[Mission 2023] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 04 July 2022 – INSIGHTSIAS

GS Paper-1

Syllabus: Modern India

Context:

PM Modi to launch the year-long celebrations on the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju, enabling a new generation to be aware of the heroics of Alluri and the sacrifices he made for the tribal community.

About

Alluri Sitarama Raju (1897 – 1924) was an Indian revolutionary who waged an armed campaign against British colonial rule in India. He was nicknamed “Manyam Veerudu” (Hero of the Jungle) by local villagers for his heroic exploits.

Activities:

• Born in present-day Andhra Pradesh, he became involved in anti-British activities in response to the 1882 Madras Forest Act
  • The act restricted the free movement of Adivasis (tribal communities) in their forest habitats and prevented them from practising a traditional form of agriculture known as podu (shifting cultivation).
• Initially, Sitarama Raju, under the influence of Gandhi’s Non-cooperation movement, inspired thetribals to seek justice in the local panchayat courts and boycott the colonial courts.
• Led the Rampa Rebellion/Manyam Rebellion of 1922.
• Death: In 1924, Raju was taken into police custody, tied to a tree, and shot by public execution, effectively ending the armed rebellion.

Legacy 

• He has left behind an inspiring legacy of anti-imperialist rebellion.
• Every year, the Government of Andhra Pradesh commemorates his birth date, the 4th of July, as a state festival. 

Values:

• Patriotism: the patriotic spark that he and several other heroes across the nation reinforced continues to thrive within all of us
• Sacrifice: After sending chills down the spine of the British, the fierce revolutionary laid down his life for the freedom of the motherland in 1924, at the young age of 27 years.
• Commitment to freedom: Just like Alluri Sitarama Raju and other freedom fighters, the youth in the country must learn the spirit of sacrifice and unwavering commitment to freedom.

Practice Question

Q. With reference to the history of India, Ulgulan or the Great Tumult is the description of which of the following events? (UPSC CSE 2020)

(a) The Revolt of 1857

(b) The Mappila Rebellion of 1921

(c) The Indigo Revolt of 1859-60

(d) Birsa Munda’s Revolt of 1899-1900

Answer: D

 Source: The New Indian Express

GS Paper-2

 Syllabus: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

Context:

An inter-ministerial committee has recommended that protein-rich food items e.g., Eggs be legally mandated in meals given through food safety programmes in schools and anganwadis under National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.

Why the need?

• Acute undernutrition: The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to have “aggravated the silent crisis” of undernutrition in India.
  • National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) has documented a rise in the “rates of child undernutrition, stunting and wasting in most of the states”, along with an increase in the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women and those of reproductive age
• Currently, states bear the cost of supplementary provisions: E.g. eggs are served in mid-day meals in 13 states and three UTs as part of “additional food items”.

What does the panel say?

• Protein-rich food: It recommended including protein-rich food items like eggs, nuts and legumes, as well as micronutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, folate and vitamin A be legally mandated in meals.
  • The report states that those who do not consume eggs may be provided “double the proposed quantity of nuts and seeds”.
• Call for change in NFSA to include ‘micro-nutrients’: Schedule II of the National Food Security Act lays down nutritional standards for government food safety programmes like mid-day meals, PM Poshan and ICDS. Currently, it quantifies nutrition per meal in terms of calories and protein only, but the inter-ministerial panel has called for micronutrients to also be taken into account.

Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) covers children aged six months to six years and pregnant/lactating mothers;

PM Poshan scheme covers: students in lower primary classes, upper primary classes in government and government-aided schools

Insta Links

NFHS Survey

Practice Questions

Q. Discuss the pitfalls in ICDS and NFSA interventions as a cause of concern in so far eradicating hunger among marginalised sections. 15M

Source: Indian Express

GS Paper-2

Syllabus: Issues related to the development of the social sector involving health, laws related to the social sector etc.

Context:

Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister has recommended the period within which patent applications are open to challenge by the public be restricted to a mere six months from the date of its publication.

Background: In 2005, lawmakers amended the Indian patent law to ensure that the Indian patent office did not grant monopolies on old science or for compounds already in the public domain.

