Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 23-07-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 23-07-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

• Governance and Institutions - SMILE Scheme - Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has framed the SMILE scheme (Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise scheme). This Scheme includes a sub scheme - ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging’. It covers several comprehensive measures including welfare measures for persons who are engaged in begging, with a focus extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counselling, basic documentation, education, skill development, economic linkages etc. It provides for the use of the existing shelter homes available with the State/UT Governments and Urban local bodies for rehabilitation of the persons engaged in the act of Begging. In case of non-availability of existing shelter homes, new dedicated shelter homes are to be set up by the implementing agencies.
• Healthcare and Medicine - Bird Flu case in India - On July 21, an 11-year-old boy died of H5N1 avian influenza in Delhi, in the first recorded death due to the bird flu in India in 2021. In January, bird flu was confirmed in several states with thousands of birds, including migratory species, being found dead. Bird flu or avian influenza is a disease caused by avian influenza Type A viruses found naturally in wild birds worldwide. The virus can infect domestic poultry including chickens, ducks, turkeys and there have been reports of H5N1 infection among pigs, cats, and even tigers in Thailand zoos. Avian Influenza type A viruses are classified based on two proteins on their surfaces – Hemagglutinin(HA) and Neuraminidase(NA). There are about 18 HA subtypes and 11 NA subtypes. Several combinations of these two proteins are possible e.g., H5N1, H7N2, H9N6, H17N10, etc. There have been reports of avian and swine influenza infections in humans including A(H1N1), A(H1N2), A(H5N1), A(H7N9), etc. The first report of human H5N1 infection was in 1997. The most common route of virus transmission is direct contact — when a person comes in close contact with infected birds, either dead or alive.
• Defence and Military - New gen Akash missile - The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the New Generation Akash Missile, a surface-to-air Missile from Integrated Test Range off the coast of Odisha. The system has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories. The new version of the Akash missile (Akash-NG) can strike targets at a distance of around 60 km and fly at a speed of up to Mach 2.5. It will prove to be a force multiplier for the air defence capability of the Indian Air Force.
• Healthcare and Medicine - Nidhi for Covid 2.0 - NIDHI4COVID 2.0 initiative was devised as a rapid response to support startup driven solutions, which would be helpful in tackling the current challenging COVID-19 situation. Inducted as a special drive of the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST) & govt of India, NIDHI4COVID2.0 aims at introducing indigenous solutions and innovative products which would aid the nation in to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic effectively. Under the NIDHI4COVID programme, Startups whose products are of importance in the war against COVID would be considered for Seed Support through DST supported network of Technology Business Incubators. KIIT- Technology Business Incubator, a Centre of Excellence supported by DST, has been selected as the Implementing Agency of NIDHI4COVID 2.0 initiative. In this, KIIT-TBI will work closely together with DST to support promising startups with upto 50 lakhs funding assistance under the program.
• Social Issues - Orphans due to Covid - The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an estimated 1.5 million (15 lakh) children facing the loss of a parent or a caregiver (a grandparent or other older relative in their home), including over a million who lost one or both parents, according to a global study to be published in The Lancet. In India, an estimated 1.19 lakh children lost a primary caregiver — one or both parents, or one or both custodial grandparents. Among them, 1.16 lakh lost one or both parents. Globally, from March 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, the study estimates that 11.34 lakh children lost a primary caregiver (at least one parent or custodial grandparent). Including other co-residing grandparents (or other older relatives), the total is 15.62 lakh children, of whom over 1 million (10.42 lakh) lost one or both parents. The estimates for India indicate an 8.5-fold increase in the numbers of children newly orphaned in April 2021 (43,139) compared to March (5,091). Mexico (1.41 lakh) and Brazil (1.30 lakh) have the highest number of children who have lost a primary caregiver, followed by India. The US is another country where over a lakh children have lost a primary caregiver.
• Science and Technology - New Shephard rocket system - Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos came back to earth after a 10-min flight to space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft. The astronauts experienced three to four minutes of zero-gravity and travelled above the Kármán Line, the internationally-recognised boundary of space. It is a rocket system meant to take tourists to space successfully. The system is built by Blue Origin, Private Space Company based out in USA. New Shephard has been named after astronaut Alan Shephard, the first American to go to space. It offers flights to space over 100 km above the Earth and accommodation for payloads. The system is a fully reusable, vertical takeoff and vertical landing space vehicle.
• Governance and Institutions - Honey Mission Programme - This mission was launched in 2017-18 by Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the Ministry of MSME. It promotes beekeeping activities and provide self-sustaining employment opportunities among farmers, Adivasies and unemployed youth in rural India, mainly in economically backward and remote areas. Launched in 2017 in line with the ‘Sweet Revolution’, the mission provided with Bee Boxes, live bee colonies, tool kits and training to the beneficiaries. [The 'Sweet Revolution' was launched in 2016 to promote beekeeping and associated activities.]
• Governance and Institutions - Tender for BharatNet Project - The Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) on behalf of the Ministry of Telecommunications, through a public-private partnership model, invited global tenders for the development (creation, upgrade, operation, maintenance and utilization) of BharatNet in 9 separate packages in 16 states to obtain concession rights for 30 years. Under this project, the government will provide grants of up to Rs. 19041 crore as Viability Gap Funding. The project will cover 3.61 lakh villages (including Gram Panchayats) in Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. The scope of work for this BharatNet PPP Project includes the following: Connect the remaining unconnected GPs under the BharatNet project with all the inhabited villages outside the GPs. Conversion of the existing BharatNet Network's topology from linear to ring. Operation and maintenance (O&M), as well as utilisation of both the existing and newly deployed networks.
• World Politics - Frightened Americans rushing to get vaccinated - Americans in undervaccinated states are responding to surging Covid-19 caseloads—by getting vaccinated. Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri and Nevada suddenly have daily vaccination rates above the national average. (Florida, Missouri and Texas account for 40% of all new infections.) Lest they be blamed for outbreaks and deaths in “red”, Republican-voting states, Republican politicians have begun praising the jab. In the past 10 days 5.2m Americans had their first shot.
• World Economy - The chips are down - Intel’s boss warned that the global semiconductor shortage could last into next year, and that supply would not fully recover until 2023. Carmakers have been hit particularly hard by a dearth of chips, in part the result of the extra demand created by pandemic home-working. Pat Gelsinger said consolidation among chipmakers would help. Intel is trying to buy GlobalFoundries, a rival, for $30bn.

