines on board oil tanker "Enrica Lexie". The incident occurred around 20 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala, and after the incident, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted Enrica Lexie. They detained the two Italian marines, Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre, and brought them to local police.
• Legal issues: The challenges were - the legal problems over jurisdiction, the lawfulness of their arrest and the location of their trial, the provisions of law under which they should be tried and legal accountability through a criminal trial.
• PCA's stance: The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling said that India and Italy had concurrent jurisdiction to try the case. However, it said that the Italian marines enjoyed immunity from Indian jurisdiction, as they were acting on behalf of a state. [Permanent Court of Arbitration - a tribunal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea]
• SC's order: The Supreme Court ordered closure after Italy deposited compensation of Rs. 10 crore, and the two marines may face trial in Italy. As far as India is concerned, the monetary compensation may have to be treated as the only available form of closure for the moment. (the legal heirs of the two victims are likely to get Rs. 4 crore each, and the owner of the fishing vessel, Rs. 2 crore.)
• Summary: India did not initially agree to Italy’s offer of compensation and a trial in its own jurisdiction, which was what the UN tribunal’s ruling also said. India’s efforts to assert criminal jurisdiction succeeded in national courts, as in 2013, the SC ruled that prosecuting the marines was solely in the Union government’s jurisdiction. The NIA invoked the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act, 2002, a stringent anti-piracy law that alarmed Italy (due to the death penalty).

First Biden-Putin summit in Geneva, June 2021

• The story: After a long phase of troubles relations, both US and Russia may now see a thaw in relations. The Geneva summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin set a pragmatic tone for engagement between the two competing great powers.
• Importance of the meeting: Relations between the US and Russia have hit the lowest point in recent years since the end of the Cold War. Since 2016, Russia has been accused of interfering in US elections and of launching cyberattacks. Russia was criticised on stifling of internal dissent (e.g. Navalny case). Russia has also criticised America’s “interventionist” foreign policy.
• Result of Geneva summit: The leaders held talks on all critical issues, bringing diplomacy to the centre-stage. Biden sought a more predictable, rational engagement, while Mr. Putin said relations were “primarily pragmatic”. They have decided to return their Ambassadors to the Embassies. “A strategic stability dialogue” will now discuss terms of arms control measures.
• Problems persisting: There are structural issues in the U.S.-Russia ties, starting with the fact that Russia ended its post-Soviet strategic retreat and adopted a more assertive foreign policy under Mr. Putin. NATO's expansion into eastern Europe was a key push. But the West saw this as a threat to its primacy. Then came the 2008 Georgia war, practically ending the good terms between “democratic Russia” and the West. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 renewed the tensions, and Russia was thrown out of the G8, and western sanctions followed. Ties hit rock bottom after allegations on Russian cyberattacks and role in US elections.
• Summary: Biden and Putin cannot resolve these geopolitical and bilateral issues in one summit, but can take measures to prevent relations from worsening. Both should be ready to address their critical concerns and agree to a cold peace. Permanent hostility with other powers cannot be of much help to Russia.

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

Battle of Nandigram drags on

• The story: The West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee filed an election petition in the Calcutta High Court challenging the Assembly election result of Nandigram constituency, where she lost to Suvendu Adhikari.
• Points to note: The Election Commission’s role ends with the declaration of results. An election petition is the only legal remedy available to a voter or a candidate who wishes to contest the result. The election petition is submitted to the High Court of the state in which the constituency is located.

1. Such a petition has to be filed within 45 days from the date of the poll results; nothing is entertained by courts after that.
2. Although the Representation of the People Act (RP Act), 1951 suggests that the High Court should try to conclude the trial within six months, it usually drags on for much longer.