• This prevented drug corporations from indulging in “evergreening”, a common abusive patenting practice aimed at obtaining separate patent monopolies relating to the same medicine

New Recommendations:

• Reduction in public discourse period: The new recommendation reduces the period within which patent applications can be challenged to six months.

Concerns

• Will dilute the pre-grant opposition system: Since the Indian Patent Offices receive an average of 50,000 patent applications a year, examiners often miss critical information about the patent application under consideration.
  • A recent study on pharmaceutical patent grants in India revealed that 7 out of 10 patents are granted in error by the Indian Patent Office.
  • A robust pre-grant opposition system provides an additional administrative layer of scrutiny that prevents the grant of frivolous patents through third parties’ participation in the review process.
• Pressure from Big- pharma companies: The commerce ministry, responsible for administering the patents act, is under pressure to restrict pre-grant patent oppositions, hence the recommendation.

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Insta Link:

Patents

Questions for practice:

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. Evergreening is the grant of permission by the government to entities to use, manufacture, import or sell a patented invention without the patent owner’s consent.
2. Compulsory licensing is a strategy for extending/elongating the term of a granted patent in a jurisdiction that is about to expire, in order to retain royalties from them, by taking out new patents.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (c)

Source: The Hindu

GS Paper-2

Syllabus: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

Context:

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the killing of tailor Kanhaiyya Lal (48) in Rajasthan’s Udaipur over a social media post supporting suspended leader Nupur Sharma.
• Now, the Union Home Ministry has handed over to the agency the investigation of a similarly executed murder of pharmacist Umesh Kolhe in Maharashtra.

What is the NIA?

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was constituted under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, 2008.
• It is a central agency to investigates and prosecutes offences:
  • Affects the sovereignty, security and integrity of India, security of the State, and friendly relations with foreign States.
  • Against atomic and nuclear facilities.
  • Smuggling in High-Quality Counterfeit Indian Currency.
• It implements international treaties, agreements, conventions and resolutions of the United Nations, its agencies and other international organizations.
• Its objective is also to combat terror in India.
• It acts as the Central Counter-Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
  Branches: Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur and Jammu.

Scheduled offences: The schedule of the NIA Act specifies a list of offences which are to be investigated and prosecuted by the NIA.  These include offences under Acts such as the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967.

NIA’s jurisdiction:

• The law under which the agency operates extends to the whole of India and also applies to Indian citizens outside the country.
• Persons in the service of the government wherever they are posted
• Persons on ships and aircraft registered in India wherever they may be
• Persons who commit a scheduled offence beyond India against the Indian citizen or affect the interest of India.

How does the NIA take up a probe?

• State government refers case: As provided under Section 6 of the Act, State governments can refer the case pertaining to the scheduled offences registered at any police station to the Central government (Union Home Ministry) for NIA investigation.
• Central government directs the agency: After Assessing the details made available, the Centre can then direct the agency to take over the case.
  • State governments are required to extend all assistance to the NIA.
• Outside India: Where the Central government finds that a scheduled offence has been committed at any place outside India to which this Act extends, it can also direct the NIA to register the case and take up an investigation.
• Can investigate allied offences: While investigating a scheduled offence, the agency can also investigate any other offence that the accused is alleged to have committed if the offence is connected to the scheduled offence.

Insta Links:

NIA

Practice Questions:

Q. Discuss the mandate of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), What are the impediments to its operative functioning? How can these concerns be addressed? Elucidate. (250 words)

Q. Which of the following offences is/are investigated and prosecuted by the NIA?

1. Smuggling in High-Quality Counterfeit Indian Currency.
2. Offences affecting friendly relations with foreign States.
3. Offences related to atomic and nuclear facilities.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

a. 1 and 2 only

b. 2 only

c. 1 and 3 only

d. 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (d)

Justification:

• It is a central agency to investigates and prosecutes offences:
  • Affects the sovereignty, security and integrity of India, security of the State, and friendly relations with foreign States.
  • Against atomic and nuclear facilities.
  • Smuggling in High-Quality Counterfeit Indian Currency.

