Current Affairs

June 2023

Chief Editor
B. Singh (Ex. IES)
CMD, NEXT IAS & MADE EASY Group

MADE EASY Publications Pvt. Ltd.

Corporate Office: 44-A/4, Kalu Sarai, New Delhi-110016
Visit us at: www.madeeasypublications.org
  011-45124660, 8860378007
E-mail: infomep@madeeasy.in

© Copyright 2023

MADE EASY Publications Pvt. Ltd. has taken due care in collecting
the data before publishing this book. Inspite of this, if any
inaccuracy or printing error occurs then MADE EASY Publications
owes no responsibility. MADE EASY Publications will be grateful
if you could point out any such error. Your suggestions will be
appreciated. © All rights reserved by MADE EASY Publications Pvt.
Ltd. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any
form without the written permission from the publisher.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect policy or position of CURRENT AFFAIRS Magazine
or MADE EASY Publications. They should be understood as the personal opinions of
the author/ authors. The MADE EASY assumes no responsibility for views and opinions
expressed nor does it vouch for any claims made in the advertisements published in
the Magazine. While painstaking effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and
authenticity of the informations published in the Magazine, neither Publisher, Editor or
any of its employee does not accept any claim for compensation, if any data is wrong,
abbreviated, cancelled, omitted or inserted incorrect.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without either the prior written permission of
the Publisher.
Contents
G7 Hiroshima Summit.........................................................................................6
3rd FIPIC Summit...................................................................................................8
Sedition................................................................................................................ 10
New Parliament Building................................................................................ 12
Parliamentary Democracy: Analysis............................................................ 17
Parliament Functioning Statistics................................................................ 20
President and Parliament............................................................................... 21
Manipur Conflict................................................................................................ 22
Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023......................................................... 24
Ordinances.......................................................................................................... 25
Judges Recusal................................................................................................... 26
Reuters Institute Digital News Report........................................................ 27
SIPRI Annual Report 2023............................................................................... 28
Open Network for Digital Commerce......................................................... 30
Monetary Policy Statement........................................................................... 31
Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR)............................................................ 32
Aadhaar-enabled Payment System............................................................. 34
Rail Safety............................................................................................................ 35
Kavach.................................................................................................................. 37
KFON and ‘Right to Internet’.......................................................................... 38
Pangenome Map............................................................................................... 39
Titan Submersible............................................................................................. 40
Spatial Computing............................................................................................ 42
Non-Sugar Sweeteners.................................................................................... 44
Fixed-Dose Combination................................................................................ 45
Non-Communicable Diseases....................................................................... 46
Period Poverty.................................................................................................... 47
Gender Gap Report, 2023............................................................................... 48
NIRF 2023............................................................................................................. 49
Global Slavery Index 2023.............................................................................. 50
Flash Floods........................................................................................................ 51
Cloud Seeding.................................................................................................... 52
World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector.................. 54
Foodgrain Production...................................................................................... 54
GAINS 2023......................................................................................................... 55
Panch Karma Sankalp...................................................................................... 55
MAHIR (Mission on Advanced and High-Impact Research)................. 55
Subsidy on Electric 2-Wheelers..................................................................... 56
National Rozgar Mela....................................................................................... 56
Default Loss Guarantee (DLG)....................................................................... 56
Disinflation.......................................................................................................... 57
Commission of Railway Safety (CRS)........................................................... 57
Scheme for “Exploration of Coal and Lignite”........................................... 57
MP’s CM Learn and Earn Scheme................................................................. 58
Goomty................................................................................................................. 58
‘100 Days 100 Pays’ Campaign (Unclaimed Deposits)........................... 58
India’s First International Cruise Vessel...................................................... 58
Iran-Taliban Water Conflict............................................................................. 60
India and Suriname.......................................................................................... 60
US to Rejoin UNESCO....................................................................................... 61
CUTS BY OPEC +................................................................................................ 61
Kosovo.................................................................................................................. 62
Third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar,
Jammu and Kashmir......................................................................................... 63
Turkey’s Gandhi................................................................................................. 63
China’s Anti-Espionage Law........................................................................... 63
India-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue (IUSSTD)........................................... 64
US-India Defence Relations............................................................................ 64
Exercise Air Defender 23................................................................................. 65
Atlantic Declaration.......................................................................................... 66
India and Serbia................................................................................................. 67
EU's Asylum Policy............................................................................................ 68
Kakhovka Dam (Ukraine)................................................................................ 69
Obesity in Police Forces.................................................................................. 70
Anjadip................................................................................................................. 70
INS Sindhuratna................................................................................................. 70
Necrophilia.......................................................................................................... 71
G20 Delhi Declaration on Cyber-Security.................................................. 71