• Grounds for filing such petitions (under/Section 100 of the RP Act):

1. On the day of the election, the winning candidate was not qualified to contest.
2. The winning candidate, his poll agent or any other person with the consent of the winning candidate has indulged in a corrupt practice.
3. Improper acceptance of the nomination of the winning candidate or improper rejection of a nomination.
4. Malpractice in the counting process, which includes improper reception, refusal or rejection of any vote, or the reception of any vote which is void.
5. Non-compliance with the provisions of the Constitution or the RP Act or any rules or orders made under the RP Act.
6. If verdict is in favour of the Petitioner (Section 84 of the RP Act) - The petitioner may ask that the results of all or the winning candidates may be declared void. In addition to that, the petitioner may also ask the court to declare her (in case the petition is filed by a candidate) or any other candidate as the winner or duly elected. So the verdict on an election petition, if found in favour of the petitioner, may result in a fresh election or the court announcing a new winner.

• History: The most famous case was the Allahabad High Court verdict of 1975 which set aside Indira Gandhi’s election from Rae Bareli constituency, four years earlier, on grounds of corrupt practice. That led to the imposition of emergency, in 1975.
• Provisions under RP Act 1951: It regulates the actual conduct of elections and by-elections, and provides administrative machinery for conducting elections. It deals with the registration of political parties, and specifies the qualifications and disqualifications for membership of the Houses. The Section 123 of the RP Act has a detailed list of what amounts to corrupt practice, including bribery, use of force or coercion, appeal to vote or refrain from voting on grounds of religion, race, community, and language. It provides provisions to curb corrupt practices and other offences.

Export schemes to get funding

• The story: Union govt. will clear the pending dues of exporters, with allocations under the "Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme" being enhanced to Rs.17,000 crore for the financial year, against Rs.13,000 crore provided earlier. In addition, Rs.2,000 crore is being provided to clear the arrears of services exporters for 2019-20 under the now-defunct Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS).
• Details: The finance ministry hoped to save funds due to reworking the export promotion schemes. It had re-deployed large parts to the production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes, which will entail an allocation of close to Rs.2 lakh crore over five years. The latest move follows consultation between the finance and commerce ministries.
• Relief for exporters: The twin moves may offer much-needed relief to exporters, especially those in the services space, hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Even for goods exporters, refund of levies did not come through, despite the government announcing the new scheme RoDTEP from April to ensure that goods shipped from India do not become uncompetitive due to state and central levies.

1. In the absence of payments, exporters have been forced to borrow or dip into their already depleted reserves to meet capital requirements, which has added to costs.
2. The problem was due to lower allocation made, and the scheme was getting restricted to only a few segments.
3. The enhancement of the allocation will now enable the commerce and revenue departments to refund duties paid by all exporters. “The coverage of RoDTEP will be available to all the 11,000 tariff lines for which rates will be notified”.

• US versus India at WTO: A mechanism is also being proposed for units in special economic zones (SEZs), with the details to be worked out in the coming months. A panel comprising experts as well as industry representatives will look into the mechanism. There is no clarity yet on some of the dues from the erstwhile Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) that was abandoned as the US dragged India to the WTO, arguing that it was not compliant with global rules.

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

Europe's "Right to be Forgotten" may arrive in India

• The story: In Europe, social media firms faced fire from regulators over the issue of "right to be forgotten", where old web references of citizens may be removed upon request, respecting privacy rights. That is not yet a concept appreciated in India.
• Latest issue: The Delhi High Court ordered the removal of one of its own judgments from easy access, and that is an important development for the ‘right to be forgotten.’
• The case: The petitioner was acquitted of certain crimes by the court, and the judgment was freely accessible on the Internet, which the petitioner was unhappy of. The petitioner thus sought removal of the judgment from a leading database platform and search engines. The court, as a temporary relief, asked search engines to remove this order from search results, and ordered the database platform to block the judgment from being accessed by search engines.
• Logic of this right: The High Court recognised that the petitioner may have a right to be forgotten, and this is the right to have information about a person removed from public access. The idea is that individuals should be able to determine the development of their life in an autonomous way. Persons cannot be perpetually stigmatised for past conduct. But the internet tends to never forget, causing great trauma.
• Supreme Court's ruling: In 2017, the Supreme Court recognised the right to be forgotten as being under the ambit of the right to privacy (specifically, informational privacy) under the Constitution, and observed that if someone desired to remove personal data from the virtual space, it ought to be respected. The right to be forgotten was subject to reasonable restrictions based on countervailing rights such as free speech. For now, individuals may request data hosts to take down some content, and it may be taken down based on the policies of the respective hosts.
• Concerns: There is a general consensus that people should be allowed to modify or delete information uploaded by themselves, but whether this extends to information uploaded by third parties is uncertain. If the person was never convicted, should they continue to bear the infamy is a big question. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a similar case, has disallowed suppression of criticism and accountability, especially against powerful figures. There may be significant merit to the right to be forgotten. But Court Judgments are published for good reasons. Trials held under public scrutiny act as a check against judicial arbitrariness.
• Summary: This is the first instance of a court ordering the removal of access to its complete final judgment from certain spaces. The Delhi HC could have also ordered that the name and personal details of the petitioner be redacted, and public access to the judgment itself could have been maintained. The Streisand effect should also be taken into account - a social phenomenon that occurs when an attempt to hide, remove, or censor information has the unintended consequence of further publicizing that information, often via the Internet.

