Current Affairs Magazine September 2022 WWW - Iasparliament.com1

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INDEX
6.2 Sri Lanka’s Agreement with IMF ..................... 39

G.S PAPER I ............................................ 4
6.3 The SCO Summit 2022...................................... 40
1. GEOGRAPHY ..................................... 4 6.4 Inking a Pact on Kushiyara River Water Sharing
.......................................................................... 41
1.1 Role of Climate Change in Indian Monsoon ...... 4
6.5 The US’s F-16 Package to Pakistan ................. 43
1.2 Shifting Monsoon Patterns ................................. 5
1.3 Impacts of Climate Change on Hurricanes ........ 6 7. INTERNATIONAL ISSUES ................ 44
1.4 Prioritizing the Bay of Bengal Region ................ 7 7.1 The Race to UNSC’s Permanent Seat ............... 44
1.5 Bengaluru Floods ............................................... 8 7.2 The Global South’s Assertion in Geopolitics .... 47
2. SOCIAL ISSUES ................................. 9 7.3 U.N. Report on Uyghurs in Xinjiang ................ 48

7.4 Political crisis in Iraq ....................................... 50
2.1 SC Quota for Dalit Muslims and Christians....... 9
7.5 The Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Conflict .................. 51
2.2 The Case of Nikah Halala ................................ 10
7.6 Facebook’s Settlement in Cambridge Analytica
2.3 The Ban on Conversion Therapy ...................... 11
Lawsuit ............................................................. 52
2.4 Age of Consent in POCSO ................................ 13
7.7 The Scandinavian Model .................................. 53
2.5 Consequences of Declining Fertility ................ 13
7.8 Diasporic Politics ............................................. 55
2.6 Gender Parity in Academia .............................. 15
2.7 Impact of Pandemic on Crimes and Suicides ... 16 G.S PAPER III ....................................... 56
G.S PAPER II ......................................... 18 8. ECONOMY ....................................... 56

8.1 The National Logistics Policy ........................... 56
3. INDIAN POLITY ............................... 18
8.2 Selective Ban on Rice Exports .......................... 57
3.1 The Siddique Kappan Case .............................. 18
8.3 Scope of Countertrade for India ....................... 58
3.2 The Essential Practices Doctrine ..................... 19
8.4 Measures needed beyond the PLI Scheme ........ 60
3.3 Interpretation of Places of Worship Act 1991 .. 20
8.5 Gorbachev and Gandhian Economics .............. 62
3.4 Excommunication within Dawoodi Bohras ...... 21
3.5 Referring a Bill to Parliamentary Standing 9. ENVIRONMENT ............................... 63
Committees ....................................................... 22 9.1 India’s Updated NDC ....................................... 63
3.6 The Office of the Governor ............................... 24 9.2 Cheetah Reintroduction Project ....................... 64
3.7 States Power to Challenge Centre .................... 25 9.3 Effecting the Ban on Single-Use Plastics ......... 66
3.8 Live Streaming of Supreme Court Proceedings 27 9.4 Threats to Taj Mahal ........................................ 67
4. GOVERNMENT ACTS & POLICIES .... 28 9.5 Water Crisis: A Lead for Urban-Rural Dispute 68
4.1 The Draft Telecommunication Bill 2022 .......... 28 10. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY .............. 69
4.2 Drug Coverage in NDPS Act ............................ 29 10.1 CRISPR: A Revolution in the field of Evolution 69
4.3 Challenging the Special Marriage Act 1954 .... 31 10.2 Modified PLI for Semiconductors ..................... 70
4.4 Sports as Soft Power......................................... 32 10.3 India needs Stronger Patent Ecosystem............ 71
5. GOVERNANCE ................................. 34 10.4 Flexible Fuel Vehicles ...................................... 73
5.1 PM SHRI Schools - The Laboratory of New 11. INTERNAL SECURITY ...................... 74
Education Policy .............................................. 34
11.1 The Popular Front of India .............................. 74
5.2 The Role of CSR in funding NGOs ................... 35
11.2 The Anti-Maoist Greyhound Force ................... 77
5.3 Need for Police Reforms ................................... 36
11.3 Khalistan Referendum in Canada ..................... 78
6. INDIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD .. 37
6.1 India-Pakistan Disaster Diplomacy ................. 37
CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

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PRELIM BITS ........................................ 79 Iran to join SCO ........................................................... 94

Colour Revolutions ....................................................... 95
12. HISTORY, ART & CULTURE ............. 79
Afghanistan - Not a Major Non-NATO Ally ................. 95
Shumang Leela ............................................................. 79
IOR+ Conclave............................................................. 96
Nizam’s Sword.............................................................. 80
Ambedkar Circuit ......................................................... 80 17. ECONOMY ....................................... 96
Mohenjo-daro ............................................................... 80 Moonlighting ................................................................ 96
Buddhist Sites in Bandhavgarh .................................... 80 Tourist Tax ................................................................... 97
Mahakaleshwar Temple ............................................... 81 i-Banks .......................................................................... 97
Hoysala Temples .......................................................... 81 Index Funds .................................................................. 97
Sittanavasal .................................................................. 81 AT-1 Bonds ................................................................... 98
Arattupuzha Velayudha ................................................ 82 Board of Trade ............................................................. 98
Central Fraud Registry................................................. 99
13. GEOGRAPHY ................................... 83
ASBA-like Payment System ........................................... 99
‘Triple dip’ La Nina ..................................................... 83
Power Finance Corporation to be a DFI ................... 100
Super Typhoon Hinnamnor .......................................... 83
REC is a ‘Maharatna’ Company ................................ 100
Megadrought ................................................................ 84
Relaxed Assessment Fee Cap for CSR Projects.......... 101
Rule Curve .................................................................... 84
Precision Farming ...................................................... 101
Floating Gas Terminals................................................ 85
World Dairy Summit 2022 .......................................... 102
Cameroon Volcanic Line .............................................. 85
AgriAdapt ................................................................... 102
Ghost Islands of the Arctic ........................................... 85
Avalanche Monitoring Radar ....................................... 86 19. ENVIRONMENT ............................. 103
Vizhinjam Port Project ................................................. 86 Fridays for Future ...................................................... 103
Hanle Dark Sky Reserve ............................................... 86 Climate Tipping Elements .......................................... 103
Gogra-Hotsprings Area ................................................ 87 Climate Reparation .................................................... 104
Machilipatnam Seaport ................................................ 88 Impact of Noida Twin Tower Demolition ................... 104
Vembanad Lake ............................................................ 88 Study on Climate Pledges ........................................... 105
Mission Integrated Biorefineries ................................ 105
14. POLITY ........................................... 89
FGD Target ................................................................ 106
Mary Roy Case ............................................................. 89
Shallow-water Mining ................................................ 107
SC Bench Strength and The Binding Nature of its
Electric Highways ...................................................... 107
Judgments ..................................................................... 89
Green Fins Hub .......................................................... 107
Process of Inclusion or Exclusion from the ST List ...... 89
EV100 Initiative .......................................................... 108
15. GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS & International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food
SCHEMES ............................................. 90 and Agriculture........................................................... 108
Khader Committee ........................................................ 90 Dugong Conservation Reserve ................................... 109
PARAKH ...................................................................... 91 Effect of the Moon on Mangroves ............................... 109
Vigyan Ratna ................................................................ 92 Algae Biofuels............................................................. 110
Operation Megh Chakra .............................................. 92 Nilgiri Sholakili .......................................................... 110
WEST - I-STEM Initiative............................................. 92
20. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ........ 111
National List of Essential Medicines 2022 ................... 92
Gemini North Telescope ............................................. 111
Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative ................................. 93
Inouye Solar Telescope............................................... 111
Child Welfare Committee Norms.................................. 93
Qimingxing-50 Quasi Satellite ................................... 111
16. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS .......... 94 DART Mission - Demonstration ................................. 112
India Accepts Three Pillars of IPEF ............................ 94 AVGAS 100 LL ........................................................... 112
Traffic Separation Scheme ........................................... 94 Einstein Ring .............................................................. 113

Tarantula Nebula ....................................................... 113 Atomic Clocks ............................................................. 118

Super Earths ............................................................... 113 Carbon Dating ............................................................ 119
Chinook Helicopters ................................................... 114 Coffee-ring Effect ....................................................... 120
VSHORADS Missile ................................................... 114
21. INDEX AND REPORT ..................... 120
RH-200 Sounding Rocket ........................................... 114
Human Development Index 2021-2022 ...................... 120
Oncolytic Viruses ....................................................... 115
UN Report on Human Rights Abuses by China .......... 121
Anti-radiation Pills ..................................................... 115
WHO Report on Non-communicable Diseases ........... 121
iNCOVACC ................................................................ 116
India Discrimination Report 2022 .............................. 122
India’s Sex Ratio Improves......................................... 116
The Gender Snapshot 2022 ........................................ 122
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems ........................ 117
New Technique to Produce Hydrogen ........................ 118

SEPTEMBER 2022
G.S PAPER I
1. GEOGRAPHY
1.1 Role of Climate Change in Indian Monsoon

Why in news?
Research shows that Indian monsoon is likely to get much more dangerous as climate disruptions take a toll on the
system in the subcontinent.
How about the picture of the current climate system?
• There is a complex mix of several factors which makes it difficult to understand the rainfall variability and how
monsoon patterns have been behaving of late.
o Persistence of intense La
Nina conditions
o Abnormal warming of East
Indian Ocean
o Negative Indian Ocean
Dipole (IOD)
o Southward movement of
most of the monsoon
depressions and lows
o Pre-monsoon heating over
the Himalayan region are
melting glaciers
• Change in monsoon
pattern- Since 1951, the
monsoon circulation has
weakened, especially in regions
like the Western Ghats and the
Indo-Gangetic plains.
• However, incidents of localised
heavy rainfall have increased.
• The duration of dry spells
between rainy days during the monsoon has also increased.
How climate change impacts summer monsoon rainfall?
• Alarming increase in floods and droughts provides direct evidence of how global warming has been impacting
the Indian monsoon.
• Changing area- Most of the monsoon weather systems have been travelling
across central parts of the country, changing the area of rainfall.
• Excess and deficit- Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and parts of
Maharashtra have recorded excess rainfall this year.
• Back-to-back active monsoon systems in the Bay of Bengal in July led to excess
rainfall to the tune of 8%.
• In contrast, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar did not receive normal rains.
• Variability- While summer monsoon rainfall each year is unique, there has
been a large regional and temporal variability in rainfall this year.
• Role of GHG- Climate models indicate that global warming is expected to increase monsoon rainfall by 14%
by the end of the century if greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain high.

• Rapid heating of global ocean- The global ocean has absorbed 90% of the excess heat generated by man in
the past 50 years due to which extreme rainfall events of the sort seen in Maharashtra would become very
common.
• Role of SST- There is a strong relationship of the monsoon with Sea Surface Temperature (SST).
• The weakening of the land-sea temperature gradient will result in drying of monsoon circulation.
• At the same time, there is a lot of moisture in the air because of an increase in SST.
• So even if the monsoon circulation is weak, in certain episodes, strong winds can bring in plenty of moisture
from the Arabian Sea region which then falls over land in the form of extreme rainfall.
• Case of South Asia- Bangladesh, India and Pakistan have battled severe floods, while, China is reeling under
massive drought conditions.
What are the impacts of change in monsoon?
• Rice production- Due to southward movement of majors, all main monsoon
low pressure areas and depressions, rice producing States have been deficit by
large margins.
• Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, which account for a third of the country’s
total rice production, have been highly deficit despite an active monsoon current
in July and August.
• This would straight away have an impact on food security of the country.
• Pest and disease incidence- The uneven distribution rains along with increasing temperatures and humidity
give rise to pest attacks and diseases.
• Plant processes- Very high temperatures (> 35°C) induce heat stress and affect plant physiological processes,
leading to spikelet sterility, non-viable pollen and reduced grain quality.
• Drought reduces plant transpiration rates and may result in leaf rolling and drying, reduction in leaf expansion
rates and plant biomass, immobilisation of solutes and increased heat stress of leaves.
1.2 Shifting Monsoon Patterns

Why in news?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the monsoon has begun to retreat from Rajasthan in late
September this year.
What is monsoon?
• The seasonal reversal of wind direction during a year accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation.
• The monsoon or southwest monsoon is a sea-breeze from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal that officially
onsets over Kerala on June 1 and retreats from Rajasthan by the end of September.
• It is then replaced by the retreating, or northeast monsoon in November which is the key source of rainfall for
several parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and north interior Karnataka.

What is monsoon withdrawal?

• The cyclonic systems that fuel the monsoon is replaced by an ‘anti-cyclone’ circulation which causes dry and
windless condition to prevail over western and northern India.
• This cessation of rainfall activity over northwest India for straight five days is the withdrawal of the monsoon.
How was the monsoon in India this year?
• India is witnessing excessive rainfall in the monsoon since 2019 except last year.
• According to IMD’s records, this is an unprecedented event of three years of above normal rain in a block of four
years.
• Central India and the southern peninsula were
expected to get 6% more than their historical average
but saw a sharp surge in rainfall.
• Rains in Central India were surplus by 20% and in
southern India by 25%.
Why excessive rains in southern and central India? Monsoon Figures
• These heavy rains are due to La Nina and India is presently experiencing triple dip La Nina, thus having a
surplus rain in September, a month that usually marks the retreat of the monsoon.
• La Niña weather pattern is one of the three phases
of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
• La Niña is caused by large-scale cooling of the ocean
surface temperatures in the central and eastern
equatorial Pacific Ocean.
• La Niña is also the opposite of the widely-known El
Niño, which only occurs when the temperature of
Pacific Ocean water is higher than normal.
• ‘Triple dip’ La Niña refers to a condition where La Niña has occurred for the third consecutive year in the
Pacific Ocean.
• The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) had stated that it is exceptional to have three consecutive years
with a La Niña event.
What are the impacts of surplus monsoon rains?
• Floods - There were several instances of flooding in Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
• Droughts - On the other hand, large parts of U. P., Bihar, and Odisha have seen large deficits.
• Impacts on summer crops - Impacts the sowing of the kharif (summer crops).
• Impacts planting of paddy and reduces its sown area.
• It is expected a shortfall in rice production and is likely to elevate inflation.
1.3 Impacts of Climate Change on Hurricanes

Why in news?
As Earth’s climate warms, more storms are undergoing rapid intensification, growing quickly from relatively weak
tropical storms to Category 3 or higher hurricanes in under 24 hours.
What is a Hurricane?
• Tropical storms that form over the Atlantic Ocean or central and eastern
North Pacific, with sustained winds of at least 74 mph are called “hurricanes”.
• Hurricane formation - When warm seawater evaporates, its heat energy
is transferred to the atmosphere.
• This fuels the storm’s winds to strengthen and intensifies hurricanes.

How climate change intensifies tropical storms?

• Warming oceans - More than 90% of the excess heat from human-caused global warming over the past 50
years has been absorbed by the oceans.
• Higher surface temperatures allow hurricanes to reach higher levels of maximum sustained wind.
• Rate of intensification - Warmer oceans
makes the rate of intensification more rapid.
• Rapid intensification refers to an increase of
at least 30 knots, or 35 mph, in the
maximum sustained winds over a 24-hour
period.
• For example, in 2021, Hurricane Ida
strengthened from a Category 1 with 85 mph
winds into a near-Category 5 hurricane with
150 mph winds less than 24 hours later.
• Vertical wind shear - It is a measure of
how much the wind changes in speed or
direction at increasing heights in the
atmosphere.
• Strong vertical wind shear can inhibit the development of hurricanes by tilting the structure of a storm and by
forcing cool, dry air into its core.
• Warming temperatures may lead to weakening vertical wind shear, allowing hurricanes approaching the East
Coast of the United States to intensify more rapidly.
How it impacts forecasting and preparedness?
• The increase in the number of hurricanes that intensify quickly and unpredictably presents a problem for
forecasters.
• The window of time to make a decision gets smaller.
• Short notice raises the stakes and can affect a community’s preparedness.
How else is climate change affecting storms?
• As climate warms, the typical season for hurricanes is shifting and more months
of the year are conducive to storms.
• The Seasons for tropical storms are usually between June and November, but
now they start three weeks earlier.
• Hurricanes are also shifting its landfall pattern farther north than in the past.
• Owing to the rising global air and ocean temperatures, there is a poleward shift in the landfall of hurricanes.
1.4 Prioritizing the Bay of Bengal Region

Why in news?
The launch of the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies (CBS) at Nalanda University has demonstrated India’s commitment
to advancing constructive agendas in the Bay.
How significant is Bay of Bengal to India?
• Commercial hub- The Bay has long been a major commerce hub for the Indian Ocean.
• Linking east and west- It created a conduit between the East and the West in terms for trade and culture.
• Security- The key sea lanes of communication in this area are lifelines for global economic security and are
crucial to the energy security that powers the economies of many countries in the region.
• Regional cooperation- The Bay also provides an opportunity for greater regional cooperation in the
environmentally friendly exploration of marine and energy resources.
• Biodiversity - The Bay has a biodiverse marine environment and is home to many rare and endangered marine
species and mangroves.

• Geopolitics - An Indo-Pacific orientation and the realignment

of global economic and military power towards Asia have had a
considerable impact on the Bay region.
What are the issues at the bay?
• Environmental issues- Species extinction has become an
issue due to careless exploitation of the maritime environment.
• Problems such as population growth, altered land use, excessive
resource exploitation, salinisation, sea level rise, and climate
change are straining the Bay’s environment.
• Discharge from feeder ships, shipping collisions, oil spills,
industrial waste, pollution, and accumulation of plastic litter
has resulted in the formation of a dead zone.
• The mangrove trees that protect the shore from the fury of
nature are under threat.
• Expansion of power- The region’s maritime environment has changed as a result of major powers expanding
their economic and geopolitical influence.
• Security concerns- Non-traditional dangers including terrorism have become more prevalent.
What potential does CBS hold?
• Generation of opportunities- The Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies will offer collaborations in geo-
economics, geopolitics, ecology, trade, connectivity, maritime security, culture and blue economy.
• Sustainable growth for all- It has the potential to strengthen India’s framework for maritime engagement
in order to advance sustainable economic growth for all.
• Promotion of Partnership- It promotes the nautical neighbours to partner and cooperate since the maritime
domain is interrelated and interdependent in nature.
• Interdisciplinary research centre- It will serve as a unique interdisciplinary research centre devoted to
Bay-focused teaching, research, and capacity building.
• Scholars from many countries and academic streams are already participating in CBS’s first certificate
programme on the Bay.
What lies ahead?
• There are few concerns that need immediate attention
o Expanding cooperation in maritime safety and security
o Enhancing cooperation on maritime connectivity
o The ease of maritime transit
o Boosting investment possibilities in maritime connectivity
• Littoral governments need to support and promote skill-building, research, and training.
• Countries in the region will need to mobilise incentives and investments and manage oceanic affairs more
effectively.
1.5 Bengaluru Floods

What is the issue?
In overnight rainfall, areas in Bengaluru were inundated raising again the old questions about the reasons behind the
flooding.
How much rain has Bengaluru received in August 2022?
• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that in August 2022, Bengaluru received 370 mm of
rainfall, falling only a little short of the all-time record of 387.1 mm of rainfall.
• Since June 2022, the city has received 769 mm of rainfall, departing significantly from the average of 425 mm
in this period.
• In the last decade, the August of 2017 and 2011 were very wet whereas other years were dry.

What are the reasons for the flood?

• Rainbow Drive Layout Flood- Rainbow Drive Layout Area was created near a drain that was used primarily
for irrigation.
• Over a period of time, the buildings which were constructed close
to the layout raised their height, thereby making the area a “soup
bowl”.
• The excess water from the surrounding villages is being directed to
the Rainbow Drive Layout.
• Outer Ring Road Flood- Chief Minister Bommai found that the
major reason for the flooding of the area was the encroachment of
stormwater drains.
• The width of the drain had come down from 30 feet to 4 feet.
• Lack of infrastructure is one of the biggest reasons why ORR floods every year.
• There are quite a few engineering flaws in the development of the road such as the lack of culverts.
• The flyover on ORR doesn’t have any water harvesting system.
How is the administration addressing the flood?
• Legal procedures are being looked after which the properties encroaching on the drain would be demolished.
• An order was promulgated for the construction of a drain on a public-private model that will carry rainwater
from the Layout to the Sarjapur culvert.
• With the change in the topography of the area, a new drain design is being looked into.
• Need of the hour- Standard operating procedures (SOP) listed by urban development ministry at various
stages of preparedness ghas to be followed.
• Development needs to be climate-smart by preventing any further worsening of the hydrological patterns in
cities.
• Existing construction on lake beds and other water bodies needs to be removed or redesigned to allow flood
drainage along natural water channels.
2. SOCIAL ISSUES
2.1 SC Quota for Dalit Muslims and Christians

What is the issue?
Several petitions are pending before the Supreme Court seeking Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation benefits for Dalits
who converted to Christianity or Islam.
What is the provision for Dalits who convert to Christianity and Islam?
• Article 341 of the Constitution- The President may specify the castes, races or tribes
or parts of or groups within castes, races or tribes which shall be deemed to be
Scheduled Castes.
• The first order issued in 1950 under this provision covered only Hindus and later in 1956 it includes Sikhs of
Dalit origin and in 1990, the government acceded to include Buddhists of Dalit origin.
• The order was revised as: “No person who professes a religion different from the Hindu, the Sikh or the Buddhist
religion shall be deemed to be a member of Scheduled Caste.”
• This religion-based bar does not apply to converted STs and OBCs.
• The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) website states that the rights of a person belonging to a
Scheduled Tribe are independent of his/her religious faith.
• Maharashtra Minister has alleged that Sameer Wankhede, Mumbai Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control
Bureau (NCB), benefitted from the reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) despite being ineligible for it.
To know about Sameer Wankhede’s reservation case, click here

What efforts were taken for inclusion of Dalits of other religion?

• Bills- In 1996, The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill was drafted, but was not
introduced in Parliament.
• Committees- The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, popularly known as
the Ranganath Misra Commission was constituted in 2004.
• The Commission recommended that SC status should be completely de-linked from religion and Scheduled
Castes should be made fully religion-neutral like Scheduled Tribes.
• Sachar Committee was formed in 2005 to study the social, economic, and educational condition of Muslims.
• The report observed that the social and economic situation of Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians did not
improve after conversion.
• In 2008, a status report by a team of sociologists led by Satish Deshpande said that there was a strong case for
extending SC status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims.
• However, the recommendations were not accepted in view of inadequate field data.
2.2 The Case of Nikah Halala

Why in news?
A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court will start hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity
of the practice of Nikah Halala allowed by Muslim personal law.
What is the case about?
• Sameena Begum, a Delhi-based victim of instant triple talaq and a fraud marriage approached the Supreme
Court in 2018 seeking the annulment of halala marriage and polygamy.
• She requested the court that Section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, be declared
arbitrary as it violates
o Article 14 (right to equality)
o Article 15 (discrimination on ground of religion)
o Article 21 (right to life and dignity)
• She has also requested the court to ensure that provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, apply to all Indian
citizens.
• She contended that nikah halala is rape under IPC Section 375.
• The petitions have challenged practices including nikah halala, polygamy, mutah, misyar marriage that are
prevalent under Muslim marriages and divorce law practices.
What is Nikah halala?
• The Koran allows a man to divorce his wife a maximum of two times.
• If the man divorces his wife for the third time, he is
not allowed to marry her again.
• This bar was laid down in order to save women from
temperamental husbands who divorce in a fit of
anger, then cancel it, then divorce again, unleashing
an endless cycle of marriage and divorce.
• After the third talaq, the woman becomes an
independent being with full choice over her life and
it empowers them to take independent decisions.
• Nikah Halala - For the purpose of going back to
the erstwhile husband, sham marriages are
enacted.
• Nikah halala, also known as Tahleel Marriage, is one of the forms of sham marriages to marry the divorced
husband again.
• In Nikkah halala, a divorced Muslim woman marries another person.

• She gets divorce from him in order to marry her divorcee husband again.
• Prevalence- No cases of halala have been reported from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Yemen.
• In India, the Muslim Women’s Protection of Rights on Marriage, passed after invalidation of triple talaq by the
Supreme Court, is silent on nikah halala.
What procedures are followed by Muslims for divorce?
• Instant triple talaq (Talaq-e-biddat) - In instant triple talaq a man pronounces multiple divorce in one go.
• It has no scope for reconciliation between the couple, and often ends a marriage instantly.
• It is not mentioned anywhere in the Quran which prescribes a code of divorce.
• Instant triple talaq has been banned in many Muslim countries, including Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq
and Malaysia.
• Instant triple talaq is banned in India.
• Talaq-e-Hasan - Talaq-e-Hasan is pronounced with a gap of at least one month or one menstrual cycle.
• Only a single revocable divorce takes place through the first pronouncement of Talaq-e-Hasan and the couples
are supposed to live together after this pronouncement and have the option of rapprochement.
• At the end of this month, the husband has to pronounce divorce for the second time which is revocable, and the
couple may resume their conjugal relationship anytime they desire.
• If the third pronouncement is made after at least one menstrual cycle, then irrevocable divorce takes place.
• No divorce can be administered when the woman is undergoing her menstrual cycle or pregnancy.
• Unlike instant triple talaq, the Quran clearly mentions the process of Talaq-e-Hasan.
• Talaq-e-Ahsan - Under this form, a single pronouncement is made following which a woman has to go
through iddat or a waiting period of three months.
• During this period the divorce can be cancelled and the failure to annul divorce during this period results in
divorce.
• Khula - In Khula, a woman gives something to the man in return for annulling the marriage.
• For men the procedure given by Quran to divorce is Talaq-e-Hasan; for women the procedure to give divorce is
called khula.
• Mubarat - In Mubarat, both the parties desire divorce.
2.3 The Ban on Conversion Therapy

Why in news?
The National Medical Commission (NMC), the apex regulatory body of medical professionals in India, has banned the
conversion therapy calling it a “professional misconduct”.
What is the National Medical Commission directive about?
• As per the Madras High Court directive, the NMC issued an official notification listing conversion therapy as a
wrong, under Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquettes and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.
• It also empowered the State bodies to take disciplinary action against medical professionals who breach the
guideline.
• The NMC has been constituted by an act of Parliament known as National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
• It aims at improving access to quality and affordable medical education and to promote equitable and universal
healthcare.
To know about LGBTQIA+ community, click here
What is Conversion Therapy?
• Conversion or reparative therapy is an intervention aimed at changing the sexual orientation or gender identity
of an individual.
• It employs the use of either psychiatric treatment, drugs, exorcism or even violence to make the individual a
heterosexual.

• It also includes efforts to change the core identity of youth whose gender identity is incongruent with their sex
anatomy.
What are the risks involved?
• The conversion therapy poses the risk of
o Psychological distress
o Higher rates of depression
o Substance use problems
o Suicide attempts
• The researchers found that over a lifetime, the estimated cost of this therapy amounts to nearly 1 lakh dollars
per person.
What is the role of the Madras High Court in the ban?
• The High Court ruling prohibited any attempt to medically cure or change the sexual orientation of LGBTQIA+
people.
• It urged the authorities to take action against professionals
involving themselves in any form or method of conversion
therapy which could include the withdrawal of licence to practice
medicine.
• The court ordered the National Medical Commission to issue
official notification by enlisting conversion therapy as a
professional misconduct.
• The Madras High Court issued a slew of interim guidelines for
the police, activists, Union and State Social Welfare Ministries
and the NMC to ensure the safety and security of same sex
couples.
• Directive to police- To close complaints of missing persons’ cases, without subjecting them to harassment, if
it found that the parties were consenting adults of the LGBTQIA+ community.
• Directive to Social Justice Ministry- To draw up a list of NGOs and other groups which could handle the
issues faced by the community.
• To provide legal assistance by the District Legal Services Authority in coordination with law enforcement
agencies.
• Directive to law enforcement agencies- To follow the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules,
2020 and the 2019 Act, in letter and spirit.
• To hold sensitisation programmes for understanding the community needs.
What is the way forward?
• Parents need to be sensitised, because the first point of misunderstanding and abuse often begins at home, with
teenagers being forced to opt for conversion therapies.
• The need of the hour is to enact a stringent piece of legislation that will outlaw the practice of conversion therapy.
• As a society, we have to acknowledge that every individual is unique and gender expression, sexual identity or
sexual orientation cannot be forced upon any individual or controlled by any external force.
• Dignity is a grand promise that our Constitution gives to every citizen irrespective of his caste, creed, gender or
sexual orientation and hence it cannot be compromised.
• Efforts must be taken to prevent the cases of bullying, discrimination, stigma and exclusion.
• Schools and colleges must effect changes in curricula for a better understanding of the community.
• Gender-neutral restrooms should be compulsory in educational institutes and other places.

2.4 Age of Consent in POCSO

What is the issue?
Older adolescents engaging in consensual and non-exploitative acts find themselves embroiled in the criminal justice
system.
What is the issue with age of consent in POCSO?
• The POCSO Act 2012, by defining a child as a person below 18 years of age, fixes the age of consent at 18 years.
• Under POCSO, the consent of a “child” is immaterial and consensual sexual intercourse with or among
adolescents is treated on a par with rape.
• While boys/young men are charged with sexual offences, the girls are treated as victims and institutionalised in
children’s homes on refusal to return to their parents or if their parents refuse to accept them.
• The only relief available to the couple is to urge the High Court to quash the case under Section 482 of the
CrPC to prevent abuse of the process of any Court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice.
What about the Court judgements regarding the issue?
• In Rama @ Bande Rama v. State of Karnataka, the High Court quashed criminal proceedings under the
IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
• The case had been initiated based on a complaint of a 17-year-old girl’s father against her 20-year-old partner.
• The girl stated in court that the acts were consensual and she had married the accused after she had turned 18
and a child was born to the couple.
• In Vijaylakshmi v. State Rep (2021), the Madras High Court observed that punishing an adolescent boy
who enters into a relationship with a minor girl by treating him as an offender, was never the objective of the
POCSO Act.
• In Raj Kumar v. State of Himachal Pradesh (2021), the Himachal Pradesh High Court allowed a petition
filed by the minor girl’s father for quashing the trial against his son-in-law.
• In Skhemborlang Suting v. State of Meghalaya (2021), a couple got entangled under the POCSO Act
as the wife was a minor.
What is the need of the hour?
• The high rate of acquittals shows that the law is not in sync with social realities of adolescent relationships.
• Blanket criminalisation of such consensual sexual acts involving older adolescents erodes their dignity, liberty,
privacy, evolving autonomy, and development potential.
• It also impacts the delivery of justice as these cases constitute a large burden on our courts, and divert attention
from investigation and prosecution of actual cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Merely creating awareness among children will not solve the issues arising out of consensual relationships
between teenagers.
• There is a need for law reform to revise the age of consent and prevent the criminalisation of older
adolescents engaging in consensual and non-exploitative acts.
2.5 Consequences of Declining Fertility

Why in news?
The world is ill-prepared for the global crash in children being born which is set to have a jaw-dropping impact on
societies.
What does the global fertility rate look like?
• Global population- The global population, in terms of numbers, has been steadily increasing and is expected
to grow around 8.5 billion in 2030.
• Global fertility- According to the World Population Prospects 2022, the average global fertility has been
consistently declining over the past 70 years.
• The total fertility rate has declined by 50%, from 5 children per woman in 1951 to 2.4 children in 2020.
• Advanced countries- Most advanced economies have their fertility rate below the replacement rate of 2.1,
with South Korea reporting the lowest at 1.05 children per woman.

• Pace of transition- Poorer countries seem to be speeding up the demographic transition faster than the richer
ones.
• Britain took 130 years to transition from a fertility rate of 5 per
woman to 2, whereas South Korea took 20 years to achieve the
same.
• Japan’s case- Japan was the first country to experience the
implications of falling fertility rates.
• The increasing dependency ratio has led to near zero GDP
growth since the 1990s.
How about the demographic picture of India?
• During Independence- India’s fertility rate was 6 per
woman.
• It had taken 25 years to reach 5, with the government launching the first ever family planning programme in
the world in 1952.
• During the 1990s- India’s fertility further declined to 4 in the 1990s when Kerala became the first State in
India to have a fertility rate below replacement level.
• Current picture- According to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), the fertility rate is
falling below the replacement level for the first time to 2.0 in 2021.
• Reasons for steady dip in fertility rates
o Increased use of contraception
o More years of average schooling
o Better health care
o An increase in the mean marriage age of women
What are the possible implications of declining fertility?
Positive implications
• Social- Lower fertility impacts women’s education positively, which in turn lowers the fertility of the next
generations.
• Economic- A major portion of the workforce in countries of earlier demographic transition moves to modern
sectors of the economy with fertility dipping.
• The spiral of lower fertility leads to a higher ratio of the working-age population than that of the dependent age
groups.
• This in turn boosts income and investment with higher level of savings.
• Environmental- It will lead to lower pressure on land, water and other resources and would contribute to
achieve environmental goals.
Negative implications
• Economic output- A fall in fertility rate would have a negative effect on the proportion of the working
population thus affecting the economic output.
• Creativity- While education and technological
advancement could increase the productivity of working
age population, falling fertility could diminish the
creative capacity of humankind.
• Global interest rates- An ageing population will affect
global interest rates negatively as the share of people
over 50 years will form almost 40% of the population by
2100.
How to deal with the fertility decline?
• The advancement in health care and better nutrition
around the world have increased the life expectancy and
productivity of older citizens.

• Flexibility in the labour market would encourage working women to have more children and non-working
mothers to enter the labour market.
• Although India’s working-age population will continue to grow for many more decades, it would need to keep
an eye on fertility dips.
2.6 Gender Parity in Academia

Why in news?
True gender parity is when institutions consider women as assets rather than it being just a diversity rectification issue.
What is the picture of gender parity in academia?
• Indian academia- Gender discrimination in academia came under spotlight in
India in 1933 when Kamala Sohonie approached Sir C.V. Raman to pursue
research in physics under his guidance.
• The request was turned down on the ground that she was a woman and later she
was admitted for 1 year on certain conditions.
• Similarly, in 1937, Professor D.M. Bose was reluctant to include Bibha Chowdhuri
in his research group on the ground that he did not have suitable research projects
to assign to women.
• She joined D.M. Bose’s research group and her work on cosmic rays in determining the mass of mesons is
legendary.
• Global scenario- In 2018, Prof. Alessandro Strumia claimed at a CERN workshop that physics was invented
and built by men implying that women are less capable than men in physics research.
• CERN called the presentation highly offensive and suspended him.
• Reasons for lower participation of women in R&D- It includes familial issues like marriage, family
responsibility, relocation due to transferable job of spouse etc.
What incentives are provided by the government?
• GATI- Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) is a pilot project under the Department of
Science and Technology to promote gender equity in S&T.
• KIRAN- Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) is a plan to encourage
women scientists in S&T and to prevent women scientists from giving up research.
• Women Scientist Scheme- WOS under KIRAN provides career opportunities including fellowships to
unemployed women scientists and technologists, especially those who had a break in career, for pursuing
research in frontier areas of science and engineering.
• CURIE- Under Consolidation of University Research through Innovation and Excellence in Women
Universities (CURIE), only women Universities are being supported for development of research infrastructure
and creation of state-of-the-art research laboratories.
• Indo-US Fellowship- It is for Women in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics &
Medicine) to encourage Indian women scientists to undertake international collaborative research in premier
institutions in USA for duration of 3-6 months.
• Vigyan Jyoti - Vigyan Jyoti Scheme encourages girl students of Class 9 to 12 to pursue education and career
in S&T.
• SERB-POWER- The SERB-POWER provides structured support in research to ensure equal access and
weighted opportunities for Indian women scientists engaged in R&D activities.
• The SERB Women Excellence Award recognizes women Academy Awardees to expand their research
horizon to higher levels.
• BioCARe- Department of Biotechnology is implementing Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-
orientation Programme (BioCARe) to encourage women scientists in Biotechnology research.
• To recognize the contribution of women scientists in the field of Earth System Sciences, Ministry of Earth
Sciences has initiated a special award called “National Award for woman scientist”.