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

Trying to improve the insolvency process

• The story: In July 2021, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) amended the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) Regulations, 2016. These amendments will enhance the discipline, transparency, and accountability in corporate insolvency proceedings. In March 2021 a sub-committee of the Insolvency Law Committee (ILC) recommended a pre-pack framework within the basic structure of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016.
• Points to note:

1. Revealing Former Names & Address - The amendment requires an Insolvency Professional (IP) conducting Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) to disclose all former names and registered office address(es) so changed in the two years preceding the commencement of insolvency along with the current name and registered office address of the Corporate Debtor (CD), in all its communications and records.
2. CIRP includes necessary steps to revive the company such as raising fresh funds for operation, looking for a new buyer to sell the company as a going concern, etc. CD is any corporate organization which owes a debt to any person. A CD may have changed its name or registered office address prior to commencement of insolvency. Therefore the stakeholders may find it difficult to relate to the new name or registered office address and consequently fail to participate in the CIRP.
3. Appointment of Professionals - The amendment provides that the Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) or Resolution Professional (RP) may appoint a professional, other than registered valuers, if he is of the opinion that the services of such professional are required and such services are not available with the CD. Such appointments shall be made on an arm’s length basis following an objective and transparent process.
4. Avoidance of Transactions - The RP is duty bound to find out if a CD has been subject to avoidance transactions, namely, preferential transactions, undervalued transactions, extortionate credit transactions, fraudulent trading and wrongful trading, and file applications with the Adjudicating Authority seeking appropriate relief.
5. Significance - It would allow stakeholders to claw back lost value and would disincentive stakeholders from entering into such transactions.