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

A census of the world’s urban microbes

• June 21st celebrations: This day is either the summer or the winter solstice in the world, and also a special day for members of the "International Metagenomics and Metadesign of Subways and Urban Biomes Consortium (MetaSUB)". The MetaSUB’s volunteers gather samples of the local microbes.
• What it is: MetaSUB’s purpose is to understand the invisible complexes of bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses that are life’s smallest representatives. Every year, on June 21st, it co-ordinates an army of small-game hunters who have the task of sampling their city’s public transport. The swabs are then tagged with time of collection, local temperature and humidity, and the nature of the sampled surface, and sent off for genetic sequencing and statistical analysis.
• Latest finding: 4,728 samples were collected in 2015, 2016 and 2017. These show that each city has a microbial ecosystem distinctive enough to serve as a fingerprint. A few species are ubiquitous. Thirty-one (all bacteria) were found on almost every swab, and a further 1,145 (also, bar brewers’ yeast, bacteria) turned up in over 70% of samples. The vast majority of the 4,246 identifiable species were, however, much more narrowly distributed.

1. On top of these identifiable organisms are the unknowns. Around half of the critters sequenced had no match in the world’s public genetic databanks
2. More than 1,000 of the bacteria collected, and 10,000 of the viruses, remain unidentified.
3. Unidentified organisms are common in such expeditions, for a proper understanding of microbial biodiversity remains a long way off.

• Macro dictating the micro: The pattern observed reflects the more familiar ecology of plants and animals in that equatorial cities have richer ecosystems than those nearer the poles (microbial diversity declines at a rate of seven species per degree of latitude). No one knows for sure why this pattern pertains for macroscopic creatures. That it is also true for microbes may add insight.

1. On top of latitudinal variation, three other patterns stood out. Coastal cities share characteristics that inland ones lack. So do those at high altitude, compared with those which are low-lying. And so do cities with higher human-population densities.
2. MetaSUB is still in the position of the early botanists and zoologists, gathering information about what, exactly, is out there. As the underlying patterns become clearer, such surveys could have practical benefits. They may enable public-health bodies to monitor and map the spread of diseases, and identify harmful new species.

• Summary: MetaSUB has now started surveying RNA as well. This is pertinent to viruses, many of which, such as the coronavirus currently sweeping the world, store their genes as RNA, not DNA. 

Coelacanths are long-living fish

• The story: The group of fish called the coelacanths were earlier believed to have died out with the dinosaurs. They showed up in recent years, though.
• Very long lived: Research now shows that besides having lasted collectively for more than 400 m years, coelacanths hang around for a long time as individuals. They have similar lifespans to human beings, putting them among the world’s longest-lived vertebrates.

1. Coelacanths belong to a group which have lobe-shaped fins of a sort thought to have been precursors to the limbs of terrestrial tetrapods.
2. Experts have sought to study Latimeria more closely. But Latimeria is reclusive, nocturnal, lives in depths below 100 metres, and is known only from the south-western Indian Ocean and from a second, smaller population, L. menadoensis, near Manado Tua, an island in Indonesia.