What is India’s position in academia?

• Women in STEM- According to UNESCO data, India is at the lowest position, having only 14% female
researchers working in STEM areas.
• In India, about 43% of women constitute the graduate population in STEM, which is one of the highest in the
world, but only 14% of women join academic institutions and universities.
• Women in research- The participation of women in research has dropped significantly (27% female as
compared to 73% male).
• Women faculty- The percentage of women in faculty positions begins to shrink with each step up the ladder.
• Women in prestigious institutes- According to a report published recently, the more prestigious the
institute, the lower the number of women employees.
o For example, in IIT Madras only 10.2% and in IIT Bombay only 17.5% are women.
• Women in decision making- The number of female participants in decision-making bodies such as the
board of governors or council of institutes of higher education of repute is abysmally low.
o Out of the 6 IIT established in 20th century, only IIT Kharagpur and IIT Delhi have women members
on their governing body.
• Female vice-chancellors- According to a survey by the University Grants Commission, seven of the 54
central universities and 23 of the 419 private universities have female vice-chancellors.
• Global picture- Even developed countries have low women percentage - Japan 16% female researchers, the
Netherlands 26%, the United States 27% and the United Kingdom 39%.
• Countries with a fairly good ratio in terms of an equal number of female and male researchers are South Africa
and Egypt, with 45% female researchers each, and Cuba at 49%.
• The highest number of female researchers are in Tunisia followed by Argentina and New Zealand.
How about women in corporate world?
• The number of women in senior management positions in the corporate sector in India is 39%, which is higher
than the global average.
• Number of women CEOs in Fortune 500 companies is 15% while female board members in the management of
private enterprises has been growing from 15% (2016) to 19.7% in 2022.
• If this trend continues, near parity will be reached by 2045, according to a forecast made by Deloitte.
What are the reasons for discrepancy in these two sectors?
• Selection and promotion- The mechanism of selection and promoting personnel in the private sector is
mostly based on competence/merit because it is more market oriented than what it is in the academic institutes.
• Schemes- Encouraging the participation of women in the workforce in the private sector with the adoption of
various schemes for women began long ago when compared to the government initiatives.
o Flexi-hour worktime
o Rejoining the workforce after an interim break
o Sections operated only by women
• Gender parity will happen only when there is a change in mindset and institutions consider women as assets.
2.7 Impact of Pandemic on Crimes and Suicides

What is the issue?
Increase in violent crimes, suicides in NCRB’s Crime in India report 2021 points to indirect consequences of pandemic.
What is NCRB?
• Origin- The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) was established in 1986 with the aim of establishing a
body to compile and keep records of data on crime.
• Ministry- It functions under the Union Home Ministry.
• Functions- Its functions include collection, coordination and exchange of information on inter-state and
international criminals to the respective states.

• NCRB also acts as a national warehouse for the fingerprint records of Indian and foreign criminals, and assists
in locating interstate criminals through fingerprint
search.
• Reports of NCR
1. Crime in India
2. Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (ADSI)
3. Prison Statistics India
4. Report on Missing Women and Children in India
5. Fingerprint in India
What is the status of violent crimes in India in 2021?
• Registration in violent crimes such as rape, kidnapping,
atrocities against children, robberies and murders
increased in 2021 in comparison to the drop in 2020.
• Overall crime rate- The overall crime rate (per 1 lakh people) decreased from 487.8 in 2020 to 445.9 in 2021.
• Major crimes- Cruelty by husband or his relatives constituted 31.8% of crimes against women.
• Chargesheeting and conviction rate- While violent crimes increased, the chargesheeting rate fell as did the
conviction rate.
• State wise data- Assam (76.6 violent crimes per one lakh people), Delhi (57) and West Bengal (48.7) had the
highest numbers.
• Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu registered the lowest numbers.
• Safest city- Kolkata has emerged as the safest city in 2021 with the fewest cognisable offences recorded per
lakh of its population.
What about the status of suicides?
• Suicide rate- The report revealed that the suicide rate in the population in 2021 — 12 per 1 lakh people was
the highest in the last five years.
• Main reasons- Domestic problems (33.2%) and
illnesses (18.6%).
• Other causes- Drug abuse/addiction, marriage-
related issues, love affairs, bankruptcy or
indebtedness.
• Victims- Most victims are daily wage earners
(25.6%) and housewives (14.1%).
• Region- Delhi saw a massive 24% jump in
suicides, followed by Chennai and Bengaluru.
What does the report signify?
• Domestic violence continues to be a major issue.
• The decrease in crime rate is largely due to a decrease in cases registered under disobedience to a public servant’s
order, relating to lockdowns.
• The decrease in chargesheeting rate and conviction rate signifies the poor response of law enforcement in a year
with more violent crimes.
• The 5.9% jump in cases registered as cybercrimes over 2020 indicates the increasing use of digital devices and
the related challenges.
• With India registering the highest excess deaths during the pandemic, according to the World Health
Organization, these figures are not surprising.

G.S PAPER II
3. INDIAN POLITY
3.1 The Siddique Kappan Case

Why in news?
Nearly 2 years after his arrest under the draconian UAPA, the
Supreme Court has granted bail to journalist Siddique Kappan
condemning the attack on media freedom.
What is the Siddique Kappan case about?
• Siddique Kappan is a reporter with the Malayalam news
portal Azhimukham and secretary of the Delhi unit of
Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ).
• Hathras gangrape case- He was arrested along with
three others in Uttar Pradesh in October 2020 while on his
way to Hathras to report on the gang-rape and murder of a
Dalit teenager.
• She was cremated in the middle of the night allegedly
without her family’s consent.
• The government also claimed that he was part of a
conspiracy to provoke religious conflicts in the country.
• He was accused of being involved in the plot to defame the
Uttar Pradesh government over the Hathras murder case.
• Kappan was charged for having alleged links with the
Popular Front of India (PFI) under
o IPC Section 153A - promoting enmity between
different groups on ground of religion
o IPC Section 295A - deliberate and malicious acts
intended to outrage religious feelings
o Sections 65, 72 and 75 of the Information
Technology Act
o Sections 17 and 18 of Unlawful Activities
Prevention Act (UAPA)
What are the criticisms against Kappan’s arrest?
• Media freedom- The prolonged incarceration of Kappan
has attracted global condemnation and is often noted as a
marker of India’s declining press freedom.
• UAPA- Under the UAPA, 4,690 persons were arrested
between 2018 and 2020, but only 3% were convicted.
• Under the UAPA, getting bail is tough, and so the accused
spend most of the trial period inside prison.
What is the court’s order with respect to the case?
• Allahabad High Court- Siddique Kappan applied for bail but the Lucknow
bench of Allahabad High Court rejected the bail application.
• Kappan had challenged this order at the Supreme Court.
• Supreme Court-The CJI noted that statements of co-accused cannot
be used as evidence.

• The court said that Kappan was eligible for bail on the basis of the length of the custody undergone and the
peculiar facts and circumstances of the case.
• The court held that every person has a right to free expression.
• It also held that sometimes protests are necessary to highlight the deficiencies.
3.2 The Essential Practices Doctrine

What is the issue?
The Karnataka High court’s ban on the use of the hijab by students quoting the doctrine of essential practice needs a
theological study beyond legal analysis.
What is the hijab case about?
• The dispute erupted in Karnataka, when some Muslim students who wanted to wear hijab to classes were denied
entry on the grounds that it was a violation of the college's uniform policy.
• The Karnataka government issued an order stating that uniforms must be worn compulsorily where policies
exist and no exception can be made for the wearing of the hijab.
• Several educational institutions cited this order and denied entry to Muslim girls wearing the hijab.
• Petitions were filed in the Karnataka High Court on behalf of the aggrieved students.
To know more about the case, click here
What is the High Court judgement?
• The Karnataka High Court made three primary findings in its judgment.
• Essential practice- It held that the use of a hijab is not essential to the practice of Islam.
• Thus, the right to freedom of religion was not violated.
• Right to freedom- It ruled that there exists no substantive right to freedom of expression or privacy inside a
classroom and, therefore, these rights were not at stake here.
• In High Court’s belief, classrooms are “qualified public spaces” where individual rights must give way to the
interests of “general discipline and decorum”.
• State discrimination- It held that the ban did not stem directly out of the government’s order, which only
called for a uniform dress code to be prescribed by the State or school management committees.
• Hence, the law did not discriminate, either directly or indirectly, against Muslim students.
What is the essential practices doctrine?
• The essential practices doctrine owes its existence to a speech made by B.R. Ambedkar in the Constituent
Assembly.
• Ambedkar was striving to distinguish the religious from the secular, by arguing that the state should be allowed
to intervene in matters that are connected to religion but are not intrinsically religious.
• In 1954, the Supreme Court held in the Shirur Mutt case that the term “religion” will cover all rituals and
practices integral to a religion.
• The test to determine what is integral is termed the “essential religious practices” test.
• What constitutes the essential part of a religion is to be determined with reference to the doctrines of that
religion itself.
How has the court interpreted the essential religious practices test in the past?
• In Bijoe Emmanuel vs State of Kerala (1986), students belonging to the denomination of Jehovah’s
Witnesses were allowed to abstain from singing national anthem that they claimed to contradict their
religious faith.
• In 2004, the Supreme Court held that the Ananda Marga sect had no fundamental right to perform Tandava
dance in public streets, since it did not constitute an essential religious practice of the sect.
• The Supreme Court of Canada in Multani case (2006) upheld the right of a Sikh student to wear a Kirpan while
attending the class, without harming others.

• In 2016, the Supreme Court upheld the discharge of a Muslim airman from the Indian Air Force for keeping
a beard, distinguishing the case from that of Sikhs who are allowed to keep a beard.
What are the impeding effects of this test?
• Reduction of safeguards- The Court’s jurisprudence has the scope to narrow the extent of safeguards
available to religious customs.
• Impingement on autonomy- It directly impinges on the autonomy of
groups to decide for themselves what they deem valuable, violating, in the
process, their right to ethical independence.
• Negation of laws- It has nullified legislation that might enhance the cause
of social justice.
• For example, in 1962, the Court struck down a Bombay law that prohibited
excommunications made by the Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra community.
• Principle of anti-exclusion- In the Sabarimala case, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud proposed an alternate
doctrine - Principle of anti-exclusion.
• The anti-exclusion principle stipulates that the State and the Court must respect the integrity of religious groups
(and thereby treat the internal point of view of religious adherents as determinative of the form and content of
religious practices).
• At the same time, when a religious practice causes the exclusion of individuals impairing the dignity or
hampering the access to basic goods, the freedom of religion must give way to the over-arching values of a liberal
constitution.
3.3 Interpretation of Places of Worship Act 1991

Why in news?
The interpretation of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, both in the Mathura and Varanasi cases could open floodgates for
claims to change the religious character of a place of worship.
What is the case about?
• Varanasi case- The Gyanvapi Mosque is believed to have been built in 1669 during the reign of Aurangzeb,
who ordered the demolition of the existing Vishweshwar temple and its replacement by a mosque.
• In 2021, a civil suit was filed for the enforcement of right to worship Hindu deities within the Gyanvapi mosque
complex.
• A Shivling was said to have been found in the video survey of the mosque.
• The Muslim side moved to the Supreme Court, arguing that the proceedings were an attempt to change the
religious character of the mosque.
• The Supreme Court transferred the case to the District Judge and said that it would intervene only after the
District Judge had decided on the preliminary aspects of the case.
• Mathura case- The petitioners claimed that the Shahi Idgah Masjid was built on the birthplace of Lord
Krishna.
• They sought ownership of the entire 13.37-acre land on which the structure stood.
• They had demanded the mosque be removed and the land returned to the Trust.
What is the preliminary ruling on Gyanvapi Mosque case?
• The District Judge rejected the Muslim side’s arguments based on three Acts.
• It ruled that the civil suits seeking the right to worship Hindu deities on the premises of the Gyanvapi mosque
were maintainable.
• The Places of Worship Act, 1991- Section 4 of the Act declares that the religious character of a place of
worship existing on 15th August, 1947 shall continue to be the same as it existed.
• The Muslim side argued that allowing the civil suits would alter the character of the mosque as it has existed for
over 600 years.

• The Hindu petitioners argued that until 1993, regular prayers were offered inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex
to Hindu deities.
• Since 1993, prayers have been allowed on a designated day annually.
• The Varanasi Court held that finding the nature of the religious place is not barred under the 1991 law.
• The court will now look into evidence on the situation in 1947.
• The Wakf Act, 1995- The Muslim side argued that the subject matter of the civil suit is a Wakf property.
• According to Section 85 of the Act, only the Wakf Tribunal, Lucknow, can
decide the suit.
• The court held that the Wakf Act is to solve disputes within the community
and not to extinguish claims from outside the community.
• The court agreed with the petitioners that since the land belonged to the deity
Adi Vishveshwar from time immemorial, it could have never been Wakf
property.
• Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983- The Muslim side challenged the
civil suits on the grounds that under this Act, the temple land was clearly
demarcated, and that the Board of Trustees appointed under law did not interfere in the case.
• The court cited Section 4 (9) of the Act, which defines temple to hold that it does not bar the mosque premises.
What was the Mathura court ruling?
• The Mathura court ruled that the suit to remove the Mathura Shahi Idgah Masjid on the ground that it was built
over Krishna Janmabhoomi land is maintainable.
• Such broad claims made in civil suits may open the door for a wider religious divide in the country.
3.4 Excommunication within Dawoodi Bohras

Why in news?
A Supreme Court bench has decided to examine whether the practice of ex-communication in the Dawoodi Bohras
community can continue as a protected practice.
Who are Dawoodi Bohras?
• The Dawoodi Bohras are members of the Muslim community’s Shia sect.
• The Dawoodi Bohra community have inherited a distinguished heritage and
rich historical legacy which traces to the Fatimi imams.
• Their leader is known as the Al-Dai-Al-Mutlaq, who first operated from
Yemen and then, for the last 450 years, from India.
• The current and the 53rd leader is His Holiness Dr Syedna Mufaddal
Saifuddin.
• The main language of the community is Lisan al-Dawat, a dialect of Gujarati with inclusions from Arabic and
Urdu.
• The leader of the community has the right to excommunicate its members.
• Excommunication includes the action of
o not being allowed to access a mosque belonging to the community
o not being allowed to a burial dedicated to the community
• The Bombay Prevention of Excommunication Act, 1949 was enacted to stop the practice of
excommunication prevalent in certain communities.
• This is because, excommunication is said to deprive the legitimate rights and privileges of its members.
How about the legal validity of excommunication?
• Legal challenge- The 51st leader of the community challenged the constitutional validity of the act in 1962
stating it violated fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution under

o Article 25 - Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion
o Article 26 - Freedom to manage religious affairs
• It was submitted that the power of excommunication was part of the management of community affairs in
matters of religion.
• It was also submitted before the SC that the power to excommunicate is not absolute or arbitrary.
o The expulsion from the community can be effected only at a meeting of the Jamat
o The person concerned will be even given due warning and an opportunity of mending.
• The practice was also claimed to be essential.
• Contentions- Respondents to the petition said that Quran does not permit excommunication and that it went
against the spirit of Islam.
• They also contended that the right to regulate religious communities does not include the right to
excommunicate.
• SC’s view- The SC held in 1962 held that the Dai’s position is an essential part of the community.
• The power to excommunicate is to enforce discipline and preserve the denomination and not to punish.
• The judgment came on a challenge to the Bombay Prevention of Excommunication Act of 1949.
What is the plea now?
• The 2016 Act- The Maharashtra Protection of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and
Redressal) Act, 2016 prohibits social boycott of a person or a group of persons describing it as “inhuman”.
• The act defines 16 types of social boycott– including preventing members of a community from having access
to facilities including community halls, and burial grounds, among others.
• It is termed as a violation of fundamental rights punishable with imprisonment for upto 3 years.
• SC’s consideration- The Supreme Court has said that it would consider whether the practice protected by the
1962 constitutional bench order can continue.
3.5 Referring a Bill to Parliamentary Standing Committees

What is the issue?
Due to continuous disruptions and adjournments in the Parliament, referring the bills to the Standing Committees may
be counterproductive adding to the delay.
What are Parliamentary Committees?
• A committee can be called a Parliamentary committee if it is appointed or elected by the house or nominated by
the Speaker or the Chairman.
• It has a secretariat provided by the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha secretariat.
• They are regulated as per rules made by the two Houses under Article 118(1) of the Constitution.
• The recommendations of the Committees are not binding.
• Parliamentary Committees are of two kinds.
o Standing Committees- Permanent and regular committees which are constituted from time to time
and their work goes on, more or less, on a continuous basis.
o Ad hoc Committees- Appointed for a specific purpose and they cease to exist when they finish the
task assigned to them and submit a report.
What is the role of Parliamentary Committees?
• Time management- Since Committees meet throughout the year, they help in making up the lack of time
available on the floor of the House.
• Technical expertise- The Committees provide a forum where members can engage with domain experts and
government officials to understand matters better.
• Ensures accountability- The main purpose is to ensure the accountability of Government to Parliament
through more detailed consideration.

• Consensus building- Committees also provide a forum for building consensus across political parties.
• Examination of Budget- Besides
bills, the Departmentally Related
Standing Committees (DRSCs) also
examine the budget.
• Examination of policy issues-
Committees also examine policy
issues in their respective Ministries,
and make suggestions to the
government.
• Strengthening the legislative
process- The purpose of the
Committee is to strengthen the
administration and the country’s
legislative process.
• Cordiality- The committee
meetings are in camera (which
means in private).
• Therefore, the meetings are held in
a comparatively congenial atmosphere than they would be in Parliament.
What is the current issue?
• Parliamentary disruptions- The Government is worried about the disruptions in Parliament that furthers
the delay in referring the bills to the Standing Committees.
• In the monsoon session of Parliament 2022,
o The Lok Sabha’s productivity was 47%
o The Rajya Sabha’s productivity was 42%
• The percentage of Bills having been referred to the DRSCs during the tenures of the 14th (2004-2009), 15th
(2009-2014) and 16th Lok Sabhas (2014-2019) has been 60%, 71% and 27%, respectively.
• Committee versus Parliament- It is not obligatory for the Government to agree to refer each Bill to the
DRSC.
• It has been alleged that Bills which are not being referred to the parliamentary committees, are not examined
properly and remain just a bureaucratically conceived piece of legislation.
• For instance, the three Farm Bills were passed without being referred to the DRSC and had to be withdrawn
later.
What changes could be suggested for consideration of Bills?
• Compulsory reference- The Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha have powers to
refer Bills to a DRSC of Parliament.
• This process of reference of Bills to these committees can be made compulsory with certain exemptions.
• Non-applicability of whip- To make all discussions in the Parliamentary Standing Committee free, it may
be provided that during the discussions of the committee meetings, no whip of the party would apply to them.
• Fixed timeline- The committees can be given a fixed timeline to come up with the recommendation failing
which the Bill may be put up before the House concerned directly.
• Inclusion of experts- To ensure quality work, field experts may be invited as their domain knowledge would
help introduce latest developments and trends in that field from worldwide.
• Inter-sessional time management- The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs can collaborate with the
committee chairmen to get the parliamentary works organised during the inter-sessional period.
• Suggestions in Budget - The committees should not limit themselves to just discussion but should also come
up with suggestions to take up new initiatives and people-friendly measures.

3.6 The Office of the Governor

What is the issue?
The role of the Governor has been a contentious one, right from the Constitutional Assembly debates to the Supreme
Court cases around it.
What are the recent issues?
• Jharkhand- The prolonged silence of Jharkhand’s
Governor over Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s possible
disqualification as an MLA resulted in political
uncertainty.
• Delhi- There was a power spat between the Delhi
government and the Lieutenant Governor over the
appointment of bureaucrats
• Tamil Nadu- The deadlock between the Tamil Nadu
government and Governor R.N. Ravi over assenting to the
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exemption
Bill is another recent happening.
• West Bengal- There was a prolonged discord between
former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Mamata Banerjee government.
• Puducherry- Discontent over Governors interfering with day-to-day administration was reported when Kiran
Bedi was serving as the Governor of Puducherry.
How did the post of Governor come about?
• When India was administered by the British Crown, provincial Governors were agents of the Crown, functioning
under the supervision of the Governor-General.
• With Government of India Act, 1935, the Governor was now to act in accordance with the advice of Ministers of
a province’s legislature, but retained special responsibilities and discretionary power.
• Under the parliamentary and cabinet systems of governance adopted by the independent India, the Governor
was envisaged to be the Constitutional Head of a State.
What constitutional provisions talk about the Governor’s role?
• Articles 154 and 155- The Governor is to be nominated by the President as the executive head of the State.
• Article 164- The Governor appoints the Chief Minister after an election and the Council of Ministers on the
advice of the CM.
• Article 163- The Council of Ministers of a State with the Chief Minister as the head should aid and advise the
Governor in carrying out his functions.
• Article 167-It empowers the Governor to ask the CM to furnish any information regarding the administration
of the affairs of the State and proposals for legislation.
• It also empowers the Governor to ask the CM to submit for consideration to the Council of Ministers, a decision
that was taken without the Council's consideration.
• Article 174- The Governor can also summon, prorogue, and dissolve the Legislative Assembly.
• By convention, he does this on the advice of the Council of Ministers while they enjoy the confidence of the
Assembly.
• Article 200- Every Bill passed in an Assembly has to be sent to the Governor, after which he has four options
— assent the Bill, withhold assent, reserve the Bill for President or return the Bill to the legislature for
reconsideration.
What provisions are available regarding Lieutenant Governor?
• Article 239- Each Union Territory will be administered by the President through an administrator appointed
by him.
• The administrators in some UTs are designated as Lieutenant Governors as for the National Capital Territory
of Delhi (Article 239AA).

• The Lt. Governor of Delhi also acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers except on the subjects of police,
public order, and land.
• In case of a difference of opinion with the Ministers, he would have to consult the President.
What about the Supreme Court’s interpretation?
• Shamsher Singh vs State of Punjab (1974)- The Supreme Court said that President and Governor shall
exercise their formal constitutional powers only upon and in accordance with the advice of their Ministers.
• S.R. Bommai case (1994)- The imposition of President’s Rule shall be only in the event of a breakdown of
constitutional machinery.
• The Supreme Court ruled that the floor of the Assembly should be the only forum that should test the majority
of the government of the day, and not the subjective opinion of the Governor.
• Political crisis in Arunachal Pradesh (2015)- The Governor, acting without the advice of the Chief
Minister, advanced the Assembly session and listed removal of the Speaker as the agenda.
• The Supreme Court held the Governor’s move as violation of the Constitution.
• The Supreme Court highlighted that the area for the exercise of Governor’s discretion is limited.
What about the Commission recommendations?
• The Sarkaria Commission (1988)- It would not be desirable to appoint a Governor who is a member of the
ruling party at the Centre, in a State where an Opposition party is governing.
• It said that the Governor appointee should be a detached outsider and a person of eminence in some walks of
life.
• M.M Punchhi Commission (2007)- Governors were expected to be independent, and to act in a manner
devoid of any political consideration.
3.7 States Power to Challenge Centre

Why in news?
The framers of the Indian Constitution envisioned the differences between the Centre and States and added Article 131
for the resolution of such issues.
What are the differences between Centre and States?
• The Indian Constitution was empowered to change its form and shape into unitary or federal according to the
requirements of time and circumstances.
• In normal times, it is framed to work as a federal system. But in times of war, it is designed to work as a unitary
system.
• The framers of the Indian Constitution envisioned the differences between the Centre and States owing to this
quasi-federal structure and dual polity.
• So, they added the original and exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Article 131 for the resolution
of such issues.
What is Article 131?
• The Indian Supreme Court has three kinds of jurisdictions— original, appellate
and advisory.
• Advisory - The President’s power to seek an opinion from the Supreme Court.
• Appellate - The Supreme Court can hear appeals from lower courts.
• Original - It is the power of the Supreme Court to hear and adjudicate disputes from the beginning.
• A citizen can approach the High Court or the Supreme Court under Article 226 and Article 32, respectively, in
case there is a violation of fundamental rights.
• Similarly, a state can invoke Article 131 to approach the Supreme Court in case it feels that its legal rights are
under threat or have been violated by another State or the Central government.

What are the cases that can be dealt using

Article 131?
• Article 131 can be applicable for disputes
between:
o The Government of India and
one or more States, or
o The Government of India and
any State or States on one side
and one or more other States on
the other, or
o Two or more States.
• Restrictions - The original
jurisprudence of the SC doesn’t extend
to a dispute arising out of a treaty,
agreement, covenant, or engagement
which continues to be in operation.
• The original jurisdiction of the SC is also not applicable to cases where another body has jurisdiction under other
provisions of the Constitution or that of the SC is excluded.
• Examples of this includes, Article 262 (inter-State water disputes), Article 280 (matters referred to Finance
Commission) and Article 290 (adjustment of certain expenses and pensions between the Union and the States).
When can Article 131 be invoked?
• Article 131 can be invoked when the dispute involves a question of law or fact on which the ‘existence or extent
of a legal right depends’.
• But, the Article 131 doesn’t explicitly define what constitutes a legal right, or whose legal right is in question.
• In the State of Rajasthan vs Union of India (1977), the SC explained the scope of legal rights and the
limitations to the Article.
• Scope - The legal right of the States is their immunity, sense of freedom from the power of the Union
Government.
• Limitations - A private party can’t invoke Article 131 to raise a dispute in the Supreme Court.
• Also, the dispute must be related to a legal right and not a dispute on political plane that is not based on a legal
right.
How has the SC previously dealt with cases under Article 131?
• Over the years, multiple cases have been filed where States have challenged the Centre in the Supreme Court.
• State of Rajasthan vs Union of India (1977) - Rajasthan and six States filed suits in the SC to declare the
letter of the Home Minister to advise Governor to dissolve the state assembly as illegal, under Article 131.
• The SC held that the legal right here refers to that of a State and not the government in power.
• State of Karnataka vs Union of India (1977) - The Karnataka government approached the SC,
challenging a law that authorises Centre to order a judicial inquiry against the Chief Minister.
• The SC held that ‘legal right’ does not just mean that of the State, but includes any legal right of State
government.
• The State of Madhya Pradesh vs Union of India and Another (2011) – Madhya Pradesh filed a suit
before the SC under Article 131, challenging the MP Reorganisation Act, 2000.
• The two-member bench held that Article 131 was not appropriate to challenge the constitutionality of a central
legislation.
• Kerala’s anti-CAA suit - Kerala challenged the constitutionality of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA)
in the Supreme Court under Article 131, to declare it violative of the Constitution and against the principle of
secularism.
• Chhattisgarh’s suit against NIA Act - The Chhattisgarh Government invoked Article 131 to challenge the
National Investigating Act, 2008 in the Supreme Court arguing that the provisions of the Act go against state
sovereignty.

3.8 Live Streaming of Supreme Court Proceedings

Why in news?
A full court meeting of Supreme Court has decided to live stream all proceedings of its Constitution Benches from
September 27 onward, nearly 4 years after a plea was made in the interest of transparency.
What is the history of the case?
• On August 26 2022, the Supreme Court streamed its proceedings live.
• In 2018, a three-judge Bench agreed to hear a public interest litigation seeking
live streaming of judicial proceedings on matters of constitutional and national
importance.
• Need for live proceedings- The petitioners cited the
o Principle of transparency
o Greater access to the justice system.
o Bring discipline and improve how judges and lawyers conduct the proceedings
• Recommendations of Attorney General of India
o The Attorney General (A-G) recommended introducing live streaming as a pilot project in Court No.1
(the CJI’s court) and only in Constitution Bench cases.
o The A-G cited de-congestion of courts and improving physical access to courts for litigants.
What is the Supreme Court’s view on the matter?
• The Supreme Court approved a set of guidelines suggested by the Attorney General which included
o Allowing transcripts
o Archiving the proceedings
• However, the court has the power to withhold broadcasting.
• Exceptions- Exception to live streaming is provided for cases involving
o Matrimonial matters
o Matters involving interests of juveniles or private life of young offenders
o Matters of National security
o To ensure that victims, witnesses or defendants can depose truthfully and without any fear
o To protect confidential or sensitive information, including all matters relating to sexual assault and rape
o Matters where publicity would be antithetical to the administration of justice
o Cases that provoke sentiments and enmity among communities
What about live proceeding in other countries?
• USA- While the US Supreme Court has rejected pleas for broadcast of its proceedings, it has allowed audio
recording and transcripts of oral arguments.
• Australia- Live or delayed broadcasting is allowed but the practices and norms differ across courts.
• Brazil- Live video and audio broadcast of court proceedings, including the voting process undertaken by the
judges in court, is allowed.
• Canada- Proceedings are broadcast live, accompanied by explanations of each case and overall processes and
powers of the court.
• South Africa- South Africa has allowed the media to broadcast court proceedings in criminal matters as an
extension of the right to freedom of expression.
• United Kingdom- Proceedings are broadcast live with a one-minute delay on the court’s website with certain
exemptions.
What are the concerns around live streaming?
• Disinformation- There are fears that irresponsible or motivated use of content could spread disinformation
among the public.

• Individual exposure- Lessons from the Brazilian Supreme Court concluded that justices behave like
politicians when given free television time, they act to maximize their individual exposure.
• Enhances undesirable speech- Live streaming has the potential to simultaneously suppress desirable
speech and enhance undesirable speech within the courtroom.
• No unpopular comments- During hearings, judges may not ask questions or make comments that could be
perceived as unpopular.
• Gendered disruptions- A study on the audio proceedings of the US Supreme Court showed that judicial
interactions at oral argument are highly gendered, with women being interrupted at disproportionate rates.
• Demonise the judges- Most propaganda videos, often demonise the professional and are anonymous and
avoid any accountability.
• Propagate oral observations- Live streaming may accentuate the trend of oral observations of the court
rather than the final verdict.
4. GOVERNMENT ACTS & POLICIES
4.1 The Draft Telecommunication Bill 2022

Why in news?
In a bid to do away with British-era laws governing the telecom sector, the Department of Telecommunications issued
the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022.
What is the need for a new telecom bill?
• The new telecom Bill will provide a clear roadmap for industry restructuring and promote innovation.
• The bill provides scope to government to completely revamp the entire digital regulatory framework.
• It aims to balance the societal objectives, duties and rights of individuals and technology agnostic framework.
What are the key amendments to existing telecom laws?
• Consolidation of acts- The draft Bill consolidates three separate acts that govern the telecommunications
sector
o Indian Telegraph Act 1885
o Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act 1933
o The Telegraph Wires, (Unlawful Protection) Act 1950

• Inclusion of OTT- The new-age over-the-top communication services like WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram
has been included in the definition of telecommunication services.
• Over-the-top (OTT) is a means of providing television
and film content over the internet at the request and to suit
the requirements of the individual consumer.
• Inclusion of service providers- The providers of
telecommunication services will be covered under the
licensing regime and will be subjected to similar rules as
telecom operators.
• TRAI Act amendments- The Centre is also looking to
amend the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act
(TRAI Act) to dilute its function of being a
recommendatory body.
o The proposed Bill does away with the provision
that mandates the telecom department to seek the
TRAI’s views before issuing a new licence to a
service provider.
o It has also removed the provision that empowered
TRAI to request the government to furnish
information or documents necessary to make this
recommendation.
o It proposes to remove the provision where if the
DoT cannot accept TRAI’s recommendations or
needs modification, it had to refer back the
recommendation for reconsideration by TRAI.
• Spectrum owned by a defaulting operator- If a
telecom entity in possession of spectrum goes through
bankruptcy or insolvency, the assigned spectrum will
revert to the control of the Centre.
• Powers to Centre- The draft Bill gives the Centre powers to defer, convert into equity, write off or grant relief
to any licensee under extraordinary circumstances.
• Fund- It proposes to replace the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) with Telecommunication
Development Fund (TDF).
Why is the bill so significant?
• Insolvency cases have not had much success because there was no clarity on
the ownership of spectrum.
• The new Bill removes all ambiguity under the existing rules under the
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
• DoT is aiming to simplify the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) procedure in
this sector paving way for easier restructuring and mergers.
• TRAI is being structured to work independently and responsible only to the
parliament to prevent conflict of interest between the regulator and the
licensor.
• The telecom service providers now seek a level-playing field with OTT apps over communication services such
as voice calls, messages, etc.
• The TDF aims to boost connectivity in underserved urban areas, R&D, skill development, etc. whereas USOF
has largely been used to aid rural connectivity.
4.2 Drug Coverage in NDPS Act

Why in news?
Karnataka High Court recently observed that nowhere in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act
is bhang referred to as a prohibited drink or prohibited drug.

What is NDPS Act?

• Enacted in 1985, the NDPS Act is the main legislation that deals with drugs and their trafficking.
• Various provisions of the Act punish production, manufacture, sale, possession, consumption, purchase,
transport, and use of banned drugs, except for medical and scientific purposes.
• Coverage - The NDPS Act defines cannabis (hemp) as a narcotic drug
based on the parts of the plant that come under its purview.
o Charas- The separated resin, in whatever form obtained from the
cannabis plant including the concentrated preparation and resin
o Ganja- The flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis (excluding
the seeds and leaves when not accompanied by the tops)
o Any mixture, with or without any neutral material, of any of the
above forms of cannabis or any drink prepared therefrom
• Exclusion - The Act excludes seeds and leaves when not accompanied by
the tops.
• Bhang, which is made with the leaves of the plant, is not mentioned in the NDPS Act.
• Special provision- The Act states that the government may allow cultivation of any cannabis plant for
industrial purposes only of obtaining fibre or seed or for horticultural purposes.
What is the criminal liability for cannabis cultivation?
• The NDPS Act lays out the punishment for the production, manufacture, sale, purchase, import and inter-state
export of cannabis.
• The prescribed punishment is based on the amount of drugs seized.
• Small quantity - Contravention that involves 1 kg of ganja will result in
rigorous imprisonment that may extend to 1 year and/or a fine which may
extend to Rs 10,000.
• Commercial quantity - Contravention that involves 20 kg ganja involves
rigorous imprisonment of 10 to 20 years, including a fine that is not less than
Rs 1 to 2 lakhs.
• Intermediate - The contravention that involves quantity less than
commercial but greater than small quantity, rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years is prescribed and a fine which
may extend to Rs 1 lakh.