• Explanation: Insolvency is a situation where individuals or companies are unable to repay their outstanding debt. Bankruptcy is a situation whereby a court of competent jurisdiction has declared a person or other entity insolvent, having passed appropriate orders to resolve it and protect the rights of the creditors. It is a legal declaration of one’s inability to pay off debts.
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC): The IBC was enacted in 2016, to streamline and speed up the resolution process of failed businesses. It was to consolidate provisions of the existing legislative framework to form a common forum for debtors and creditors of all classes to resolve insolvency. The goal was also to stipulate that the resolution process of a stressed company will have to be completed in a maximum of 270 days.
• Institutions created:

1. Insolvency Professionals (IPs) - These professionals administer the resolution process, manage the assets of the debtor, and provide information for creditors to assist them in decision making.
2. Insolvency Professional Agencies (IPAs) - The agencies conduct examinations to certify the insolvency professionals and enforce a code of conduct for their performance.
3. Information Utilities - Creditors will report financial information of the debt owed to them by the debtor. Such information will include records of debt, liabilities and defaults.
4. Adjudicating Authorities - The proceedings of the resolution process are adjudicated by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), for companies; and the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), for individuals. The duties of the authorities will include approval to initiate the resolution process, appoint the insolvency professional, and approve the final decision of creditors.
5. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board - It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code, as it regulates insolvency professionals, insolvency professional agencies and information utilities set up under the Code. It consists of representatives of the Reserve Bank of India, and the Ministries of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Law.
6. Insolvency Resolution Process - It can be initiated by any of the stakeholders of the firm (debtors/creditors/employees). If the adjudicating authority accepts, an IP is appointed. The power of the management and the board of the firm is transferred to the Committee of Creditors (CoC). They act through the IP. The IP has to decide whether to revive the company (insolvency resolution) or liquidate it (liquidation). If they decide to revive, they have to find someone willing to buy the firm. The creditors also have to accept a significant reduction in debt. The reduction is known as a haircut. They invite open bids from the interested parties to buy the firm. They choose the party with the best resolution plan, that is acceptable to the majority of the creditors (75% in CoC), to take over the management of the firm.

• Summary: The original intent of the IBC has been significantly diluted with time, and the government now again needs to tighten the process if any meaningful break from the past is to be had.

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

What's going wrong with weather worldwide - Extreme events

• The story: While it was long feared that steady climate change will harm the regular pattern of weather, it seems that some of the worst prophecies are coming true now. The world has witnessed not only the Covid-19 pandemic, but also a barrage of extreme weather events since 2020, worrying policymakers hugely.
• Points to note: The unprecedented June 2021 heat wave that drove temperatures across Canada and parts of the United States to a record high, causing hundreds of deaths between June 25 to 30, has worried policymakers. Then came the July floods in Germany that killed over 180 people. Floods were reported also across several Asian countries, in China, India and Indonesia. Then there were the cyclones Tauktae and Yaas that hit India’s west and east coasts, respectively.
• Causes: First is extreme temperature. As the temperature of the Earth is rising with each passing year, the increasing temperature and extreme sunshine on top of it creates a low-pressure system. That trigger the start of hurricanes and other tropical storms.

1. Then come the high atmospheric winds. The jet stream is found where the cold air from Earth’s poles meets with warm tropical air. In normal times, these help continue and control the weather system from west to east in the northern hemisphere and from east to west in the southern hemisphere. Sometimes these winds bring unpleasant weather with them which may lead to the formation of a tornado.
2. When 'too cold' high-pressure systems meet the 'too warm' low-pressure systems, the chances of extremely high waves on sea surface increases. The too cold high-pressure systems originate from sub-polar land whereas too warm low-pressure systems originate from temperate seas.
3. In regular course, weather systems (such as air masses, fronts, etc.) keep moving in a proper way which helps maintain the weather conditions smoothly. But when these come across any disturbance, it creates disasters.
4. Climate change - The world's average temperature has increased since the past few decades and keeps on changing year after year. A big reason for the increase in Earth’s temperature is the level of atmospheric CO2. As it is increasing steadily, the temperature of the earth is also increasing in parallel. Global warming is contributing to intensifying heatwaves, and also boosting the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere which may lead to causes of severe weather like heavy rainfall, heavy snowstorm, etc.

• Concerns: The rise in average global temperature is linked with widespread changes in weather patterns. It is making heavy rainfall more likely. Warmer air carries more moisture, meaning that more water will be released eventually. Extreme weather events like heat waves and extreme rainfall are likely to become more frequent or more intense with rising anthropogenic climate change.
• Manmade: The Theory of Anthropogenic Climate Change is that humans are causing most of the current changes to climate by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Temperatures at the Earth’s poles are rising at two to three times the temperature at the equator. This weakens the jet stream of the mid-latitudes, situated over Europe. During summer and autumn, the weakening of the jet stream has a causal effect resulting in slower-moving storms, resulting in more severe and longer-lasting storms with increased intensity. Human-induced global warming has contributed to the increased frequency and intensity of cyclonic storms over the Arabian Sea.
• Summary: Clearly, coordinated global action is needed urgently to not only drastically reduced the emission of greenhouse gases, but also to build technology to sequester atmospheric carbon. This decade will prove crucial in mankind's struggle to keep the planet habitable for itself.