Adverse Possession........................................................................................... 72
Akhand Bharat................................................................................................... 73
Cancel Culture.................................................................................................... 74
Underutilisation of Funds in North East..................................................... 74
CITIIS 2.0............................................................................................................... 75
PARAKH................................................................................................................. 75
Khap Panchayat................................................................................................. 75
UGC (Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023 ........................... 76
Manual Scavenging.......................................................................................... 77
World Food Programme.................................................................................. 77
National Exit Test (NExT)................................................................................. 78
Har Ghar Jal Programme................................................................................. 78
Banning Dog Meat’s Sale................................................................................ 79
“Professors of Practice” (PoP)......................................................................... 80
Bima Vahaks........................................................................................................ 80
6 Environment
Evapotranspiration........................................................................................... 81
Ganga Prahari..................................................................................................... 81
Himalayan Brown Bears.................................................................................. 82
New Eel Discovered.......................................................................................... 82
Wolf-Dog Hybridisation.................................................................................. 83
Axolotls................................................................................................................. 83
People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR)............................................................ 83
Amrit Dharohar Yojana.................................................................................... 84
India-UK NET Zero Innovation Virtual Center........................................... 84
India's First Carbon Neutral Village.............................................................. 84
Understanding Temperature Anomalies................................................... 84
Sonorous Behaviour & Climate Change..................................................... 86
SC’s Modified Judgment on Eco-sensitive Zones................................... 86
Asiatic Lion.......................................................................................................... 87
Great Indian Bustards (GIB)............................................................................ 88
Vactipelta Barretti............................................................................................. 88
7 Science & Technology
Use of AI against Superbugs.......................................................................... 92
Betelgeuse Star.................................................................................................. 93
Disease X.............................................................................................................. 93
State Food Safety Index (SFSI)....................................................................... 94
Assistance to Medical Device Clusters for
Common Facilities Scheme............................................................................ 94
PLI Scheme 2.0 For It Hardware.................................................................... 94
75/25 Initiative (Hypertension)..................................................................... 95
EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act........................................................................ 95
Seeds in Space................................................................................................... 96
Shenzhou-16 (Tiangong Space Station).................................................... 97
Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Technology............................................. 97
8 Geography
Mekedatu Dam Project.................................................................................... 98
Lithium Triangle................................................................................................. 98
Shanan Power Project...................................................................................... 98
Cyclone’s Effect on Monsoon Onset............................................................ 99
9 Culture & History
Indian Yellow....................................................................................................104
Vadnagar............................................................................................................104
‘Pre-Urban’ Phase of the Harappa..............................................................105
Pre-Mauryan Era Finds in Purana Qila......................................................105
Dancing Girl (Channapatna Toys)...............................................................105
10 On this day in History
..................................................................................................................... 106-108
11 Miscellaneous
Novak Djokovic................................................................................................109
International Booker Prize............................................................................109
Education Awards...........................................................................................109
Antarashtriya Yoga Diwas Media Samman.............................................109
Subjective Questions.....................................................................................111
 Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023

4
Cover Story Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

5
 Current Affairs
COVER STORY Cover Story
Edition: June 2023

G7 HIROSHIMA SUMMIT
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Japan to attend the G-7
Hiroshima Leaders’ Summit and the Quad summit.