4.3 Challenging the Special Marriage Act 1954

What is the issue?
The Supreme Court dismissed a writ petition challenging provisions of the Special Marriage Act requiring couples to
give a notice declaring their intent to marry 30 days before their marriage.
What does the petition seek?
• The writ petition has said that the provisions of Special Marriage Act contravene Article 14 and Article 15 as
these requirements are absent in personal laws such as Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and customary laws in Islam.
• The writ petition has called it as violative of the right to privacy guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution
as they require a notice of 30 days before the date of marriage inviting objections from the public.
• The petition specifically challenged
o Sections 6(2), 6(3) -Notice of intended marriage
o Section 7 -Objection to marriage
o Section 8 -Procedure on receipt of objection
o Section 9 -To the extent to which it deals with inquiry under Section 8 of SMA
o Section 10 -Procedure on receipt of objection by Marriage Officer
• The petition sought to commiserate the marriage laws to one that is more in tune with just decisional autonomy
of two individuals and less to do with social sanction of their marriage.
• According to the petitioner, there is no legitimate state interest that is being protected by the publication of
personal and intimate details of parties who are getting married.
Why has the court dismissed the petition?
• The bench rejected the writ petition on the grounds that the petitioner was no longer an aggrieved party as she
had already solemnised her marriage under SMA.
• The court further observed that if a personal cause is raised then it ceases to be a PIL.
• Another writ petition in Nandini Praveen vs Union of India & Others filed on similar grounds was
admitted by the Supreme Court in 2020 and the government’s reply to is awaited.
What provisions have been challenged?
• Section 5 of the SMA- It requires couples getting married under it to give a notice to the Marriage Officer 30
days before the date of marriage.
• Section 6- It requires such a notice to be then entered into the Marriage Notice Book maintained by the
Marriage Officer.
• These notices have to be affixed at a conspicuous place in the office of the Marriage Officer so that anyone can
raise an objection to the marriage.
• Section 7- It provides the process for making an objection.
• Section 8- It specifies the inquiry procedure to be followed after an objection has been submitted.
How do these provisions make couples vulnerable?
• The public notices have been used by anti-social elements to harass couples getting married.
• For persons who often marry without their parent’s consent this can be life-threatening.
• There have been instances, where marriage officers have gone over and beyond the law and sent such notices to
the parents of the couple.
• In certain States, couples have to seek a no-objection certificate from their parents.
• The Maharashtra and Kerala government publicly shares the details of couples marrying under SMA on its
website.
• The Haryana government has laid down 16 pre-requisites which ask couples to issue a notice in a newspaper
and that such notices be sent to their parents.
• The behaviour of the staff at the SDM’s office is often complained for deletion or delay and dissuasion of couples
from marrying under SMA.

• With as many as 11 States passing anti-conversion (or so called love-jihad) laws, parents and the State are now
armed to punish and harass such couples.
4.4 Sports as Soft Power

Why in news?
The smaller nations in the world are investing more in elite sports as it is thought that success in international sporting
events boosts a nation’s chances of attaining soft power.
What is soft power?
• Soft power is a country’s ability to influence the preferences and behaviours of
various actors in the international arena through attraction or persuasion rather
than coercion.
• The term was coined by an American political scientist Joseph Nye Jr. in the late
1980s.
• Benefits of Soft Power
o A strong nation brand and positive soft power perceptions allow a nation to promote itself as a place for
people to visit, invest in, and build a reputation for their quality of goods and services.
o It allows a country to rise in the esteem of its neighbours, market its resources and compose the face it
presents on the international stage.
o The soft power can encourage domestic tourism, consumption of domestic goods and services (rather
than imports).
To know about India’s soft power diplomacy with Thailand, click here
What is the role of sports in the soft power?

• A survey was conducted in 2020 on China’s performance in the Olympics and the impressions about China
based on its rising medal count.
• The survey noted that the country’s Olympic achievement has a positive effect on its national soft power.
• China uses its superiority in elite sports to build people-to-people relations with other countries.
• For example, athletes from African countries such as Madagascar are trained in swimming, badminton, table
tennis, etc. in China.
What is the picture of India in sports?
• Tokyo Olympics Games- India’s medal tally in the recent Tokyo Olympics Games is seven.
• India has one of the world’s poorest population-to-medal ratios in the Olympics.

• India has won 35 medals at the Olympics since the 1900 edition.
• Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG)- At the CWG 2022, Indian athletes won 61 medals,
including 22 golds.
• Thomas Cup- India's badminton team stunned 14-time champions Indonesia at the men's finals for a historic
win at the 2022 Thomas Cup.
• Chess Olympiad 2022- The 44th edition of the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 is currently being hosted by India
for the first time.
How to increase the sporting performance and soft power?
• In 2016, a NITI Aayog report came up with a 20-point plan to improve India’s Olympics performance.
• MoU- India should concentrate on forging MoUs with nations that excel
in specific sports to train Indian players overseas.
o For example, Australia and the United Kingdom can assist us in
swimming and African countries like Kenya in running.
• Boosting the number- India needs to boost the number of athletes
under TOPS to foster a competitive climate, in turn aiding performance.
• Investment- Private investment needs to be harnessed to develop
infrastructure.
• The Government should work on a public-private partnership (PPP)
model to create basic sporting infrastructure at the district level to
capture young talents at an early stage.

5. GOVERNANCE
5.1 PM SHRI Schools - The Laboratory of New Education Policy

Why in news?
On Teachers Day, PM Modi announced the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Scheme to transform
14,500 schools into model institutions to achieve the objectives of National Education Policy, 2020.
To know more about National Education Policy 2020, click here
What is the scheme?
• Under the scheme, a total of 14,500 schools across the country to empower student with 21st century
skills.
• The scheme will provide high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive
environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs
and different academic abilities of children.
• These state-of-art schools will be the laboratory of the new education policy.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme, in which the cost of implementation
is mostly split in a 60:40 ratio between the Union government and the
states/UTs.
What are the key features of the scheme?
• Improvement of school infrastructure
• Early childhood care and education- Balvatika, foundational literacy and numeracy
• Development of Green schools
• Modern facilities including ICT
• Counselling focused on well-being and career
• Sports and arts for every child
• Appropriate infrastructure for girls and those with special needs
• Encourage mother tongue and local languages
• Adopting holistic, integrated and learner-centred methods by teachers
• A ‘School Quality Assessment Framework’ to measure the progress and performance of these schools
• Connecting the schools with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and higher education institutions
What about the procedure for selecting the schools?
• All elementary schools, secondary and senior secondary schools that are
managed either by the Centre, State, UT, local bodies and have a UDISE+ code
can apply.
o Step 1- Schools will be considered only if the State government agrees
to implement the NEP in its entirety.
o Step 2- Schools that fulfil the minimum benchmark will be
shortlisted.
o Step 3- Teams from States, Kendriya Vidyalaya or Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalaya schools will visit the applicant institution to inspect and
recommend the selected schools to the Ministry of Education.
• The ministry will select a maximum of two schools from a block or urban local body, as applicable.
• The final decision will be taken by an expert committee.
How will the PM SHRI scheme benefit schools and students?
• Model schools- Institutions developed under PM SHRI will become model schools and will encapsulate the
full spirit of NEP.

• Holistic nature- Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, toy-based,
discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based and enjoyable.
• Mentorship- PM SHRI Schools will mentor other existing schools in respective regions to spread the NEP
Policy at a larger level.
• Tech driven- The PM SHRI Schools will incorporate environment-friendly tools along with being technology
driven.
• Conceptual understanding- Assessment for children will be based on conceptual understanding and
application of knowledge to real life situations and will be competency-based in every grade.
• Quality assessment- A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) will assess the resources available and
their effectiveness.
• Employment- The PM SHRI scheme will cater for internships by collaborating with Sector Skill Councils and
local industry thus providing better employment opportunities.
5.2 The Role of CSR in funding NGOs

Why in news?
There has been realisation by the corporate sector on what’s good for society is good for their business.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility?
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and
environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders.
• CSR is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic,
environmental and social imperatives (“Triple-Bottom-Line-Approach”.
• All these are done by simultaneously addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders.
What is CSR in Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs)?
• It is the funding and grants process under which NGOs can get financial and other support from the corporate
sector.
• Under the Companies Act, 2013 it is mandatory to provide contribution of 2% of the average net profits of
companies.
• According to the Act, the CSR provision is applicable for a company having a net worth of rupees 500 crores or
more, or a turnover of rupees 1000 crores or a net profit of 5 crore rupees during any financial year.
• The funds provided under CSR are for social developmental issues and make a positive impact on the living
standards of the economically poor and disadvantages people of society.
What are the funding archetypes?
• There are three distinct funder archetypes such as program proponents, adaptive funders and organisation
builders.
• The three archetypes represent different beliefs in terms of how philanthropy becomes impact and those beliefs
manifest in different practices around funding indirect costs and organisational development.
• Programme proponents value programme outcomes above all.
• Adaptive funders are not rigid and support indirect costs and organisational development, if the NGO makes a
case.
• Organisation builders see value in investing in stronger organisations in addition to programmes.
• CSR funders, who now represent a fifth of all private giving in India, principally fall under programme
proponents.
• They mostly contribute little or no money to organisational development and limit what they pay for indirect
costs to a fixed rate often below 5%.
• NGOs’ indirect costs range from 5% to 55%, depending on their mission and operating model, much as a
corporate’s sales and administration costs vary significantly by industry and product.
• These practices are partly a consequence of CSR funders’ focus on regulatory compliance, amendments to the
CSR law in 2021 include substantial financial penalties for non-compliance.

• Roughly 90% of the CSR funders are relatively small, unlisted companies, and companies that spend less than
₹50 lakh annually on CSR are not required by law to have a CSR committee.
• They generally leave decision-making and action plans to company boards, who may have little to no experience
working with NGOs or on social impact.
• Hence, their priorities tend to sway towards risk avoidance, compliance, and cost minimisation.
• Not every company is aware of all the facets of the CSR rules they are complying with.
• For instance, the 5% cap on administrative overhead costs is applicable only to a business’ internal CSR
operation cost, not to the grantee’s administrative costs, as is widely perceived.
How can this be changed?
• The companies can pool their resources with other mission aligned CSR or social sector stakeholders, increasing
their collective impact potential.
• The companies can also hire or tap into professionals with experience working with NGOs.
• Since 2020, the number of philanthropic collaborative, such as the Migrants Resilience Collaborative or Revive
Alliance have more than doubled.
• The Migrants Resilience Collaborative supports migrant workers and the Revive Alliance finances semi and
unskilled workers.
How CSR funding can be learnt from peer organisations?
• CSR funders can learn from peers who view organisational development and indirect costs differently.
• For instance, ASK Foundation, the CSR arm of ASK Group, is working to enable better livelihoods for rural
communities.
• Until four years ago, the ASK gave annual programme grants to NGOs, limited indirect cost coverage to between
5% and 10%, and did not provide organisational development expenses.
• Then, it shifted to a multi-year grant making approach and started providing up to 20% support for indirect
costs.
• The shift in practice came after the CSR team presented benchmarks of the higher rates paid by peer CSR
organisations and the beneficial effects of a stronger NGO partner on its programme outcomes.
• These peer examples and impact stories were instrumental in ASK getting board approval for changing its NGO
funding policy.
What is the future?
• The CSR programmes cannot currently contribute to NGO reserves/corpus by law.
• However, by covering indirect costs and organisational development, they still help to relieve financial pressure
and make organisations more resilient.
• A corporate that has developed a relationship of mutual trust with an NGO could offer volunteer financial
analysis services to help the NGO.
• For example, Edelweiss has a structured employee engagement programme where senior and mid-level
professionals voluntarily offer cash flow and financial management.
• The idea is to move beyond signing cheques to recognising that, ultimately, what’s good for Indian society is
also good for business.
5.3 Need for Police Reforms

Why in news?
For the country to progress and emerge as a great power, we need radical police reforms. The future of India is linked to
police reforms.
Why do we need Police Reforms?
• Symbol of colonialism - The Police Act of 1861, which governs the functioning of police even today is a
symbol of colonialism.

• This follows the Irish model of executive having complete authority over the
police than being accountable to law alone.
• Effective law and economic growth - A sound law and order reduces the
challenges to our internal security which in turn, helps and aids in increasing the
pace of the growth of our economy.
• Criminalisation of politics - The police, under the circumstances, feel
constrained in taking action against the segment of people in power and their supporters who have a shady
background.
• They may one day devour the very system that has placed them in power.
• According to the Association of Democratic Reforms, the percentage of such
people in Parliament has been showing a steady upward trend.
• The police are not able to deal with the internal security challenges as
effectively as they should, as we do not have internal security
doctrine to tackle these problems decisively.
• Equality before law - To gain people’s confidence in the police of having
same law for everyone. This can be achieved by insulating the police from
the influence of those with political or financial clout.
• Organised Crimes and expertise - Organised crime, arms trafficking and drug trafficking have acquired
international dimensions making law and order problems more complex.
• Cybercrimes are increasing in geometrical progression.
• These problems require a very high level of sophistication and expertise on the
part of the police.
• Infrastructure and resources - The police are not able to deliver partly
because of poor infrastructure.
• There are huge deficiencies in human resources and scope of improvement in
transport, communications and forensics.
• Mental health - Poor housing conditions and long working hours have an
adverse impact on police performance. This takes a heavy toll on mental and
physical health.
• Technological advancement - There is enormous scope for technological inputs into the functioning of the
police.
• Adopting future technologies for fulfilling grassroots policing requirements would act as a force multiplier.
• The anomalous arrangement of different wings of police - The CBI and Intelligence Bureau (IB) needs
statutory basis.
• The CBI was created based on resolution and derives its power from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act,
1946.
• The IB was set up through an administrative order in 1887.
6. INDIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD
6.1 India-Pakistan Disaster Diplomacy

Why in news?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and hoped for an early restoration of normalcy in flood
ravaged Pakistan.
What is the current Pakistan flood about?
• The flood has devastated the regions of Sindh and Baluchistan (Western half of Pakistan) badly, although Punjab
and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa too have been affected.

• Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority claimed that about 15% of the country’s population had
been affected by the floods.
• More than 3,500 people have been injured, and there are massive shortages of wheat and fuel.
• Preliminary estimates suggest a third of the country’s cultivated land have been inundated.
• About 2 million homes will have to be rebuilt from scratch.
• Flooding of the Indus River in Pakistan in late July and August 2010 led to a humanitarian disaster which is
considered to be one of the worst in Pakistan’s history.
To know more about the Pakistan floods, click here
How is the current Indo-Pak relation?
• Promise of a new beginning- The Prime Minister’s statement came as a surprise, given the steady
deterioration of India’s relationship with Pakistan over the last 8 years.
• Modi’s swearing-in ceremony had been attended by Pakistan’s then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in May 2014
along with the leaders of other SAARC nations.
• The meeting between the two Prime Ministers had held the promise of a new beginning for the bilateral
relationship that had suffered a severe setback after the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008.
• Track two diplomacy between the neighbours had seen the opening of the Kartarpur corridor in 2019 that allows
visa free access for Indian pilgrims to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.
• Deteriorated ties- India’s red line on the meeting between Pakistan’s diplomats and leaders of the separatist
Hurriyat, the terrorist attacks in Pathankot and Uri, etc. impacted the relationship negatively.
• Ties have been hit further after the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, and the abrogation of Article 370.
• There are no full-time High Commissioners in either country now.
• Positive noises- After the ouster of Imran Khan, the new PM Shehbaz Sharif has given the scope for addressing
the Kashmir issue.
• Mr. Modi congratulated the new leader of Pakistan, and said that India desired peace and stability in a region
free of terrorism.
How about the two countries in responding to disasters?
• In 2001, after the earthquake hit Bhuj in Gujarat, Pakistan had reached out with help,
and had sent tents and blankets for the survivors.
• During 2005 earthquake, India sent aircraft with relief supplies to Pakistan.
• It also pledged 25 million dollars through the United Nations (UN) to support
Pakistan’s relief efforts.
• During 2010 superflood hit Pakistan, India offered 5 million dollars in help, but
Islamabad declined to accept it.
What is the case for help now?
• The Indian Prime Minister’s outreach by way of a message created a potential opening for “disaster
diplomacy”.
• The case for extending humanitarian help ties with its desire to project itself as the “first responder” in times
of crisis in the neighbourhood.
• Vaccine diplomacy and the efforts to brand India as the “pharmacy to the world” have been billed as major
achievements of the government.
• Recently, India has extended its hand of help and cooperation to the Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.
• Trucks filled with Indian grain have travelled to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan via Pakistan.
• However, it is believed that the government’s stated policy of “talks and terror can’t go together” and the
extending of help to Pakistan are at odds with each other.

6.2 Sri Lanka’s Agreement with IMF

Why in news?
Sri Lanka has reached a staff-level agreement (formal arrangement) with the IMF that promises access to 29 billion
dollars over a 4-year period.
What is the case with Sri Lanka?
• Sri Lanka’s economic crisis- Sri Lanka’s economic situation has worsened with 51 billion dollars of external
debt.
• So, the country has reached an agreement with IMF to
access credit under IMF’s Extended Finance Facility.
• Conditions- It comes with a host of conditions
varying from
o Raising fiscal revenue
o Reducing corruption vulnerabilities
o Safeguarding financial stability
o Persuading the country’s multiple creditors to
restructure and reschedule past debt
• Significance- The agreement is a step towards
convincing foreign creditors and investors to return to
the country.
• Steps taken- The Central Bank has
o Floated the rupee
o Raised interest rates sharply
o Increased electricity tariffs and fuel prices
o Restored tax cuts
What are the challenges?
• The outstanding long-term debt had risen from 26.2 billion dollar from 2012 to 46 billion dollar in 2022.
• The share of private creditors had risen to 37%.
• The bondholders in private credit had risen to 84%.
• Private bondholders would be less willing to accept any deal that requires them to take some losses.
• Talks with International Sovereign Bond (ISB) holders is a more complex exercise, with geopolitical dimensions.
How can Sri Lanka’s crisis be compared with other countries?
• Similiarities- Private long-term external debt outstanding of countries identified by the World Bank belonging
to the low- and middle-income category more than doubled from 2012 to 2020.
• The share of bondholders in that debt rose from 63% in 2013 to 80% in 2020.
• Differences- The variation is based on bond-based borrowing by government in the different regions.
• Overall, the share of governments in foreign currency bond issues across emerging market and developing
economies (EMDEs) has fallen between 2002 and 2021.
o The fall has been largely driven by declines in developing Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.
• The share of government issuance has risen in Africa and the Middle East and in developing Asian and the
Pacific.
• But foreign currency bonds may not be the best channel to mobilise resources as foreign borrowing requires
debt service commitments to be covered in foreign currency.
• Increased dependence of less developed nations on sovereign bondholders has not only contributed to a debt
crisis but made resolution near impossible.

6.3 The SCO Summit 2022

Why in news?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked a fine line in Samarkand, Uzbekistan during the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) summit, given the current global stand-off between the West and Russia.
What is Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?
• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a
central Asian security body formed in 2001.
• Before the inception of SCO, Kazakhstan,
China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were
members of the Shanghai Five.
• Later, it expanded to include Uzbekistan, India
and Pakistan with a view to play a bigger role as
counterweight to Western influence in the
region.
• Since its inception, the SCO has mainly focused
on
o Regional security issues
o Regional terrorism
o Ethnic separatism
o Religious extremism
o Regional development
• Members- Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan
• Observer Countries - Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia
• Dialogue Partners - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and
Turkey
• Significance- The SCO is the world’s largest regional organisation consisting of
40% of the world’s population and 30% of global gross domestic product (GDP).
• The SCO has been an observer in the UN General Assembly since 2005.
What are the key takeaways of the Summit?

• Samarkand Declaration - The Samarkand declaration adopted by the council of heads of government of the
SCO pointed out the series of challenges and headwinds to be faced by humanity in the 21st century.
• It mentioned
o Climate change
o Terrorism

o Technological disruptions
o Global reduction in investment flows
o Instability in supply chain
o Increased protectionist measures
o Other barriers to international trade
• China-Russia Bonhomie- The shared antipathy toward the western world’s actions toward them has
prompted both to describe their ties as a “no limits relationship.”
• Xi-Jinping extolled the member nations to be aware of western motives of putting “color revolutions” in non-
democratic countries for regime change.
• He also cautioned the world of the rising instances of formation of “small cliche” of nations to target third
countries, presumably, pointing to regional groupings like QUAD and AUKUS.
• A Revamped SCO- The current SCO gathering saw Iran being made the permanent member of the
organization from the Observer nation.
• India’s concerns- Prime Minister Narendra Modi argued for more connectivity and transient right across the
Eurasian region.
• He emphasized the need for better infrastructure and the free movement of people from south Asia to central
Asia, thus arguing for a ‘visa-free’ regime in the SCO Member countries.
• For the first time, the Indian side publicly expressed its serious concerns regarding the Russian military actions
in Ukraine.
What can be inferred from the summit?
• New version of non-alignment- India’s expression of concerns in Russia-Ukraine war has been interpreted
as a mild rebuke of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Mr. Modi thanked both Russia and Ukraine for the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine, highlighting
India’s posture of equidistance between the two countries.
• The meeting underpins India’s strategy of multi alignment in managing conflict.
• Scope for oppurtunities- Because of the US sanctions, India has to pay higher prices for crude and unable
to utilise the Chabahar Connectivity Project.
• Iran’s MoU to become a permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2023 appears
to be positive for India.
• Ties with China- As China-Russia relations become closer, they have the potential of adversely impacting the
current warmth in India-Russia relations.
• India’s foreign policy mandarins must look for opportunities for the betterment of relations at an opportune
time.
• Nuclear dimension- An issue that needs consideration in the context of the Ukraine-Russia conflict is the
nuclear dimension.
• India has been a firm adherent of ‘No First Use Doctrine’, a commitment to never use nuclear weapons first
under any circumstances (as a pre-emptive attack or first strike or in response to non-nuclear attack).
• India’s foreign policy establishment cannot afford to overlook the nuclear aspect, given that the country is
wedged between two active and hostile nuclear powers - China and Pakistan.
6.4 Inking a Pact on Kushiyara River Water Sharing

Why in news?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have signed 7 MoUs on issues
related to water sharing, railways, space, science and judiciary.
How has the bilateral relationship evolved over the years?
• Trade - Bangladesh is India’s sixth largest trade partner while India is Bangladesh’s second biggest trade
partner, and its largest export market in Asia.
• Bangladesh imports critical industrial raw material from India on which its exports are reliant.

• Under South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), Bangladesh extends preferential tariffs to Indian exports of
products outside the sensitive list.
• Connectivity - The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal Motor Vehicle Agreement (BBIN-MVA) is a key
development that can enhance the trade potential of India with Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh has expressed its interest in joining the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway project.
• India-Bangladesh bilateral waterway trade will get boosted as India can now use the Mongla and Chittagong
ports.
• Under Indo-Bangladesh Protocol on Inland Water Transit & Trade involving the Brahmaputra, inland vessels
of one country can transit through the specified routes of the other country.
• Currently, three express trains and international bus services operate between Indian and Bangladesh.
• Border management - In 2015, India and Bangladesh resolved the decades-long border dispute through the
Land Swap Agreement.
• Home Minister Amit Shah recently reviewed the security arrangements in the
Assam-Meghalaya-Bangladesh tri-junction, which used to a smugglers’ route.
What are the pending issues?
• Regional geopolitics- Bangladesh had successfully approached China for a
mega project to enhance Teesta river water flow.
• Bangladesh also requires China’s support in resolving the Rohingya refugee
crisis.
• Bangladesh is the second biggest arms market for China after Pakistan.
• Although memories of 1971 remain, Bangladesh has expressed its interest in establishing peaceful relations with
Pakistan.
• Border management- In 2019, India enacted the National
Register of Citizens and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act,
which created an uproar within and beyond the borders.
• Water sharing- For West Bengal, Teesta is important to
sustain its impoverished farming districts which comprise
12.77% of its population.
• For Bangladesh, the Teesta’s flood plains cover about 14% of the
total cropped area of the country and provide direct livelihood
opportunities to approximately 7.3% of the population.
What agreements were signed recently?
• India and Bangladesh signed seven agreements on various
fields, including
• Water resources- An interim bilateral agreement on water
sharing of the Kushiyara river
• Judiciary- Capacity building of Courts
• Railways- To train personnel of Bangladesh Railways
• Other areas- Space technology, scientific and technological
cooperation, TV broadcasting
• The two PMs also jointly inaugurated various projects,
including a power plant, a railway bridge and several railway
line projects.
What is the interim agreement on Kushiyara water sharing?
• There were 54 rivers that pass through the Indo-Bangladesh
border
• India and Bangladesh had signed the Ganga water treaty in
1996 for sharing waters of Ganga for a period of 30 years.

• Bangladesh has sought the early conclusion of the Teesta water sharing agreement, which has been hanging
since 2011 due to opposition from West Bengal.
• The current agreement will benefit southern parts of Assam state in India and the Sylhet region in Bangladesh.
6.5 The US’s F-16 Package to Pakistan

Why in news?
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar blasted the United States for its move to provide Pakistan with the F-16 case for
sustainment and related equipment.
What is the F-16 package about?
• F-16 package- It is a $450 million package of technical and logistical service for follow-on support of Pakistan’s
F-16 fleet.
• This means a life-time upgrade for
Pakistan’s existing fleet of F-16s.
• There is participation in several
technical coordination groups,
aircraft and engine hardware and
software modifications and support,
equipment support, manuals,
precision measurement, and a range
of related elements of aircraft
maintenance.
• The proposed sale does not include
any new capabilities, weapons, or
munitions.
• This is the first American military assistance package to Pakistan after the Trump Administration ended defence
and security co-operation with the country in 2018.
What are the speculated reasons for this action?
• Killing of Zawahiri- One of the reasons for the Biden Administration’s
reversal of Trump’s policy on Pakistan, revolves around the killing of
Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul.
• Breaking China’s hold in Pakistan- Amidst the Russia-Ukraine war,
the US is trying to break China’s hold on Pakistan.
• Disapproval with New Delhi- The Biden Administration has been
conveying its own concerns to India on Delhi’s attitude to the sanctions
against Russia, and its neutrality in the war.
• The gesture to Pakistan could have been intended to convey that disapproval in concrete terms.
Why has India criticized the F-16 package?
• India’s objections- India registered a strong protest with the US against the deal, over both the substance and
timing of the US decision.
• India was upset that the US did not forewarn India about a policy
design that could have serious implications for India’s security.
• India’s objections were communicated to the US officials during the
2+2 Inter-sessional and Maritime Security Dialogue.
• US’s response- The US said that it looks at both India and Pakistan
as partners, who have shared values and shared interests.
• It also added that the US’s relationship with both countries stands
independent to each other.
• The US has said that the proposed sale will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
• The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by allowing Pakistan
to retain interoperability with the US and partner forces in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.

What are the possible impacts on Indo-Pak Relations?

• During India and Pakistan’s aerial skirmish in 2019, Pakistan brought down a MiG-21 flown by the Indian Air
Force’s Abhinandan Varthaman.
• The move acted as a show of strength for the F-16, cementing Pakistan’s intentions to use the aircraft in all
future operations.
• India will have to effectively enhance conventional combat capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to continue
to meet the challenge of a resurgent Pakistan Air Force.
7. INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
7.1 The Race to UNSC’s Permanent Seat

Why in news?
India’s External Affairs Minister has been actively canvassing for India’s candidature to UNSC permanent seat.
What is United Nations Security Council (UNSC)?
• The UNSC established under the United Nations Charter has the primary responsibility for maintaining
international peace and security.
• According to the Charter, the United Nations has four purposes.
1. To maintain international peace and security
2. To develop friendly relations among nations
3. To cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human right
4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations
• The Security Council has taken permanent residence at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
• The Security Council has the power to make binding decisions on member states.
• General António Guterres is the current UN Secretary.
What about the composition of the Council?
• The Council has 15 members - 5 permanent members and 10 non- permanent members.
• Permanent members- China, France, Russia, the U.S. and the UK were granted the special status of
Permanent Member States.
• They have a special voting power known as the "right to veto ".
• If any one of the five permanent members cast a negative vote in the 15-member Security Council, the resolution
or decision would not be approved.
• If a permanent member does not fully agree with a
proposed resolution but does not wish to cast a veto,
it may choose to abstain.
• Non- permanent members- The non-
permanent members are elected by the General
Assembly for 2-year terms.
• The presidency of the Security Council rotates
alphabetically among 15 members every month.
• The main criterion for the eligibility is
o Contribution to the maintenance of
international peace and security
o Equitable geographical distribution
• The geographical distribution includes
o African Group – 3 members

o Asia-Pacific Group – 2 members

o Latin American and Caribbean Group – 2 members
o Western European and Others Groups (WEOG) – 2 members
o Eastern European Group – 1 member
What is the need for UNSC reforms?
• Remains unchanged since its inception- The basic structure of the UNSC has remained almost unchanged
since its foundation more than 75 years ago.
• Questions the UNSC’s effectiveness- With profound changes in the realities of the global community, the
UNSC is being questioned in terms of its legitimacy, effectiveness, and representativeness.
• Diverse issues to be covered- The issues have diversified over the years to include peacebuilding, conflict
prevention, non-proliferation, counter-terrorism and protection of civilians.
• Composition- Although the number and regional composition of the members has changed, the size and the
composition of the Council have remained unchanged since its foundation.
• Issue with veto- Russia has cast more vetoes (estimated to be 120 times or close to half of all vetoes) than the
three western members of the club.
• Often P-5 countries use veto to shield their allies and target the enemies.
o For instance, China repeatedly blocks India’s efforts to include confirmed Pakistani terrorists in the
sanctions list.
What were the proposed reforms in UNSC?
• The demands for reform of the UNSC is based on five key issues.
1. Categories of membership (permanent, non-permanent)
2. The question of the veto held by the five permanent members
3. Regional representation
4. The size of an enlarged Council and its working methods
5. The relationship between Security Council and General Assembly
• Any reform of the Security Council would require the agreement of at least two-thirds of UN member states.
What efforts were taken to promote UNSC reforms?
G-4 Nations
• The G4 countries were created in 2004 and
includes Brazil, Germany, India and Japan.
• The G4 has been calling for the enlargement
of both permanent and nonpermanent
categories as well as supporting each other’s
bids for permanent seats on the Council.
• The UN General Assembly has decided to
facilitate the reform process through the
Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN)
framework on equitable representation and
expansion of the UNSC.
• But it was dampened by the U.S., Russia and
China being opposed to serious reform of the
Council.
The L.69 group
• The L.69 group is of pro-reform member
states, including primarily developing
countries from Africa, Latin America and the
Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific.

• The Group is bound by the firm conviction that expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories
of membership of the UNSC is imperative to better reflect contemporary world realities.
• The group currently has 42 countries as its members including India.
Razali Reform Plan
• In 1997, the Razali plan was proposed by the then UN General Assembly president Ismail Razali.
• It is a proposal to enlarge the United Nations Security Council from its present 15 members to 24 members.
• Under the plan, the UNSC would have
o Five new permanent members without veto powers
o Four more non-permanent members
What is Uniting for Consensus (UFC)?
• The ‘Uniting for Consensus’ is an informal ‘coffee club’, comprising of 40-odd nations.
• These nations together in 1997 to oppose the Razali plan.
• It is a loose alliance that was mobilised, chiefly through the efforts of Italy's ambassador to the UN, Francesco
Paolo Fulci, and was named "Fulci's coffee club".
• It has since become the "coffee club" or the "cappuccino club".
• The Coffee club comprises of mostly mid-sized states who oppose bigger regional powers grabbing permanent
seats in the UNSC.
1. Italy and Spain are opposed to Germany's bid for Security Council's permanent membership,
2. Pakistan is opposed to India's bid,
3. Argentina is against Brazil's bid,
4. Australia opposes Japan's.
5. Canada and South Korea are opposed to developing countries, often dependent on their aid.
What about India & UNSC?
• India was recently elected as the non-permanent member to UNSC from the Asia-Pacific Group for a 2-year
term from January 1, 2021.
• India has already held a non-permanent seat on the UNSC for 7 terms.
• India’s Chair- At present, India is chairing the Counterterrorism Committee, that was formed in 2001
after the 9/11 attack in New York.
• India had chaired this committee in the UNSC in 2011-12.
• India is chairing the Taliban Sanctions Committee (1988 Sanctions Committee) with a focus on
terrorists and their sponsors who are threatening the peace process in Afghanistan.
• India also chairs the Libya Sanctions Committee that implements the sanctions regime - a two-way arms
embargo on Libya, an assets freeze, a travel ban, measures on illicit export of petroleum.
Why does India strive to become a permanent member of UNSC?
• In the case of India's permanent membership, it can bring a lot to the UN table with the
o world's second-largest country by population
o a huge world manufacturing hub
• It is also a nuclear power.
• The permanent membership will match India's capabilities with the needed power dominance.
What lies ahead?
• A group of experts suggested that a new category of semi-permanent members should be created.
• Countries would be elected for a period of 8 to 10 years and would be eligible for re-election.

7.2 The Global South’s Assertion in Geopolitics

Why in news?
Several countries in the Global South are finding neutrality and strategic autonomy as a viable option in a changing
world.
How about the current picture of geopolitics?
• The USA’s Wishlist- The United States advocates for
o Curbing China’s rise
o Weakening Russia’s capabilities
o Securing Europe behind U.S. leadership
o Building satellite alliances with countries which conform to U.S. interests and values
• Rise of China- Given its phenomenal economic reach during globalisation, China began building institutions
to counter the West.
• It looked for accommodation with the U.S. in its “Peaceful Rise” project.
• As the U.S. found this unacceptable, China turned from partner to competitor to threat.
What does Global South mean?

• The term “Global South” was first coined by a social activist Carl Oglesby in 1969.
• Global South is used to describe countries whose economies are not yet fully developed and which face
challenges such as low per capita income, excessive unemployment, and a lack of valuable capital.
• Although the majority of Global South countries are indeed located in the tropics or Southern Hemisphere, the
term itself is strictly economic.
• Hence, Australia is "down under" but not part of the Global South.
Who are the major players in the Global South?
• Russia- Russia, with its vast natural resources and military capability, has shown capacity to assert its will in
global geopolitics.
• Russian aggression against Ukraine has been a geopolitical watershed.
• The developing Sino-Russian strategic partnership without limits is the clearly defined enemy other for the
West.
• China- China’s expanding military footprint and ‘grey zone’ policies of violation of maritime zones in the South
China Seas have antagonised several countries.
• India- India has used its leverage to negotiate with multiple sides.