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

Foreign affairs update - 23rd July 2021

• The Olympics 2020 begin: The opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympics, postponed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, began in Tokyo. The Games, beset by local apathy, cost overruns, bears, oyster infestations, and internal scandals added one more before today’s launch: Its opening ceremony creative director, Kentaro Kobayashi, was fired the day before the ceremony after old footage emerged of Kobayashi performing a comedy skit mocking the Holocaust. Daily new COVID-19 infections in Tokyo have increased from an average 882 per day last week to 1,373 recently, as the testing positivity rate reached 10.7 percent, a level that indicates a higher number of cases in the population than officially reported.
• Cuba sanctions: The United States imposed fresh sanctions on a Cuban security minister and a special forces unit in the Biden administration’s first concrete actions following protests on the island earlier in July. President Biden warned that the move was  “just the beginning” and that the United States “will continue to sanction individuals responsible for oppression of the Cuban people.” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called the sanctions “unfounded and slanderous” and urged the United States to reflect on its own “systematic repression and police brutality.” Hundreds of Cubans involved in the protests now face charges of inciting unrest.
• Brazil’s election: Brazil’s political leaders have been forced to deny reports that the 2022 presidential election must meet new conditions before a vote could be held. Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto is reported to have told House Speaker Arthur Lira that the election would not take place unless paper ballots were universally used. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has claimed electronic voting systems in the country are vulnerable to fraud, a claim Brazil’s electoral court denies. Bolsonaro has yet to provide evidence to back up his claim as he trails his likely challenger, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in polls.
• Pegasus snooping scandal fallout: French President Emmanuel Macron has switched to a new phone following revelations from the Pegasus Project that his device may have been targeted as part of a widespread government-led hacking program using spyware licensed from an Israeli company. Prosecutors in Hungary and Algeria have ordered investigations into the use of the program, while Israel has formed a commission to review the approval of spyware licenses.
• China's deadly floods: Residents of China's Henan Province in central China were hit by even more rain as a historic crisis worsened for one of the country’s poorest provinces. Record rainfall led to mass flooding across a region home to nearly 100 million people. The provincial capital of Zhengzhou received the equivalent of one-third of its average annual rainfall in the space of one hour. The impact was devastating, and entire neighborhoods have been submerged. Henan is home to large numbers of factories, and consumers can expect several disruptions to global supply chains already rattled by the coronavirus pandemic. Apple and Nissan factories are wrecked by the flooding. Officials described the amount of rainfall as a “once in a thousand years” event.
• Pakistan parliament passes FATF-related bill: Pakistan was placed on the grey list by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June, 2018 and was given a plan of action to complete it by October, 2019. Since then the country continues to be in that list due to its failure to comply with the FATF mandates. Now, Pakistan's parliament has passed a bill for providing legal assistance in international criminal matters as part of efforts to fulfil the conditions set by the global financial watchdog FATF. The Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) Amendment Bill was passed by the Senate, the upper house, on Friday amidst protest by the Opposition. According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, an increase in transnational organised crime has made it necessary for the international community and Pakistan to improve the effectiveness of legal instruments because lack of uniformity in law and weak coordination mechanism between countries affects combating of crimes across borders. Opposition parties tried to stop it by saying that it would give unhindered power to the government to hand over to other countries Pakistan citizens based on allegations. With Pakistan's continuation in the 'grey' list, it is increasingly becoming difficult for Islamabad to get financial aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Union, thus further enhancing problems for the debt-ridden nation.