49th G7 Summit: Outcomes QUAD LEADERS’ SUMMIT AT HIROSHIMA

• Japan, as Chair of the G7, hosted the Leaders’ Summit in
Hiroshima, where the world’s first atomic weapon was dropped.
The significance of this site is relevant as the war in Ukraine
grinds on, with far-reaching effects on our connected world.
• The G7 leaders emphasised the necessity of governance
for generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and immersive
technologies. The G7 Ministers will discuss generative AI
under “Hiroshima AI process”.
• The G7 leaders re-emphasised the UN General Assembly
resolution A/RES/ES-11/6 titled “Principles of the Charter of
the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and
lasting peace in Ukraine”, adopted in February 2023.
• India was one of the eight invited countries by Japan to the G7
Leaders’ Summit at Hiroshima. Prime Minister Modi highlighted
that linking the G20 and G7 agendas would help address the
hopes and expectations of the Global South.
• To ensure Economic Security, G7 leaders affirmed on
(1) enhancing resilience of supply chain and critical
infrastructure; (2) strengthening responses to non-market
policy and practice and economic coercion; and (3)
appropriately managing critical and emerging technologies.
• The G7 leaders announced the “Clean Energy Economic Action
Plan” which includes creating trade policies that decarbonise
economies.
• They also issued the “Hiroshima Action Statement for Resilient
Global Food Security”.
• Another outcome was the principles set out in the
“G7 Hiroshima Vision for Equitable Access to Medical
Countermeasures”, which called on participants to continue
advancing cooperative efforts towards achieving “Universal
Health Coverage”.
• The G7 has committed to conserving and protecting global
marine biological diversity and sustainably using its resources
based on the best available scientific evidence.
Conclusion:
• The G7 Hiroshima Leaders’ Summit revealed a new sense
of purpose for the group. The Summit outlined the group’s
commitment to meeting global challenges and creating a
better future through international partnerships and concrete
actions, with a larger focus on the Global South.
• Raising serious concerns over China’s constant adversarial
behaviour has also unveiled how the G7 would proceed to
address the challenges the international community faces.
• The Quad Leaders’ Summit, which was the third in person
Summit of the five in total, was also convened on the side-
lines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima on 20 May 2023.
• The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), commonly
known as the Quad, is a strategic security dialogue
between Australia, India, Japan and the United States.
• At the summit, the Quad Infrastructure Fellowships Program
was announced, which will train 1,800 infrastructure
professionals to ‘build and manage’ high-quality infrastructure.
• The summit also witnessed the launch of the Quad
International Standards Cooperation Network; the Quad
Principles on Critical and Emerging Technology Standards
and the Quad Space Working Group.
What is the Hiroshima AI Process?
• During the G7 Summit, Leaders initiated the Hiroshima AI
Process (HAP) to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• Aim: Adoption of international technical standards for
trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• The G7 leaders have agreed to create a ministerial forum
known as the “Hiroshima AI Process” that will discuss
issues regarding generative AI tools like ChatGPT, such as
intellectual property rights and disinformation. It is scheduled
to be formed by the end of this year.
• Need: To advance international discussions on inclusive AI
governance and interoperability to achieve common vision
and goal of trustworthy AI.
 To immediately take stock of the opportunities and
challenges of generative AI, and encourage international
organisations to analyse the impact of policy developments
and Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) to conduct practical
projects.
• Significance: It can help the countries develop a common
understanding on some key regulatory issues while ensuring
that any disagreement doesn’t result in complete discord.
 The process can bring greater clarity to the role and
scope of the ‘fair use’ doctrine in the use of AI for various
purposes.
 It can also differentiate use for machine-learning per se
from other AI-related uses of copyrighted materials. This
in turn could affect the global discourse and practice on
the issue.