• India increased oil purchases from Russia, shrugging off western pressure.
• India has a military Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with the U.S.
• At the same time it has developed the International North South Transport Corridor connecting Russia and
India via central Asia.
• It participates in military exercises such as the U.S.-led but also sends a military contingent for the Vostok
exercises with Russia and China.
What about other countries in the Global South?
• Russia-Ukraine War- Most of the countries oppose the sanctions regime and advocate neutrality because
o Many in the South are dependent on Russian energy, fuel, fertilizers, wheat, commodities and defence
equipment.
• Apprehensions on West- Many countries of the South believe that they are unlikely to get western help when
they need it the most.
o It includes recent experience of refusal by the West to grant a one-time exception for patents for the
COVID-19 vaccine.
• Alliances- Most of the Southern countries would not like to be a part of security or military alliances with either
the West or the Russian or Chinese sides.
o For example, the security pact that China in 2022 offered to 10 Pacific island nations was not favoured.
o They neither agreed to China’s ‘Common Development Vision’.
• There has been an unprecedented pushback from the South that wants to make its own strategic choices.
o For instance, the South Africa described the U.S.’s “Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act”
that punishes African states and leaders who engage with Russia as offensive.
What about the South’s choice in geo-economics?
• The fear of the U.S. strategy of freezing dollar reserves has made the South cautious.
• The U.S. trade policies of ‘re-shoring’ and ‘friend-shoring’ is leading the South to gradually find ways of
bypassing the dollar in bilateral trade by using local currencies.
• Currency swap arrangements are used by China, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)+ 3 countries,
etc.
• Multilateral institutions, ranging from BRICS and the African Union, to ASEAN, and the Community of Latin
American and Caribbean States, have given it new confidence.
7.3 U.N. Report on Uyghurs in Xinjiang

What is the issue?
China has vehemently rejected the United Nations Human Rights Office report on human rights violations in the
northwestern Xinjiang region.
What is the significance of the Xinjiang region?
• Xinjiang- Located in the northwest China, Xinjiang covers one-sixth of China’s territory.
• It is officially known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
• Significance
o Borders Russia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and other central Asian countries.
o Contains a wealth of natural resources.
o Part of the ancient Silk Road
• Xinjiang is sparsely populated with a population of 25 million, the majority of which belong to mostly Muslim
ethnic groups.
• Uyghurs- The Uyghurs are mostly Muslims and they speak their own language which is similar to Turkish.
• They see themselves as culturally and ethnically close to Central Asian nations.

• When first census was done in 1953, around 75% of the total population included Uyghurs while ethnic Han
Chinese accounted for 7%.
• The latest census shows that the Uyghur population has come down to 45% of the total in Xinjiang, while that
of Han Chinese has increased to 42%.
What are the allegations against China?
• Abuse against minorities- In 2014, Chinese leader Xi Jinping ordered a massive crackdown following
violence in the region.
• In the years that followed, Uyghurs and others were sent into re-education camps as part of the campaign.
• This was followed by a string of allegations of mass imprisonment, torture, compulsory sterilisation, sexual
violence, destruction of Uyghur cultural and religious sites and forced labour.
• In 2018, a U.N. panel estimated in its periodic review that over a million Uyghurs and Muslim minorities had
been forced into political camps for indoctrination in the Xinjiang region.
• Beijing’s response- Beijing has rejected such claims and insisted that its mass detention camps are designed
to counter terrorism and extremism.
• It has maintained that no human rights were abused and attendance in camps was voluntary.
To know more about Uyghur crisis, click here
What does the human rights office assessment report reveal?
• Human rights violation- The U.N. report concludes that China committed serious human rights violations
in the Xinjiang region under its anti-terrorism and anti-extremism strategies.
• It notes that Chinese interpretations of “extremism” are exceptionally broad and often target standard tenets of
Islamic religion and practice.
• Arbitrary detention- Uyghurs and other minorities were discriminated on perceived security threats without
due process and for an indefinite duration.
• Evidence shows that an individual could be sent to a Vocation and Educational Training Centre (VETC) for
having
o too many children
o being an unsafe person
o being born in certain years
o being an ex-convict
o wearing a veil or beard
o having applied for a passport and not having left the country
o having foreign connections
o attempting to cancel their Chinese citizenship
o possessing dual registration in a neighbouring country
o having downloaded WhatsApp
• Torture in camps- The report says allegations of torture, ill-treatment and sexual violence inside VETCs.
• Two-thirds of former detainees interviewed claimed they were subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
• The report describes that almost all former detainees mentioned that they lost significant weight due to constant
hunger.
• There was constant surveillance, some were not allowed to speak their own language (Uyghur or Kazakh) and
could not practice their religion.
• They were either administered injections, pills or both regularly, while their blood samples were collected in the
VETC facilities.
• The uncertainty about the reasons for detention, length of their stay, the conditions, the constant atmosphere
of fear, lack of contact with outside world and anxiety amounted to psychological torture.

• Sexual violence- Some were stripped naked, forced to perform oral sex during interrogation and were subject
to invasive gynaecological examinations.
• Violation of reproductive rights- Official figures indicate a sharp decline in birth rates, with the birth rate
dropping from 15.88 per thousand in 2017 to 8.14 per thousand in 2019.
• Destruction of religious sites- The satellite imagery indicated that many religious sites either appeared to
have been removed or tampered with.
• Genocide- The report does not refer to genocide.
What is the response of China?
• China has maintained that its crackdown in Xinjiang is aimed at containing the East Turkistan Islamic
Movement (ETIM) which is allegedly linked to radical outfits.
• Beijing registered a strong opposition to the U.N. report and slandered the Western forces for using human
rights as a political tool.
• China also maintained that Xinjiang enjoys social stability, economic development and religious harmony.
7.4 Political crisis in Iraq

What is the issue?
More than nine months after Iraq held its October 2021 parliamentary elections, political leaders have been unable to
form a government.
What has led to the current deadlock?
• No faith in democracy- Iraq has failed to form a government after the October 2021 parliamentary elections
in which Mr. Sadr’s bloc won the most number of seats.
• Most Iraqis have simply lost faith that their democratic system will ever change their lives for the better.
• Growing divisions- A bitter power struggle between the country’s dominant
Shia parties have plunged the country into a deepening crisis, leading to the
current violence.
• Usually in Iraqi politics, senior positions and ministries are parceled out to the
three largest demographic groups in the country - Shiite Muslims, Sunni
Muslims and the Kurdish ethnic group.
• Over the past few years, serious divisions have been growing.
• Power struggle- Part of the problem is the power struggle between Mr. Sadr and Mr. Maliki, the former Prime
Minister who is a key leader of the Coordination Framework.
• Foreign interference- The rivalry has come about partially because al-Sadr is opposed to any foreign
interference in Iraqi affairs, whether from the US or Iran.
• The Coordination Framework mostly represents militias formed in 2014 by local volunteers to fight against
the Islamic State inside Iraq.
• These militias receive financial, military and even theological support from Iran and many members express
allegiance to Iran over Iraq.
What do Sadrists want?
• In protest against the rival parties’ continued boycott of Parliament, Mr. Sadr asked all the legislators of the
Sadrist Movement to resign.
• The Coordination Framework took advantage of the resignation of the Sadrist lawmakers and went ahead with
plans to form their government.
• Mr. Sadr, now out of Parliament, called for protests in the streets.
• The protestors stormed the Parliament building in the Baghdad’s Green Zone.
• Demands
o Dissolution of Parliament
o Early elections

o Constitutional amendments to clear blockades that stand in the way of Mr. Sadr forming a majority
government
What lies ahead for Iraqi politics?
• Sadr’s demands- As per the wishes of Mr. Sadr and his loyal followers, Parliament could be dissolved, and
early elections could be called.
• Mr. Sadr’s readiness to reach political tie-ups with the Sunnis, Kurds and left-leaning parties enhances his
chances of forming a majority government, provided the political impediments are removed.
• Shia Coordination Framework’s demands- The second possibility is the Shia Coordination Framework
electing a new President and getting their choice elected as the next Prime Minister of Iraq irrespective of the
protests.
• But it runs the risk of violence as it would not be easy for the Framework to ignore their anger.
7.5 The Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Conflict

Why in news?
The heavy clashes on the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border have turned the world’s eyes to the border issues in the Central
Asia that could not been completely solved for the last 31 years.
How are these two nations related?
• Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were established and have retained the
borders demarcated in the 1920s under Josef Stalin’s rule.
• The two landlocked countries share a 1,000-km long border, a large part of which is disputed.
• Historically, the Kyrgyz and Tajik populations enjoyed common rights over natural resources.
What are the reasons for the disputes?
• Border dispute- The main problem is that the two republics are using two different geopolitical maps.
• Tajikistan operates with maps from 1924-1939 and the Kyrgyz Republic with a map from 1958-1959.

• The region, Fergana, is divided between Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan without taking into account
the ethnic structure and culture of the inhabitants.
• The enclave factors, which are located in a region belonging to another country, have brought the countries of
the region against each other.
• Livestock- With the formation of the Soviet Union, the livestock which were the main source of household
income, were redistributed to collective farms and state farms.
• Since the Tajik livestock has limited rangelands, the Tajik depended on the pasture resources located in the
Kyrgyz territory.
• With the demise of the Soviet Union, the collective and state farms were dissolved, and the pasture management
agreements became invalid.
• Water conflicts- The dissolution of the Soviet era water and land agreements saw the creation of multiple
smaller independent farms.
• The use of water resources increased among farmers leading to constant conflict between border communities.
• Population growth and poor infrastructure are other reasons for the conflicts around natural resources in the
border area.
What about the past conflicts in this region?
• Resource access and use clashes between Kyrgyz and Tajik border communities took place recurrently in the
21st century.
• Apricot war (2004)- Several apricot trees were planted on the disputed area by Tajik farmers, where then
Kyrgyz inhabitants disputed and removed all those trees.
• Ketmen war (2014)- The border communities fought using garden tools, stones and burned animal shelters.
• In a conflict that took place in 2014, about 1000 local civilians were involved, including many young people.
What is the current happening at the border?
• There were constant shelling, violent confrontations by local communities, and active engagement by security
forces on either side.
• The Batken region of Kyrgyzstan is seeing families getting relocated.
• Nearly 100 people have been killed and scores injured in violent border clashes between Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan.
• A ceasefire, brokered by Russia, was agreed by both sides.
What is the road ahead?
• The path to resolution of the conflict will require warring groups to agree upon a common map.
• An intergovernmental agreement is needed to be signed to define property rights to access and use water and
pasture resources
• The international community will have to make efforts to solve the dispute.
• The informal small-scale governance mechanisms would have to be strengthened through a concerted effort to
stabilise the geopolitical dynamics.
7.6 Facebook’s Settlement in Cambridge Analytica Lawsuit

What is the issue?
Facebook has agreed to settle a lawsuit seeking damages for allowing Cambridge Analytica access to the private data of
tens of millions of users.
What is the Cambridge Analytica lawsuit?
• It is primarily about the Facebook’s role in the 2016 U.S. election.
• A probe revealed that a London-based data analytics firm, Cambridge Analytica, misused data from as many as
50 million Facebook users.
• The firm collected the personal data of many users without their consent to build psychographic profiles of
voters.

• The potential voters’ personality traits, ideology, and beliefs were then built.
• Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign is said to have used the services of Cambridge Analytica to
influence voters by micro-targeting them.
• It was also accused by a whistleblower of pursing voter suppression tactics targeting Black voters.
What is the role of Facebook in the scandal?
• Role in Cambridge Analytica Scandal
o Allowing unauthorised access to its users’ data
o Slow response to data breach and in informing the
user community
o Refuting the claims of Cambridge Analytica that
they deleted the collected data after realising that
it went against Facebook’s terms
• Other cases- U.S. residents who used Facebook after
2015 alleged that the company tracked their location via
their IP address despite them disabling the location
service option.
• In 2019, Facebook paid a record 5 billion dollar to settle
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges for deceiving
users about their ability to control the privacy of their
personal info.
What is the response of Facebook?
• It apologised for the breach of trust and admitted that the
company didn’t do enough to deal with it.
• Since the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke, Facebook
has
o Removed data access from thousands of apps suspected of abusing
o Restricted the amount of information available to developers
o Made it easier for users to calibrate restrictions on personal data sharing
• In 2019, Facebook agreed to pay a fine imposed by the U.K. for breaches of data protection law related to the
Cambridge Analytica scandal.
7.7 The Scandinavian Model

Why in news?
The 2022 Sweden elections is a watershed moment for the country since for the first time an ultra-nationalist, anti-
immigrant party would be a part of the ruling coalition to influence Sweden’s public policy.
What is so significant about the recent Sweden elections?
• Social Democratic Party, which has been in power since 2014, was edged out by the right-wing Opposition.
• Sweden Democrats is an ultra-nationalist, far-right party which traces its origins to neo-Nazi groups of the
1980s.
• Sweden has traditionally been accepting immigrants and asylum-seekers, not merely as national policy but also
as a matter of national pride.
• Stereotyping- Over time, the coloured immigrant communities either could not gain acceptance or were not
accepted as part of the Swedish national identity.
• Exclusion from the mainstream- The immigrants began to be seen as people who have come to exploit the
country’s generous welfare system.
• Unemployment- The unemployment among Sweden’s immigrant population is four times that of native
Swedes.

What about the political-economic systems associated with socialism?

• The Scandinavian countries has strong welfarist basis and emphasis on collective bargaining.
• Socialist- It would be a misnomer to term the system as “socialist” which is associated with the regimes of the
erstwhile Communist bloc.
• The Communists had a state dominance in not just the ownership of the major means of production but also in
political life with a one-party system drawing its ideological basis for rule.
• Democratic socialist- The regimes in Latin America (Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile) can be termed democratic
socialist.
• It seeks to achieve socialist goals of redistribution and restructuring of formal democratic and liberal institutions
in vastly unequal and elite driven systems.
What is the Scandinavian/Nordic model?
• In the Scandinavian countries, the systems are more
similiar to typical social democracies.
o Reliance on representative and participatory
democratic institutions where separation of
powers is ensured
o Comprehensive social welfare schema emphasising
the public social services and investment in child
care, education and research
o Public funding by progressive taxation
o Presence of strong labour market institutions with active labour unions and employer associations
o Significant collective bargaining, wage negotiations and coordination besides an active role in
governance and policy
• All these countries also follow a capitalist model of development.
o Allowing for entrepreneurism
o Funding of welfare policies through a large degree of wage taxation in relation to corporate taxes
o Deregulation of industry
o Privatization of some public services
How is the political-economic system in Scandinavia and Nordics?
• Education is free in all the Nordic States.
• Health care is free in Denmark and Finland and partially free in Norway, Sweden and Iceland.
• Workers get several benefits, from unemployment insurance to old age pensions, besides effective child care.
• The labour participation rates in these countries are among the highest in the world (even among women).
• In the recent UNDP report, Norway ranked second among countries in the Human DeveIopment Index.
• The Nordic countries ranked the highest in various indices on press freedom and in gender equality.
• They were placed among the top 20 countries in GDP per capita (PPP) according to the World Bank’s recent
data.
What are the reasons for thriving social democratic model?
• The relatively smaller and more homogenous population in Nordic countries enable focused governance.
• The corporatist model of involving interests of both capital and labour, mediated by the government has allowed
for smoother transition from agrarian to industrial to post-industrial economies.
• They emphasised social policies that facilitate expansion of modern production, and thus more and better paid
jobs.
• The Social Democratic Parties in these countries fortified democracy leading to equal citizenship rights and
pragmatic class compromises.

7.8 Diasporic Politics

Why in news?
The recent clashes in Leicester in the United Kingdom, and the building polarisation in New Jersey are two recent
instances of how diasporic politics is taking a new and deeper turn.
What is diaspora nationalism?
• Diaspora nationalism is the phenomenon in which people living in foreign
countries advocate, finance, and often arm nationalist movements in the
countries they have left.
• It is often coming out of a nostalgic longing for an idealized homeland they have
been forced to abandon.
• Khalistan issue- The fringe movement for a Sikh state (Khalistan) in India
was sustained entirely by financing from North American Sikhs.
• Case of Sri Lankan Tamils- The Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in Europe (and
particularly the UK) kept Tamil nationalism alive in the island-state for decades.
Communal tinges
• Babri Masjid Issue- The demolition of the Babri Masjid in India saw widespread violence in Britain with
temples attacked and a petrol bomb thrown at a Mosque.
• Islamic fundamentalism- The idea of using Britain as a launch pad for jihadi ideology was present in some
groups that in turn licensed full-blown Islamophobia amongst many non-Muslim communities.
What is the Leicester clash about?
• Disturbances in Leicester first began on August 28 2022.
• Fans from Hindu and Muslim communities reportedly clashed after India secured a win against Pakistan in the
Asia Cup T20 tournament.
• Trouble flared up after an unplanned protest was taken out in Leicester.
• The situation worsened as videos of clashes began to circulate on social media.
• There were also reports of temple vandalism.
• The Indian High Commission in London issued a strongly worded statement condemning the violence against
the Indian community.
What about the New Jersey incident?
• Bulldozer controversy- On the occasion of Independence Day, bulldozers were brought by specific groups
to the parade.
• The move seemed to be open and provocative against a particular community as bulldozers are alleged to be a
weapon in the hands of the government to destroy their homes and livelihoods.
Why are diaspora fractures more distinctive in the US and the UK?
• Involving politicians- In the 80’s, after clashes broke out, there were no attempts to draw politicians in the
UK or US in accusations of partisanship in India’s communal conflicts.
• But in the discourse, the narratives are even pointing fingers at the local state, as if it was partisan in failing to
protect a particular community.
• In the US, Hindu-Muslim politics is spilling into the inner core of the Democratic Party.
• Explicit involvement of Indian state- The Indian government’s statement that begins with violence
perpetrated against the Indian community appears to be polarised.
• Political benefits- The global ideological patrons of conflict will have an investment in politically milking
these incidents.

G.S PAPER III
8. ECONOMY
8.1 The National Logistics Policy

Why in news?
Prime Minister of India launched the National Logistics Policy (NLP), a significant step in fulfilling the ‘Pran’ (Vow) of
India being a developed country.
What is the status of logistics in India?
• Logistics broadly includes facilities crucial to trade - transport services, storage facilities and services that
facilitate trade such as licensing and customs.
• Logistics is the backbone of India's international trade.
• It aids in the diversification of not only the country's exports but also of products manufactured in the countries.
• The sector employs more than 22 million people in India, which through skill development is expected to grow
at the rate of 5% in 5 years.
• According to the World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI) of 2018,
India is ranked 44th in logistics cost.
What is the need for a logistics policy?
• Boost competitiveness- As India has become the 5th largest economy in the
world, it is imperative to reduce the logistics cost to improve the competitiveness
of Indian goods both in domestic as well as global markets.
• Improved efficiency- Reduced logistics cost improves efficiency cutting
across various sectors of the economy, encouraging value addition and enterprise.
• Five trillion-dollar economy- The NLP provides the required boost for the sector to achieve five trillion-
dollar economy by 2024-25.
• Employment- The policy has immense potential for expansion of business and increasing employment
opportunities.
• Promotes manufacturing- It also aims to aid India to emerge as a manufacturing hub.
• Infra development- The policy will allow for greater efficiency and synergy to create a modern infrastructure
of a world-class standard.
What are the features of the National Logistics Policy?
Objectives
• The policy seeks to
o Reduce the cost of logistics in India to be comparable to global
benchmarks by 2030
o Improve India's ranking in the Logistics Performance Index
within the top 25 by 2030
o Create a data-driven decision support mechanism for an
efficient logistics ecosystem
• The government aims to reduce the logistics cost in India from about 13%
of the gross domestic product (GDP) to 7.5-8%.
Key features
• Integration of Digital System (IDS) - There will be digital integration of different systems of 7 various
departments (like road transport, railways, aviation, commerce ministries and foreign trade).
• Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) - This ensures shorter and smoother cargo movement and
enables the exchange of information confidentially on a real-time basis.

• The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) Logistics Data Bank Project has been
leveraged.
• Ease of Logistics (ELOG) - It will enable and ensure the ease of logistics business through transparency and
accessibility.
• System Improvement Group (SIG) - It will monitor all logistics-related projects regularly.
What steps were taken regarding the logistics sector?
• The Gati Shakti Programme- To implement infrastructure connectivity, including roadways and railways
projects across the nation, in a coordinated manner.
• The Sagarmala - Envisions using the potential of the coastline and waterways to reduce the amount of
infrastructure needed to reach their targets.
• The Bharatmala - Focuses on reducing critical infrastructure gaps to increase the effectiveness of road traffic
circulation across the nation.
• Comprehensive Logistics Action Plan (CLAP) - Aims to put India among the top 25 countries by 2030 in
the Logistics Performance Index (LPI).
• e-sanchit- Paperless export-import trade operations have been made possible by the e-sanchit portal, and
faceless evaluation in customs has been implemented.
• FASTags- E-way bills and FASTag are also frequently used on roads to boost the effectiveness of the logistics
industry.
• GST- A unified tax system like Goods and Services Tax (GST) enables ease in issues related to the logistics
sector.
8.2 Selective Ban on Rice Exports

Why in news?
India’s selective clampdown on rice exports has raised the eyebrows of both local traders and global commentators.
What is the Centre’s ban about?
• There are four categories of rice exports.
1. Raw (white)
2. Basmati rice
3. Parboiled non-basmati rice
4. Broken non-basmati rice
• The government has notified a 20% duty on exports of rice “other than parboiled and basmati rice”.
• The government has also imposed a blanket ban on broken rice exports.
• Reasons for selective ban
1. Possibility of decline in rice production because of deficient
monsoon rainfall.
2. Possibility in yield reduction due to a new virus that has caused
“dwarfing” of paddy plants in Punjab and Haryana.
3. Low rice stocks could pose a threat on Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan
Anna Yojana and the public distribution system (PDS).
4. To ward off the threat of a price spiral.
5. Broken rice can be used to boost India’s ethanol production.
To know about India’s export restriction on wheat, click here
How important is India to the global rice trade?
• The major rice producing states are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh,
Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha,
Assam, and Haryana.

• India has a 40% share of the world’s total rice

exports out of which non-basmati forms the bulk of
it.
• More than 75% of basmati exports in 2021 were to
Iran and Arabian Peninsula countries.
• In non-basmati rice, almost 55% went to African
countries.
• India’s non-basmati rice exports witnessed an
astounding growth of 109 % in FY 2013-14 to FY
2021-22.
• China, Senegal, Vietnam, Djibouti and Indonesia
were the top importers of broken rice exports in
2021-22.
What is promising about the selective ban of rice
exports?
• The Centre has decided to ensure that the broken
rice is available for its own poultry and other user
industries.
• Shipments of rice to the nations in the East, have been curbed as these countries depend on cheaper Indian rice
mainly for feed purposes.
• The Centre’s indirect message is to import corn from us.
• Conserving domestic stocks of foodgrains in a populous country like India is definitely essential at a time of
fears of a global food crisis precipitated by fertiliser shortages and droughts.
What are the criticisms against the government’s move?
• There are fears that the curb will
o Affect supplies when demand is increasing for Indian rice in the global market
o Add to global food shortages
o Spur inflation hitting the poor nations
What is the way ahead?
• Minimum export price can be announced to prevent any under-invoicing.
• There should be regular checks to ensure premium non-Basmati and other types of rice are not get shipped as
Basmati rice to escape the 20% tax by hawala traders.
8.3 Scope of Countertrade for India

Why in news?
Countertrade has the potential for India to secure critical raw materials, while supporting the borrower countries in
infrastructure creation.
What is Countertrade?
• Countertrade is a reciprocal form of international trade in which goods or services are exchanged for other goods
or services rather than for hard currency.
• It is a modernized form of barter system that explicitly links import and export transactions.
• It generally takes place when the countries are facing foreign exchange crisis.
• Examples- India has entered into a barter trade agreement with Iraq under the ‘oil-for-food’ programme.
• Iraq agreed to facilitate daily delivery of a fixed quantum of oil to India at a fixed price in exchange for exports
of rice and wheat.
• A rail construction project was undertaken in Malaysia, for which the Malaysian government made payments
through the supply of palm oil of equivalent value to India.

• India bought 200 sophisticated looms from the erstwhile Soviet Union in return for a buyback commitment by
the Soviet Union to purchase 75% of the textile produced from the looms.
• A rupee payment mechanism was established between India and Iran in 2012 under which the rupee
accumulated from payments for imports by India was utilised for payment for exports of products, projects and
services to Iran.
What are the types of Countertrades?
• Barter- Barter is the direct exchange of goods
and/or services between two parties without a cash
transaction.
• Counter purchase- It is a reciprocal buying
agreement as it involves simultaneous separate
transactions between two parties.
• It occurs when a firm agrees to purchase a certain amount of materials back from a country to which a sale is
made.
• Offset- The importer makes partial payment in hard currency, besides promising to source inputs from the
importing country and also makes investment to facilitate production of such goods.
• Switch or swap trading- It is a trade practice in which one company sells to another its obligation to purchase
something in a foreign country.
• Compensation trade or buyback- A Buyback occurs when a firm builds a plant or supplies technology,
equipments, or other services to the country and agrees to accept a certain percentage of the plant's future output
as a partial payment for the contract.
What are the pros and cons of countertrade?
Pros
• Makes export more stable
• Helps the countries who are facing foreign exchange crisis
• Helps developing countries to increase their exports
• Allows disposal of declining products
• Facilitates conservation of currency of the importing country
Cons
• Normally prefer to be paid in hard currency
• Extended and complex negotiation processes
• Increased transaction costs
• Goods can be of poor quality, packed unattractively or difficult to sell
• Expensive and time consuming
What potential does countertrade hold for India?
• Faced with scarce forex reserves, high inflation, rise in external debt burden and uncertainty over repayment
capacity, low and middle income countries would have fewer resources for development.
• Amid such constraints, countertrade models would address the unmet financing needs.
• RFI model- Under resource-backed financing for infrastructure model, the borrowing country commits future
revenues to be earned from exports of natural resources to pay for loans secured for infrastructure projects.
• Such a model can be adopted by India,
o to promote mutually beneficial outcomes for both India and borrower countries
o to finance infrastructure projects in developing countries under India’s development partnership
programmes
o to help India secure supplies of critical raw materials for industrial processes
o to help India secure these raw materials for its production processes

o to help Indian companies expand the horizons of executing the infrastructure projects, as it can open
opportunities in lesser explored geographies
• G2G deals- Countries are increasingly entering into government to government (G2G) deals for alleviating
concerns over supply of important commodities.
• India may utilise its stockholding of wheat for countertrade with countries to secure supplies of essential
commodities at mutually agreeable terms.
o For example, countertrade for exports of wheat from India to Indonesia in exchange for uninterrupted
supply.
• The RBI’s recent circular on additional arrangement for invoicing, payment and settlement of trade in Indian
rupee paves way for establishing clearing arrangements with countries such as Russia and Sri Lanka.
What are the challenges in the implementation?
• Lack of policy- There is no policy for countertrade in India, except in the case of defence imports.
• Diplomatic issues- Many overseas governments may be unwilling to accept countertrade for commodities of
interest to India.
• Resource-specific issues- Commodities that the overseas government may be willing to trade may not have
sufficient domestic demand.
• Institutional issues- G2G mechanism would depend critically on the strength and capability of public sector
enterprises in borrower countries to engage in such transactions.
What is the way ahead?
• For designing a clear umbrella policy for countertrade, a task force may be set up with relevant stakeholders.
• Countertrade should be perceived as a mechanism to boost trade and investment and not as an aggressive
measure to recover dues.
• To resolve resource-specific issues, switch trading may be explored.
8.4 Measures needed beyond the PLI Scheme

Why in news?
Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) have been floated by the government to encourage capital investment for a
higher output but the capital formation rate has moved rather sluggishly.
What is PLI Scheme?
• In the Union Budget 2021-22, the government has committed nearly Rs.1.97 lakh crore to create manufacturing
global champions for an Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
• Aim- To create national manufacturing champions and to create 60 lakh new jobs and an additional production
of 30 lakh crore during next 5 years.
• For target segments, the scheme provides incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales over the base year for
goods manufactured in India.

• The incentive is a kind of subsidy provided to the sector based on the disadvantage or disability faced by the
sector.
• Objectives
o Make domestic manufacturing competitive and efficient
o Create economies of scale
o Make India part of global supply chain
o Attract investment in core manufacturing and cutting-edge technology
o Competitive manufacturing would in turn lift the exports
What is the current issue?
• Despite promoting schemes such as PLI, the capital formation rate has moved rather sluggishly to 29.2%, which
is well below levels of 36.1% seen in FY12.
• Structure of capital formation in the economy- It is essential to know which sector or institution provides
the impetus.
• Consumption- Consumption needs to be increased to induce industry to invest more.
How about the investment pattern in India?
• Household sector- Private consumption accounts for 55% of all GDP and is the biggest engine of growth.
• In FY21, the biggest contributor was the household sector with a share of 39%.
• Of this, 25.4% was in houses and 13.4% was accounted for by plant and machinery.
• Therefore, it is necessary for individuals to buy more homes to drive investments.
• SMEs- The plant and machinery emanating from the household sector is the investment made by SMEs.
• Many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been in the process of recovering and several units were
closed down due to lockdowns.
• Private non-financial corporate sector- The investments made by businesses is the second biggest engine
of GDP growth, accounting for 33% of all GDP.
• The main challenge here is that companies will invest provided there is demand.
• Government expenditure- Government contributes a share of around 16% mostly to the construction sector
that gets reflected in roads and urban development.
• The challenge here is that the States are grappling with fiscal constraints that often lead to cut back on capex
spending to ensure fiscal deficit targets are not breached.
• Several of the Public Sector Units (PSUs) are either in the distress of regulation (Oil) or under financial strain
(Discoms) or just being unviable and waiting to be disinvested.
• Economic sectors- Looking from the point of view of economic sectors that contribute to investment, the
dominant sector here is real estate followed by manufacturing.
• Hence, the PLI is just one segment of the economy.
• Going beyond PLI- The investment needs to go beyond the PLI which pertains to manufacturing to address
challenges in terms of demand.
• When demand is stagnant, there is less inducement to invest as there is a cost of capital as well as cost of holding
inventory involved.
• Addressing the key issues- The jobs have not been created commensurate with economic growth, which was
an issue even before the pandemic.
• High inflation in some of the key consumption segments has militated against demand.
• For investment to increase on a large scale, consumption too should be rising at a smart pace.
• There is a need to look at all sectors when providing incentives, and not just manufacturing.

8.5 Gorbachev and Gandhian Economics

Why in news?
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last president of the Soviet Union, passed away recently.
Who is Gorbachev?
• Mikhail Gorbachev is a Russian politician belonging to Communist Party, great reformer and a liberator.
• Under his new policy of Glasnost (openness), freedom of expression, Press and broadcasting, etc. were
expanded.
• Under Gorbachev’s policy of Perestroika (restructuring),
o The first modest attempts to democratize the Soviet political system were undertaken
o Some limited free-market mechanisms began to be introduced
• In foreign affairs, Gorbachev from the beginning cultivated warmer relations and trade with the developed
nations of both West and East.
• Throughout 1989 he voiced his support for reformist communists in the Soviet-bloc countries of Eastern
Europe.
• He worked for democratization and
decentralization of Russia’s political
system.
• On December 25, 1991, Gorbachev
resigned the presidency of the Soviet
Union, which ceased to exist that same day.
How is the present Russia?
• Geopolitical- NATO is expanding
eastwards and Russia has Ukraine as its
battleground.
• Political- The return of authoritarianism
under Vladimir Putin could be witnessed.
• Economy- Russia has not recovered from
the shock it got from Boris Yeltsin’s “big
bang” capitalisation imposed by U.S.
economists.
• Between the big bang capitalist reforms of
the Russian economy in 1991 and 1994, life
expectancy fell from 64 to 57 years.
• The Russian deaths were caused by the
imposition of an economic ideology that
claimed that everyone will be better off
when the state is pushed back, the economy
is deregulated, and capitalist spirits are let
loose.
How did the ideological war affect Russia?
• The 20th century witnessed ideological battles among economists: communism, socialism, and capitalism.
• The capitalist model is founded the ideology of two fundamental ideas.
• Property rights over human rights- In capitalism, whoever owns something has the right to determine
how it will be used; and must have a greater say.
• The democratic principle of human rights requires that every human being, black or white, billionaire or pauper,
has an equal vote in governance.
• Global trade rules, national financial and trade regulations have made it easier for investors to enter and exit
countries while stopping human migrants from searching for better opportunities across the borders.

• Ideologies of elected governments and free markets were the joint victors of the ideological war between the
West and the Soviet Union.
• Hardin’s Tragedy of the Commons- It says that communities cannot manage shared resources and
therefore, common property must be privatised for its protection.
• When a public resource is privatised, those who already have wealth can buy it and become even wealthier.
• Thus, when capitalism is unleashed, inequalities will increase, as they have in Russia and around the world since
the 1990s.
What is Gandhian economics?
• New models of cooperative governance are required to realise the promise of humanity’s shared commons.
• Mahatma Gandhi’s calculus is guided by the principles of
o Human rights
o Community management
o Equity
o Ethics
o Fair sharing of power and resources
• These principles aid in realising the promise of our commons, and provide Poorna Swaraj to all citizens.
9. ENVIRONMENT
9.1 India’s Updated NDC

Why in news?
Union Cabinet has recently approved the India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to UNFCCC, which is an
update to its first NDC that was submitted on October 2, 2015.
What is a NDC?
• It is a plan submitted by a country to work towards their climate
goals.
• It is outlined in the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015.
• NDCs are submitted every five years to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat.
• In August 2022, India formally updated its NDC to the UNFCCC,
which was approved by the Union Cabinet.
• The updated NDC is a step towards India’s goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2070.
What is the document all about?
• It is a three-page document that outlines India’s updated contribution towards its climate action plans and goals.
• This update to India’s existing NDC translates the
‘Panchamrit’ announced at COP 26 into enhanced
climate targets.
• Emissions intensity – It is the total amount of
emissions emitted for every unit of GDP.
o The goal to reduce emissions intensity and improve
energy efficiency was not sector specific.
o Status -India had already achieved 21% of its emissions intensity as a proportion of its GDP in line with its
commitment.
• Non fossil fuel-based energy – To meet 50% of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil
fuel-based energy resources by 2030.

• Power - 500 GW of non-fossil fuel installed power generation capacity by 2030.