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

India's water sector gets help from geospatial tech

• The story: The Association of Geospatial Industries released a report titled "Potential of Geospatial Technologies for the Water Sector in India". It highlights the role that geospatial technologies can play in water sector here.
• Water crisis: As the severity of the water crisis in India increases every year, central and state government agencies are using a variety of resources to tackle the water crisis. One among them is the adoption of Geospatial technologies.
• Points to note:

1. Overview - India has about 17% of the world population, but only about 4% of the world’s freshwater reserves, and is currently facing a severe water challenge. This demand-supply mismatch is quite striking.
2. Water reservoirs - The total capacity of India’s reservoirs stands at 250 billion cubic meters (bcm), while its total water bearing capacity over the surface is around 320 bcm.
3. Not collecting enough - India receives 3,000 billion cubic metres of water every year through rainfall or other sources such as glaciers; of this, only 8% is collected.
4. Groundwater reliance - India fills groundwater aquifers at the rate of 458 bcm per year, while it extracts around 650 bcm of water from the earth. 89% of India’s water resources are used for agriculture, out of which 65% is withdrawn from under the ground. One of India’s biggest challenges is to conserve groundwater.
5. Water stress - As per a NITI Aayog report, currently nearly 820 million people in 12 major river basins of India face extreme water stress.
6. Quality of water - Adding to the issue of lack of water availability is the issue of water quality. Groundwater in one-third of India’s 600 districts is contaminated mainly through fluoride and arsenic. There has been a 136% increase in the number of grossly polluting industries between 2011- 2018, according to the State of India’s Environment report, 2019.

• Conserving water: Given the population density and requirement of water for agriculture, India is heavily dependent on groundwater and is one of the worst hit countries as far as the water crisis is concerned. Availability of clean water to all for personal, industrial, and agricultural use will not only ensure India reaches its vision of becoming a USD 5 Trillion economy but will also enable it to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
• Geospatial technologies: This term is used to describe the range of modern tools contributing to the geographic mapping and analysis of the Earth and human societies. The term 'geospatial' refers not to one single technology, but a collection of technologies that help to collect, analyse, store, manage, distribute, integrate, and present geographic information. It consists of the following technologies: Remote Sensing, GIS (Geographic Information System), GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), Survey, and 3D modelling.

1. Benefits - Geospatial technology enables better measurement, management, and maintenance of assets, monitoring of resources and even providing predictive and prescriptive analysis for forecasting and planned interventions.
2. For water sector - Geospatial and digital technologies like Satellite Based Remote Sensing, GPS Based Equipment and Sensors, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things, 5G, Robotics and Digital Twin, can be effectively used to combat the water crisis.
3. Efficiency - The Agriculture sector is the largest user of water resources, and uses 80-85% of water resources, while have only about 30-35% efficiency of water use. Geospatial technologies can be used for increasing water use efficiency, so that this can be increased to at least 50%.

• Major ongoing water projects:  Recognising the water crisis in India, the government of India formed a single ministry i.e Ministry of Jal Shakti. Previously, water was a subject which was dealt with by almost nine Ministries.

        Jal Jeevan Mission
        Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP)
        Namami Gange
        National River Linking Project (NRLP)
        Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
        National Hydrology Programme
        Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY)
        National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM)
        River Basin Management
        Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY)
        National Water Mission

• Suggestions for the future:

1. Long-term vision - To derive maximum benefit from geospatial technology implementation in various programmes, user departments need to build a long-term vision of the outcomes of geospatial implementation.
2. Integrated platform - An integrated collaborative platform to connect the data and technology used by various organizations need to be developed for seamless access to information both locally and nationally and enable decision making.
3. Data and system integration - Various datasets including demography, socio-cultural, economic, and other parameters need to be integrated with spatial and non-spatial data related to water, like soil moisture, annual rainfall, rivers, aquifer, groundwater levels, water quality etc.

