Daily Current Affairs UPSC 22 June 2024

e-SAKSHI Portal

• Government Conducts Training Workshop on e-SAKSHI Portal for Revised Fund Flow Procedure under MPLADS.
• The government recently organized a training workshop to educate individuals on the e-SAKSHI Portal, which is designed to streamline the fund flow process for the MPLADS scheme.
• The eSAKSHI portal serves as a comprehensive solution to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the MPLAD scheme, ensuring that developmental works are recommended based on locally identified needs.

About MPLADS

• MPLADS is categorized as a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
• Each Member of Parliament is allocated Rs. 5 crore to propose developmental projects that aim to create sustainable community assets.
• The funds allocated under MPLADS are non-lapsable, meaning they can be carried forward to the following year for utilization.
• A minimum of 15% of the MPLADS entitlement is designated for areas with a Scheduled Caste population, while 7.5% is allocated for areas inhabited by Scheduled Tribe populations.

Output from agriculture and allied sectors

NSO Report on Value of Output from Agriculture and Allied Sectors

• Agriculture and allied sector contributed 18.2% to the Gross Value Added in 2022-23.
• Sub-sector breakdown: Crop (54.3%), Livestock (30.9%), Forestry (7.9%), Fishing and aquaculture (6.9%).
• Output trends from 2011-12 to 2022-23:
  
  • Crop output declined from 62.4% to 54.3%.
  • Livestock output increased steadily from ₹487.8 thousand crore to ₹878.5 thousand crore.
  • Forestry output increased from ₹149 thousand crore to ₹223 thousand crore.
  • Fishing output increased steadily from ₹80 thousand crore to ₹195 thousand crore.

National Testing Agency (NTA)

• Formation of high-level committee for NTA improvement.
• NTA overview
  
  • Established by MoE as autonomous testing organization.
  • Conducts entrance exams for higher education.
  • Registered society under Societies Registration Act, 1860.
  • Chaired by eminent educationist appointed by MoE.

Gas Flaring

• The World Bank has released the Global Gas Flaring Tracker Report.
• The report was compiled with the assistance of the World Bank's Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR) Partnership.
• Global gas flaring in 2023 increased by 7% from 2022, resulting in a rise of 23 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
• Major contributors to gas flaring include Russia, Iran, Iraq, and the USA.
• Gas flaring refers to the burning of natural gas associated with oil extraction.
• Reasons for gas flaring include safety concerns and logistical issues in transporting gases from remote oil fields.
• Key measure taken to address gas flaring is the Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 (ZRF) initiative by the World Bank.

Cyber Mercenaries

• UN chief warns of the rise of malicious and illegal cyber activities through "Cyber Mercenaries".
• Definition of Cyber Mercenaries
  
  • Cyber mercenaries are individuals or groups hired to conduct. cyber offensive or defensive operations on specific networks and infrastructure.
  • They can spy on networks, computers, phones, or devices connected to the internet.
• Examples of Cyber Mercenaries
  
  • Lazarus, Ocean Lotus group, NSO group, etc.
• Considered a 'grey-zone' activity
  
  • Lack of agreed international conventions regulating the use of cyber mercenaries.

Nord Stream

• Study findings: Large amounts of methane may have dissolved in Baltic Sea.
• Nord Stream pipelines: Network supplying natural gas from Russia to Germany.
• Leakage locations: Four spots in 2022.
• Impacts of leakage: Methane concentration may have led to growth of methanotrophic bacteria.
• Methanotrophic bacteria: Uses methane as sole source of carbon and energy.

UP-PRAGATI Accelerator programs (UPPAP)

• KisanKraft Limited has joined the Low Methane Rice project (LMRP) under UPPAP.
• LMRP is an initiative of World Bank’s 2030 Water Resource Group (WRG).
• UPPAP aims to bring about significant agricultural advancements and boost incomes in Uttar Pradesh.
• UPPAP promotes water-use efficiency and low-carbon practices through technological and institutional innovations.
• UPPAP is supported by the 2030 WRG and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) is being promoted in Uttar Pradesh through UPPAP and LMRP.
• The WRG is a multi-donor trust fund hosted by the World Bank Group.

Mirage 2000

• Qatar has proposed to sell 12 Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to India.