• Absolute Emission - Cutting absolute emissions by one billion tonnes, presumably from projected business-
as-usual (BAU) 2030 levels.
• Net-zero emissions – To be achieved by 2070.
• Other Highlights –
o Adopting a climate-friendly and cleaner path
for economic development,
o Creating an additional carbon sink - 2.5 to 3
billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through
additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
o Adapting to climate change by enhancing
investments in development programmes in
vulnerable sectors,
o Mobilising funds from developed countries to implement better mitigation and adaptation actions, and
o Building an architectural framework and other capacities for quick diffusion and better research and
development for climate technologies.
o LIFE – lifestyle for environment – It is a public movement to encourage people to become pro-planet.
How well India is performing?
• India is the only G20 country that is on track to achieve its climate goals under the Paris Agreement.
• Climate Change Performance Index – India ranked among the top 10 countries in 2019 and 2022.
• Its performance was rated high in the greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and climate policy categories, and
medium in the renewable energy category.
9.2 Cheetah Reintroduction Project

Why in news?
Seventy years after being extinct from India, world's fastest land animal
Cheetahs walk on the Indian ground once again.
How did cheetahs go extinct in India?
• The name ‘cheetah’ is believed to have originated from Sanskrit
word chitrak, which means ‘the spotted one’.
• In India, the cheetah was found from Jaipur and Lucknow in the
north to Mysore in the south, and from Kathiawar in the west to
Deogarh in the east.

• The cheetah was officially declared extinct by the Indian

government in 1952.
• Reasons for extinction
o Over-hunting
o Decimation of its relatively narrow prey base species
o Loss of its grassland-forest habitat
Why is the cheetah being brought back?
• Cheetah Reintroduction Project- India carried out
negotiations with Iran in 1970s as it was Asiatic.
• But our potential release sites needed upgradations with an
increase in prey base and greater protection.
• This is no longer possible as the cheetah population in Iran has
dwindled to under 50.
• A plan to reintroduce cheetahs in India was endorsed in 2009
by then Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh.
• However, it was shot down by the Supreme Court in 2013.
• The idea was revived in 2017 by the Narendra Modi government, and the SC cleared the move in 2020 “on an
experimental basis”.
• Kuno-Palpur National Park, Madhya Pradesh was found to be ready to receive the cheetah immediately,
as it had already been prepared for the translocation of Asiatic Lion.
• Need for reintroduction- The main objective is
o To restore India’s historic evolutionary
balance
o To develop a cheetah metapopulation that
will help in the global conservation of the
animal
• As it is a flagship species, the conservation of the
cheetah will revive grassland-forests habitat, much
like Project Tiger has done for forests.
• The genetic difference between the African and
Indian cheetahs is so small, and the ecological
functions are practically the same.
What are the concerns with cheetah reintroduction?
• Gene flow- The transfer of genetic material from
one population to another (Gene flow) is a matter of concern.
• Maintaining genetic diversity and preventing inbreeding is a challenge in such a small group of cheetahs.
• Habitat and prey base- The factors that caused a species to go extinct must be dealt with to secure the habitat,
before restocking.
• Physical security, enough space, and ample food are the priorities.
• Landscape viability- Animals has the possibility to remain susceptible to demographic and environmental
events in a broken landscape.
• Homing instinct- Most animals have an ability to sense direction and, if displaced, find their way back.
• In the case of big cats, this not only risks losing the released animal from the target site but also causes man-
animal conflict.
• Rehabilitation of people- The relocation of Bagcha residents in Madhya Pradesh has spurred up fights for
their rights.
• Bagcha village is dominated by Sahariya adivasis falling under the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).

9.3 Effecting the Ban on Single-Use Plastics

Why in news?
Since July 1, 2022, India has banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of single-use plastic
items with low utility and high littering potential.
Why are single-use plastics harmful?
• Aquatic ecosystem- Seabirds, fishes, turtles and marine mammals are found to have fishing gear or plastic
bags in their stomach.
• Currently, marine litter is 60-80% plastic, which ultimately means that many
sea creatures are swallowing this seawater soup instilled with toxic chemicals
from plastic decomposition.
• Pacific trash vortex- The North Pacific Ocean contains a gyre of marine
litter, known as the Pacific Trash Vortex that has an exceptionally high
concentration of single-use plastic.
• It has been estimated to be twice the size of Texas.
• Greenhouse gases- When plastic is exposed to sunlight, it produces methane and ethylene, which have a
detrimental effect.
• It has been determined that greenhouse gas emissions from the plastic lifecycle account for 3.8% of global
greenhouse gas emissions.
• Health- The toxic chemicals used to manufacture plastic gets transferred to animal tissue, eventually entering
the human food chain.
• Women are at larger risk of health complications due to a higher aggregate of exposure to plastic products.
• Water potability- Plastic production is causing deforestation and contaminating potable water.
What efforts were taken by the government?
• Amended Rules- The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India has notified
the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 and 2022.
• Promotion of alternatives- The Indian government has taken steps to promote innovation and create an
ecosystem for accelerated adoption and availability of alternatives across the country.
• Special teams- To ensure the effective enforcement of the ban, national and State-level control rooms and
special enforcement teams will be established to check the illegal use of single-use plastics.
• Border checkpoints- To prevent the movement of banned single-use plastic items between States and Union
Territories, border checkpoints have been established.
• Grievance redressal- In an effort to empower citizens to help curb the plastic menace, the Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB) has launched a grievance redressal application.
• Awareness campaign- The awareness campaign by the government has brought together entrepreneurs,
start-ups, industry, Governments, regulatory bodies, experts, citizen
organisations, R&D and academic institutions.
• UNEA resolution- India piloted a resolution on single-use plastics pollution at
4th United Nations Environment Assembly (2019) recognising the urgent need for
the global community to address the issue.
What does the amended rules say on single use plastics?
• Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021- The amendment basically aims to prohibit
identified single-use plastic items, having low utility and high littering potentials, by the year 2022.
• Thickness of plastic carry bags to be increased from 50 microns
o to 75 microns from 30th September, 2021
o to 120 microns from the 31st December, 2022
• Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022- The guidelines provide a framework to
o Strengthen the circular economy of plastic packaging waste,
o Promote the development of new alternatives to plastic packaging

o Provide the next steps for moving towards sustainable plastic packaging by businesses
• The ban will succeed only if all stakeholders participate enthusiastically and engage in effective engagement and
concerted actions.
• Plastic or PET bottles, counted among the most recyclable types of plastic, have been left out of the scope of the
ban.
• Almost 25 Indian States previously banned plastic at the state level but these bans had a very limited impact in
reality.
• The challenge is to see how the local level authorities will enforce the ban in accordance with the guidelines.
• Banned items such as earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, etc., are non-branded items and it
is difficult to find out who the manufacturer is and who is accountable for selling.
What is the need of the hour?
• Media Awareness- The consumer needs to be informed about the ban through advertisements, newspaper or
TV commercials, or on social media.
• Investment in R&D- In order to find sustainable alternatives, companies need to invest in research and
development.
• Greener alternatives- Greener alternatives such as compostable and bio-degradable plastic may be
considered as an option.
• Responsibility- The solution to the plastic pollution problem is not the responsibility of the government alone,
but of industries, brands, manufacturers and most importantly consumers.
9.4 Threats to Taj Mahal

Why in news?
The Supreme Court has directed the Agra Development Authority to stop all commercial activities within a 500-metre
radius of the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What is Taj Trapezium Zone?
• The emissions from industries near the Taj
Mahal are causing the white marble surface of
Taj Mahal to discolour.
• In order to protect the monument from
pollution, the central government had
demarcated a trapezoid shaped area of 10,400
sq. km around the Taj, called the Taj
Trapezium Zone (TTZ).
• TTZ is spread across Agra, Firozabad,
Mathura, Hathras and Etah district, and
Rajasthan's Bharatpur District.
• The TTZ comprises monuments including
three World Heritage Sites the Taj Mahal, Agra
Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
What is the TTZ case?
• Environmentalist M C Mehta had filed a
petition before the Supreme Court in 1984 to
take immediate measures to stop air pollution
within the TTZ to protect the Taj Mahal.
• He claimed that industries, foundries, vehicles
and the nearby Mathura petroleum refinery were releasing toxic gases like sulphur dioxide, which were harmful.
• In 1996, the Supreme Court in a landmark judgement in M.C. Mehta vs Union Of India & Ors, stated that the
atmospheric pollution in TTZ has to be eliminated at any cost.
• It banned the use of coal/ coke in industries located in the TTZ.

• It directed the 292 industries operating in the zone to switch to natural gas as industrial-fuel, or relocate from
their area.
How was the pollution after TTZ case?
• The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) report, 2010 found that despite various
government schemes, the iconic Taj Mahal continued to face a threat from water and air pollution.
• Though the creation of a bypass, improvements in power supply and reduction of diesel generators had a
positive impact, the emissions of nitrogen oxide and particulates had reached higher than the previous decade.
• The Yamuna water, contaminated with industrial discharge, sewage and solid waste, was also damaging the
monument as well.
• Other damages- The Taj Mahal has also become discoloured due to contamination of the Yamuna, which has
resulted in a loss of aquatic life.
• Now there is no sign of any aquatic species, which ate the insects and their larvae.
• This leads to insect and algae infestation of monuments situated on the river-bank.
9.5 Water Crisis: A Lead for Urban-Rural Dispute

Why in news?
Increasing trans-boundary transfer of water may result in increasing rural-urban dispute in the near future.
What is the status of water stress in India?
• In the 75 years since independence, the annual per capita availability of water
has declined by 75%.
• Global Drought Risk and Water Stress map (2019) highlights that the major
parts of India, particularly west and central parts of peninsular India are highly
water stressed.
• Composite Water Management Index (2018) released by the NITI Aayog highlights the worst water crisis in the
country, with more than 600 million people facing acute water shortages.
How India handles the water crisis?
• The typical response to handle these water crises includes transfer of water from the hinterlands/upper
catchments or drawing it from stored surface water bodies or aquifers.
• This triggers sectoral and regional competition002E
How water crisis will lead to urban-rural dispute?
• According to Census 2011, the urban population in India accounted for 34% of total
population distributed in 7,935 towns of all classes.
• World Urbanization Prospects (2018) estimated that the urban population in India
will cross the 40% mark by 2030 and 50% mark by 2050.
• Water use in the urban sector has increased as more and more people shift to urban
area.
• The per capita use of water in the urban centres is on the rise, which will continue to grow with improved
standards of living.
• The growth of the cities necessitates water supply from hinterlands.
• Thus, the allocation of urban water is enhanced at the expense of rural areas and the agriculture sector.
• Almost all cities in India that depend on surface water, experiences this trend and it has the potential to ignite
the rural-urban dispute.
• This will further be exacerbated by the Climate change.
• Also, in cities, most of this water is in the form of grey water with little recovery or reuse, eventually contributing
to water pollution.

How to overcome this challenge?

• A system perspective and catchment scale-based approach are necessary to link reallocation of water with wider
discussions on rural-urban partnership.
• Institutional strengthening will provide opportunities to build flexibility into water resource allocation at a
regional level, enabling adjustments in rapidly urbanising regions.
10. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
10.1 CRISPR: A Revolution in the field of Evolution

Why in news?
In the 10 years since it was developed, the genome editing technology called CRISPR has begun to deliver the near
unlimited potential to improve the quality of human life.
What is CRISPR?
• CRISPR stands for Clustered
Regularly Interspaced Short
Palindromic Repeats.
• CRISPR-Cas9 is the most
prominent technology that
enables to edit parts of the
genome by removing, adding or
altering sections of the DNA
sequence.
• The CRISPR-Cas9 system
consists of two key molecules
that introduce a change
mutation into the DNA.
1. Cas9- An enzyme that
acts as a pair of
‘molecular scissors’ that
can cut the two strands
of DNA at a specific
location in the genome.
2. Guide RNA (gRNA)- The gRNA is designed to find and bind to a specific sequence in the DNA.
• The Cas9 follows the guide RNA to the same location in the DNA sequence and makes a cut across both strands
of the DNA.
• At this stage, the cell recognises that the DNA is damaged and tries to repair it.
• The DNA repair machinery is used to introduce changes to one or more genes
in the genome of a cell of interest.
• The technology replicates a natural defence mechanism in some bacteria that
uses a similar method to protect itself from virus attacks.
What are the advantages of this technology?
• Faster and Cheaper- It is faster and cheaper than previous techniques of
editing DNA.
• High accuracy- Genetic engineering has made the work more accurate by
allowing scientists to have greater control on trait development.
• Viable compared to GMO- CRISPR technology proves viable against the criticisms of Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMO).
What are the applications?
• Health- CRISPR-Cas9 can act as a tool for treating a range of medical conditions that have a genetic
component, including cancer, hepatitis B or even high cholesterol.

• It was shown in mice that it is possible to shut down HIV-1 replication and even eliminate the virus from infected
cells.
• In sickle cell anaemia, a single gene mutation makes the blood sickle-
shaped, which can be reversed using gene editing technology.
• Some scientists are working to create sterile mosquitoes to prevent the
vector based transmission of diseases like Malaria.
• Agriculture- CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been used to optimize the
shape and size of the crops according to consumer preferences.
• CRISPR genome-editing technology opens new opportunities to engineer
disease resistance traits.
• Japan has already approved the commercial cultivation of a tomato variety that has been improved using
CRISPR-based intervention.
What are the issues with CRISPR technology?
• Ethical concerns- In 2018, a Chinese researcher’s disclosure of creating a ‘designer baby’ has caused
widespread concern in the scientific community.
• Biological concerns- Though the technology is not 100% precise and has the risk of causing mutations, side
effects and undesirable changes like antibiotic resistance.
• Genetic drive - Once the manipulated genes get transferred on to next generations, they become part of the
environment.
• Gene gap- CRISPR can be very expensive and get limited to those who can
afford it.
Where does India stand in the field of gene editing and CRISPR?
• India is at its infancy when it comes to genome editing.
• Research in gene editing is not so abundant but it is growing steadily.
• Although the funding for biology has been steadily growing, a lot of
investment is needed in infrastructure.
• India’s draft gene-editing rules allows genome-edited organisms
without any “foreign” genes to be subjected to a different regulatory process than the one applied to genetically
engineered products.
10.2 Modified PLI for Semiconductors

Why in news?
The Union Cabinet has recently approved modifications in the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for
manufacturing of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem.
What is a semiconductor?
• Semiconductor is made of silicon and gives computational power to devices.
• They are building blocks of almost every modern electronic device.
• Semiconductors having higher nanometre value are applied in automobiles, consumer electronics, etc.
• Semiconductors having lower values are used in devices such as smartphones and
laptops.
How is the Semiconductor industry so far?
• The chip-making process is complex and has multi-step supply chain.
• It involves chip-designing, development, software designing, patenting, making
chip-fabrication machines; setting up fabs or factories; and ATMP (assembly, testing,
marking and packaging).
• The big players in semiconductor industry are Taiwan, South Korea and the U.S.

What is the need for strong semiconductor ecosystem in India?

• Several sectors, including auto, telecom, and medical technology suffered due to the scarcity of chips
manufactured by only a few countries.
• The sudden surge in demand of chips and semiconductor components has underpinned the need to establish a
robust semiconductor ecosystem in India.
• Other factors that led major economies to enter the chip-making sector with a renewed push includes:
o The global chip shortage
o U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan
o The supply chain blockages owing to the Russia-Ukraine conflict
What are the changes to India’s chip-making scheme?
PLI and DLI scheme
• In December 2021, India announced its roughly $10 billion dollar Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme
to encourage semiconductor and display manufacturing in the country.
• It also announced fiscal support for a Design-Linked Initiative (DLI) scheme to drive global and domestic
investment related to design software, IP rights etc.
Modified scheme
• The new scheme encourages all areas of chip-making to create an
integrated ecosystem in India.
• The PLI and DLI schemes had attracted many global
semiconductor players for setting up fabs in India.
• The modified scheme also emphasised the production of the 45nm
chip, which is fairly less time-consuming and economical in terms
of production.
• The technology nodes of 45nm and above have high demand,
driven primarily by automotive, power and telecom applications and constitutes about 50% of the total
semiconductor market.
• Expensive - Chip production is a resource-intensive and expensive process.
• Shortage of funds – The industry requires more funding than the scheme provides sufficient enough to cover
all steps of the process.
• For example, setting up of one semiconductor fab requires an investment of anywhere between $3 and $7 billion
and the scheme outlay remains $10 billion.
• The initial funding – It should focus on areas like design and R&D, for which India already has an established
talent pool.
• Water intensive - Chip-making requires gallons of ultrapure water in a single day.
• Stable power supply - An uninterrupted supply of power is central to the process, with just seconds of
fluctuations or spikes causing millions in losses.
10.3 India needs Stronger Patent Ecosystem

Why in news?
The report ‘Why India Needs to Urgently Invest in its Patent Ecosystem?’ highlights the significance of granting
protection to incremental innovation through such utility patents.
What is the Indian Patents Act?
• The Indian Patents Act, 1970 was established on 20th April, 1972.
• This act has replaced the Indian Patents and Designs Act, 1911.
• The Ayyangar Committee Report headed by Justice N. Rajagopala Ayyangar recommended the
establishment of the said act.

• There were many major changes that were recommended.

• One of the major changes was the introduction of process patents with regard to medicines, drugs etc.
• In earlier times, patents were not granted to drugs and medicines.
• However, with the advent of Trade related aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) Agreement, certain major
amendments took place in the Patent Act, 1970.
• Section 3 of the Patents Act 1970 says about the inventions which are not patentable.
• Section 9(1) of the Patents Act provides that those applications accompanied by provisional specifications be
supported by complete specifications within one year.
• Section 21(1) requires patent applicants to re-file documents if the patent examiner finds them not meeting
the requirements.
What is the report about?
• The report is released by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).
• It highlights the rising share of residents in the total number of patent applications filed in India.
• The report emphasizes the importance of utility patents.
• It will help push innovation done in Atal Tinkering Labs and Atal Incubation Centres under the Atal Innovation
Mission.
• It will also contribute to incremental innovations done by start-ups and small-scale enterprises.
• Various countries in the world use this model and three million utility patents were filed across the world in
2020, it adds.
• What separates utility patents from normal patents is that they will be cheaper and will not require the strict
novelty and invention conditions as required by patent law.
• For the first time, the number of patent applications by residents has surpassed that of foreign applications.
• There is no fixed timeline for filing an opposition against any patent application, leading to delays.
• Concerns - The long pendency of processing patent applications in India.
• The manpower in the patent office needs to be increased from about 860 currently to 2,800 in the next two
years.
• Recommendation - Increasing the efficiency of processing patent applications will certainly improve the
patent ecosystem in the country.
• Connecting the dots will help in adopting innovative measures to improve
the patent ecosystem, in line with the National Innovation Ecosystem.
What is the status of abandoned applications?
• The total number of patent applications to the Indian patent office has
increased by 48% between 2010-11 and 2020-21, largely driven by
applications by residents.
• Interestingly, the number of abandoned patent applications also increased
at an astonishing rate during this period.
• The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, Trademarks and Geographical Indications (CGPDTM)
highlights that the share of applications rejected for not meeting the provisions of Sections 9(1) and 21(1) of the
Patents Act were on the rise.
• The share of such abandoned patents in the total number of patent applications soared from 13.6% in 2010-11
to 48% in 2019-20.
• Since the adoption of the National Intellectual Property Rights Policy 2016, a
lot of emphasis has been attached to the filing of patent applications.
• The higher education sector of India is rising in prominence in the
research and development spending and patenting landscape of India.
• The share of this sector in the gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD)
has increased from 5% in 2013 to 7% in 2018.

• The number of patent applications filed by the top 10 academic institutes and universities in India rose by more
than two times in four years.
• The higher education sector is increasingly focusing on the development component of R&D.
• In such a scenario it is expected that the collaboration between industry and academia will increase in the area
of R&D.
• However, the reverse is true in the case of India.
Why India does not perform well in the Global Innovation Index (GII)?
• The Global Innovation Index (GII) ranks world economies according to their innovation capabilities.
• It is prepared based on the score that each country gets under 80 indicators, industry-academia collaboration
is one of them.
• India’s score for this indicator has in fact declined over the last few years, from 47.8 in 2015 to 42.7 in 2021.
• Consequently, India’s ranking in this indicator in the GII declined from 48 to 65 during this period.
• However, India’s overall ranking in the GII improving from 81 in 2015 to 46 in 2021.
• The draft of the National Auto Policy 2018 (Draft) points out that collaboration between the industry and
academia in India has been limited to niche research areas that have low commercial significance.
• It also admits that innovations from India, originating from collaborative research projects, and implemented
and commercialised in the automotive space have been scarce.
• This is not confined to the automotive sector but is a phenomenon prevalent across most sectors in India.
• As the patent system is a critical aspect of the national innovation ecosystem, investing in the patent ecosystem
will help in strengthening the innovation capability of India.
• The right interventions should be made for the promotion of the quality of patent applications and collaboration
between academia and industry.
• India should consider introducing less stringent patent rights for “jugaad” innovations done by amateur
inventors.
• The new law should make it very clear that ‘utility patent’ is a separate patent category from the regular patents,
and does not dilute the rigour of the existing patenting system.
• India should establish Quality Management teams in the Patent Office to recruit and manage future
recruitments and compliance.
• India has to increase awareness related to Patent Filing among the enthusiastic population.
10.4 Flexible Fuel Vehicles

Why in news?
India’s first ‘flex fuel’ car, a Toyota sedan developed under the new pilot initiated as part of a government-led push to
carmakers for adopting alternative fuels is likely to be launched.
What is flex fuel vehicle (FFV)?
• Flex fuel, or flexible fuel, is an alternative fuel made of a combination of gasoline and methanol or ethanol.
• Flex fuel / flexible fuel vehicle has an internal combustion engine (ICE) that can run on more than one type of
fuel, or even a mixture of fuels.
• The most common versions can run on a blend of petrol and ethanol or methanol, 100% petrol or ethanol.
To know more about flex fuels, click here
How does FFV work?
• Flex fuel vehicles are similar to their conventional petrol-only counterparts, other than an ethanol-compatible
fuel system and a different powertrain (ECM) calibration.
• The engine is equipped with a fuel mix sensor and an engine control module (ECM) programming that senses
and automatically adjusts for any ratio of designated fuels.

• Modifications are made to the fuel pump and fuel injection system and the ECM is calibrated to accommodate
the higher oxygen content of ethanol.
What are the pros and cons of FFVs?
Pros
• The use of ethanol blending reduces harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulphur, and carbon and
nitrogen oxides.
• Also reduces the country’s dependence on oil imports for fueling vehicles.
Cons
• The fuel economy is generally lower with increased levels of ethanol.
• Over 90% of ethanol produced in the country came from sugarcane, a water
intensive crop.
What is the state of FFV technology in India?
• FFVs are commercially deployed in countries like Brazil, Canada and the US.
• The Union Ministry of Road transport and highways issued an advisory to carmakers to introduce Flex fuel
vehicles in 2021 to reduce import of fossil fuels.
• National Biofuel Policy 2018 envisaged a target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol by 2025.
• Besides ethanol, the Indian government is also focusing on using green hydrogen and other alternative fuels.
What India can learn from Brazil?
• Brazil is the biggest market and a leader in this segment.
• Brazil’s vehicle fleet has been equipped to adjust to the fuel mix of varying
degrees.
• With this, it has the ability to be flexible on the degree of the mix depending
on the crude prices, varying it when energy prices surge like just after the
Ukraine war.
• Brazil government provides subsidy to narrow the price gap of higher
ethanol blends.
• That is another factor that would have to be considered as India steps up its fuel blending plan.
11. INTERNAL SECURITY
11.1 The Popular Front of India

What is the issue?
The Popular Front of India (PFI) was declared as an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention
Act (UAPA) by the Centre.
What is the PFI?
• The Popular Front of India describes itself as a non-governmental organisation and a neo-social movement
striving for the empowerment of marginalized, deprived and oppressed sections of India.
• It was formed in 2007 by the merger of three Muslim groups — the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Kerala,
the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) and the Manitha Neethi Pasarai (MNP) in Tamil Nadu.
• Its head-quarter is at Delhi.
• The PFI expanded to States in the north, west, east and northeastern parts of the country by merging with
various other social organisations.
• The organisation has been described by Central agencies and the government as being a resurrection of the
banned outfit, Students Islamic Movement in India (SIMI).
• The PFI has various wings such as its women’s wing, student wing, political arm, an NGO and a think tank with
over 50,000 members.

What are the major cases involving PFI in the last decade?
• PFI has been on the radar of security agencies for its role in violent protests in different parts of the country
o Against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act
o Alleged forced conversions
o Radicalisation of Muslim youths
o Money laundering
o Disturbing communal harmony
o Links with banned groups
o Organising arms training camp
o Inciting people during the Delhi riots
• Current issue- Recently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested over 100 leaders and activists of
the Popular Front of India after raids in 15 States.
• The raids are related to Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (UAPA) cases registered against the body.
• The NIA was accompanied by officials of the Enforcement Directorate as PFI was alleged to mobilise funds
through well-organised networks in Gulf countries.
• In response to large-scale arrests of its leaders, the PFI organised a dawn to dusk hartal.
• Extremely provocative slogans and speeches formed part of the protest.
• It led to sporadic incidents of violence with police officers being attacked and inter-state buses being targeted.
• Involving in organising terror camps and encouraging youth to join terror activities could lead to a ban on the
organisation under anti-terror laws.
What does a ‘ban’ on an organisation mean?
• Declaration of an organisation- The UAPA gives powers to the government to declare an organisation an
“unlawful association” or a “terrorist organisation”.
• The UAPA defines “terrorist organisation” as an organisation listed in the Schedule to the UAPA, or an
organisation operating under the same name as an organisation so listed in the Schedule.
• Schedule 1 currently lists 42 organisations as terrorist organisations.
• The law states that an organisation shall be deemed to be involved in terrorism, if it,
o Commits or participates in acts of terrorism, or
o Prepares for terrorism, or
o Promotes or encourages terrorism, or
o Otherwise involved in terrorism
• Removal of an organisation from the Schedule- An application can be made to the central government
by the organisation itself or any person affected by inclusion of the organisation in the Schedule.
• A review committee which is headed by a sitting or former judge of a High Court is appointed to judicially review
the application.
What is a UAPA tribunal?
• Procedure- After the Centre’s declaration of an organisation as unlawful, its notification must reach the
tribunal within 30 days to adjudicate whether or not there is sufficient cause for the move.
• The tribunal then calls upon the association, by notice in writing, to show cause within 30 days why it should
not be declared unlawful.
• It then holds an inquiry and decides the matter within 6 months.
• Constitution- The tribunal consists of only one person, who has to be a High Court judge.
• The Centre will provide the necessary staff to the tribunal for the discharge of its functions.
• All expenses incurred for a tribunal are borne out of the Consolidated Fund of India.

What powers do the tribunal has?

• Regulation of own procedure- The tribunal has power to regulate its own procedure, including the place at
which it holds its sittings.
• It can hold hearings in different states for allegations pertaining to those states.
• Powers regarding inquiries- The tribunal has the same powers as vested in a civil court under the Code of
Civil Procedure, 1908, in matters of
o Summoning a witness and examining him on oath
o Production of any document or other material object producible as evidence
o Reception of evidence on affidavits
o Requisitioning of any public record from any court or office
o Issuing of any commission for the examination of witnesses
• All proceeding before the Tribunal are deemed to be judicial proceedings.
• Government notifications, with a few exceptions, have largely been confirmed by the tribunals.
What are the criticisms against the tribunal?
• Lack of transparency - Proceedings of the tribunal have been criticised for being opaque.
• The UAPA permits public non-disclosure of information on bans given the sensitivity involved.
• No access to defend - Often, the government gives evidence in sealed cover, leaving no opportunity for an
organisation to defend itself.
What are the consequences of such declaration?

• Association of individuals - The association of individuals with a terrorist organisation is punishable with
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.
• Exemption- If the individuals have been members before declaring it as terrorist organisation and did not take
part in any activities of the organisation at any time during its inclusion in the Schedule.
• UAPA prescribes punishment for
o Being member of terrorist gang or organisation
o Holding proceeds of terrorism.
• Funding - Funding a terrorist organisation is also criminalized under the UAPA Act.

11.2 The Anti-Maoist Greyhound Force

Why in news?
Despite contributing to the shrinking red zone, the elite anti-Maoist Greyhounds force has no base and training centre
in its own home – Andhra Pradesh.
How did the armed struggle begin in Andhra?
• Telangana Rebellion- The seed of the armed struggle was sown by the Telangana Rebellion of 1946 in the
undivided Andhra Pradesh.
• The peasant movement led by communist leaders rebelled against the feudal
lords of the Telangana region in the princely State of Hyderabad.
• The armed struggle ended in 1951, when the last of the guerilla squads was
subdued by police force.
• Srikakulam movement- The Srikakulam movement that began in 1967
inspired leaders such as Kondapalli Seetharamaiah and K.G. Satyamurthi in the
early 1980s.
• The movement grew in parts of Telangana due to oppression by feudal landlords and attempts by zamindars to
take over lands from tribals.
• Andhra Pradesh is one of the red corridor states that is under the influence of Left-Wing Extremists (LWE) or
Maoists.
Who are Greyhounds?
• The Greyhounds is an elite anti-Maoist force raised in 1989 by IPS
officer K.S. Vyas to combat the growing Maoist threat in Andhra
Pradesh.
• The members are well-trained in guerilla and jungle warfare.
• Members of the force cannot be over 35 years.
• Once they cross 35, they are drafted into the civil police until
retirement.
• This special police force became the root cause for the downfall of Left Wing Extremism in Andhra Pradesh.
• It also inspired to create other similar forces to fight the Maoists.
What is the issue now?
• The issue started after the bifurcation of Andhra
Pradesh in 2014.
• As per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, the
men and material of Greyhounds were to be shared
by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
• Since the training centres of the Greyhounds were
located in Hyderabad, the Act specified that Andhra
Pradesh would have to set up its own base and
training centre.
• The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet gave its nod for the
establishment of a full-fledged training centre-cum-
residential facility but there is no progress due t0
rehabilitation and resettlement issues.
What are the effects of Left wing extremism (LWE)?
• Frequent skirmishes have affected the security
forces.
• It has left many tribal civilians caught in the
crossfire.
• Human rights’ violations were reported in naxal
prone areas.

• It has added to the alienation among the poor in these areas.

• It also has its effect on the government exchequer.
• LWE widened the backwardness in terms of social and economic development.
• It affected the democratic setup by hindering the elections.
How can the issue be tackled?
• Tribal empowerment- Empowerment of tribal people and civil society activists to promote peace in these
areas.
• Utilizing the surrendered- Surrendered LWE cadre should be used for intelligence collection to the
maximum possible.
• Extension of welfare measures- The country’s best weapon against ultras is extending the welfare state to
areas it hasn’t quite reached.
• Retaining the faith in democracy- The government must act continually in winning over the support of
tribals and retain their faith in the liberal democratic institutions of the state.
11.3 Khalistan Referendum in Canada

Why in news?
The participation of Canadian Sikhs in the Khalistan Referendum seeking to carve out Punjab from India has become a
bone of contention in India-Canada relations.
What events were responsible for Khalistan movement?
• 1947 Partition of India- Partition of India left Sikhs in a lot of discontentment as their traditional lands were
lost to Pakistan.
• Punjabi Suba movement - A movement was
initiated in 1955 under Akali Dal, a Sikh dominated
political party.
• It seeked the re-organisation of Punjab along linguist
lines with division of the state into Punjabi and non-
Punjabi speaking areas.
• The State reorganisation commission rejected Akali
Dal’s demand for separate statehood.
• Trifurcation of Punjab- The Punjabi Suba
movement resulted in trifurcation of Punjab into
Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
• River water sharing- The sharing of waters of
Ravi-Beas and Sutlej between Punjab and Haryana
were the foundation on which the Khalistan dispute
was created.
What was the course of the movement?
• Evolution- The Khalistan movement is a Sikh nationalist movement that desired to create an independent
state for Sikh people inside the North-Western Republic of India.
• In early 1980s, the movement had emerged as a major separatist movement that was fed on arms under the
patronage of Pakistan’s ISI.
• Emergence of Bhindranwale- Bhindranwale emerged as the extremist voice of Sikhs and declared himself
as the protector and arbiter of Sikh rights.
• Operation Blue Star- Operation Blue Star was conducted to capture Bhindrawale in Harmandir Sahib
Complex, but the operation resulted in a strong anti-India sentiment.
• Killing of Indira Gandhi- The then PM Indira Gandhi was seen as an enemy of the Sikhs and two Sikh guards
of her killed her in 1984.
• Her killing was followed by wide-spread riots against the Sikhs across India fuelling more anti-India sentiment.

• At the present, Khalistan movement is dormant in India but gets ideological support from Sikhs living in
Canada, UK, USA and ISI of Pakistan.
What is the current happening in Canada?
• Recently, thousands of Canadian Sikhs took part in an unofficial voting exercise, the “Khalistan
referendum”.
• The unofficial referendum is a voting exercise that is being organised across several countries by the US-based
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organisation, which was banned in India in 2019.
• The referendum seeks to establish a consensus among Sikh communities to carve out a separate homeland called
Khalistan within the Indian state of Punjab.
• The group says that it would then approach the UN and other international human rights bodies with the
demand to re-establish Punjab as a nation state.
• Recently, a prominent Hindu temple was defaced by Canadian Khalistani extremists with anti-India graffiti in
an apparent hate crime.
• A similar referendum was held in London in November 2021.
What is the stand of both the governments?
• Canada- The Canadian authorities have defended this as an exercise in freedom of speech.
• India- The Indian foreign ministry has accused Canada of allowing extremists to carry out politically-motivated
exercises that are threat to the integrity of India.
• The Canadian government has reiterated that they respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, and
that they will not recognise the so-called referendum.
What is the history of Indians in Canada?
• Canada has a sizable Indian-origin population, making up among the world’s largest Indian diasporas.
• The immigrants from India account for at least 1.4% of the population of Canada.
• Canada is a preferred destination for higher education for many Indian students today, second only to the US.
• It is estimated on the basis of Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Canada (IRCC) report, around
60 - 65% of those applying to go to Canada are from Punjab.
• Some sections of the Punjabi Sikh community have also supported and funded the Khalistan separatist
movement.
• They have even hosted many individual Khalistani ideologues and extremists.
PRELIM BITS
12. HISTORY, ART & CULTURE
Shumang Leela
The 50th All Manipur Shumang Leela Festival 2021-2022 kicked off at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen at Palace
Compound in Imphal.
• Shumang Leela (courtyard play) is a Manipuri theatrical art form developed in the 19th-20th century.
• It descended from Lai Haraoba, a ritual of the Meitei community.
• Shumang leela is performed to live music by either an all-male cast (who play women’s roles too) or an all-
women cast (who play men’s roles too) called nupi shumang leela, and occasionally transgenders too.
• The Shumang Leela tries to preserve and promote humanity, tolerance, self-confidence, devotion, truth and
justice through its performances.