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

Lokpal is limping along, practically ineffective

• The story:  It was revealed in July 2021 that the Centre was yet to appoint a director of inquiry, more than two years after the Lokpal came into being. The institution that was born as a result of a pan-India agitation in 2012-13, has been reduced to an ineffective body.
• Director of Inquiry: As per the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, there shall be a Director of Inquiry, not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Central Government. As per the provisions contained under Section 20 (1) (b) of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, complaints in respect of public servants are referred by the Lokpal to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for a preliminary inquiry. The non-appointment of director of inquiry again reflects the lack of political will for strengthened Lokpal in India.
• Lokpal: A Lokpal is an anti-corruption authority or ombudsman who represents the public interest. India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The concept of an ombudsman was borrowed from Sweden. The Lokpal, the apex body to inquire and investigate graft complaints against public functionaries, came into being with the appointment of its chairperson and members in March 2019. The First Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) of India (1966– 1970) recommended the setting up of two special authorities designated as ‘Lokpal’ and ‘Lokayukta’ for the redressal of citizens’ grievances. The Lokpal is responsible for enquiring into corruption charges at the national level while the Lokayukta performs the same function at the state level. It has jurisdiction over all Members of Parliament and central government employees in cases of corruption. It can also inquire into anti-graft complaints regarding any member of an institution which is wholly or partially financed by the central government or controlled by it.
• Who runs it: Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose is the chairperson of the Lokpal. Lokpal is a multi-member body that consists of one chairperson and a maximum of 8 members.
• Issues: The Lokpal is not free from political influence as the appointing committee itself consists of members from political parties. The selection committee for Lokpal is composed of the Prime Minister who is the Chairperson; Speaker of Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Chief Justice of India or a Judge nominated by him/her and One eminent jurist. The appointment of Lokpal can be manipulated in a way as there is no criterion to decide who is an ‘eminent jurist’ or ‘a person of integrity’. The biggest lacunae is the exclusion of the judiciary from the ambit of the Lokpal. The Lokpal is not given any constitutional backing and there is no adequate provision for appeal against the Lokpal. The complaint against corruption cannot be registered after a period of seven years from the date on which the offence mentioned in such a complaint is alleged to have been committed.
• Summary: To tackle the problem of corruption, the institution of the ombudsman should be strengthened both in terms of functional autonomy and availability of manpower. The Lokpal and Lokayukta must be financially, administratively and legally independent of those whom they are called upon to investigate and prosecute. Several decentralized institutions are needed, with appropriate accountability mechanisms, to avoid the concentration of too much power, in any one institution or authority. Greater transparency, empowering Right to Information Act, strong Whistleblower protection regime are required along with a morally resound leadership that is willing to subject itself to public scrutiny.

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• 6. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3)

Wind gets new sails - floating wind farms

• The story: In July, Royal Dutch Shell and Scottish Power announced they were jointly submitting proposals to the British authorities to build, off the coast of Scotland, the first large-scale set of floating wind farms in the world. Today the largest floating farm is a six-turbine, 50mw array due for completion in the North Sea. The new plan is in gigawatts (GW)!
• Offshore: Such offshore wind farms with foundations in the seabed are now part of the energy mix in several places. In the past four years their capacity has doubled, from 19 GW to 35 GW, and amortised costs have dropped by a third, from $120 per MW-hour to $80. They are, however, of limited deployability, being restricted to waters shallower than about 60 metres.

1. 80% of the world’s offshore wind blows over places deeper than that. Making these accessible will unlock enough power to meet the world’s probable electrical needs in 2040 many times over.
2. The trick is to build turbines which, though moored to the seabed, will float. If Shell and Scottish Power can pull this trick off, it will be a big step towards tapping that potential.

• From fringe to mainstream: In 2010, floating-turbine technology was a fringe affair. The difficulty was not the turbines themselves, but making them float. The oil and gas industry had developed a range of floating foundations that could keep titanic objects like drilling rigs stable at sea. But transferring that know-how to wind power was not easy. First, unlike an oil rig, a wind turbine is lanky and top-heavy, making it prone to tip over. Second, turbines generate powerful gyroscopic forces that would further destabilise a floating machine.
• Solved: A decade of development gave two things: proof that turbines can float and clarity as to how these floating units might look. Engineers achieved this through patient prototyping. They took designs previously tested in university wave pools and scaled them up into small demonstration units off the coasts of Norway, Portugal and Japan.

1. Each unit, bedecked with sensors, gathered data on variables such as pitch, wind speed and wave height. These data were then folded into designs, for bigger, more stable units. The results, visible today in newer models off the Norwegian and Portuguese coasts, can safely float turbines four times as powerful as their predecessors. Engineers therefore consider the flotation problem solved.
2. Four approaches to flotation have emerged. The commonest is a semisubmersible, that uses buoyant steel triangle that has water-filled cans at two of the vertices. These ballast tanks balance the weight of a turbine at the third vertex, with water pumped around inside the triangle to trim its stability.
3. Another way is to stick a turbine on a bottle called a spar that is filled with heavy ballast, to make it float upright. We can place the turbine on top of an 80-metre-high concrete tube containing water, rocks or some other cheap and heavy material.
4. Two other approaches are less developed, but may prove useful. There can be a tension-leg platform, a starfish-shaped steel structure with a turbine at its hub. The starfish is submerged and yoked to the ocean floor with cables, holding the turbine upright. We can also erect the turbine on a flat concrete or steel barge that resembles an empty picture frame. When the turbine sways, water sloshes within the frame, dampening its movement.