• Metabolism: Research work which looked at annual growth rings in its scales, suggested a maximum of 20 years. That does not square with the animal’s slow metabolism and low fecundity, both traits characteristic of long-lived species. Rather than using standard microscopes, researchers employed polarised light to study the scales. This revealed extra growth rings so thin that previous work had missed them. Of 27 individuals studied, six turned out to be in their 60s and one was 84.
• What about childbirth: Latimeria females bear live young rather than laying eggs. The fetuses’ scales suggested they were five years old, a remarkably long gestation period given the previous vertebrate record of three-and-a-half years, held by the deep-sea frilled shark.
• Summary: An already-rare, slow-growing animal with a gestation period of half a decade has just about the most extinction-prone profile it is possible to imagine. Latimeria is legally protected, and is not a particular target for fisherfolk. But it is already classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. What a tragedy to have survived the asteroid impact 66 m years ago that killed the dinosaurs, and then to die at humans' hands!

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

World Sickle Cell Disease Day 2021

• The story: The 'Sickle Cell Disease' is an inherited blood disease, common among people of African, Arabian and Indian origin. The government of India runs awareness projects to help mitigate its impact.
• The news: To commemorate the World Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Day on 19th June, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MOTA) flagged off mobile vans under the "Unmukt project" for strengthening screening and timely management of SCD in tribal districts of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
• Details: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution recognising SCD as a public health problem on 22th December, 2008. It also recognised SCD as one of the first genetic diseases.

1. Sickle Cell Disease is a group of disorders that affects hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. People with this disease have atypical hemoglobin molecules called hemoglobin S, which can distort red blood cells into a sickle, or crescent shape. This blocks blood flow and oxygen from reaching all parts of the body.
2. Its symptoms include severe pain, referred to as sickle cell crises. Over time, people with sickle cell disorders can experience damage to organs including the liver, kidney, lungs, heart and spleen. Death can also result from complications of the disorder.
3. Treatment includes medication, blood transfusions and rarely a bone-marrow transplant.

• Statistics: India is home to nearly 1,50,000 patients with SCD and about 88% of Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA) cases in Asia. The disease in India occurs predominantly in eastern Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, western Odisha and in pockets of the Nilgiri Hills in north Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is prevalent among tribal communities (including children). As per MOTA, SCD is affecting more women and children and nearly 20% of tribal children with SCD die before reaching the age of two, and 30% children die before reaching adulthood.
• Challenges: The problem of social stigma reduces the effectiveness of screening programmes as people don’t want to go to health authorities. Access to care for SCD in the tribal regions of India is limited, while the disease is more prevalent there. Children with sickle cell disease often have to drop out from school. The delayed implementation of the 2018 draft policy on haemoglobinopathies slowed things. The policy aims to provide evidence-based treatment for patients and reduce the number of new-born children with sickle cell disease through initiatives such as the Sickle Cell Anaemia Control Program, screening and prenatal diagnosis.
• Initiatives by India: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs runs the SCD Support Corner, a portal to collect real time data and provide relevant information related to Sickle Cell. It will help in making a Central Repository of data. An ‘Action Research’ project under which Yoga dependent lifestyle is promoted to reduce the complications in the patient suffering from this disease. Certain states, such as Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, have expanded their screening programmes from hospital to school-based screenings. Extrapolating such screening efforts and implementation strategies to other states will help map the prevalence of the disease. The Ministry of Social Justice and empowerment has increased the validity of disability certificates for SCD patients from 1 year to 3 year.
• Summary: The SCD is a health burden which not only impacts the individual’s life cycle but also impacts the economy as well. There is a need to take efforts so that the next generation is free from the disease. There is an urgent need for multi-stakeholder engagement as well as meaningful partnerships with like-minded organizations, pharmaceutical industries, private organizations, not-for-profit organizations for working jointly to reduce morbidity and mortality from SCDs and increasing the access to care for SCD in tribal regions of India.