Nizam’s Sword
Nizam’s Sword is an item being set to return to India from the Glasgow Life museums.
• Nizam’s tulwar (sword) is a 14th century ceremonial sword of Indo-Persian
design possible from around 1350 CE.
• The sword is shaped like a snake. It has serrated edges and a damascene pattern,
with gold etchings of an elephant and tigers.
• The sword was exhibited by Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI, Nizam of Hyderabad
(1896-1911) at the 1903 Delhi or Imperial Durbar.
• The sword was purchased in 1905 by General Sir Archibald Hunter, Commander-in-Chief, Bombay Command,
from Maharaja Kishen Pershad Bahadur Yamin us-Sultanat (the Prime Minister of Hyderabad).
Ambedkar Circuit
The Union Ministry of Tourism announced a special tourist train to cover the “Ambedkar Circuit”.
• Ambedkar Circuit or Panchteerth was first proposed by the government in 2016.
• This tourist circuit is one of the 15 tourist circuits identified under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15.
• The Panchteerth would include
1. Janma Bhoomi - Ambedkar’s birthplace in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow;
2. Shiksha Bhoomi - the place in London where he stayed while studying in the UK;
3. Deeksha Bhoomi - the place in Nagpur where he embraced Buddhism;
4. Mahaparinirvan Bhoomi - the place of his demise in Delhi; and
5. Chaitya Bhoomi - the place of his cremation, in Mumbai.
• The idea behind the circuit is to attract tourists beyond the Dalit community, who mostly visit these places as a
pilgrimage.
• Related Links - Swadesh Darshan Scheme
• Similar Links - Eco-Circuits Projects, Rural Circuit, Gandhi Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Tourism related facilities
at Buddhist Sites
Mohenjo-daro
The recent spell of heavy rains and floods that ravaged large parts of Pakistan’s Sindh province has taken a heavy toll
on the archaeological site of Mohenjo-daro.
• Mohenjo-daro, a group of mounds and ruins, is a 5000-year-old archaeological site.
• It is located on the bank of the Indus River, northern Sindh province, southern Pakistan.
• Mohenjo-daro, which means ‘mound of the dead’, was one of the oldest cities of the world.
• Mohenjo-Daro was the largest city of the Indus Valley Civilization.
• Known to be a model planned city of the Indus Valley Civilisation, the houses here had Great Bath,
bathrooms, toilets and drainage system.
• The sheer size of the city, and its provision of public buildings and facilities, suggests a high level of social
organisation.
• The archaeological importance of the site was first recognized when archaeologist RD Banerji visited it in 1922,
one year after the discovery of Harappa.
• Mohenjo-daro was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980. But, it might be removed from the world
heritage list, if urgent attention towards its conservation and restoration is not given.
Buddhist Sites in Bandhavgarh

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered a treasure trove of ancient relics at the Bandhavgarh Tiger
Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

• In Bandhavgarh, the Buddhist caves and stupas, and Brahmi inscriptions discovered date back to the
2nd century.
• The Hindu temples date back to the 9th-11th centuries.
• The Varaha sculpture found here is the world’s largest Varaha sculpture dating back to the 9th-11th centuries.
• The time period of the findings covered the reigns of the kings Shri Bhimsena, Maharaja Pothasiri, and Maharaja
Bhattadeva.
• In Brahmi inscriptions, the ancient cities like Mathura and Kaushambi, Pavata (Parvata), Vejabharada and
Sepatanaairikaa were mentioned.
• Inscriptions are also in Nagari and Shankhalipi.
• Related Links - Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
Mahakaleshwar Temple
The Prime Minister is to inaugurate the Mahakaleshwar Corridor, constructed in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain.
• Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple is located in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
• As per Hindu mythology, the Mahakaleshwar temple was constructed by Lord
Brahma and is presently located alongside the holy river Kshipra.
• The temple in its present form was built by the Maratha general Ranoji Shinde in
1734 CE.
• The shrine is revered as one the 18 Maha Shaktia Peeth in India.
• The temple is three-storeyed, with the lingams of Mahakalesvara, Omkaresvara and
Nagachandresvara installed in the three levels.
• Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 jyotirlingas considered the most sacred abodes of Shiva.
• The collectorate office of Ujjain district manages the administration of the temple.
Hoysala Temples
The Union Culture Ministry announced that the Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura in Karnataka
are India’s official nominations for the UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2022-2023.
• The Hoysala Temple is also known as the Hoysaleswara temple or ‘Halebidu’ temple.
• It is said to be the largest monument in Halebidu, a town in Karnataka and erstwhile capital of the Hoysala
Empire.
• This 12th-century temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva, was sponsored by King Vishnuvardhana.
• This temple shows a basic Dravidian style, but also show a strong influence of ‘Bhumija’, which is seen in central
India, along with ‘Nagara’ traditions of northern and western India.
• The temple follows the Shaivism tradition, but includes themes from Vaishnavism and Shaktism, too, along with
images from Jainism.
• The sculptures inside the temple depict scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana.
• In the 14th century, Halebidu was plundered by the Delhi Sultanate, which resulted in its ruin and neglect.
• The temples are protected monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which takes care of their
conservation and maintenance.
Sittanavasal
The Archaeological Survey of India has undertaken conservation measures as much of the art in Sittanavasal are
either damaged or vandalized.
• Sittanavasal is a small village in Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu.
• It was a major centre of Jain influence for 1,000 years just before the Christian era.
• Sittanavasal houses

1. Arivar Kovil (temple of Arihats - Jains who conquered their senses),

2. Ezhadipattam (a cavern with 17 polished rock beds),
3. Navachunai tarn (small mountain lake) with a submerged shrine,
4. Megalithic burial sites.
• Of the 20 cave temples in Pudukottai district, Sittanavasal is the only Jain temple with sculptures.
• Sittanavasal is the only place in Tamil Nadu that houses Pandya paintings.
• The artwork on the ceiling of the sanctum and the ardha mandapam of Arivar Kovil is an early example of post-
Ajanta cave paintings of the 4th to 6th centuries.
• These artworks were done using the fresco-secco technique (a process that dispenses with preparation of
the wall with wet plaster).
• The ceiling paintings show ‘bhavyas’ (exalted souls who work to achieve moksha) enjoying themselves in a pool,
full of blooming lotuses.
• The pillars of the verandah (added by the Maharaja of Pudukottai at the instance of then Diwan Alexander
Tottenham in the 1900s), were brought from Kudumiyanmalai.
• Jainism in the region exist from the 1st to 10th centuries.
• Sittanavasal remains an important place to study the history of the Jain religion as the inscriptions in Brahmi
and ‘vattaezhuthu’, from the third century AD have been discovered here.
• Early Tamil inscriptions from the ninth century AD of the Jain monk Ilan-Gautaman, are found inside the
complex.
Arattupuzha Velayudha
• Arattupuzha Velayudha was born into a well-off family of merchants in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.
• He challenged the domination of upper castes or ‘Savarnas’ and brought about changes in the lives of both men
and women and was known as the Morning Star of the Kerala Renaissance.
• Arattupuzha’s role in initiating social reforms - He built two temples in the villages of Arattupuzha and
Thanneermukkom dedicated to the lord Shiva, in which members of all castes and religions were allowed entry.
• In 1858, he led Achippudava Samaram strike at Kayamkulam (Alappuzha) to earn women belonging to
Kerala’s oppressed groups their right to wear a lower garment that extended beyond the knees.
• In 1859, this was extended into the Ethappu Samaram strike, the struggle for the right to wear an upper
body cloth by women belonging to backward castes.
• In 1860, he led the Mukkuthi Samaram at Pandalam, for the rights of lower-caste women to wear ‘mukkuthi’
(nose-ring), and other gold ornaments.
• Apart from issues related to women, Arattupuzha also led the first-ever strike by agricultural labourers in Kerala,
the Karshaka Thozhilali Samaram, which was successful.
• He also established the first Kathakali Yogam (area-based schools for the classical dance form Kathakali) for
the Ezhava community in 1861.
• Panicker was murdered by a group of upper-caste men in 1874 at the age of 49. This makes him the ‘first
martyr’ of the Kerala renaissance.
Nangeli
• Nangeli was an Ezhava woman who is said to have lived in the 19th century in Alappuzha, Kerala.
• Nangeli is believed to have cut off her breasts to protest the ‘breast tax’ imposed by the Kingdom of Travancore
on women belonging to lower castes.
Kayamkulam Kochunni
• He is a Robin Hood-like figure in 19th century Alappuzha.
• The stories about him are an integral part of Kerala’s folklore.
• A shrine is dedicated to him at Kozhencherry in the Pathanamthitta district, and a small museum at Varanapalli
in his native Kayamkulam.

13. GEOGRAPHY
‘Triple dip’ La Nina

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology confirmed the occurrence of the ‘Triple dip’ La Niña phenomenon.
• La Niña weather pattern is one of the three phases of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
• La Niña is caused by large-scale cooling of the ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial
Pacific Ocean.
• La Niña is also the opposite of the widely-known El Niño, which only occurs when the Pacific Ocean water is
higher than normal.
• ‘Triple dip’ La Niña phenomenon means that the La Niña phenomenon has occurred for the third consecutive
year in the Pacific Ocean.
• The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) had stated that it is exceptional to have three consecutive years
with a la Niña event.
• Its cooling influence is temporarily slowing the rise in global temperatures
- but it will not halt or reverse the long-term warming trend.
• The WMO has stated that this phenomenon would last until at least the end
of the year, and for the first time this century, span 3 consecutive northern
hemisphere winters to become a ‘triple dip’ La Nina.
• Reasons for ‘Triple dip’ La Nina - The continuing La Nina may be good
for India but not for some other countries.
• Under climate change conditions, one must expect more such instances.
• El Niño has been associated with rising heatwaves and extreme temperatures, such as in parts of the US, Europe
and China recently.
• India’s Northeast monsoon rainfall remained subdued during past La Niña events, but the 2021 monsoon is an
exception in recent years.
• In 2021, the southern Indian peninsula experienced its wettest recorded winter monsoon since 1901, receiving
a whopping 171% surplus of rainfall between October and December.
Super Typhoon Hinnamnor

The Super Typhoon ‘Hinnamnor’ has been barreling across the western Pacific Ocean and is presently hurtling back
towards the islands of Japan and South Korea, packing wind speeds of upto 241 kmph.
• The Super Typhoon ‘Hinnamnor’ is the strongest tropical
storm of 2022.
• It is the category 5 typhoon - the highest classification on
the scale.
• As it inches towards the Japanese islands, the typhoon is
expected to develop further.
• The storm is expected to move towards parts of
Southwestern Japan, Eastern China and South Korea over
the next few days.
• While the effects of the typhoon aren’t expected to be felt as
intensely in China and Taiwan, heavy rains have been
predicted across South Korea.
• Reason for the typhoon intensifying - One of the
factors contributing to the Super Typhoon rapidly
intensifying and expanding is the fact that it has started
absorbing other local meteorological systems.
• Warm tropical waters and other pre-existing meteorological
disturbances have led to the system’s escalation.

Megadrought
A megadrought in the US state of Texas has unveiled the footprints of Acrocanthosaurus, an ancient dinosaur that
lived 113 million years ago.
• The Mega droughts are characterized by prolonged periods of dryness that span more than two decades.
• Within that period, there may be occasional better, wet, years, but the respite is brief.
• The dryness soon returns and drought maintains its long-term grip.
• Long before human industry, water availability ebbed and flowed
naturally. But, that variability has been intensified by the climate
crisis.
• Facts - Soil moisture deficits doubled in the last 22 years compared
with levels in the 1900s.
• Human-caused warming accounted for a 42% increase in severity.
• Worryingly, the west is experiencing a point on an upward trajectory.
• Researchers have found the evidence for the megadroughts in the
annual growth rings in the trunks of ancient trees. Rings that are close together are a sign of stunted growth.
Rule Curve
The Rule Curve for Mullaperiyar Dam comes into effect between June 10 and November 30, during which the dam
gets maximum inflows from the South West Monsoon.
• Rule Curve is a tabulation that specifies quantum of storage of water or empty
space to be maintained in a reservoir during different times of a year, based on the
rainfall data for 35 years.
• The rule curve also decides on fluctuating storage levels of the reservoir.
• It is also the deciding factor on the opening of the reservoir gates.
• The rule curve is set by the Central Water Commission and during the monsoon, the number is fixed every
10 days once, based on the water level present.
• It helps in decision-making for officials in charge of the dam, for smooth operation of shutters, especially for
moderation of flood, during monsoon times without permission from the top hierarchical ladder.
Thermokarst Lake
Newly formed thermokarst lakes in Alaska are releasing methane bubbles.
• Methane is the primary contributor for formation of ground-level ozone and a hazardous air pollutant.
• It is a greenhouse gas and 80 times more powerful at warming than carbon dioxide.
• It has a shorter atmospheric lifetime than carbon dioxide, methane is responsible for 30% rise in global
temperatures.
• Formation of Thermokarst Lakes - In Alaska, new lakes are emerging due to
permafrost and release of methane into the atmosphere like Big Trail Lake.
• Permafrost can also form under-lake chimneys that allow methane to escape from
underground.
• When ice melts the surface collapses and forms a sinkhole that is filled with water,
creating a thermokarst lake.
• The methane bubbles emerging from these newly formed lakes are caused by
microbial activity.
• The microbes digest the dead plants and organic matter in the frozen ground, which produces carbon dioxide
and methane.
• As it is a flammable gas by lighting the collected gas sample from the lake we can test if the lake is emitting
methane or not.
• These types of lakes are abundant in the Arctic where the lakes are hundreds or thousands of years old.

Floating Gas Terminals

As winter nears, European nations have embraced a short-term fix to replace the natural gas they once bought from
Russia by opening a series of roughly 20 floating terminals.
• The floating terminals are essentially liquefied gas tankers that can return the fuel to its gas state themselves,
which means a complete port is not required.
• These floating terminals would receive liquefied natural gas from other
countries and convert it into heating fuel.
• Some scientists warn that these terminals would perpetuate Europe’s reliance
on natural gas, which releases climate-warming methane and carbon dioxide
when it’s produced, transported and burned.
• The floating terminals will end up becoming a long-term supplier of Europe’s
vast energy needs that could last years, if not decades.
• Such a trend could set back emission-reduction efforts that experts say have not moved fast enough to slow the
damage being done to the global environment.
Cameroon Volcanic Line

A sudden change in the colour and smell of Lake Kuk, in north-west Cameroon, has caused panic among the locals.
Fears are driven by an incident that happened 36 years ago at Lake Nyos.
• Both Lake Kuk and Nyos are crater lakes located in a region of volcanic activity known as the Cameroon
Volcanic Line.
• The Cameroon volcanic line consists of a string of volcanoes that extend from the Atlantic Ocean
into Republic of Cameroon.
• The current period of volcanic activity started approximately 38 Ma ago and extends to the present.
• The volcanoes here cross the oceanic-continental boundary.
• The rocks of this volcanic line range in composition from picro-basalt and basalt through intermediate
compositions to phonolite and rhyolite.
• Silica saturated rocks are largely confined to the continental portion of the province.
• Incidents - Around 36 years ago, Lake Nyos emitted lethal gases (mainly carbon dioxide) that was released
from the Earth’s mantle.
• This carbon dioxide gas had been accumulating at the bottom of the lake for centuries.
• Two years earlier, Lake Monoum, about 100km south-west of Lake Nyos, killed 37 people.
• There are 45 crater lakes in the Cameroon volcanic line that could contain lethal amounts of gases.
• Other lakes around the world that pose a similar threat include Lake Kivu at the border of Rwanda and the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Ngozi in Tanzania and Lake Monticchio in Italy.
Ghost Islands of the Arctic

A ‘Ghost Island’ Qeqertaq Avannarleq in the Arctic discovered in 2021 has been found to be a "dirty iceberg."
• ‘Qeqertaq Avannarleq’ - Greenlandic for “the northern most island” was small and gravelly island.
• It was previously thought to be the northernmost piece of land in the world. However, this island disappeared
recently.
• Just north of Cape Morris Jesup, several other small islands had been discovered over the decades, and then
they disappeared.
• Reasons - Researchers founded that these elusive islands are actually large icebergs grounded at the sea
bottom.
• These icebergs likely came from a nearby glacier, where other newly calved icebergs, covered with gravel from
landslides, were ready to float off.

Avalanche Monitoring Radar

An avalanche monitoring radar has been installed in North Sikkim by the Army and Defence Geoinformatics and
Research Establishment (DGRE), a lab under the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
• The first-of-its-kind Avalanche Monitoring Radar has been set up at an altitude of 15,000 feet in North Sikkim.
• The radar has the capability to detect avalanches within 3 seconds of its trigger in the super high altitude
areas.
• This radar can also be employed to detect landslides.
• The radar can see through snow, fog as well as in the night, making it an all-
weather solution.
• Working - The radar uses a series of short micro wave pulses, which are
scattered at the target and can detect an avalanche.
• The radar can permanently scan the targeted slope for avalanche release and
track the path of the avalanche and its size in case it is triggered.
• It covers an area of 2 sq.km, obviating the requirement to place additional instruments in dangerous avalanche-
prone areas.
• The radar is also linked to an alarm system, enabling automatic control and warning measures in case an
avalanche is triggered.
• Images and videos of the event are automatically recorded for future analysis by experts.
Vizhinjam Port Project

The fisherfolk is demanding to stop the construction of Vizhinjam International Seaport project. According to
fisherfolk, the port work has aggravated the coastal erosion along the coast of Thiruvananthapuram.
• Vizhinjam is an all-weather port that lies south of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It is the international shipping
line just one nautical mile off Vizhinjam coast.
• Vizhinjam International deep water Multipurpose Seaport is a Greenfield port. It is known as the ‘Port of
the Future.’
• The Kerala Government has formed a separate company, viz. Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL)
as a special purpose Government company (fully owned by Kerala Government) to develop the port.
• Advantages of Vizhinjam - Availability of 20m contour within one nautical mile from the coast.
• Minimal littoral drift along the coast, hardly any maintenance dredging required.
• Links to national/regional road, rail network.
• Flexibility in design and expansion being a Greenfield project.
• Proximity to International shipping route.
• Significance - The Vizhinjam port is located on the southern tip of the Indian Peninsula.
• It is just 10 nautical miles from the major international sea route and east-west shipping axis, and with a natural
water depth of more than 20 m within a nautical mile from the coast.
• It has more advantages compared to Colombo port and if developed can harbour even Panamax class and
futuristic vessels. It also satisfies the physical and hydrographical parameters of modern seaports.
Hanle Dark Sky Reserve

An MoU was signed among the Union Territory administration, the Ladakh
Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, and the Indian Institute of
Astrophysics, Bengaluru for launching the Dark Space Reserve.
• The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has announced the setting
up of India’s first dark sky reserve at Hanle village in Ladakh, as a part of
Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
• The dark sky reserve will also be known as the ‘Night Sky Sanctuary’.

• It will be one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, gamma ray and infrared telescopes.
• Designation - The International Dark Sky Association (U.S.-based non-profit) designates places as
International Dark Sky Places, parks, sanctuaries and reserves, depending on the criteria they meet.
• In 1993, Michigan became the first state in the United States to designate a tract of land at the Lake Hudson
State Recreation Area as a "Dark Sky Reserve".
• Several such reserves exist around the world but none so far in India.
• Related Links - Study on Astronomical Observatories
Hanle
• Hanle is regarded as one of the world’s most optimal sites for astronomical observations.
• The cloudless skies and low atmospheric water vapour make it one of the world’s best sites for optical, infrared,
sub-millimetre, and millimetre wavelengths.
• Advantages - More clear nights, minimal light pollution, background aerosol concentration, uninterrupted
monsoon, extremely dry atmospheric conditions.
• The site will help in boosting astro-tourism, local tourism and economy through interventions of science and
technology.
• But, ensuring that the site remains well-suited for astronomy implies
1. Keeping the night-sky pristine, or
2. Ensuring minimal interference to the telescopes from artificial light sources such as electric lights and
vehicular lights from the ground.
• The Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) located at Hanle is one of the promising observatory sites globally.
• The prominent telescopes located at the Hanle observatory are
1. Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT),
2. High Energy Gamma Ray telescope (HAGAR),
3. Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment Telescope (MACE) and
4. GROWTH-India.
Indian Astronomical Observatory
• Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) is the high-altitude station of Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
• The IAO is operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore.
• It is situated to the north of Western Himalayas, atop Mt. Saraswati in the Nilamkhul Plain in the Hanle Valley
of Changthang. It is a dry, cold desert with sparse human population.
Gogra-Hotsprings Area
India and China armies have begun to disengage from Patrolling Point-15 (PP-15) in the Gogra-Hotsprings area of
Eastern Ladakh.
• The two armies are likely to set up a “buffer zone” or “no-patrolling” area at Patrolling Point 15 as they did in
other friction points.
• This disengagement would mark a step forward to end the standoff
ongoing since May 2020.
• Friction points - PP15 in Hot Springs and PP17A near Gogra Post were
among the four friction points between India and China.
• The other two friction points are PP14 in Galwan Valley and the north
bank of Pangong Tso.
• Gogra-Hotsprings Area - Both PP-15 and PP17A are close to Chang
Chenmo River in Galwan in eastern Ladakh.
• They are located north of Karakoram Range of mountains, and southeast of Galwan Valley.
• Related Links - PP15 and PP17A, Pangong Tso, Bridge China

Machilipatnam Seaport
The seaport proposed at Machilipatnam in Krishna district got Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance from the
National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management recently.
• Machilipatnam or Masulipatnam or Bandar is located in
Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh.
• Machilipatnam is a municipal corporation and the
administrative headquarters of Krishna district.
• The ancient port town served as the settlement of
European traders from the 16th century, and it was a major
trading port for the Portuguese, British, Dutch and French in
the 17th century.
• The foundation for the Machilipatnam Seaport was laid in
2008.
• It is a proposed deep sea port on the coast of Bay of Bengal.
• It is located 65 km from the trading hub of Vijayawada.
• The Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB) has planned to
build the Port in two phases.
• Related Links - Coastal Regulation Zone Regime
Vembanad Lake
Vembanad Lake is shrinking and its unique biodiversity is under threat of ecological decay.
• Vembanad Lake is also known as Punnamada Lake, Kochi Lake, Vembanad Kayal and Vembanad Kol.
• It is one of the largest lakes in Kerala and the longest lake in the country.
• It is the second largest wetland system in India after the Sunderbans in West Bengal.
• The lake has its source in four rivers, Meenachil, Achankoil, Pampa and Manimala.
• The lake lays right by the Arabian Sea, with a narrow reef separating it from the sea.
• Geographical Features in the Lake-Pathiramanal Island or the Midnight sands is an island in the Lake.
• The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the east coast of the lake.
• In 2019, Willingdon Island, a seaport located in the city of Kochi, was carved out of Vembanad Lake.
• The 1252 m long saltwater barrier, Thanneermukkom, was built to stop saltwater intrusion into Kuttanad.
• The Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Vallam Kali) is a Snake Boat Race hosted in the lake every year in the month of
August.
• Recognition - The government of India has recognised the wetland under the National Wetlands Conservation
Programme.
• In 2002, it was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar
Convention.
• Threats - The lake is facing serious environmental degradation due to
1. Recurring floods,
2. Unauthorised constructions on its banks,
3. Increased pollution,
4. Reduction in water spread area and
5. Increased weed growth.

14. POLITY
Mary Roy Case

Educator and women’s rights activist Mary Roy, who was the mother of Man Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati
Roy, has passed away.
• The “Mary Roy” case was the prolonged legal battle that ensured equal property rights for women from Kerala’s
Syrian Christian families.
• In 1983, Mary Roy was denied equal rights to her deceased father’s property. Therefore, Mary Roy sued her
brother under Article 32 of the Constitution.
• Under the Travancore Succession Act 1917, women belonging to the Syrian Christian community had no right
to inherit property.
• The petition filed before the Supreme Court by Mary Roy said that the Travancore
Succession Act 1917 violated Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution by discriminating
on the basis of gender.
• The key question before the Supreme Court was whether, in territories that once a
part of the erstwhile Travancore state, matters of intestate succession to the property
of Indian Christians were governed by
1. By the Travancore Christian Succession Act 1917 (deals with the succession
rights of Syrian Christians in the Travancore and Cochin provinces), or
2. By the Indian Succession Act 1925.
• In its 1986 judgment, the Supreme Court upheld the supremacy of the Indian Succession Act, 1925.
• It said that in case the deceased parent has not left a will, the succession will be decided as per the Indian
Succession Act, 1925.
• This will also apply to the Indian Christians in the erstwhile Travancore state.
• The verdict put an end to the socially-sanctioned practice in Syrian Christian families to deny women their
rightful share in inheritance.
SC Bench Strength and The Binding Nature of its Judgments

A Constitution Bench has recently decided that a decision delivered by a Bench of largest strength is binding on any
subsequent Bench of lesser or coequal strength.
• The Supreme Court stated that the majority decision of a bench of larger strength would prevail over the decision
of a bench of lesser strength, irrespective of the number of judges constituting the majority.
• It is the strength of the Bench and not number of Judges who have taken a particular view which is said to be
relevant.
• However, a Bench of lesser quorum cannot disagree or dissent from the view of law taken by a Bench of larger
quorum.
• Quorum means the bench strength which was hearing the matter.
Process of Inclusion or Exclusion from the ST List

The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to add several tribes to the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in States such as
Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.
• Recent change - The communities approved for inclusion in the ST list are
1. The Hatti tribe in the Trans-Giri area of Himachal Pradesh,
2. The hill tribes of Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran of Tamil Nadu,
3. The Binjhia community in Chhattisgarh and
4. The Gond community in certain districts of Uttar Pradesh.

• Most of these communities had been either included in the list of Scheduled Castes (SC) or Most Backward
Classes till now.
• Process - The process of adding or removing a community from SC or ST lists begins at the level of the
concerned State or UT.
• A State government may choose to recommend certain communities for addition or subtraction from the list of
SCs/STs based on its discretion.
• Following this, the proposal to include or remove any community from the Scheduled List is sent to the Union
Ministry of Tribal Affairs from the concerned State government.
• After this, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, through its own deliberations, examines the proposal, and sends it to
the Registrar General of India (RGI).
• Once approved by the RGI, the proposal is sent to the National Commission for SCs or National Commission
for STs.
• Following this, the proposal is sent back to the Union government, which after inter-ministerial deliberations,
introduces it in the Cabinet for final approval.
• After this, a bill will be introduced to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the
Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950. This has to be passed by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
• After the bill has been passed, the President has to assent for the inclusion or exclusion of any community in the
ST or SC lists.
• The final decision rests with the President’s office issuing a notification specifying the changes under powers
vested in it from Articles 341 and 342.
• Criteria to begin the process - To establish whether a community is a ST, the government looks at several
criteria, including
1. Its ethnological traits,
2. Traditional characteristics,
3. Distinctive culture,
4. Geographical isolation and
5. Backwardness.
• However, the Supreme Court said it wanted to fix fool-proof parameters to determine if a person belongs to a
ST and is entitled to the benefits due to the community.
• It said the judiciary was no longer sure about an “affinity test” used to sift through distinct traits to link a person
to a tribe.
• There is the likelihood that contact with other cultures, migration and modernisation would have erased the
traditional characteristics of a tribe.
Data
• According to the STs in India as revealed in Census 2011, there are said to be 705 ethnic groups listed as STs
under Article 342.
• Over 10 crore Indians are notified as STs, of which 1.04 crore live in urban areas.
• The STs constitute 8.6% of the population and 11.3% of the rural population.
15.GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS & SCHEMES
Khader Committee
Recently, the second report of the M.A. Khader committee on school education was handed over to the government.
• The M.A. Khader committee on school education was set up by the government against the backdrop of
the Right to Education Act to study various aspects of school education from preschool to higher secondary.
• Changes to Schools - The committee has recommended a change in school timings from 8 am to 1 pm.

• Primary section to comprise Classes 1 to 7 and secondary section

to comprise Classes 8 to 12.
• The main recommendation was to unify the classes from first
through tenth, higher secondary and vocational higher secondary
departments under one directorate.
• Other recommendations supplementing the unification included
1. The appointment of the Principal as the School Head for
the Higher Secondary Schools and
2. Renaming High School Head Master as the Vice Principal.
• The Principal will be assisted by Vice-principal.
• Teacher training - It recommends a comprehensive change in teacher training to address the second
generation challenges of education.
• It suggests a five-year integrated PG course that includes a teacher qualification and specialisation course that
is intended to equip teachers with the changes in the world of education.
• The report calls for timely changes in approaches to learning so as to imbibe progressive thoughts academically
and socially.
• Medium of Instruction - School education phase should be in the mother tongue.
• Since English was important for flow of information, study of English in schools had to make significant strides.
• The study of languages such as Hindi, Arabic, Urdu, and Sanskrit too had to improve.
• Shift - The report stresses the need for a shift from evaluation to assessment. Evaluation at present was a
mechanical exercise.
• Without a change in this, no fundamental changes were possible in the education sector. Students should
become free of examination fear.
PARAKH
The Central Government is planning to draw up a benchmark framework ‘PARAKH’ to assess students at the
secondary and higher secondary level to bring about “uniformity” across state and central boards.
• Currently, the Centre and the states follow different standards of evaluation. This is leading to wide disparities
in marks.
• Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH)
will standardise the ‘benchmark framework’ to bring uniformity across state and central boards.
• PARAKH will also aim to do away with rote learning, as mentioned in the New Education Policy (NEP)
2020.
• It is also being set up to oversee the process and conduct periodic tests like the National Achievement Survey
(NAS) and State Achievement Surveys.
• The proposed regulator PARAKH will act as a constituent unit of the National Council of Educational Research
and Training (NCERT).
• Objectives - PARAKH will be
1. Setting norms, standards and guidelines for student assessment and evaluation for all recognised school
boards of India, and
2. Encouraging and helping school boards to shift their assessment patterns towards meeting the skill
requirements of 21st century.
• PARAKH may conduct the first NAS by 2024.
• PARAKH will eventually become the national single-window source for all assessment-related information and
expertise, with a mandate to support learning assessment in all forms, both nationally internationally.

Vigyan Ratna
The Centre has decided to do away with over 250 awards given to scientists and medical researchers. This comes as
delayed-release grants and student fellowships already haunt the research community.
• There is a recommendation to close down a few awards, reducing the number of awards to few important ones
and reconstituting some of the important national awards.
• Further, the home secretary recommended setting up Vigyan Ratna, a “Nobel Prize-like award.”
Operation Megh Chakra

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches across India, as part of a pan-India drive against the
circulation and sharing of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
• The Operation Megh Chakra was carried out following the inputs from Interpol’s Singapore special unit.
• The Operation Carbon is also a similar exercise conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
• The CBI is the nodal agency for the Interpol, which has an International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) image
and video database.
• The database allows investigators from member countries to share data on cases of child sexual abuse.
• CBI has also constituted a special unit called Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention/
Investigation (OCSAE) in 2019.
• The agency will investigate matters pertaining to online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
WEST - I-STEM Initiative

Recently, a new I-STEM (Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map) initiative called Women in
Engineering, Science, and Technology (WEST) was launched.
• The WEST programme will cater to women with a STEM background and empower them to contribute
to the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem.
• Through the WEST initiative, I-STEM shall provide a separate
platform to women researchers, scientists, and technologists for
pursuing research in basic or applied sciences in areas of science
and engineering.
• Women may join the WEST program and become stakeholders in
various domains and pursue careers in R&D at various
levels: technicians, technologists, scientists, and
entrepreneurs.
• Opportunities range from operating scientific equipment and
maintaining them, to designing and manufacturing them.
• Implementation - A dedicated team of women will ensure the
successful implementation of the WEST initiative.
• Related Links - Indian Science, Technology and Engineering Facilities Map (I-STEM)
National List of Essential Medicines 2022

The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) 2022 was released after revising the NLEM 2015.
• The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) was first formulated in 1996
by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• It is framed on the lines of the Essential Medicines List (EML) released by the
WHO.
• The NLEM is revised on a regular basis considering the changing public
health priorities as well as advancement in pharmaceutical knowledge.
• The NLEM was revised thrice in 2003, 2011 and 2015, before 2022.
• It promotes prescription by generic names and the list may also include drugs
that are still under patent.

• The NLEM 2022 has 384 drugs across 27 categories, after 34 new drugs were
added to the list and 26 drugs from the previous list have been dropped.
The Process for Addition and Elimination
• Adding the drugs to the list - For inclusion in the NLEM list, the drugs have to
be useful in treating diseases that are a public health problem in India.
• They have to be licensed/ approved by the Drugs Controller General of India
(DCGI).
• They also must have proven efficacy, a safety profile based on scientific evidence,
comparatively cost effective, and aligned with the current treatment guidelines.
• They have to be recommended under the National Health Programs of India.
• When more than one medicine is available from the same therapeutic class, a prototype that is the best-suited
medicine of that class is included.
• Besides this, the price of the total treatment is considered and not the unit price of a medicine.
• Fixed dose combinations are usually not included.
• Eliminating the drugs from the list - A medicine is deleted from the list,
1. If it is banned in India;
2. If there are reports of concerns on the safety profile and
3. If a medicine with better efficacy and is cheaper is available.
• If the disease, for which a particular medicine is recommended, is no longer a national health concern, the drug
is taken off the list.
• In case of antimicrobials, if the resistance pattern has rendered an antimicrobial ineffective, it is removed from
the NLEM.
Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative

The National e-Governance Division (NeGD), MeitY organises 30th Batch of Chief Information Security Officers’
(CISOs) Deep Dive Training Programme under Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative.
• The Cyber Surakshit Bharat aims to ensure awareness about cybercrime and adequate safety measures for Chief
Information Security Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all government departments.
• The purpose of the Cyber Surakshit Bharat is to spread awareness, build capacity as well as enable government
departments on steps that need to be taken to create a resilient IT set up.
• It is alleged that the education institutions influence the peer review teams.
Child Welfare Committee Norms

The Union Government introduces new rules for Child Welfare Committee panel members and Chairpersons.
• Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection Amendment) Model Amendment Rules 2022 was implemented recently.
• It bars a person associated with an organisation receiving foreign funds to be a Chairperson or member of the
Child Welfare Committees (CWC).
• The rules also says that any person working in the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 in any NGO
or organisation will also be ineligible to be on a CWC.
• It adds that those who have “any family member” or “close relation” working for an NGO will also be disqualified
to be on a CWC.
• A person representing someone running a child care institution or member of the Board or Trust of any NGO
can also not be on a CWC.
• Retired judicial officers have also been omitted from the category of persons who can be considered for
appointment to a CWC.
Child Welfare Committees
• CWCs are constituted by the State government under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.