About Mirage 2000

• Mirage 2000 is manufactured by Dassault Aviation in France.
• It is a single-engine delta-wing multirole aircraft.
• The aircraft is supersonic with a maximum speed of Mach 2.2.
• Mirage 2000 is capable of carrying laser-guided bombs, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and is equipped with a Thomson-CSF RDY radar.
• The Indian Air Force first commissioned Mirage 2000 in 1985, giving it the name 'Vajra'.
• The aircraft played a crucial role in the 1999 Kargil war and operation Bandar in 2019.

Armenia (Capital: Yerevan)

Armenia recognizes Palestine as a State

• This means that Armenia officially acknowledges Palestine as a sovereign nation with defined borders and government.

Political Boundaries

• Location: Armenia is a landlocked country located in Transcaucasia, a region south of the Caucasus Mountains.
• Borders: Armenia shares borders with Azerbaijan, Turkey, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (an exclave of Azerbaijan), Georgia, and Iran.
• Disputed Territory: Nagorno-Karabakh is a region that is claimed by both Armenia and Azerbaijan, leading to ongoing conflict.

Geographical Features

• Topography: Armenia is characterized by mountainous terrain with no lowlands.
• Highest Peak: Mount Aragats, also known as Alaghez, is the highest point in Armenia.
• Rivers: The Aras River is a significant waterway that flows through Armenia.

"GEF Council Approves $736.4 Million Funding"

Funding for Environmental Projects from GEF Family of Funds

• Funding mobilized from GEF Trust Fund, LDCF, and GBFF for various projects.
• Projects like GGW and SCIP focus on restoring landscapes and catalyzing urban transformation.
• Includes Indian Projects like biodiversity conservation and wetlands management.

UNDP Implementation of Projects with Indian Ministry

• Projects implemented by UNDP with Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• Executive agency for projects in India.

About GEF

• Established in 1992 during Rio Earth Summit.
• Partnership of 18 agencies addressing environmental issues.
• GEF Council is main governing body.
• Serves as financial mechanism for five conventions.
• World Bank serves as GEF Trustee.
• 186 member countries, including India.
• Secretariat located in Washington, D.C.

Conventions served by GEF

• GEF supports the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• GEF serves the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• GEF assists with the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
• GEF supports the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
• GEF serves the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

"NASSCOM Report: India's Deeptech Dawn"

• Analysis of DeepTech Startups in India.

Key Findings:

• India is the 3rd largest pool of DeepTech startups globally, but ranks 6th among the top 9 ecosystems.
• There are over 3600 DeepTech startups in India.
• Indian DeepTech startups have raised $10 billion in the last 5 years.
• Funding for DeepTech startups in India declined by 77% in 2023 compared to 2022.

About DeepTech Startups:

• DeepTech startups use advanced technologies like AI, IoT, Blockchain, and AR/VR to solve complex problems and create new markets.
• They have extended development timelines and high capital intensity.
• Key potential areas include healthcare and agriculture.

Key Challenges:

• Lack of necessary infrastructure during the pre-commercialization phase.
• Limited understanding of business operations and market dynamics.
• Competition for skilled talent from large enterprises.

Initiatives Taken:

• Draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy in 2023.
• TIDE 2.0 for technology incubation and development.
• Other initiatives like Startup India Seed Fund and India AI Mission.

Steps Needed from Government:

• Establish co-investment programs with venture capitalists.
• Introduce government-backed instruments.
• Facilitate platforms connecting enterprises with DeepTech startups.
• Launch skill development programs focused on DeepTech.
• Provide grants and access to regulatory sandboxes for prototyping and testing.
• Offer logistical support for commercialization.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Notice to Odisha Govt on Custodial Death

• A notice was issued requesting an explanation for failing to provide the recommended compensation to the family of a person who died in custody.
• Custodial death is a form of custodial violence, which involves violence such as rape and torture in police and judicial custody.

Status of Custodial Deaths in India

• Over 660 custodial deaths reported in India from 2017 to 2022.
• Gujarat has the highest number of custodial deaths (80), followed by Maharashtra.
• Data from the National Crime Records Bureau.

Constitutional and Legal Safeguards against Custodial Deaths

Constitutional:

• Article 14 guarantees the right to equality before the law.
• Article 21 ensures the right to life.

Legal Safeguards:

• Sections 330 & 331 of the Indian Penal Code provide punishment for injuries inflicted to extort confessions during custody.
• Section 176 of the Criminal Procedure Code mandates a magisterial inquiry in case of custodial death.
• New Criminal Laws contain provisions like Section 120 and Section 127 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita on safeguarding the accused.