6

GROUP OF SEVEN (G7)
About:
• The G-7 or ‘Group of Seven’ are Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• The G-7 nations meet at annual summits that are presided
over by leaders of member countries on a rotational basis.
The summit is an informal gathering that lasts two days, in
which leaders of member countries discuss a wide range of
global issues.
• The G-7 does not have a formal constitution or a fixed
headquarters.
• The decisions taken by leaders during annual summits are
non-binding.
• It was originally formed to consider economic issues only but
now it also discusses on various global issues ranging from
political to environmental and others.
Timeline:
• It is an intergovernmental organisation that was formed in
1975 by the top economies of the time as an informal forum
to discuss pressing world issues.
• Canada joined the group in 1976, and the European Union
began attending in 1977.
• The G-7 was known as the ‘G-8’ for several years after the
original seven were joined by Russia in 1997. The Group
returned to being called G-7 after Russia was expelled as
a member in 2014 following the latter’s annexation of the
Crimea region of Ukraine.
Reason behind its Formation:
• Conceived in the 1970s at the height of the Cold War, the
G-7—a brainchild of the Richard Nixon administration—
served two purposes.
 First, to address economic, political and security
differences and manage crises among the members.
 Second, to reinforce the dominance of the Western
democratic and liberal economic model in the global order.
• These twin objectives were evident in that these democracies
retained their position among the world’s top economies and,
at the end of the Cold War, accounted for nearly 70% of the
global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Phase of Decline:
• However, the 1996-97 Asian financial crisis revealed the
limitations of the G-7 in managing the challenges posed by
Cover Story Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
globalization, and led to the establishment of the Group of
Twenty (G-20) of the world’s top economies.
• The subsequent decision in 1997 to expand the G-7 to
include an economically and politically floundering Russia
was contrary to two of the group’s fundamental principles.
 First, Russia (with an economy smaller than that of China
and even India) was not even among the top 10 economies
when it was admitted and
 Second, its democratic credentials were weak.
• The dramatic 2008 global financial meltdown—triggered by
the policies of some of the G-8—made the group part of the
problem rather than the solution and led to the empowerment
of the G-20, which was better suited to address at least the
geoeconomic challenges.
• Today, the G-7’s share of global GDP is around 47% and only
five—the US, Germany, Japan, UK, and France—are among
the top 7 global economies, while Italy and Canada have
been upstaged by China and India.
Revival of G-7: Possibilities
• Such an ad-hoc and exclusive group is likely to revive. This
revival could take several different pathways.
• The first and most obvious route would be for the G-7 to be
permanently replaced by the G-20. This transition would work
if the primary objective is to address immediate financial and
economic crises. However, if the objective is also to address
geopolitical issues and uphold the democratic liberal model,
then the G-20 is unsuitable. Many of its members are not
exactly exemplars of democracy and also have competing
geopolitical interests.
• The second approach might be to reform the G-7 based
solely on the criteria of the size of the country’s economy.
On this measure alone, the reconstituted G-7 would include
China and India (instead of Italy and Canada) plus the five
original members. Such a G-7 would be reflective of current
geoeconomic realities and might be more effective in
managing differences. However, it is unlikely that Trump will
accept China into the fold.
• The third option might be the creation of a new G-6 around the
Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) group. With
a combined global GDP share of nearly 30%, the Bric nations
are among the world’s top 10 economies. However, without
the US—which accounts for around 24% of global GDP—this
group’s geoeconomic clout is likely to remain limited.
7
 Current Affairs
COVER STORY Cover Story
Edition: June 2023
3rd FIPIC SUMMIT
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over 3rd summit of Forum for India Pacific
Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Key Highlights of his Visit:
• During the visit PM Modi was conferred the Grand Companion
of the Order of Logohu (GCL), the highest civilian award of
Papua New Guinea.
• He unveiled a comprehensive 12-step initiative for advancing
India's collaborations with the Pacific region countries.
• This include FIPIC SME Development Project, Solar project
for Government buildings, Provide desalination units for
drinking water, Supply sea ambulances, setting up dialysis
units, setting up of 24x7 emergency helpline, setting up of
Jan Aushadi Kendras, setting up of Yoga centres.
Pacific Islands Countries (PICs):
• The Pacific Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific
Ocean. They are categorized into three major island groups:
Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.
• Melanesia extends from New Guinea in the west to the Fiji
Islands in the east, and includes the Arafura Sea. The region
includes the four independent countries of Fiji, Vanuatu,
Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea.
• Micronesia includes four main archipelagos of the Caroline
Islands, the Gilbert Islands, the Mariana Islands, and the
Marshall Islands.
• Polynesia is generally defined as the islands within the
Polynesian Triangle. Geographically, the Polynesian Triangle
is drawn by connecting the points of Hawaii, New Zealand,
and Easter Island. The other main island groups located within
the Polynesian Triangle are Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands,
Tuvalu, Tokelau, Niue, Wallis and Futuna, and French Polynesia.
PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM
• The Pacific Islands Forum is the region’s premier political
and economic policy organisation.
• It was founded in 1971.
• It comprises 18 members: Australia, Cook Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia,
Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau,
Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa,
Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
• The work of the Forum is guided by the Framework for
Pacific Regionalism, which was endorsed by Forum
Leaders in July 2014.
• It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum (SPF),
and changed its name in 1999 to "Pacific Islands Forum".
8
Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC):
• India's development partnership with Pacific Island Countries
(PICs) encompasses various areas, such as infrastructure
development, with a particular emphasis on education,
health, and culture.
• As part of the Act East Policy, India established the FIPIC in
2014 for cooperation between India and 14 pacific islands
states of Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated
States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
• Earlier 2 meetings were held in 2014 (Fiji) and 2015 (Jaipur,
India).
Significance and Critical Analysis:
• Location: The Pacific Ocean is the earth's largest ocean
covering 46 per cent of water surface and 33 per cent of the
earth's total surface, making it larger than the entire earth's
land area. It is bounded by 41 sovereign states plus Taiwan,
and 22 non-independent territories.
• Resources: While these countries have relatively small land
areas, some of them have Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)
that are larger than the landmass. The region is rich in
minerals such as copper, nickel, gold and Liquefied Natural
Gas and has a huge fishing potential. It accounts for 71 per
cent of the world's ocean fishery catch.
• Trade: Although these islands are geographically remote, they
sit astride important Sea Lanes of Communications (SLOCs)
that connect Asia with Latin America through which important
maritime trade is conducted.
• Competition: Australia and New Zealand being much larger
economies have tended to dominate these countries and
the 14 other island members have sought to diversify their
external relations, including with the major powers like US,
China and Japan.
• Vote chunk: In the era of multilateralism, receiving institutional
legitimacy in the form of votes for a country’s stand on global
issues such as climate change or trade negotiations has
become absolutely necessary. Together, PICs form one of
the biggest chunks of votes in multilateral forums like UNSC.
• Cultural ties: India has had a long history of cooperation and
close engagement with Fiji, which has a large population of
Indian origin. India has a huge diaspora in the South Pacific
region (close to 0.29 million NRIs and 0.59 million PIOs)
which it can leverage to its own advantage.
• Science & Tech: Due to its geographic location, the South
Pacific is an ideal location for establishing a monitoring and
tracking station for satellites.
Cover Story Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

