Daily NEWS 24 February 2024

Greyzone Warfare at Raisina Dialogue 2024

• India’s Chief of Defence Staff talked about Greyzone warfare at Raisina Dialogue 2024.
• Chief of Defence Staff discusses greyzone warfare
• Military actions below a certain threshold to avoid response
• Exploits space between peace and war to change status quo

Raisina Dialogue:

• India's flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics
• Hosted by Observer Research Foundation and Ministry of External Affairs
• 2024 theme: Chaturanga: Conflict, Contest, Cooperate, Create

Indian Gharial in Greater Kaziranga

• Indian Gharial spotted in Greater Kaziranga (Assam) after a gap of 75 years.
• Spotted after 75 years in Assam
• Distribution in Ganga River tributaries in India and Nepal
• Reserves in UP, MP, and Rajasthan
• Habitat in river habitats with deep, clear, fastflowing waters and sandy banks
• Conservation status: Critically Endangered, protected by laws and agreements
• Behavioral characteristics include feeding on warmblooded species and scavenging dead animals.

KALIA Scheme Extension by Odisha Government

• The State Government of Odisha has extended the KALIA scheme by 3 years.
• The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to small and marginal farmers, sharecroppers, tenant farmers, and landless agricultural households in the state.
• It is a Direct Income Transfer scheme that excludes medium and large farmers.
• Other benefits include scholarships for children of KALIA beneficiaries and livelihood packages for landless households.
• Synchronized with PMKISAN to provide an annual benefit of ₹10,000 to small and marginal farmers.

Exercise 'DOSTI16'

• The 16th biennial trilateral coast guard exercise between India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka has begun.
• Bangladesh is participating as an observer.

Portals for a ‘Modernized Media Landscape’

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has launched 4 new mediarelated portals to streamline services.
• Press Sewa Portal automates the process for newspaper registration.
• NaViGate Bharat Portal is a single platform for government videos.
• National Register for Local Cable Operators aims to streamline regulatory processes in the cable television sector.
• Transparent Empanelment Media Planning and eBilling System enhances transparency and efficiency in media planning processes.

ShortLived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs)

• Climate and Clean Air Conference 2024 urged global collaboration to phase out SLCPs.
• The conference is an annual gathering of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), comprising over 160 governments and organizations dedicated to reducing SLCPs.

About SLCPs

• SLCPs are pollutants that linger in the atmosphere for a shorter time than carbon dioxide but have a higher warming potential.
• Examples include Black Carbon, Methane, Tropospheric Ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
• Major sources of SLCPs include inefficient fuel combustion, the agricultural sector, waste management, and refrigeration and cooling systems.

Energy Charter Treaty

• The UK plans to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty, which is seen as favoring fossil fuels.
• The Energy Charter Treaty is a unique multilateral framework for energy cooperation established in 1998.
• It aims to enhance energy security by promoting open and competitive energy markets while upholding sustainable development and energy resource sovereignty.
• Currently, there are 53 Signatories and Contracting Parties to the Treaty.

India's Progress in Eliminating Kala Azar

• India achieved its goal of eliminating Kala Azar in 2023 by reporting less than one case per 10,000 population across all blocks.

About Kala Azar:

• Also known as Visceral Leishmaniasis, it is a protozoan parasitic disease transmitted by infected female phlebotomine sandflies.
• Symptoms include irregular fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia.
• Endemic in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, as well as in Brazil, east Africa, and India.

Unveiling of Sant Ravidas Statue

• Prime Minister unveiled a statue of Sant Ravidas on his 647th birth anniversary.

About Sant Ravidas:

• A poet, philosopher, and social reformer during the 15th century, he was a prominent bhakti saint of Nirguna Sampradaya in northern India.
• Considered the spiritual Guru of Meera Bai.
• Key contributions include working against untouchability, his writings in the Guru Granth Sahib, and pioneering the city of Begumpura.
• Values include compassion, social justice, egalitarianism, and humanism.

Acceptance of Recommendation for Regional Benches of the Supreme Court

• Union Law Ministry accepted recommendation to establish regional benches of the Supreme Court
• Parliamentary Standing Committee informed Parliament about acceptance of recommendations for judicial reforms

Constitutional Provision on Seat of SC:

• Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or other appointed locations by the Chief Justice of India with approval of the President (Article 130)

Standing Committee Recommendations on Regional Benches:

• SC may establish regional benches at 4 or 5 locations in the country
• Delhi to handle interpretation of Constitution, regional benches for appellate matters
• Decision of appellate benches final

Law Commission Recommendations on Regional Benches:

• Constitution Bench in Delhi for constitutional and allied issues
• Four Cassation Benches in Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western regions for appellate work.

Need of Regional Benches:

• Improved access to justice for common citizens
• Reduced cost of litigation and overcoming language barriers
• Solution to overflowing caseload by separating constitutional and appellate matters

Precision farming is the future of crop production: Director General (DG) Indian Council of Agricultural Research

• Precision farming is the future of crop production: DG Indian Council of Agricultural Research

Definition of precision farming:

• Farm management approach using information technology to optimize crop and soil conditions
• Aims to manage and distribute inputs on a sitespecific basis

Impact of precision farming:

• Improves yields and profitability of agriculture
• Enables strategic decisions on crop management
• Reduces application of crop inputs and environmental benefits

Challenges of precision farming:

• High cost and complexity of technologies: Precision farming requires significant investment in technology and equipment, which can be a barrier for smallscale farmers.
• Absence of uniform standards: There is a lack of standardized practices and guidelines for precision farming, leading to inconsistencies in implementation.
• Concerns regarding farm data sharing and ownership: Farmers may be hesitant to share their data with thirdparty providers due to privacy and ownership concerns.
• Limited access to technology: Not all farmers have access to the necessary technology and infrastructure required for precision farming.
• Training and education: Farmers need to be trained on how to use precision farming technologies effectively, which can be a challenge in rural areas.
• Integration of data: Managing and integrating data from various sources can be complex and timeconsuming for farmers.
• Resistance to change: Some farmers may be resistant to adopting new technologies and practices, which can hinder the adoption of precision farming.
• Regulatory challenges: There may be regulatory hurdles and policies that need to be addressed to fully implement precision farming practices.