Source: The Hindu

GS Paper-2

Syllabus: Structure, Organization and function of the executive, laws affecting citizens etc

Context:

• The Union Home Ministry has amended certain rules related to the Foreign Contribution(Regulation) Act (FCRA), allowing Indians to receive up to ₹10 lakh in a year from relatives staying abroad without informing the authorities. The earlier limit was ₹1 lakh.
• In a notification, the Ministry also said that if the amount exceeds it, the individuals will now have 90 days to inform the government, instead of 30 days earlier.

New Rules:

• Increasing limit for foreign contributions: It allows Indians to receive up to ₹10 lakh in a year from relatives staying abroad without informing the authorities. The earlier limit was ₹1 lakh.
• Increasing number of days to inform authorities: In a notification, the Ministry also said that if the amount exceeds it, the individuals will now have 90 days to inform the government, instead of 30 days earlier.
• Increasing number of Compoundable offences: It made five more offences under the FCRA“compoundable” instead of directly prosecuting the organizations or individuals. Earlier, only seven offences under the FCRA were compoundable.
• Information about bank accounts: The amended rules have given individuals and organizations or NGOs 45 days to inform the home ministry about the bank accounts that are to be used for the utilization of such funds.
• Omission of provision b in rule 13: The government has also“omitted” provision ‘b’ in rule 13, which dealt with declaring foreign funds.
• Transparency in the utilization of funds: Now, anyone receiving foreign funds will have to follow the existing provision of placing the audited statement of accounts on receipts and utilization of the foreign contribution, including income and expenditure statement, receipt and payment account, and balance sheet, within nine months of the closure of the financial year on its official website or on the website as specified by the Centre.

Insta Links:

FCRA and NGO

Practice Questions:

Q. With reference to Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act 2020, consider the following statements:

1. It reduced the limit of usage of foreign contribution for administrative expenses from 50% to 20%.
2. FCRA is implemented by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• 1 only
• 2 only
• Both 1 and 2
• Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (a)

Justification:

• Amendment to Section 7, forbids a recipient of foreign contribution from transferring the same to any other entity.
• Amendment to Section 8(1)(b), which reduces the limit of usage of foreign contribution for administrative expenses from 50% to 20%.
• FCRA is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Source: The Hindu

GS Paper-3

Syllabus: Environment Conservation

Context:

2^nd UNOC ended with Lisbon Declaration titled ‘Our Ocean, Our Future: call for action’. It was co-hosted by Kenya and Portugal in Lisbon

• 1^st UNOC was in UN HQ (New York) in 2017

Lisbon Declaration

• Protecting at least 30% of national maritime zones by 2030
• Achieving carbon neutrality by 2040
• Allocating funds to research on ocean acidification, climate resilience and surveillance
• Scale-up Science-based and innovative actions to address ocean emergency
• Support implementation of SDG14 (life below water) by empowering women and girls- recognising their participation is crucial to building a sustainable ocean-based economy
• Protect biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, which lie outside the 200-mile (322-kilometre) exclusive economic zones of countries.
• India:
  • Will take up the Coastal clean sea campaign (‘Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar’.)
  • Ban on single-use plastics

• Controlling Marine Pollution:
• Nutrient pollution
• Untreated wastewater
• Solid waste discharges
• Hazardous substance
• Emissions from the maritime sector, including shipping, shipwrecks
• Anthropogenic underwater noise

UNESCO launched: the State of the Ocean Report during the event.

Insta Links

TACKLING OCEAN POLLUTION

Practice Questions:

Q. Examine the impact of marine pollution on coasts and coastal ecology. Also, discuss conservation methods to clean coasts. (15M)

Q. Which one of the following statements best describes the ‘Polar Code’? (UPSC CSE 2022)

(a) It is the international code of safety for ships operating in polar waters.

(b) It is the agreement of the countries around the North Pole regarding the demarcation of their territories in the polar region.

(c) It is a set of norms to be followed by the countries whose scientists undertake research studies on the North Pole and the South Pole.