9
 Current
PolityAffairs
& Gov Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
SEDITION
The 22nd Law Commission of India in its 279th report, has recommended the retention
of Section 124A of the IPC, which contains the laws of sedition.
Sedition Law:
• Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code penalises a crime
against the state.
• The Section 124 A says, ‘Whoever, by words, either spoken or
written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise,
brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites
or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government
established by law in India, shall be punished with
imprisonment for life or with imprisonment upto three years,
with fine’.
• Explanation 1. The expression “disaffection” includes
disloyalty and all feelings of enmity.
• Explanation 2. Comments expressing disapprobation of
the measures of the Government with a view to obtain their
alteration by lawful means, without exciting or attempting to
excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an
offence under this section.
• Explanation 3. Comments expressing disapprobation
of the administrative or other action of the Government
without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or
disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section.
History: Colonial India
• The origin of the law on sedition can be traced back to the
English Law.
• In India, Macaulay's Draft Penal Code (I837- 1839) provided
for a Clause which incorporated the offence of sedition.
However, when the Macaulay's draft received its final shape
in the form of enactment of the Indian Penal Code (hereinafter
"IPC") in 1860, this section was not included.
• Due to increasing Wahabi activities, this section was finally
added in 1870 under the title "Exciting disaffection" on the
suggestion of James Stephen (legal member of the Viceroy's
Executive Council in India).
• Sedition was added as an offence under Section 124A of IPC
through the Special Act XVII of 1870. This section was in line
with the Treason Felony Act, 1848 that penalised seditious
expressions.
Freedom Fighters charged with Sedition:
• The first known registered case under the section was in
Calcutta High Court in 1891 “Queen Empress v Jogendra
Chunder Bose”. Bose's article, published in his own Bengali
magazine Bangobasi, criticized the Age of Consent Act,
10
1891. The Act was described as "forced Europeanisation" and
a gag on Hindus, who were described as legally incapable
and prevented from rebelling against the Act.
• During his lifetime among other political cases, Bal Gangadhar
Tilak had been tried for sedition charges in three times by
British India Government—in 1897, 1909, and 1916. The first
major case was Queen Empress vs Bal Gangadhar Tilak
1897 in which the Bombay Court found Bal Gangadhar Tilak
guilty of sedition for writing a couple of articles in Kesari, a
Marathi weekly, invoking Shivaji, which was interpreted as
exciting disaffection towards the British government.
• In 1922, Mahatma Gandhi's three articles for Young India
resulted into his and Shankarlal Banker's imprisonment
under the sedition section. While appearing in court, Gandhi
referred to Section 124A as the "prince among the political
sections of the Indian Penal Code designed to suppress the
liberty of the citizen".
History: Independent India
• In 1951, the Punjab High Court ruled Section 124A to be
unconstitutional. A similar ruling was passed in 1959 by the
Allahabad High Court, which also concluded that it struck
at the very root of free speech. The Government of India
appealed to the Supreme Court of India.
• In 1962, the Supreme Court in ‘Kedarnath Singh v State of
Bihar’ upheld the constitutional validity of IPC Section 124A.
However, the court attempted to restrict its scope for misuse.
The court held that unless accompanied by an incitement
or call for violence, criticism of the government cannot be
labelled sedition.
• Sedition was made cognizable for the first time during the
tenure of Indira Gandhi via the 1973 Code of Criminal Procedure
(CrPC) which replaced the 1898 CrPC. Cognizable means
capable of being judicially heard and determined.