Government initiatives for technology in farming

• The Digital Agriculture Mission 2021–2025 aims to encourage projects with cuttingedge technologies in agriculture.
• The National eGovernance Plan in Agriculture seeks to infuse modern information technologies into farming practices.
• The Agri Stack, as the digital foundation being set up by the government, will support the integration of technology in agriculture for enhanced productivity and sustainability.

CERN Scientists Achieve LASER Cooling of Positronium

• CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is known for its groundbreaking research in particle physics. Recently, a team of physicists from the AEgIS collaboration, which includes scientists from Europe and India, achieved a significant breakthrough in laser cooling of positronium.

Positronium (Ps) and its Properties

• Ps is the lightest known atom, consisting of an electron and a positron
• Ps has a very short lifetime, annihilating into gamma rays quickly
• Ps is a perfect system for experiments under AEgIS if cooled enough for precision measurement

Understanding Matter and Antimatter

• Matter comes in various forms and consists of subatomic particles: Matter is composed of subatomic particles such as protons, neutrons, electrons, and neutrinos.
• Subatomic particles include protons, neutrons, electrons, neutrinos, and others: These particles have antimatter counterparts, which have opposite charge but the same mass.
• All subatomic particles have antitwins or straddle between matter and antimatter: The study of antimatter is crucial for understanding the symmetry and asymmetry in the universe.

About CERN

• Founded in 1954 on the FrancoSwiss border near Geneva: CERN is a worldrenowned research organization dedicated to exploring the mysteries of the universe through particle physics.
• Has 23 Member States and India is an Associate Member: CERN collaborates with countries around the world to conduct cuttingedge research in particle physics.
• Mission is to uncover the composition and workings of the universe: CERN's mission is to unravel the mysteries of the universe by studying the fundamental particles and forces that govern it.

Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) issues First ‘Equal Opportunity Policy for Transgender Persons’

• Policy issued in accordance with Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020.

Key highlights of the Policy:

• Scope: Applicable to all MoSJE employees and operations, as well as business partners, interns, trainees, etc.
• Objective: To ensure fair treatment of transgender individuals, free from discrimination, harassment, and bias, with a strong grievance redress mechanism.

Policy Statements:

• Nondiscrimination and enabling work environment: Prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in recruitment, appointment, promotion, etc.
• Privacy and Confidentiality: Gender identity not disclosed without explicit consent.
• Access to Facilities: Ensure infrastructure facilities (such as Unisex toilets) and amenities (such as hygiene products) for transgender persons.
• Grievance Redressal Mechanism: Address instances of discrimination or harassment based on gender identity.
• Privacy and Confidentiality: Gender identity not disclosed without explicit consent.
• Access to Facilities: Ensure infrastructure facilities (such as Unisex toilets) and amenities (such as hygiene products) for transgender persons.
• Grievance Redressal Mechanism: Address instances of discrimination or harassment based on gender identity.

NGT Concerns on Arsenic and Fluoride Groundwater Contamination

• NGT highlighted inadequate addressing of arsenic and fluoride groundwater contamination
• NGT took suo motu cognizance based on CGWB report
• Arsenic reported in 230 districts, fluoride in 469 districts

Impacts of Contaminations:

• Fluoride contamination can lead to dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, nonskeletal fluorosis, and premature ageing.
• Arsenic contamination can cause skin depigmentation, bronchitis, and even cancer.
• Other health effects of contaminated groundwater include dermatological, neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular, immunological, and endocrine issues.

Permissible Limits:

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mandates a limit of 0.01 mg/L for arsenic and 1.0 mg/L for fluoride in drinking water.

Reasons for Contamination:

• Arsenic contamination is primarily due to the weathering of minerals and anthropogenic activities.
• Fluoride contamination occurs through the breakdown of rocks and the deposition of atmospheric particles.

Initiatives for Quality Water in India:

• Jal Jeevan Mission for potable tap water supply
• CGWB data generation and quality monitoring

Ministry of Jal Shakti guidelines for groundwater extraction control.

• India's Cultural Diplomacy: Display of Sacred Relics in Thailand and Document Handover to Oman

Significance of Cultural Diplomacy for India:

• Important dimension of soft power.
• Prevention of conflict and promotion of peace.
• Instrument in regional and international cooperation
• Promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

India's Focus on Cultural Diplomacy

• Cultural diplomacy plays a crucial role in India's foreign policy, as it involves the exchange of cultural aspects to foster mutual understanding and strengthen relationships with other countries. Recently, India's focus on cultural diplomacy has been in the news due to various initiatives aimed at showcasing its rich cultural heritage on the global stage.

About India's Focus on Cultural Diplomacy:

• Display of Sacred Relics in Thailand and sharing of documents with Oman showcase India's cultural diplomacy efforts.
• Additionally, India gave Oman access to a list of seventyone documents that are part of the National Archives of India and are relevant to Oman.
• Cultural Diplomacy involves exchanging cultural aspects to foster mutual understanding.

Significance of Cultural Diplomacy for India:

• Important aspect of India's soft power
• Helps prevent conflict and promote peace, as seen in initiatives like the Kartarpur Corridor.
• Instrument for regional and international cooperation, such as joint events with Bangladesh.
• Promotes India's cultural heritage, including yoga, classical dances, and religious tourism.