• It was tasked with giving necessary directions for care and protection of children who are abused, exploited,
abandoned or orphaned.
• It can also order an inquiry to ensure their safety and well-being and give an order for their rehabilitation either
in family-based care such as through restoration to family or guardian, adoption, foster care or send them to
child care institutions.
• According to the JJ Act, 2015, the CWC will function as a Bench.
• It shall have the powers conferred by the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 on a Metropolitan Magistrate or a
Judicial Magistrate of First Class.
• But, experts opined that these rules will reduce the pool of human resource available for appointments to CWC.
16. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
India Accepts Three Pillars of IPEF

India accepts three out of four pillars of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework (IPEF).
• India has decided to become part of the following components of the IPEF,
1. Resilient economy (supply chain),
2. Fair economy (anti-corruption and tax), and
3. Clean economy (decarbonisation and infrastructure).
• However, India did not join the connected economy (trade) pillar, which
deals primarily with trade and commitments to the environment,
labour, digital trade and public procurement.
• Related Links - Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
Traffic Separation Scheme

The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) - world’s largest container carrier - has taken the lead by re-routing its
ships to keep away from colliding the blue whales.
• Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) is a routeing measure aimed at the separation of opposing streams of traffic
by appropriate means and by the establishment of traffic lanes.
• A TSS area is an area in the sea where navigation of ships is highly regulated.
• Each TSS is designed to create lanes in the water with ships in a specific lane all
travelling in (roughly) the same direction.
• A TSS is typically created in locations with large numbers of ship movements and
vessels travelling in different directions and where there might otherwise be a high
risk of collisions.
• TSSs are indicated on an admiralty chart in purple, one that has been touched
upon even by those starting out their career at sea in all probability.
• These are imaginary lines that don’t have actual representation through borders on location.
• But they are complied with by all vessels out at sea as conformity to it is mandatory as per Rule 10 of
the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972
(COLREGs).
Iran to join SCO

Iran has signed a MoU to become a permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at India
Summit 2023.
• Iran seeks to become the member of SCO to overcome economic isolation imposed by U.S. sanctions.

• In 2021, the SCO decided to start the accession process of Iran to the SCO as a full member, and Egypt, Qatar
as well as Saudi Arabia became dialogue partners.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a central Asian security body dominated
by Russia and China.
• It is an intergovernmental organization formed in 2001, as a talking shop for
Russia, China and ex-Soviet states in Central Asia.
• In 2017, it expanded to include India and Pakistan with a view to playing a bigger role
as counterweight to Western influence in the region.
• Since its inception, the SCO has mainly focused on
1. Regional security issues,
2. Its fight against regional terrorism,
3. Ethnic separatism and
4. Religious extremism.
• To date, the SCO’s priorities also include regional development.
• Members - Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan
• Before the inception of SCO, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the
Shanghai Five.
• Observer Countries - Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia
• Dialogue Partners - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey
• Significance - The SCO is the world’s largest regional organisation consisting of 40% of the world’s population
and 30% of global gross domestic product (GDP).
• The SCO has been an observer in the UN General Assembly since 2005.
Colour Revolutions
At the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, China appealed to the SCO members to cooperate
with each other to prevent foreign powers from destabilising their countries by inciting “colour revolutions”.
• Colour revolutions or Coloured revolutions refer to a series of uprisings that first began in former
communist nations in Eastern Europe since around 2004.
• But they are also used in reference to popular movements in the Middle East and Asia.
• Most have involved large-scale mobilisation on the streets, with demands for free elections or regime change,
and calls for removal of authoritarian leaders.
• Protesters often wear a specific colour, such as in Ukraine’s Orange Revolution, but the term has also been used
to describe movements named after flowers like the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia.
• Some of the better known “colour revolutions” are
1. Orange Revolution which refers to a series of protests that occurred in Ukraine between November 2004
and January 2005.
2. Tulip Revolution of Kyrgyzstan led to the ouster of its President Askar Akayev in early 2005.
3. Jasmine Revolution of Tunisia is the popular uprising that occurred between 2010 to 2011 in response
to the underlying corruption, unemployment, inflation and lack of political freedoms in the country.
Afghanistan - Not a Major Non-NATO Ally

The U.S. President has terminated the designation of Afghanistan as a Major Non-NATO ally (MNNA) of the United
States.
• In 2012, the US designated Afghanistan a MNNA ally.
• The designation gave several facilities and concessions to Afghanistan in terms of defence and security-related
assistance and equipment.

• The change in Afghanistan's status follows the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country in 2021, ending nearly
20 years of war.
Major Non-NATO Ally
• The Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status was first created in 1987.
• The United States can name a country MNNA under the Section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and
the Arms Export Control Act.
• With Afghanistan's status rescinded, the U.S. will have 18 major non-NATO
allies.
• They are Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan,
Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South
Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.
• Taiwan is treated as an MNNA, without formal designation as such.
• Benefits - A major non-NATO ally is eligible for loans of material, supplies, or equipment from the US for
cooperative research, development, testing, or evaluation purposes.
• They are eligible as a location for U.S.-owned War Reserve Stockpiles to be placed on its territory outside of U.S.
military facilities.
• These countries can enter into agreements with the US for the cooperative furnishing of training (bi- or multi-
lateral basis), if the financial arrangements are reciprocal and provide for reimbursement of all U.S. direct costs.
• Eligible, to the maximum extent feasible, for priority delivery of Excess Defense Articles transferred under
section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act (if located on the southern or south-eastern flank of NATO).
• Eligible for consideration to purchase depleted uranium ammunition.
• Allows funding to procure explosives detection devices and other counter-terrorism research and development
projects under the auspices of the Department of State’s Technical Support Working Group.
IOR+ Conclave
Alongside the DefExpo 2022, scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, a separate Indian Ocean Region plus (IOR+)
conclave will also be held.
• Indian Ocean Region plus (IOR+) will consist of approximately 40 countries.
• IOR+ Conclave is an initiative to promote dialogue in an institutional, economic and cooperative environment
that can foster the development of peace, stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Related Links - Indian Ocean Rim Association, Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, Indian Ocean Commission
17. ECONOMY
Moonlighting
After Wipro sacked its 300 employees who were moonlighting, the Nasscom said that its time for companies to
reimagine employee engagement models.
• Moonlighting means taking up a second job or multiple jobs apart from one’s
full-time job, without informing their current employer about it.
• As the other job would usually be at night, hence the "moon" reference.
• People with low salaries would usually take it up for additional income as a
means of sustenance.
• Remote working and projects across time-zones have now made it possible for
high-salaried techies to do this too.
• Moonlighting arises from a lack of transparency to the employers from employees, as it breaks down the
trust with their employer.

Tourist Tax
Bhutan has reopened its borders to tourists, but with a catch: a $200-per-night tax.
• A tourist tax is any revenue-generating measure targeted at tourists.
• It is a means of combating overtourism and a form of tax exporting.
• It is usually levied indirectly through accommodation providers or holiday companies, and typically aimed
at overnight visitors.
• It is separate from value-added tax and other taxes that tourists may pay, but are also paid by residents.
• Tourist taxes could limit tourist numbers, raise prices or reduce the pressure on public services.
i-Banks
Large i-banks are getting picky about initial public offerings (IPOs). So, smaller i-banks join the big-fat IPO party.
• Investment bank (i-bank) is a financial services company that acts as an intermediary in large and complex
financial transactions.
• This bank is usually involved,
1. When a startup company prepares for its launch of an IPO and
2. When a corporation merges with a competitor.
• It offers storefront community banking and also caters to the investment
needs of high-net-worth individuals.
• Global investment banks include JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan
Stanley, Citigroup, Bank of America, Credit Suisse, and Deutsche Bank.
• Working - Advisory division of an i-bank is paid a fee for its services.
• Trading division earns commissions based on its market performance.
• Retail banking divisions make money by loaning money to consumers and businesses.
• Professionals who work for investment banks may have careers as financial
advisors, traders, or salespeople.
• Investment banks are best known for their work as intermediaries
between a corporation and the financial markets.
• That is, they help corporations issue shares of stock in an IPO or an additional
stock offering.
• They also arrange debt financing for corporations by finding large-scale
investors for corporate bonds.
Index Funds
• An index fund is a type of mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) with a portfolio constructed to match
or track the components of a financial market index, such as the S&P’s 500 Index.
• An index fund is a portfolio of stocks or bonds designed to mimic the composition, returns, and performance of
a financial market index.
• For example, a Nifty 50 Index Fund will replicate the Nifty50 index.
• Benefits -An index mutual fund is said to provide broad market exposure,
low operating expenses, and low portfolio turnover.
• These funds follow their benchmark index regardless of the state of the
markets.
• Index funds follow a passive investment strategy.
• Measuring Market index - A market index measures the performance of
a “basket” of securities (like stocks or bonds), which is meant to represent a
sector of a stock market, or of an economy.

• You cannot invest directly in a market index, but because index funds track a market index they provide
an indirect investment option.
AT-1 Bonds
Two years after the YES Bank fiasco, Additional tier-1 (AT1) bonds are once again gaining popularity.
• Additional Tier-1 bonds (AT-1 bonds) are a type of unsecured perpetual debt instrument.
• They are used by the banks to augment their core equity base and thus comply
with Basel III norms.
• AT-1 includes perpetual non-cumulative preference shares and perpetual
bonds.
• AT-1 bonds were introduced by the Basel accord after the global financial crisis
to protect depositors.
• Features of the AT1 bonds - AT-1 bonds are perpetual in nature - they do
not carry any maturity date.
• They offer higher returns to investors but compared with other vanilla debt
products, these instruments carry a higher risk as well.
• If the capital ratios of the issuer fall below a certain percentage or in the event of an institutional failure, the
rules of the RBI allow the issuer to stop paying interest or even write down these bonds.
• These bonds are subordinate to all other debt and senior only to equity.
• Quasi-equity feature - To lend more, banks need to shore up their equity capital. However, issuing additional
equity would dilute the bank’s return on equity.
• Instead, the banks issue AT1 bonds, which they can treat as equity for calculating their tier 1 capital.
Risks involved with AT1 Bonds
• Loss absorption Feature - When a bank is being restructured or liquidated, the order of repayment is as
follows: FD holders, secured debt, unsecured or subordinate debt, and perpetual debt (AT1 bond) holders.
• The AT1 bonds rank last in repayment - just before equity - that makes them the riskiest among fixed-income
securities.
• This risk reduces in the case of banks having stronger fundamentals.
• Compared to the normal bonds of the same bank, AT1 bonds would be riskier, which is why they offer a higher
rate of return.
• Coupon Discretion - In the case of AT1 bonds, the payment of the coupon depends on whether the bank has
profits. It can also dip into its reserves to pay coupons.
• In normal bonds and debentures, payment of coupon is not contingent on whether the issuer is in profit or loss.
• Non-payment of coupon has not happened to date in AT1 bonds, but the risk exists.
• Call option Risk - As AT1 bonds do not have a maturity date, the banks have a call option that permits them
to redeem these bonds after a certain period.
• The issuer bank can recall them after five years (or subsequently on the anniversary of issuance).
• If the bank exercises its call option when interest rates are going down, that subjects the investor to reinvestment
risk.
Board of Trade
The Union Minister of Commerce & Industry chairs the first meeting of the newly reconstituted Board of Trade.
• The Board of Trade (BOT) meeting was focused on
1. Export target setting,
2. The New Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) (2022-27), and
3. The strategies and measures to be taken in order to take forward domestic manufacturing and exports.
• The Board of Trade been reconstituted by merging Council for Trade Development and Promotion with Board
of Trade in 2019.

• This Board advises the Government on policy measures

connected with the Foreign Trade Policy in order to achieve the
objectives of boosting India’s trade.
• It provides a platform to state governments and UTs for
articulating state-oriented perspectives on Trade Policy to boost
tmanufacturing and exports.
• It also acts as a platform to Government of India for appraising
State Governments and UTs about international developments
affecting India’s trade.
• It is an important mechanism for deliberations on trade related
issues with industry bodies, associations, export promotion councils, and state and UT governments.
Central Fraud Registry

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering setting up a fraud registry under the “One Nation One Ombudsman”
strategy.
• The RBI’s fraud registry aims to create a database of fraudulent websites and phone numbers with locations.
• Such a database shall help prevent fraudsters from repeating the fraud because such websites or phone numbers
will be blacklisted.
• It is part of RBI’s efforts to strengthen customer protection and check digital frauds. It aims at preventing
fraudsters from using banking infrastructure.
• Access - Payment system participants will be provided access to this registry for near-real-time fraud
monitoring.
• The aggregated fraud data will be published to educate customers on emerging risks.
Integrated Banking Ombudsman Scheme
• Under a “One Nation One Ombudsman” strategy, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the integrated
banking ombudsman scheme and streamlined its grievance redressal process.
• Due to this, time taken by the banking Ombudsman offices for disposal of complaints (turnaround time or TAT)
regarding banking frauds faced by customers has declined from 95 days in FY20 to 38 days at present.
• The scheme was launched for resolving customer grievances in relation to services provided by entities regulated
by RBI in an expeditious and cost-effective manner.
• The fall in TAT is because of the number of process efficiencies, such as centralisation, delegation, integration
and simplification, which was introduced as part of RBI - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RBI-IOS).
• The TAT is expected to fall further in future.
ASBA-like Payment System

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is developing a ASBA-like payment system for the secondary
market, which could prevent brokers from accessing their client funds.
• This payment system for the secondary market will be on the lines of the
ASBA process used for subscribing to IPOs.
• In ASBA, the funds move out of an investor’s bank account only after the
trade is confirmed.
• Pros - So, in an ASBA-based payment system, the money will never leave
the account until the settlement is done.
• This, coupled with the new T+1 settlement mechanism, would lead to
efficient use of capital and help further develop India’s capital markets.
• Cons - However, the proposed system could upend the broking industry as
several players earn a float on the funds parked.
• It could even push up the cost of trading, as brokerages could look for alternative sources of income.

• Extending ASBA to the secondary market could pose more complex challenges - more so for brokers not backed
by banks.
• For bank-backed brokers, money moves in and out seamlessly
• There will be far more transparency in the system, but operationally it will be difficult, as unlike the IPO market
where there is one-time payment, the secondary market is more active.
Power Finance Corporation to be a DFI

The Union Ministry of Power has sought the status of Development Financial Institution (DFI) for the Power Finance
Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (subsidiary of PFC).
• The Power Ministry has sought the DFI status for PFC from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the National
Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) Act, 2021.
• The DFI status helps a financial institution (FI) access foreign funding, grants and loans easily and in higher
quantum, as compared to a public financial institution (PFI), which PFC already is.
• The objective behind this move is to enable PFC to steer global climate funding and net zero
investment in the country.
• If the proposal is taken to its logical conclusion, PFC would be the first DFI for climate and energy transition in
India.
• Related Links - Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme, India’s 1st Euro Green Bond
NaBFID Act on DFIs
• NaBFID Act 2021 seeks to establish DFIs for providing long-term finance for such segments of the economy
where the risks involved are beyond acceptable limits of commercial banks and other ordinary FIs.
• Unlike banks, DFIs do not accept deposits from people.
• They source funds from the market, government, as well as multilateral institutions, and are often supported
through government guarantees, according to the Act.
• Related Links - National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development
Power Finance Corporation
• New Delhi-based Power Finance Corporation (PFC) is a financial institution under the Union Ministry of
Power.
• Incorporated in 1986, the PFC is a leading Non-Banking Financial Corporation in the Country.
• Vision - To be the leading institutional partner for the power and allied infrastructure sectors in India and
overseas across the value chain.
• In 2021, the PFC was conferred the title of a Schedule-A Maharatna CPSE.
• In 2010, it was classified as an Infrastructure Finance Company by the Reserve Bank of India.
REC is a ‘Maharatna’ Company

The REC Limited has been accorded with the status of a ‘Maharatna’ Central Public Sector Enterprise.
• The Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd (REC) is a state-owned company that comes under the Ministry of
Power.
• It takes the role of public Infrastructure Finance Company in India’s power sector and promotes rural
electrification projects across India.
• Incorporated in 1969, the REC is a Non-banking Financial Institution (NBFC) focusing on Power Sector
Financing and Development across India.
Maharatna Status
• An order to the effect of the ‘Maharatna’ status would be issued by the Department of Public Enterprises, under
the Ministry of Finance.
• The grant of ‘Maharatna’ status will impart enhanced powers to the company’s Board while taking operational
and financial decisions.

• The Board of a ‘Maharatna’ CPSE can make equity investments to undertake financial joint ventures and wholly-
owned subsidiaries.
• It can also undertake mergers and acquisitions in India and abroad, subject to a ceiling of 15% of the Net Worth
of the concerned CPSE, limited to Rs. 5,000 crores in one project.
• The Board can also structure and implement schemes relating to personnel and Human Resource Management
and Training.
• List of Maharatna CPSEs
1. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
2. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
3. Coal India Limited
4. GAIL (India) Limited
5. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
6. Indian Oil Corporation Limited
7. NTPC Limited
8. Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited
9. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited
10. Steel Authority of India Limited
Relaxed Assessment Fee Cap for CSR Projects

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has relaxed the impact assessment fee cap for corporate social responsibility
(CSR) projects, allows companies to spend over Rs. 50 lakh.
• Companies making losses in the immediate preceding financial year will be exempted from undertaking CSR
activity that year if they were eligible for CSR due to their net profit.
• However, companies will have to spend the carry forward or unspent CSR obligation of the previous year.
• This exemption will be available only to those companies eligible for CSR due to their profits.
• CSR applicability criteria
1. If a company has a net-worth of more than Rs 500 crore or,
2. Its turnover is more than Rs 1,000 crore or,
3. Net profit is more than Rs 5 crore
• Other key changes made are
1. Look-back period (to assess CSR applicability) of 3 years removed
2. Eligibility of a company to do CSR has to be checked every year (Earlier, if a company were eligible once,
the CSR obligation fell upon you for the next three years.)
3. 2% of CSR obligation or Rs 50 lakh on impact assessment
4. e-form CSR-2 introduced
18. AGRICULTURE
Precision Farming
• Precision farming or precision agriculture (PA) is a technologies system approach to re-organise the total system
of agriculture towards
1. Low-input agriculture,
2. High-efficiency agriculture,
3. Sustainable agriculture and

4. Environment-friendly agriculture.
• PA is also known as satellite agriculture, as-needed farming and site-specific crop management (SSCM).
• Precision agriculture is an approach to farm management that uses information technology (IT) to ensure
that crops and soil receive exactly what they need for optimum health and productivity.
• Reasons to prefer precision farming
1. To increase agriculture productivity
2. Prevents soil degradation
3. Reduction of chemical application in crop production
4. Efficient use of water resources
5. Dissemination of modern farm practices to improve quality, quantity and reduced cost of production
6. Developing favourable attitude
7. Precision farming changing the socio-economic status of farmers.
• In India, one major problem to implement precision farming is the small field size. More than 58% of
operational holdings in the country have size less than one hectare (ha).
World Dairy Summit 2022

India will host the International Dairy Federation’s World Dairy Summit 2022 in Greater Noida, National Capital
Region (Delhi - NCR).
• The IDF World Dairy Summit 2022 will be happening in India after the last World Dairy Summit was organised
in 1974 in New Delhi.
• The IDF World Dairy Summit is an annual meeting of the global dairy sector, bringing together
approximately 1500 participants from all over the world.
• It will provide a forum to industry experts to share knowledge and ideas on how the sector can contribute to
nourish the world with safe and sustainable dairying.
India’s Dairy Sector
• India has the largest milk producer in the world, contributing 23 % of global milk production.
• Milk production in the country has grown at a compound annual growth rate of about 6.2 % to reach 209.96 mn
tonnes in 2020-21 from 146.31 mn tonnes in 2014-15.
• The top 3 milk-producing states are: Uttar Pradesh (14.9%, 31.4 MMT), Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
• Operation Flood, initiated in 1970, transformed India into one of the largest milk producers.
• The per capita availability of milk in 2018-19 was 394 grams per day as against the world average of 302 grams
per day.
AgriAdapt
A free online tool named ‘AgriAdapt’ was launched to help farmers plan their activities based on climatic conditions.
• AgriAdapt was developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and National Agro Foundation (NAF).
• The aim of the tool is to direct farmers towards potential farming activities that change in climate.
• This tool make farmers to understand the conditions that impact their farm, so to make more business.
• It communicates the data’s to farmers through maps in the regional language.
• This maps allow users to visualise datasets with a single click on a specific region and gets information on its
climate and conditions.
• Satellites and International organisations deliver data’s from collecting information on climate and land
suitability.
• The tool’s feature is to target three crops :
1. Rice (Tamil Nadu)

2. Cotton (Andhra Pradesh )

3. Coffee (Colombia)
19. ENVIRONMENT
Fridays for Future

Thousands of young activists took to the streets across the world for the Fridays for Future, demanding stronger
policies for loss and damage as well as climate reparation from governments in their countries.
• The Fridays for Future (FFF) campaign is a youth-led and youth-organised global climate justice movement that
started in 2018, when 15-year-old Greta Thunberg began a school strike for climate.
• These are Global Climate Strikes that focuses on providing a platform for the most affected people and areas
(MAPA) to voice their demands.
• The four major demands that were raised during the strike included
1. Strengthening of environmental laws,
2. Providing and safeguarding the rights of the communities at the forefront of environmental
conservation,
3. Implementation of democratic decisions for climate justice and
4. Empowerment of healthy public commons for everyone in the city.
Climate Tipping Elements

Scientists, who first identified and assessed climate tipping elements and their tipping points in 2008, have reassessed
them and found that the number of climate tipping elements has increased from 9 to 16.
• Climate tipping elements are certain large-scale systems on Earth that are essential for its sustenance.
• There are certain thresholds of these elements known as ‘tipping points’, beyond
which even a slight change in them can become unstoppable, leading to
catastrophic consequences.
• Findings - While some of the tipping points may have been crossed or are close
to cross at 1.1 degrees Celsius of warming since pre-industrial times, more of them
would be crossed as Earth warmed further.
• Of the 16, nine are ‘core tipping elements’ affecting the climate of the Earth in
general.
• The remaining seven were categorized as ‘regional tipping elements’ that had an impact on the climate of various
regions but could also interact with climate elements from other regions.
• This interaction creates cascading impacts and crossing of tipping points.
• Impacts - Once a climate-tipping element passes a tipping point, the system would further collapse into
oblivion.
• This may take decades to thousands of years in the case of ice sheets, raising sea levels by many metres gradually.
• The change may be rather abrupt in the case of ecosystems and atmospheric phenomena, creating wide scale
cascading changes in weather systems, impacting lives.
• According the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), an estimated 25% of all marine life,
including over 4,000 species of fish, are dependent on coral reefs at some point in their life cycle.
• The thawing of permafrost leads to release of carbon into the atmosphere, mainly in the form of methane gas.
• Way forward - World countries have to bring down their greenhouse gas emissions and limit warming to less
than 1.5°C as agreed under the Paris Agreement 2015.
• If they are not able to do, four of the five tipping points of the elements move from the realm of possibility to
becoming likely events and five others become possible, increasing risks for the world populations.

Climate Reparation
Facing the worst flooding disaster, Pakistan is demanding climate reparations from the Global North that is
responsible for 92% of excess global carbon emissions.
• Climate reparations refer to a call for money to be paid by the Global North to
Global South as a means to address the historical contributions that the Global
North has made (and makes) toward climate change.
• Climate reparations are also about the need for acknowledgment and
accountability for the loss of land and culture - and how that has affected us in
the Global South - as a result of climate change.
• The element of accountability is what differentiates climate reparations from
climate aid.
• Significance of climate reparations for climate justice - The call for

climate reparations is one of the key elements within demands for climate justice.
• Climate reparations directly benefit those affected by systems of oppression, such
as colonialism and racism i.e., those who are also the most affected by the climate
crisis.
• Reparations are a way of understanding our political context through the
framework of decolonisation.
• Climate reparations are better understood as one key part of a system of wider
measures to achieve climate justice globally.
• Climate reparations can be a starting point for radically reorienting our world toward climate justice.
Impact of Noida Twin Tower Demolition

The demolition of the Supertech twin towers in Noida is expected to affect the local flora and fauna in more ways than
one.
• Many birds and mammals will leave the area for some time, while long-term effects will require some time to
be assessed.

• Dust - The demolition has produced large amounts of dust.

• Heavier dust particles will settle down soon but the light particulate matter will probably remain in the air for
weeks.
• The settling of the dust particulate will depend on wind speed and wind direction.
• Dust will also remain in the air because of loading and unloading of trucks for clearing the debris.
• Impact on Humans - The debris from the explosion can cause and worsen pre-existing respiratory issues in
people that might come in contact with it.
• Impact on Flora - The post-demolition dust has engulfed nearby trees and vegetation.
• Water has been sprinkled on trees, vehicles and smog guns were being operated to settle down the dust. This
may have localized benefits but seem inadequate to douse the dust and other fine debris.
• When you have such fine particles that form in the aftermath of the implosion, all leaves and the canopy will be
covered completely.
• Therefore, the rate of photosynthesis will come down. Once that happens, the plants’ productivity will reduce.
• If there was continuous rain, the dust would be washed away and percolate into the soil and remain there for
some time. However, it will take a long time for the plants and trees to be rejuvenated.
• Birds and insects, especially pollinators will be affected. The only way this situation can
be changed is sprinkling water continuously.
• Impact on Fauna - The area where the implosion took place is home to several birds
and some mammals such as Jackals and nilgai antelope.
• These would leave the area for some time and come back later.
• Squirrels have respiratory systems similar to humans. Therefore, the particulate matter
floating for weeks will affect them as well.
• Due to the noise pollution created by the implosion, the birds living within cities may change the pitch and
quality of their vocalization.
Study on Climate Pledges

A new study on different countries’ Climate Pledges or the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) was published
recently.
• The study included eight countries - India, the US, China, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Australia and Brazil
- and the European Union.
• This study ranked the Climate Pledges or the Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDC) of different countries on the basis of,
1. Compliance and
2. Ambition.
• This study ranks India’s updated climate pledges to the Paris
Agreement 4th in ambition, 5th in compliance.
• The European Union (EU) took the lead while the United States was
ranked last in compliance and second to last in ambition.
• Related Links - Nationally Determined Contributions, India’s five-point Climate Action Plan, Net Zero
Carbon Targets
Mission Integrated Biorefineries

India announces the launch of the “Innovation Roadmap of the Mission Integrated Biorefineries” at the first-
ever Global Clean Energy Action Forum-2022 at Pittsburgh, in the United States.
• The Mission Integrated Biorefineries was launched by the Mission Innovation, and is co-led by India and the
Netherlands.
• Its core members are Brazil and Canada, and the supporting members are the European Commission and the
United Kingdom.

• The Mission aims at greater international collaboration and the need for increased financing for Energy
RD&D (Research, Development & Demonstration) during next 5 years through public-private investment.
• The Mission’s goal is to develop and demonstrate innovative solutions to
accelerate the commercialisation of integrated biorefineries.
• This will be essential to
1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
2. Improve supply chain resiliency and diversification, and
3. Support the global transition to a net-zero economy.
• It has the target of replacing 10% of fossil-based fuels, chemicals and
materials with bio-based Sustainable Fuels, Chemicals, and Materials
(SFCM) by 2030.
• The Mission will focus on the following three pillars to achieve the goal:
1. Supporting Research, Development & Demonstration,
2. Accelerating Pilots and Demonstrations
3. Improving Policy and Market Conditions
Mission Innovation
• Mission Innovation (MI) is the inter-governmental platform addressing clean energy innovation through
action-oriented cooperation.
• It is a global initiative catalysing a decade of action and investment in research, development and demonstration
to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible for all.
• This will accelerate progress towards the Paris Agreement goals and pathways to net zero.
• Mission Innovation is a global initiative of 22 countries and the European Commission (on behalf of the
European Union).
• India is a member of Mission Innovation.
• Mission Innovation 1.0 was launched alongside the Paris Agreement in 2015.
• Mission Innovation 2.0 was launched in 2021.
FGD Target
The Indian government extended a deadline for coal-fired power plants to install equipment to cut sulphur emissions
by two years to 2025.
• Thermal utilities, which produce 75% of the country’s power, account for some 80% of industrial emissions of
sulphur and nitrous-oxides in India.
• Initially, India had set a 2017 deadline for thermal power plants to install Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD)
units to cut sulphur emissions.
• That was later changed to varying deadlines for different regions, ending in 2022, and further extended last year
to a period ending 2025.
• Recent Order - The Power Ministry had pushed for an extension, citing higher costs, lack of funds, COVID 19-
related delays and geopolitical tension with neighbouring China, which has restricted trade.
• The recent order said that the power plants would be forcibly retired if they do not comply to the norms on
sulphur emissions by end-2027.
• The order said that the plants near populous regions and the capital New Delhi will have to pay penalties to
operate from end-2024, while utilities in less polluting areas will be penalized after end-2026.
• Related Links - Flue Gas Desulfurization, Emission Control Measures By Thermal Plants, New Emission
Norms for Thermal Power Plants (April 2021)

Shallow-water Mining
A new study by the University of Helsinki points out shallow-water mining is not a ‘silver bullet’ to resolve growing
global need for metals.
• In ‘shallow-water mining’, metals such as gold, cobalt and copper are mined from depths of 200 m below the
sea.
• In ‘deep-sea mining’, valuable minerals are mined from ocean depths greater than 200 m.
• Deep-sea mining has not been implemented yet due to concerns over the environmental impacts of mining
activities.
• Generally, shallow-water mining is considered a relatively low-risk and low-cost option to satisfy the demand
for metals and minerals.
• But, a new study has highlighted that the shallow-water mining also could trigger local extinctions of marine
species.
• This is because extracting minerals from the shallow-water ocean floor requires dredging large amounts of
sediment.
• Removing this sediment, which takes thousands of years to accumulate, means removing the organisms that
call it home.
Shallow-water Mining Projects
• Namibia has been mining diamonds off its coast in depths of upto 130 m.
• Indonesia has been extracting placer deposits - sediments containing gold, silver, tin, and platinum.
• Mexico is considering mining marine phosphorites, phosphate-rich nodules used in fertiliser and industrial
chemicals, in water depths of 50-100 m.
• Sweden is considering mining the shallow waters (60-150 m) of the Bothnian Sea for polymetallic nodules,
mineral deposits containing nickel, cobalt, copper, titanium and rare earth elements.
• However, New Zealand dropped the project due to environmental concerns.
Electric Highways
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is working on developing
electric highways.
• An electric highway generally refers to a road that supplies power to vehicles
travelling on it, including through overhead power lines.
• The electric highways that will be developed by the Indian government will
be powered by solar energy.
• This move will facilitate the charging of heavy-duty trucks and buses while
running.
Green Fins Hub

The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP), along with the Reef-World Foundation, launched the Green Fins Hub.
• The Green Fins Hub is the first-ever global marine tourism industry platform for diving and snorkelling
operators worldwide.
• It was developed by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP).
• This industry-backed platform would give a ‘major boost’ to sustainable marine tourism.
• Purpose - The platform will help diving and snorkelling operators to make simple, cost-efficient changes to
their daily practices by utilising tried and tested solutions.
• It would also help them keep track of their annual improvements and communicate with their communities and
customers.
• Membership - The Green Fins Hub hosts two types of membership

1. Digital membership,
2. Green Fins Certified Members.
• Digital membership that will be available to dive, snorkel and liveaboard operations globally.
• Throughout every year of membership, operators will receive environmental scores based on a detailed online
self-evaluation and progress made on their action plans.
• Green Fins Certified Members will continue to be assessed annually and trained in person at their
operation.
• The assessment process will continue to be based on set criteria using a scoring system (0-330 point system,
with a low score implying low impact of a business on coral reefs).
• There will be a minimum threshold (>200 of a maximum environmental impact score) for becoming a Green
Fins Certified Member.
• A ranking of bronze, silver or gold certified members will be given according to performance.
• Other features - The Green Fins Community Forum will be for operators around the world to
1. Raise industry needs,
2. Discuss environmental issues and
3. Share lessons and ideas with like-minded industry leaders, non-profits and governments.
• The Green Fins Solutions Library will give access to over 100 proven environmental solutions to common daily
operational challenges.
• The Action Plan Tracker will enable members to receive an annual sustainability action plan with set goals.
EV100 Initiative
• It was launched in 2017 to make electric transport the new normal.
• Companies joining EV100 make an individual commitment to transitioning their fleets to electric vehicles
and/or installing charging infrastructure at their relevant premises by 2030.
• They can choose to make the commitment in one or more of four influence areas:
1. Directly controlled fleets (owned/leased),
2. Service provider contracts,
3. Workplace charging, and
4. Customer charging
• EV100 is supported by We Mean Business, Climate Works Foundation and Heising Simons Foundation
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

The ninth session of the governing body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (ITPGRFA) began in Delhi.
• The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) is known as Plant
Treaty or Seed Treaty.
• The Plant Treaty was adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2001.
• ITPGRFA finally entered into force in 2004 after 13 countries deposited their instruments of ratification with
the Director-General of the FAO.
• The Plant Treaty is a legally-binding international instrument that aims to:
1. Establish a global system to provide farmers, plant breeders and scientists with access to plant genetic
materials;
2. Ensure that recipients share the benefits that they derive from the use of these genetic materials with
the countries where they originated; and
3. Recognize the enormous contribution of indigenous people and farmers as traditional custodians of the
world’s food crops.

• There are 131 organizations that are party to the ITPGRFA (130 countries and 1 intergovernmental organization,
the European Union).
• The multilateral system supports agricultural research and development as well as global food security by
providing each member access to important food and forage crops.
• Benefits - Under this system, a global pool of plant genetic resources has been created and made available to
all members.
• A total of 64 crops species are included in this pool and these account for as much as 80% of global food required.
As many as 1,000 samples of plant genetic resources are exchanged each day.
• The benefits can be both non-monetary and monetary in nature. These include both monetary and non-
monetary benefits.
Dugong Conservation Reserve

Tamil Nadu government has notified India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve.
• The Dugong Conservation Reserve has been notified in Palk Bay.
• The reserve was covering the coastal waters of Thanjavur and Pudukottai
districts.
• The move was aimed at conserving the Dugongs - endangered species.
• Conservation of these Dugongs would improve the seagrass beds that are the
breeding and feeding grounds for many fishes and marine fauna.
• Related Links - Dugong, Seagrasses
Effect of the Moon on Mangroves

A new study has found that the oscillation of the moon’s orbit or ‘moon wobble’ has a significant impact on the
mangrove canopy cover of the world.
• Mangrove forests - They are typically located between land and sea.
• Areas with higher tidal amplitude combined with smooth topography such gentle-sloping mudflats are ideal for
the growth of these salt-tolerant trees.
• Mangroves can be found in India, Indonesia, Central America, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Australia.
• Moon Wobble - The ‘wobble’ is a fluctuation in its gravitational pull that influences tidal activity. It is a result
of the moon’s elliptical orbit.
• The process is cyclical and takes place every 18.61 years.
• During one half of this cycle, Earth’s regular tides are suppressed while the other half produces amplified tidal
activity.
• Findings of the Study - Now, the study has found that these long-phase tidal cycles plays an important role
in the regulation of tidal wetland ecosystems - such as the growth of mangrove forests.
• The study has found that the mangrove canopy cover fluctuated at an interval of about 18 years - similar to the
lunar “nodal” cycle.
• During the phases of the 18.61 year cycle, the shifting of mangrove canopy cover in coastlines experienced two
tidal patterns,
1. Semi-diurnal or two tides daily and
2. Diurnal or one tide daily.
• Related Links - Moon Wobble
Importance of Mangroves
• Recent studies on the rhythm of the lunar wobble have shown that it is heading towards a period where tides
are amplified, resulting in an overall rise in sea level.
• Consequently, studies have predicted that by the mid-2030s, the lunar cycle will cause a dramatic increase in
the number of high-tide floods.