• The engineering problem: Bigger farms obviously require more turbines and bigger turbines. The bigger a turbine is, the harder it is to maintain. Wind turbines occasionally need big parts, like blades or generators, replaced. That is challenging on terra firma. But on land, a crane can brace itself against the earth. At sea, “jackup” vessels achieve similar stability by dropping steel legs to the seabed. Floating turbines will operate in waters too deep for jackup vessels to work, so any vessel servicing one will have, itself, to remain floating.
• Engineering problem: For floating turbines, an alternative may exist. Unlike fixed turbines, they can be unplugged and dragged to shore. If a floating turbine is near the shore, it may be easiest to tow it back to port for repair. If far away, exotic gadgets like the climbing cranes may work better.
• Summary: It may soon be possible to extract a lot more electrical power from the wind, to do so without covering hillsides with turbines, and to make a profit while doing it. And that is a salivating prospect waiting to take wings.

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

SMILE Scheme for the marginalized Indians

• The story: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated a scheme “SMILE - Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”. It includes a subscheme - ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in Begging’.
• Points to note: It is a new Scheme after the merger of existing Schemes for Beggars and Transgenders, and provides for the use of the existing shelter homes available with the State/UT Governments and Urban local bodies for rehabilitation of the persons engaged in the act of Begging. In case of non-availability of existing shelter homes, new dedicated shelter homes are to be set up by the implementing agencies.
• Focus: The focus is extensively on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counselling, basic documentation, education, skill development, economic linkages and so on. It is estimated that an approximate 60,000 poorest persons would be benefited under this scheme for leading a life of dignity.
• Implementation: It will be implemented with the support of State/UT Governments/Local Urban Bodies, Voluntary Organizations, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) , institutions and others.
• Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Beggars: It will be a comprehensive scheme for persons engaged in the act of begging, and is being implemented in the selected cities on pilot basis having large concentrations of the Beggar community. During 2019-20, this Ministry had released an amount of Rs. 1 crore to National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) and Rs. 70 Lakh to National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) for skill development programmes for beggars.
• Beggars In India: According to the Census 2011 ,total number of beggars in India is 4,13,670 (including 2,21,673 males and 1,91,997 females) and the number has increased from the last census. West Bengal tops the chart followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at number two and three respectively. Lakshadweep merely has two vagrants according to the 2011 census. Among the union territories, New Delhi had the largest number of beggars 2,187 followed by 121 in Chandigarh. Among the northeastern states, Asam topped the chart with 22,116 beggars, while Mizoram ranked low with 53 beggars. The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a plea for decriminalising begging which has been made an offence in various states under Prevention of Begging Act.
• National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation: The NBCFDC is a Government of India Undertaking under the aegis of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It was incorporated under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956 on 13th January 1992 as a Company not for profit. Its objective is to promote economic and developmental activities for the benefit of Backward Classes and to assist the poorer section of these classes in skill development and self-employment ventures.
• National Institute of Social Defence: The NISD is an Autonomous Body and is registered under Societies Act XXI of 1860 with the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT), Delhi. It is a central advisory body for the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and is the nodal training and research institute in the field of social defence. The institute currently focuses on human resource development in the areas of drug abuse prevention, welfare of senior citizens, beggary prevention, transgender and other social defence issues. The mandate of the institute is to provide inputs for the social defence programmes of the Government of India through training, research & documentation.