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

India-US launch "Hydrogen Task Force"

• The story: As per to US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), India and United States have launched a hydrogen task force under “Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP)” which will boost India’s energy security efforts.
• Details: This task force was launched by United States Department of Energy, Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and USISPF. It will represent industry & government stakeholders and assess technology status, study innovative policy options & make recommendations. This will bridge government research with unique industry perspectives which will help in reaching the goals of decarbonizing, high-polluting industrial sectors and achieving a greener & cleaner planet. It will bring industries and academy together with an aim of integrating private sector inputs to bring latest technology & adopt business models to develop and deploy hydrogen technologies.
• Aim: The Hydrogen Task Force was constituted with the aim of serving as a forum to achieve affordable hydrogen solutions. It seeks to enhance energy security & resilience by boosting up low or zero-carbon hydrogen technologies & deployment.
• Hydrogen solutions: Hydrogen can be produced domestically from resources like natural gas, coal, solar energy, wind, and biomass. When used to power highly efficient fuel cell electric vehicles, hydrogen holds the promise of helping conserve petroleum and diversifying our transportation energy options.

mYoga App

• The story: The Prime Minister launched the mYoga app on the occasion of international day of Yoga and gave the mantra of “Yog se Sahyog Tak”. This app is a fusion of modern technology & ancient science.
• About the App: The mYoga App was launched to provide yoga training videos which will be available across the world in different languages. Currently it is available in English, Hindi and French languages. It will be launched in other UN languages soon. The App was launched in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO).
• The purpose: This app was launched to provide users with a collection of videos and audio practice sessions which can be practiced “in comfort of their own homes, whenever they wish.” App can be used for daily yoga companion for persons aged 12-65 years.
• Creators: It is developed by “reviewing scientific literature & extensive international expert consultation processes.” It was developed in collaboration between WHO and Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.

Tribal Affairs Ministry - NCERT partner for NISHTHA

• The story: The Tribal Affairs Ministry and NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) have joined hands with the objective of fulfilling vision of ministry to achieve academic excellence in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).
• Goal: The partnership also aims to achieve excellence among 120 EMRS teachers and principals of 3 states which completed 40 days’ NISHTHA programme.
• NISHTHA Programme: It stands for “National initiative for School Heads’ & Teachers’ Holistic Advancement” programme, and is a national flagship program of NCERT. This is a capacity building program launched with the aim of building competencies among teachers and school principals. It seeks to improving Quality of School Education through Integrated Teacher Training. This will be conducted across 350 functional EMRS schools in India.
• First batch under programme: The first batch of 120 EMRS teachers and principals were selected from 3 states viz., Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Participants were trained on 18 modules covering aspects like Learning Outcomes, Assessment Practices, Art-Integrated Learning, Gender Equality, POCSO Act, Covid Response of Schools etc.

Chile's new constitution

• The story: Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has said that Chilean assembly is set to draft a new constitution for the country which will replace the one inherited from dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Its first session will be held on July 4.
• Points to note: The Constitution will be re-written following a broad political consensus which was agreed to, after violent social protests of 2019 against inequality in Chile. Referendum was held which got favour of 78% of Chilean, on October 25, 2020. Convention represents a great opportunity to achieve new constitution and it will be recognized & respected by all Chileans under the framework of unity & stability toward future democracy. The Convention will comprise of 155 delegates who were elected in May, 2021.
• History: The Constitution of 1980 has problems of legitimacy. The constitutional commission was not representative of political spectrum of Chile because its members were handpicked by Pinochet dictatorship. As a result, constitution has been frequently modified (20 times) ever since democracy was reinstated in the country.
• Chile: This beautiful country in western South America occupies a long, narrow strip of land between Andes in east and Pacific Ocean in west. It covers an area of 7,56,096 square kilometres and a population of 17.5 million. It is closest to Antarctica and the southernmost country worldwide. It shares border with Peru, Bolivia Argentina and the Drake Passage. It also controls Pacific islands of Juan Fernandez and Easter Island in Oceania. Its capital and largest city is Santiago while Spanish is the national language. Chile is known as "copper country" of the world.

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

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