(d) It is a trade and security agreement of the member countries of the Arctic Council

Answer: A

It is an international regime adopted by the International Maritime Organization in 2014. The Code sets out regulations for shipping in the polar regions, principally relating to ice navigation and ship design.

Q. With reference to the United National Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2022)

1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from a baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
3. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

Statement 1 is correct: Every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baselines determined in accordance with this Convention.

Statement 2 is correct: Subject to this Convention, ships of all States, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.

Statement 3 is correct:  The exclusive economic zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured

GS Paper-3

Syllabus: Science

Context:

Researchers led by those from the National Centre of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru (NCBS-TIFR), have found a new pathway that regulates nitrate absorption in plants.

The new method:

The gene transcription factor MADS27, which regulates nitrate absorption, root development and stress tolerance, is activated by the micro-RNA, miR444, therefore offering a new way to control these properties of the plant.

This ‘miR444’ can be used to increase nitrate absorption, enhance root development and help the plant to tolerate more stress.

Transcription factors are proteins involved in the process of converting, or transcribing, DNA into RNA. Transcription factors include a wide number of proteins, excluding RNA polymerase, that initiate and regulate the transcription of genes.

Importance of regulating Nitrogen:

• Development of plant: Nitrogen is one of the most important macronutrients needed for the development of a plant. It is a part of chlorophyll, amino acids and nucleic acids, among others.
• Gene expression: Nitrates also play a role in controlling genome-wide gene expression that in turn regulates root system architecture, flowering time, leaf development, etc.
• Control pollution: The overuse of nitrates in fertilizers leads to the accumulation of nitrates in water and soil. This accumulation adds to soil and water pollution and increased the contribution of greenhouse gases.

Practice Questions:

Q. Discuss the significance of sustainable nitrogen management for agriculture and the economy in India. (250 words)

Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2019)

1.Agricultural soils release nitrogen oxides into environment.

2.Cattle release ammonia into environment.

3.Poultry industry releases reactive nitrogen compounds environment.

Which of the statements given above is/arc correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

Q. Which of the following adds/add nitrogen to the soil? (UPSC 2013)

1. Excretion of urea by animals
2. Burning of coal by man
3. Death of vegetation

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: C

Burning of coal creates fly ash which is devoid of nitrogen content.

Source: The Hindu

Examples to be used in Mains:

1. Social Justice: Need to make inclusive policies: DGCA declared Adam Harry “temporary unfit” on the grounds of gender dysphoria (unease due to mismatch between sex assigned at birth and a person’s gender identity), and because he is undergoing “cross-sex hormone therapy”.

• Being transgender has shattered Adam Harry’s dream to be a pilot
• Even after the SC judgement (NALSA case ) and Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, discrimination against transgender still prevalent in society.

2. Social Justice: Nikshay Mitra: Community initiative for TB

The health ministry is working on an initiative—called Nikshay Mitra— that will allow individuals to adopt Tuberculosis patients and look after their nutritional and medical needs in a bid to break the stigma surrounding the disease in India.

• At 2. 5 million patients, India has the world’s highest TB burden. The government aims to eliminate the disease by 2025.

3. Society: Sensitisation for inclusivity: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, plans to introduce a mandatory course on caste awareness and racial discrimination. Last year, it launched a course on Gender sensitisation.
4. Environment: Sarojini Vana (Sarojini Forest): Odisha’s Forest Department honours Sarojini’s dedication to transforming barren land into a forest in just two years
5. Education: Suggestions by PM

• Curb proxy teachers in village schools: PM has suggested placing photographs of teachers in every classroom, which some states like Rajasthan have experimented with, which can be replicated elsewhere.
  • In 2018, a World Bank report on India highlighted the problem of proxy teachers, where teachers employed by the government illegally send others to teach on their behalf.
• To improve the standards of school education in remote areas: PM suggested implementing the practice of private schools adopting schools in remote areas by following a CSR model
• Student exchange: Exchange programme model for anganwadis and schools located close to each other to prepare pre-school students for formal schooling.
• Eliminate single-teacher schools: According to a UNESCO report released in 2021, there are nearly1. 2 lakh single-teacher schools in the country, of which an overwhelming 89 per cent are in rural areas.