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

UNESCO: Historic Urban Landscape project launched for Gwalior, Orchha

• The story: In Madhya Pradesh, the cities of Orchha and Gwalior have been selected by UNESCO under its ‘Historic Urban Landscape Project.’ This project was started in the year 2011.
• Details: The UNESCO’s "Historic Urban Landscape project" for the cities of Orchha and Gwalior was launched through video conferencing by Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Six cities of South Asia, including Indian cities of Varanasi and Ajmer are already involved in this project. Gwalior and Orchha have been included as the 7th and 8th cities of South Asia. UNESCO will prepare the management and development of these cities. This project will help in boosting the tourism of the state of Madhya Pradesh. Along with this additional employment opportunities will be created. These cities will be jointly developed by UNESCO, the Government of India and the state of Madhya Pradesh by putting primary focus on their cultural and historical improvement. By implementing this project of UNESCO, full care of the history, culture, traditions, nature as well as heritage of the cities will be sustainably developed.
• Historic Urban Landscape Project: This project was started in the year 2011 with the primary aim of well-planned and all inclusive development of the fast-growing historical cities around the world, while keeping in mind to preserve the heritage and the culture.

Taiwan to set up first office in Lithuania using the name “Taiwan”

• The story: Using the name “Taiwan,” Taiwan’s government will set up its first office in Europe, in the Baltic nation of Lithuania. The Taiwan government has come up with this decision as it seeks to strengthen its diplomatic presence across the globe with the ever increasing pressure from Beijing.
• Details: This decision has drawn a rebuke from China while it was praised by the USA. Joseph Wu, Foreign Minister of Taiwan announced the government’s decision to open its office in Lithuania. The other diplomatic outposts of Taiwan on the continent are named “Taipei.” Taiwan Affairs Office of Beijing has issued statement saying that the formation of the Lithuania office is an attempt at seeking independence. China has also urged Lithuania to adhere to China’s one-China principle.
• Taiwan: China (PRC) has always firmly opposed any formal relations between Taiwan and other countries. Taiwan is a country in East Asia and its capital is Taipei. China claims Taiwan to be its province under its one-China policy and it is officially known as the Republic of China.
• History: The Kuomintang leadership was beaten by the Chinese communists in 1949, and moved away to Taiwan to establish the Republic of China (RoC) there. The mainland became the People's Republic of China (PRC). Both claim each other as part of their sovereign territory!

IMF 2021 global growth forecast 6%

• The story: On July 21, 2021, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that it is estimating that global growth for 2021 will be about 6%, the same that was forecasted in April, but some countries are growing faster and others more slowly.
• Points to  note: Kristalina Georgieva, IMF’s Managing Director, said that economic recovery will be truncated unless the vaccination pace for COVID-19 picks up. In April 2021, IMF had projected that global growth for 2021 would hit 6%, a rate which is unseen since the 1970s as global economies start to recover. Georgieva stated that the lack of access to vaccines in the developing countries along with rapid spread of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus was threatening to slow the economic recovery’s momentum. The IMF’s projected global growth rate of 6% for this year would remain even in the next WEO issue.
• Details: Some countries are now projected to grow faster while some are projected to grow slower. The IMF-World Bank goal was to provide 50 billion USD to countries to step up their COVID vaccination rates but it is being estimated that it will likely require more than the initially envisioned 11 billion doses as booster shots may now be necessary to arrest the spread of the virus, and also to cover vaccine losses in some developing countries lacking cold storage facilities.
• International Monetary Fund: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is headquartered in Washington, D.C and was formed in the year 1944. It is an international financial institution that consists of 200 countries working towards global monetary and financial cooperation. Kristalina Georgieva is the current MD of IMF and the Chief Economist is Gita Gopinath.

11th Mekong-Ganga Cooperation meeting held

• The story: On July 21, 2021, while addressing the 11th Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called for a “collective and collaborative” response to effectively deal with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, saying that national boundaries are not respected by this virus.
• Points to note: India considers the Mekong region of great importance and hence seeks a multi-dimensional engagement with Mekong countries. India wants to identify newer areas of cooperation and doing so will broaden the partnership of the countries. Jaishankar said that India wants to promote better connectivity in this region through economic, digital and people-to-people connectivity. Finding ways to the fight against the pandemic through better MGC partnership was reflected upon. Jaishankar said that the partner nations need to work together in addressing the crisis.
• History: India said that Mekong Ganga Cooperation stands on a strong foundation based on shared historical and geographical ties and cooperation among the countries should be improved to bring progress and prosperity.
• MGC Initiative: The initiative was launched in the year 2000 with the aim of boosting cooperation in tourism, connectivity and culture and other range of areas. This initiative comprises of six countries, they are: India, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

9.1 Today's best editorials to read

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

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