• Mangroves are potent carbon sites with 4-5 times greater efficiency than terrestrial forests. They can be used
for natural carbon sequestration.
Algae Biofuels
India’s Reliance Industries Ltd has developed the catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction technology to convert algae
biomass to oil.
• Algae is a group of predominantly aquatic, photosynthetic, and nucleus-bearing organisms that lack the true
roots, stems, leaves, and specialized multicellular reproductive structures of plants.
• They can
1. Synthesize large volumes of oil (20 times more than that
of mustard per acre),
2. Grow fast (10 times quicker than terrestrial plants) and
3. Capture carbon dioxide (CO2).
• S0, global industries have been working to commercialize algae-
based biofuel processes to reduce dependence on conventional
fossil fuels.
• Microalgae are excellent at converting CO2 and sunlight into
oil-rich biomass, especially when compared to land-based crop plants like soy.
• By adapting microalgae to function as cell factories producing energy-dense oils that can easily be refined into
renewable diesel and jet fuel, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70%.
• However, reports on “algae oil bubble” point to a disappointing reality to
production of algal biofuel.
• Challenges - The major challenges associated with algae biofuel include
1. Large water requirements,
2. High cost of growth nutrients,
3. Expensive biomass harvesting, and
4. Difficult oil extraction from algae cells.
• Producing a kilogram of biodiesel requires 3.73 tonnes of water, 0.33 kg of
nitrogen and 0.71 kg of phosphate, according to estimates.
• Additionally, the energy cost of extracting oil from algae biomass is 10 times
higher than the energy cost of extracting soybean oil.
Energy return on investment
• Energy return on investment (EROI), an indicator of sustainability assessment, is the proportion of energy
produced by a given source to the energy required to produce it.
• When the EROI is less than 1, more energy is needed to create a fuel than is found in the fuel and coproducts.
• For a fuel to be a sustainable energy source, it should have an EROI greater than 3.
• For algal biofuels produced in open ponds or photobioreactors, the predicted EROI ranges from 0.13 to 0.71.
SPECIES IN NEWS
Nilgiri Sholakili
Recently found in high altitudes of the Shola forests, wildlife biologist seeks more
support for research on Nilgiri Sholakili.
• Nilgiri blue robin (Sholicola major) or Nilgiri Sholakili is a dumpy little bird,
slat-blue with a tan belly.
• It is highly restricted and spread over, found at 900-2100 m of elevation in shola
forests in upper Nilgiris.

• Habitat - It prefers to live in highly threatened habitats and near streams.

• Any change to these areascould bring trouble in the future.
• Threats - Habitat loss and climate change.
• Protection Status - Endangered (IUCN)
• Other endemic bird in the Nilgiris - Nilgiri laughing thrush (Montecincla cachinnans), which is an
‘endangered’ species.
20. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SPACE
Gemini North Telescope

The Gemini North telescope in Hawai’i captured this brilliant image of a pair of spiral galaxies interacting as they
clash and merge into each other.
• The spiral galaxies NGC 4568 and NGC 4567 are entangled in their mutual gravitational fields and should
eventually combine to form a single elliptical galaxy in around 500 million years.
• The Gemini North Telescope is one of the twin telescopes at the
International Gemini Observatory, Maunakea, Hawai’i.
• This optical/infrared telescope is operated by the US National
Science Foundation’s (NSF) NOIRLab.
• This telescope was built to take advantage of the superb
atmospheric conditions on this long-dormant volcano that rises
about 4214 meters into the dry, stable air of the Pacific.
• Since 2002 Gemini North has also been known as the Frederick
C. Gillett Gemini North telescope.
Inouye Solar Telescope

The Inouye Solar Telescope has captured an image of the Sun’s chromosphere a resolution of 18 kilometres.
• The Daniel K Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) is located at the Haleakala
Observatory on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
• The DKIST was set up by the US National Science Foundation (NSF).
• According to the NSF, the Inouye Solar Telescope is the most powerful solar
telescope in the world.
• Its insights will transform how we predict and prepare for events like solar
storms.
Haleakalā
• Soaring nearly three kilometers, above the Pacific Ocean, Haleakalā is Maui
Island’s largest volcanic mountain.
• Haleakalā is a high-elevation, shield volcano surrounded by ocean.
• This unique geography offers a site 10,023 feet above the clouds, with a clear blue sky and a stable atmosphere
that is relatively free of dust.
• It is a near perfect place for solar astronomy.
Qimingxing-50 Quasi Satellite

China’s Qimingxing-50 drone, which took off from an airport in Shaanxi province, had a smooth flight for 26 minutes
and landed safely.
• Qimingxing-50, or Morning Star-50, is China’s first fully solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

• It is a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAV, which can stay airborne

for long durations.
• The drone flies above 20-km altitude where there is stable airflow with no
clouds. This helps these drones to make the maximum use of solar equipment
to stay functional for extended durations.
• Quasi Satellite - As the drone can operate in near-space (20 km to 100 km
above the Earth’s surface), it is capable of carrying out satellite-like functions.
• These drones are also referred to as ‘High Altitude Platform Stations’ or pseudo-satellites.
DART Mission - Demonstration

In the first-of-its kind, save-the-world experiment, NASA is about to clobber a small asteroid named Dimorphos using
its spacecraft DART at 22,500 kmph.
• The impact by the spacecraft Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is about asteroid deflection, not
disruption.
• This impact should be just enough to nudge the asteroid into a slightly tighter
orbit around its companion space rock.
• This will demonstrate if a killer asteroid ever heads our way, we’d stand a fighting
chance of diverting it.
• The DART mission carries the LICIACube (Light Italian Cubesat for Imaging of
Asteroid), which is a 6U CubeSat project led by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
• The main goal of LICIACube is to support DART mission goals by taking images
of the impact effects on the surface and the generated ejecta plume.
• LICIACube will be deployed from DART in proximity of the target, before the impact, and will perform an
autonomous fly-by of Didymos.
• Related Links - NASA’s DART Mission
Target Asteroid
• Target asteroid is Dimorphos, which is about 9.6 million km from Earth.
• It is actually the puny sidekick of a 780-meter asteroid named Didymos, Greek for twin.
• Discovered in 1996, Didymos is spinning so fast that scientists believe it flung off material that eventually formed
a moonlet.
• Dimorphos orbits its parent body at a distance of less than 1.2 km.
• The two asteroids are not a threat to Earth, but as they do pass relatively close to Earth, they were chosen as the
target for DART mission.
• Similar Links - Apophis Asteroid
AVGAS 100 LL
The Centre launched the indigenously-developed aviation fuel AVGAS 100 LL.
• The Aviation Gasoline, AVGAS 100 LL, is a higher-octane Aviation fuel that was developed by Indian Oil
Corporation.
• It is a special aviation fuel designed for use in turbo charged reciprocating piston
engine aircrafts and Unmanned Ariel Vehicles.
• It has been certified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
• It meets the product specifications with superior performance quality standards,
as compared to imported grades.
• Currently India is importing this product from European countries.
• Significance - As demand for air transport in India is expected to increase
manifolds in the future, there is going to be a huge demand for trained pilots also.

• For this, the number of Flying Training Organisations and trainee aircraft for pilot training is also expected to
increase significantly.
• So, the launch of AVGAS 100 will serve the needs of a thriving aviation industry.
Einstein Ring
The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) of the James Webb Space Telescope Telescope has captured an image of an
almost perfect “Einstein ring”.
• Einstein Ring phenomenon was first discovered in 1988 as the phenomenon of bending of the light was
predicted by Albert Einstein.
• An Einstein ring is a ring of light created when light from a galaxy, star or other light-emitting cosmic objects
passes near a massive object before it reaches the Earth, or in this case, the Webb telescope.
• When this happens, gravitational lensing causes the light to get diverted and if the source, lens and the
observing element are all in perfect alignment, this light appears as a ring.
• So, the ring itself not a real physical structure in space, but just a play of light and gravity, a result of the
gravitational lensing effect.
• The Einstein ring is also known as the Chwolson ring.
• Recent finding - “Einstein ring” that was captured recently was formed from the light of a distant galaxy SPT-
S J041839-4751.8, which is around 12 billion light-years away from Earth.
• From Webb’s point of view, this galaxy is positioned directly behind another galaxy that is so massive that its
gravitational pull warps space and time.
• As the light from the background galaxy travels to the Webb telescope, it has to cross the warped space-time
near the foreground galaxy.
• This is what makes the light appear like a curved ring.
• Related Links - Gravitational Lensing
Tarantula Nebula
NASA’s James Webb telescope has captured the stunning image of the Tarantula Nebula in detail.
• The Tarantula Nebula (or the 30 Doradus) is a stellar nursery situated in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy
161,000 light years away.
• The nebula stretches across 340 light years.
• It is the largest and the brightest star-forming region in the Local group that includes our Milky Way galaxy.
• The Tarantula Nebula is named for its filaments of dust that looked like spider silk in previous images.
• The Tarantula Nebula has a cavity that has been hollowed out by the radiation emitted by a cluster of young
stars.
• The powerful winds emitted by the young stars have blown away all but densest areas of the nebula, giving it the
appearance of a burrowing tarantula’s home.
• The densest part of the nebula form pillars of dust and gives birth to massive protostars (very young stars).
• These protostars emerge from their “dusty cocoons” and help shape the nebula.
• It was previously thought the protostars were older stars.
• Studying a nebula that is close enough be observed gives scientists an opportunity to know more about the
‘cosmic noon’ - when the universe was only a few billion years old and producing stars at a rapid pace.
Super Earths
Super-Earths are bigger, more common and more habitable than Earth itself
• Super Earths are a class of planets unlike any in our solar system.
• They are more massive than Earth yet lighter than ice giants like Neptune and Uranus.
• It can be made of gas, rock or a combination of both.

• They are between twice the size of Earth and up to 10 times its mass.
• Most Super Earths’ orbit cool dwarf stars, which are lower in mass and live much longer than the Sun.
• Based on current projections, about a third of all exoplanets are super-Earths, making them the most common
type of exoplanet in the Milky Way.
• They are much easier to detect and study than Earth-sized planets and are ideal targets in the search for life.
• To detect life on distant exoplanets, astronomers will look for biosignatures, byproducts of biology that are
detectable in a planet’s atmosphere.
DEFENCE
Chinook Helicopters
The US Army has grounded its fleet of workhorse H-47 Chinook helicopters, after several experienced engine fires as
the "suspect O-rings" used in some of the aircraft that did not meet its specifications.
• Originally known as the CH-47, the Chinook helicopters were an icon of US wars from
Vietnam to the Middle East.
• They are advanced medium-lift, multi-role helicopters made by Boeing.
• It is in service across the US armed forces as well as in Britain and nearly 20 other
countries.
• With two rotors, the helicopters can carry heavy loads and are well-armed for combat
situations.
• They are frequently used in disaster relief missions as well.
VSHORADS Missile
The DRDO completes two successful test flight of Very Short Range Air Defence System missile from a ground based
portable launcher.
• It is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD).
• It was designed and developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, a laboratory of the Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• It is a Short Range Air Defence with a 20kg missile, 25 kg tripod stand and 20-25 NG (National Guard).
• It contains many technologies including small-sized Reaction Control System (RCS) and Integrated
avionics.
• It is meant for balancing low altitude aerial threats at short ranges by a dual thrust solid motor.
• The design of the missile including launcher has been highly enhanced to ensure for easy usage.
RH-200 Sounding Rocket

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will achieve the 200th successful launch of Rohini RH-200 sounding
rocket in the near future.
• Rohini RH-200 has completed 198 consecutive successful flights.
• RH-200 is 3.5-metres tall, two-stage rocket.
• It is capable of climbing to a height of 70 km bearing scientific payloads.
• The first and second stages of RH-200 are powered by solid motors.
• Rohini sounding rockets are used by the ISRO for Atmospheric studies.
• The ‘200’ in the name denotes the diameter of the rocket in mm.
• For years, RH-200 rocket had used a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based propellant.
• But, in 2020, the first RH-200 based on hydroxyl-terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant was flown.

• Other operational Rohini variants are RH-300 Mk-II and RH-560 Mk-III.
Sounding Rockets
• Sounding rockets are one or two stage solid propellant rockets used for probing the upper atmospheric regions
and for space research.
• These are also used for a variety of experiments, including those on phenomena related to eclipses.
• The first sounding rocket, American Nike-Apache, was launched from Thumba, Kerala, in 1963.
• After that, two-stage rockets from Russia (M-100) and France (Centaure) were flown.
• The ISRO launched its own version of sounding rocket, Rohini RH-75, in 1967.
• To know more about Sounding Rockets, click here
HEALTH
Oncolytic Viruses
A new study suggests that the body’s immune capacity against cancer - to recognise and destroy cancer cells - can be
boosted by using oncolytic viruses.
• Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are a form of immunotherapy that uses viruses to
1. Selectively target and kill cancer cells, and
2. Sparing normal cells.
• The study notes that these viruses also enhance the immune system’s ability to recognize and terminate cancer
cells.
• The study found that T-cells infected with myxoma virus (MYXV) can lead to a type of cancer cell death not
previously observed.
• It claims to uncover an unexpected synergy between T-cells and MYXV to bolster solid tumor cell autosis that
reinforces tumor clearance.
• Autosis is a form of cell destruction that is useful against solid tumors, which are seen as treatment-resistant.
• Myxoma can target and kill cancer cells directly, but using myxoma-equipped T-cells works well as cancerous
cells near those targeted are also destroyed. This process is called bystander killing.
• The study makes the case that immunotherapy combined with virotherapy holds potential to seek and
destroy ‘cold tumors’ that fly under the immune system’s radar.
Anti-radiation Pills
With fears of a nuclear disaster at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant growing, the European Union has decided to
pre-emptively supply 5.5 million anti-radiation pills to be distributed among residents in the vicinity.
• Radiation Emergency - These are unplanned or accidental events that create radio-nuclear hazard to
humans and the environment.
• Such situations involve radiation exposure from a radioactive source and require prompt intervention to
mitigate the threat.
• Anti-radiation pills - These pills are potassium iodide (KI) tablets that provide some protection in cases of
radiation exposure.
• Potassium iodide is non-radioactive iodine that can be used to help block radioactive iodine (I-131), from being
absorbed by the thyroid.
• Working - After a radiation leak, radioactive iodine floats through the air and then contaminates food, water
and soil.
• While radioactive iodine deposited during external exposure can be removed using warm water and soap, the
bigger risk is inhaling it.
• Internal exposure, or irradiation, occurs when radioactive iodine enters the body and accumulates in the thyroid
gland.

• As thyroid gland uses iodine to produce hormones to regulate the body’s metabolism, the thyroid gland has no
way of telling radioactive from non-radioactive iodine.
• KI tablets rely on this to achieve ‘thyroid blocking’.
• As KI contains so much non-radioactive iodine, the thyroid becomes full and cannot absorb any more iodine -
either stable or radioactive - for the next 24 hours.
• KI pills are preventive only and cannot reverse any damage done by radiation to the thyroid gland. Once thyroid
gland absorbs radioactive iodine, those exposed are at a high risk of developing thyroid cancer.
• Effectiveness - Effectiveness of KI depends on how much radioactive iodine gets into the body and how
quickly it is absorbed in the body.
• Also, the pills are not meant for everybody.
• They are recommended for people under 40 years of age. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also advised
to take them.
• While it can protect the thyroid against radioactive iodine, it cannot protect other organs against radiation
contamination.
• The US Food and Drug Administration advises against using salt or iodine supplements as they do not contain
enough iodine to trigger thyroid blocking.
iNCOVACC
iNCOVACC nasal COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for primary immunisation in those 18 and above by the
Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
• The iNCOVACC is India’s first nasal COVID-19 vaccine. It has been developed by Bharat Biotech.
• It is a recombinant replication deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilised spike protein.
• It is a ChAd36-SARS-CoV-S COVID-19 (Chimpanzee Adenovirus Vectored) recombinant vaccine.
• The iNCOVACC serves as an instrument for primary immunisation against Covid-19 in adults in the 18+ age
group and it is meant for restricted use in emergencies only.
• For the time being, it can be administered only to the unimmunised.
• The vaccine is stable between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius for easy storage and distribution.
India’s Sex Ratio Improves

• Over nine million girls have gone ‘missing’ to female foeticide over the last two decades in India, even as the
country has gradually moved toward a balanced sex ratio.
• An analysis of the 5th National Family Health Survey 2019-2021 (NFHS-5) showed that the sex ratio is 108 boys
per 100 girls.
• This is an improvement from 111 boys in 2011, where it had been for two decades.
• However, the study prepared by the Pew Research Centre has revealed that there is still some room for
improvement as the ratio was 105 boys per 100 girls in 1950.
• India’s sex ratio has been skewed since the opening of prenatal diagnostic technology in the 1970s, facilitating
sex-selective abortions.
• The betterment followed years of government-initiated efforts, like the Beti
Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, to bring down sex-selective abortions
and promote having a girl child.
• Between 2000 and 2019, some 9 million girls went “missing” to sex-selective
abortion.
• Religion-wise break up - Hindus - who also make up 80% of India’s
population - accounted for the missing girls, at 7.8 million or 86.7%
• Sikhs have reported the steepest drop in a bias towards having a boy.
• In 1998-1999, 30% Sikh women wanted a son. This has now come down to
9% in 2019-2021.

• A similar trend has been recorded among other religious groups as well in the same time period.
• Some 34% Hindu and Muslim women each wanted a son, which has come down to 15% and 19%, respectively.
• Only 20% Christian women wanted a son, which has come down to 12%.
• Factors - Wealth, education and fertility are the key factors behind this, including the decision to conduct
sex-selective abortions.
• NFHS-5 data revealed that wealthier and more educated women are less likely to favour having a son.
• In India, undergoing such a test during pregnancy is correlated with a higher probability of giving birth to a son.
• Caste also plays an active role here not just because it is an important indicator of socioeconomic status, but
also because caste entails cultural norms that may limit women’s autonomy in different ways.
Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative

• The Ni-kshay Mitra initiative forms a vital component of the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
• This initiative seeks to ensure adequate and nutritional food for those being treated for tuberculosis.
• Ni-kshay Mitra portal provides a platform for donors (Ni-kshay Mitras) to provide various forms of
support to those undergoing TB treatment.
• The donors could be a wide range of stakeholders from elected representatives,
political parties, to corporates, NGOs, and individuals.
• Working - The Ni-kshay 2.0 portal will help connect a potential donor with a
district TB official, who, in turn, will chalk out the number of patients in a
geographical region eligible for receiving this aid.
• Each food-basket is likely to cost Rs 1,000-1,200 a month to the donor.
• Facts - India has the world's highest TB burden: 2.6 million active cases.
• India is also one of the top high-burden countries for MDR/RR-TB as estimated by the WHO for 2021–2025.
• The Global TB Report 2021 stated that the mortality rate due to all forms of TB between 2019 and 2020
increased by 11% in India.
Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
• Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan is aimed at working towards elimination of TB from the
country by 2025, by bringing together people from all backgrounds into a `Jan Andolan’.
• The ‘Abhiyaan’ has been envisioned to bring together all community stakeholders to support those on TB
treatment and accelerate the country’s progress towards TB elimination.
• The ‘Abhiyaan’ is a step towards garnering community support towards a patient-centric health system.
• Objectives of the Initiative
1. Provide additional patient support to improve treatment outcomes of TB patients
2. Augment community involvement in meeting India’s commitment to end TB by 2025
3. Leverage Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities
• It will be implemented by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
OTHERS
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems

Juul Inc, a dominant player in the Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) market, agreed to pay money to settle
claims by 34 US states and territories that said its marketing led to an increase in teenage vaping.
• The Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are battery-powered devices that produce an aerosol made by
heating an “e-liquid”, usually containing nicotine, flavourings and other chemicals.
• The ENDS products include e-cigarettes, e-hookahs, e-pipes, vaping devices and vape pens.

• While some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, others are slickly designed, often resembling everyday items
like pens or USB drives.
• ENDS were originally marketed to help smokers quit the habit or as a safer alternative to cigarettes.
• They have become very popular among young people, often attracting non-smokers as well.
• Apart from highly addictive nicotine, e-cigarette aerosol can also contain harmful substances like heavy metals
and cancer-causing agents.
• The US Centre for Disease Control claims that while e-cigarettes have the potential to help adult smokers if used
as a complete substitute for regular cigarettes, they can still cause harm.
Legal Status of e-Cigarette Market in India
• In 2019, the Indian government banned the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale,
distribution, storage and advertisement of all Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) products.
• Punishment for breaking the law ranges from a fine of 1 to 5 lakh rupees, as well as imprisonment for 1 to 3
years.
• Those found storing the devices shall be facing imprisonment of up to 6 months and/or a fine up to Rs 50,000.
• A report by Prescient and Strategic Intelligence in 2019, months before ENDS were banned, showed a thriving
e-cigarette market in India.
• Despite a formal ban, e-cigarettes and vapes are available at cigarette shops and various online marketplaces.
New Technique to Produce Hydrogen

Scientists at the University of California Santa have developed a new method to efficiently generate hydrogen from
water at ambient temperatures using post-consumer aluminium and gallium.
• Aluminium - As Aluminium is a highly reactive metal, aluminium nanoparticles can easily reacts with the
oxygen molecules in water to release hydrogen gas.
• However, the pure form of the metal is so reactive that it instantly reacts with air to create a coating of aluminium
oxide (alumina) on its surface.
• This means that the metal cannot react with water. That is where gallium comes in.
• Gallium - Gallium is liquid at slightly above room temperature and it removes the alumina coating that forms
on aluminium.
• This allows aluminium to be in direct contact with the water and react with it.
• The researchers found that a 3:1 ratio of gallium and aluminium in the composite was the optimum ratio for
the highest hydrogen production.
• The Alumina that is formed have many applications including in spark plugs, abrasion-resistant tiles and cutting
tools.
• Significance - The worldwide push for electric vehicles has largely focused on battery electric vehicles (BEVs),
which typically use lithium-ion batteries to store electricity in order to propel the vehicle.
• An alternate technology involves the use of “hydrogen fuel cells” to generate electricity from hydrogen and use
that to power the vehicle.
• Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles present some advantages over BEVs - they can be refuelled with hydrogen as fast as
a conventional vehicle can be refilled with fossil fuels.
• In addition, they reduce dependence on minerals like lithium and cobalt, which are used to produce lithium-ion
batteries.
• Therefore, this new technology for producing hydrogen can be used to scale up to produce hydrogen in
commercial quantities.
Atomic Clocks
• Previous generation of clocks that consisted of a quartz crystal oscillator would be late by a nanosecond after an
hour of efficient performance.

• Atomic clocks combine a quartz crystal oscillator with an ensemble of atoms (usually cesium or calcium or
rubidium) to achieve greater stability, and keep time with extreme accuracy.
• They contain an element like cesium or calcium and a source of microwave electromagnetic radiation.
• Working - The nucleus of an atom is surrounded by a cloud of electrons, which occupy discrete energy levels
or states.
• When excited by a microwave, the electron can absorb some of the incident radiation and get excited to a higher
state.
• For this to happen, the incident microwave radiation has to match the
characteristic frequency of the cesium or calcium atom.
• By tuning the microwave source and observing at what frequency the transition
takes place, the exact value of the characteristic frequency is calculated.
• By counting the number of waves (i.e., frequency), the time can be measured
accurately.
• Present Models - NASA’s Deep Space Atomic Clock misses a second once in 10 million years.
• The official definition of a second today is given by the frequency needed to make electrons transition between
two levels in a cesium atom.
• However, the state of the art is a strontium clock that loses 3.5 beats only once in 10 quintillion beats (a
quintillion in one followed by 19 zeros).
Carbon Dating
A district court in Varanasi allowed a petition seeking carbon dating of the structure inside the Gyanvapi mosque that
the Hindus claim as a ‘Shivling’.
• Carbon-14 dating or radiocarbon dating is a widely-used method applied to establish
the age of organic material, things that once lived.
• The dating method makes use of the fact that the isotope of carbon called C-14, which
is radioactive, decays at a rate that is well known.
• The most abundant isotope of carbon in the atmosphere is carbon-12. A very small
amount of carbon-14 is also present.
• Plants and animals get their carbon-12 and carbon-14 isotopes in roughly the same
proportion as is available in the atmosphere.
• When they die, the interactions with the atmosphere stops. There is no further intake of carbon (and no outgo
either, as metabolism stops).
• Carbon-14 reduces to one-half of
itself in about 5,730 years.
• This is what is known as its ‘half-
life’.
• The ratio of C-12 to C-14 in the
atmosphere is almost static, and is
known.
• After a plant or animal dies, the
ratio of C-12 to C-14 in the body
begins to change.
• This change can be measured and
can be used to deduce the
approximate time when the
organism died. This is called carbon
dating.
• Things that cannot be dated - Carbon dating cannot be used to determine the age of non-living things, like
rocks, for example.
• Also, the age of things that are more than 40,000-50,000 years cannot be arrived at through carbon dating.

• This is because after eight to ten cycles of half-lives have been crossed, the amount of carbon-14 becomes almost
negligible and undetectable.
• Exception - There are other methods to calculate the age of inanimate things, but C-dating can be used in
indirectly in certain circumstances.
• For example, the age of the ice cores in glaciers and Polar Regions is determined using carbon dating by studying
the carbon dioxide molecules trapped inside large ice sheets.
• The trapped molecules have no interaction with the outside atmosphere and are found in the same state as when
they were trapped.
Coffee-ring Effect
• When a drop of spilt coffee dries up, the outermost edge of the dried drop is a little darker than the centre,
forming a darker ‘ring’. This is called the ‘coffee ring effect’.
• This is caused by the outward drift of suspended coffee particles from the centre, causing a denser,
darkened rim.
• Now, researchers from IIT-Madras, have shown that after reaching the rim, as the drop dries, some of the
particles undergo an inward drift too.
• While the inward drift would persist for sub-micron-sized particles, it would decrease with particle size.
• Gapped coffee ring - The inward movement takes place because the particles are ‘squished’ between the solid
plate and the evaporating liquid interface.
• Hence, the ‘coffee’ ring is not formed at the point where the liquid touches the solid, but there is a small gap
between the outermost edge and the ring.
• Using the theory of evaporating drops, the researchers could calculate the rate at which the liquid interface gets
flattened.
• Benefits - This research has applications in agriculture, forensic science and even disease diagnosis.
• Understanding the drying of biologically relevant fluids like blood can help diagnose anaemic and
hyperlipidaemic conditions.
• The size-based separation of different molecules in biological fluids can provide useful information about
disease conditions.
• Generally, the coffee-ring effect has implications for the manufacture of high tech materials such as fuel cells,
displays, and sensors.
• That’s because these devices are made by depositing a coating onto a surface. (E.g.): Drop-casting (Depositing
tiny droplets onto the surface).
21. INDEX AND REPORT
Human Development Index 2021-2022

Recently, the Human Development Index 2021-2022 was released by the United Nations Development Program
(UNDP).
• In 1990, Pakistani economist Mahbub -ul-Haq developed the Human Development Index (HDI).
• The HDI released by the UNDP in its Human Development Report.
• It measures average achievement in three basic dimensions of human development,
1. A long and healthy life,
2. Access to education and
3. A decent standard of living.
• It is calculated using the following four indicators
1. Life expectancy at birth,
2. Mean years of schooling,

3. Expected years of schooling, and

4. Per capita Gross National Income.
• Findings - Switzerland, Norway and Iceland topped the HDI 2021.
• India ranked 132nd among 191 countries and territories on the HDI 2021-2022. Last year, the country ranked
131.
UN Report on Human Rights Abuses by China

The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has accused China of serious human rights violations that may amount to
“crimes against humanity” in a report examining a crackdown on Xinjiang’s Uighurs and other ethnic groups.
• The assessment from the Geneva-based UN HRC largely corroborated earlier reporting by researchers, advocacy
groups and the news media.
• For years, the Chinese government has said the Uighurs are terrorists.
• The assessment concluded that China has committed serious human rights violations under its anti-terrorism
and anti-extremism policies.
• It has called for “urgent attention” from the UN, the world community and China itself to address them.
• Related Links - Uighur Crisis of China
Xinjiang
• Xinjiang is an autonomous region of China, occupying the northwestern corner of the country.
• It is a vast region of deserts and mountains.
• It's home to many ethnic minority groups, including the Turkic Uyghurs.
• The ancient Silk Road trade route linking China and the Middle East passed through Xinjiang, a legacy that can
be seen in the traditional open-air bazaars of its oasis cities, Hotan and Kashgar.
• Xinjiang was on the front line of their Cold War rivalry and remains important as an assertion of Chinese
influence in Moscow’s back yard.
WHO Report on Non-communicable Diseases

In a report, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that there is one death from non-communicable diseases
(NCDs) every 2 seconds, and the WHO recommends policies.
• NCD - Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration.
• They are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.
• Key Facts - These diseases, along with mental illnesses, kill 41 million people each year across all age groups.
• This is equivalent to 74% of all deaths globally, which surpasses the toll of infectious diseases.
• Each year, 17 million people die from a NCD before age 70; 86% of these premature deaths occur in low- and
middle-income countries.
• Of all NCD deaths, 77% are in low- income and middle-
income countries (LMICs).
• With sufficient investment, however, 90% of these countries
can meet the UN-mandated sustainable development goal to
reduce premature deaths from NCDs by a third by 2030,
according to the report.
• The four groups of diseases (listed in the table) account for
over 80% of all premature NCD deaths.
• In India, 66% of all deaths can be attributed to NCDs, with cardiovascular diseases accounting for 28% of these
deaths and chronic respiratory diseases 12%, WHO wrote.
• In 2019, the report showed that India had one of the highest death rates from chronic respiratory diseases.
• Risks - Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets all increase the risk of
dying from an NCD.

• Detection, screening and treatment of NCDs, as well as palliative care, are key components of the response to
NCDs.
• This is because prevention, treatment and care that can prevent or delay the class of diseases are out of bounds
for millions of people.
• Thus, NCDs becomes an equity and development challenge as well.
• The WHO cited a new Roadmap for the Global Action Plan on the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2023-2030.
• The report concluded that policies to reduce the burden of NCDs will also provide economic benefits for
countries.
• Investing less than $1 per person per year can save 7 million lives by 2030 in some of 76 LMICs surveyed by the
WHO.
• The report added that the economic and social benefits for these countries could be more than $230 billion.
India Discrimination Report 2022

Recently, “India Discrimination Report 2022” was released by the non-profit Oxfam India.
• A new report showed that labour force participation rate (LFPR) of
women in India was just 25% in 2021.
• It is considerably lower than Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa,
it added citing the latest World Bank estimates.
• LFPR of women was 42.7% in 2004-05, and the significant decline
indicates the withdrawal of women from the workforce despite
rapid economic growth during the same period.
• Reason - The low participation was largely due to gender
discrimination in wages and opportunities.
• Wages are lower for women 83% because of discrimination and 17% due to lack of education and work
experience.
• Suggestion - The Indian government will have to offer incentives for better pay, training, skills acquisition and
job quotas to prospective employers to encourage the hiring of women to close the gender gap.
The Gender Snapshot 2022

The Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): The Gender Snapshot 2022 was released recently.
• The Gender Snapshot 2022 report was launched by UN Women and the UN Department of Economic and Social
Affairs (UN DESA).
• It displayed that Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG-5), or achieving gender equality, will not be met by
2030 at the current pace of progress.
• Highlights of report - 286 years will be needed to achieve full gender equality at current rate of progress.
• By end of 2022, around 383 million women and girls will live in extreme poverty (on less than $1.90 a day)
compared to 368 million men and boys.
• The longer we take to reverse this trend, the more it will cost us all.
• Over 1.2 billion women and girls of reproductive age (15-49) live in countries and areas with some restrictions
on access to safe abortion.
• Women hold only 2 in every 10 science, engineering and information and communication technology jobs
globally.
• Global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, climate change and the backlash
against women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights further exacerbate gender disparities.
• The report displays how cooperation, partnerships and investments in gender equality agenda are
essential to put the world back on track. Needs to be addressed and dismantled.
**********************

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6.2 Sri Lanka’s Agreement with IMF ..................... 39

2. SOCIAL ISSUES ................................. 9 7.3 U.N. Report on Uyghurs in Xinjiang ................ 48

G.S PAPER II ......................................... 18 8. ECONOMY ....................................... 56

5. GOVERNANCE ................................. 34 10.4 Flexible Fuel Vehicles ...................................... 73

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

PRELIM BITS ........................................ 79 Iran to join SCO ........................................................... 94

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Tarantula Nebula ....................................................... 113 Atomic Clocks ............................................................. 118

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

1.1 Role of Climate Change in Indian Monsoon

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

1.2 Shifting Monsoon Patterns

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

What is monsoon withdrawal?

1.3 Impacts of Climate Change on Hurricanes

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

How climate change intensifies tropical storms?

1.4 Prioritizing the Bay of Bengal Region

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

• Geopolitics - An Indo-Pacific orientation and the realignment

1.5 Bengaluru Floods

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

What are the reasons for the flood?

2.1 SC Quota for Dalit Muslims and Christians

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

What efforts were taken for inclusion of Dalits of other religion?

2.2 The Case of Nikah Halala

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

2.3 The Ban on Conversion Therapy

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

2.4 Age of Consent in POCSO

2.5 Consequences of Declining Fertility

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

2.6 Gender Parity in Academia

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

What is India’s position in academia?

2.7 Impact of Pandemic on Crimes and Suicides

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

3.1 The Siddique Kappan Case

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

3.2 The Essential Practices Doctrine

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

3.3 Interpretation of Places of Worship Act 1991

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

3.4 Excommunication within Dawoodi Bohras

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

3.5 Referring a Bill to Parliamentary Standing Committees

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

3.6 The Office of the Governor

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

3.7 States Power to Challenge Centre

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

What are the cases that can be dealt using

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

3.8 Live Streaming of Supreme Court Proceedings

CHENNAI |SALEM| MADURAI | COIMBATORE | DELHI |BANGALORE | THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

4. GOVERNMENT ACTS & POLICIES

4.1 The Draft Telecommunication Bill 2022