Other Safeguards:

• National Human Rights Commission's Guidelines on Custodial Deaths (1993) require reporting of custodial deaths or rape within 24 hours.
• Supreme Court guidelines from the DK Basu case outline procedures for safeguarding detainees and arrests.

Challenges in curbing Custodial death

• Failure to ratify the UN Convention against torture in 1997.
• Lack of a national anti-torture framework.
• Delays in judicial proceedings.
• High pressure on police to solve cases during spikes in crime, especially serious offenses.

"RBI Updates Priority Sector Lending Guidelines"

• RBI has updated the Master Directions on Priority Sector Lending (PSL) for all types of commercial banks and cooperative banks.

New PSL Guidelines

• Districts will now be ranked based on per capita credit flow to the priority sector to address regional disparities.
• An incentive framework with higher weight (125%) will be implemented for districts with lower credit flow, while a disincentive framework with lower weight (90%) will be in place for districts with higher credit flow.
• These guidelines will be effective from FY 2024-25 to FY 2026-27.
• All bank loans to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will qualify for classification under PSL.

About Priority Sector Lending (PSL)

• PSL was established in 1972 to help sectors that are creditworthy but struggle to access credit from formal financial institutions.
• Banks are required to allocate a portion of their Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure (CEOBE) towards PSL.
• The mandated target varies for different types of banks, with Scheduled commercial banks and foreign banks (with 20 or more branches) having a target of 40%, while RRBs and SFBs have a target of 75%.
• UCBs must allocate 65% to PSL in FY 2024-25, increasing to 75% in FY 2025-26.

Categories under PSL

• Agriculture
• MSMEs
• Export Credit
• Education
• Housing
• Social Infrastructure
• Renewable Energy
• Others such as SHG, startups etc.

Patna HC Strikes Down Bihar Reservation Laws

• HC declares Bihar Reservation laws unconstitutional - The High Court has ruled that the amendments to Bihar's reservation laws, which increased reservations for SCs, STs, and Backward Classes to 65% from 50%, are unconstitutional.

Reasons for striking down the amendments

• The HC found the amendments to be in violation of Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.
• The amendments exceeded the 50% ceiling limit for reservations set by a 9-judge constitution bench in the Indra Sawhney case.
• The reservation was based on the proportion of the population of backward classes, which is not supported by the constitution.
• The state did not conduct a thorough analysis before increasing reservations.

Important Judgements regarding reservation

• The Indra Sawhney Case (1992) set the reservation limit at 50% and introduced the concept of the 'Creamy layer'.
• The M. Nagaraj Case (2006) emphasized that affirmative action should not compromise efficiency in administration.
• The Jarnail Singh Case (2018) stated that reservation in promotions does not require quantifiable data on the backwardness of SCs and STs.
• The Janhit Abhiyan case (2022) upheld the validity of the 103rd Constitutional amendment for EWS reservation (10%).

Constitutional Provisions for Reservation

• Article 15's clauses 4, 5, & 6 address reservation in educational institutions for the advancement of deprived sections.
• Article 16(4) and 16(6) deal with reservation in Government jobs for adequate representation, not proportionate representation.
• Article 330 and 332 address reservation in Parliament and State Legislature for political representation.

"Gene Revolution in GM Crops"

• The new gene revolution is driven by advanced gene editing tools like CRISPR, enabling precise gene editing without introducing foreign genes.
• This technology is being used to develop new varieties of GM crops, which are expected to improve food security.

Status of GM Crops in India

• Bt cotton is the only GM crop approved for commercial cultivation in India.
• The approval for the environmental release of Mustard hybrid DMH-11 is pending before the Supreme Court.
• Other crops like chickpea, pigeonpea, corn, and sugarcane are in various stages of research and field trials.

Significance of GM Crops

• GM crops can increase crop yield, improve food availability, and boost farmers' income.
• They can enhance the nutritional content of crops, aiding in the fight against malnutrition.
• GM crops offer traits that help plants survive extreme weather conditions and new climate-induced diseases.
• They can also be optimized to capture and store atmospheric carbon, contributing to the fight against climate change.

Concerns with GM Crops

• There is a risk of pests developing resistance to GM crops.
• Intellectual property rights are often concentrated in a few large companies.
• Large-scale monocultures of GM crops may require excessive use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation.
• There are deficiencies in the risk assessment of GM crops.

Regulation of GM Crops in India

• Regulations for GM crops in India are outlined in the Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export, and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms (HM) Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989 under the Environment Protection Act (1986).
• The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is responsible for evaluating proposals related to the release of GM crops.