Arguments for Repealing Sedition Law:
• The sedition law is an archaic law that has an imprint of
colonial legacy and is a law which was used by the British
against Indian freedom fighters.
• While India continues to have the colonial law in its books, it
was abolished through the Coroners and Justice Act, of 2009 in
Britain.
• In 2022, the Supreme Court observed that the provision of
sedition may be outdated for a democratic republic.
• There are several counter-terror legislations that could
adequately take care of threats against the state. So, there is
no need of law related to Sedition.
• Sedition is frequently invoked to punish political speech or
actions instead for acts that threaten national security and is
thus violative of the freedom of speech and expression under
Article l9(I)(a) of the Constitution.
View of 22nd Law Commission:
• The Commission recommended three changes to the law on
sedition.
• The first is to include the Ratio of Kedar Nath ruling into the
provision by adding the words “with a tendency to incite
violence or cause public disorder.” The report also defines
tendency to incite violence as a “mere inclination to incite
violence or cause public disorder rather than proof of actual
violence or imminent threat to violence.”
• Removal of the Oddity in Punishment: The punishment for
Section l24A is very 'odd'. It could be either imprisonment
for life or imprisonment up to three years only, but nothing in
between, with the minimum punishment being only fine. The
report suggests enhancing the imprisonment for sedition to
seven years or life imprisonment.
• Third, to prevent misuse of the law, the report suggested
including a mandatory recourse similar to as provided under
Section 196(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
(CrPC) should be undertaken prior to registration of a FIR
with respect to commission of an offence under this section.
 This means that no FIR shall be registered for sedition
“unless a police officer, not below the rank of Inspector,
conducts a preliminary inquiry and on the basis of
the report made by the said police officer the Central
Government or the State Government, as the case may
be, grants permission for registering a First Information
Report”.
Arguments for Retaining Sedition Law:
• To safeguard the unity and integrity of lndia: The report
cited threats to India’s internal security, including Maoist
extremism, militancy and ethnic conflict in the north-east,
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and secessionist activities
in other parts of the country, like Punjab. These necessitate
retaining the law on sedition.
• Reasonable restriction under Article 19(2): The Commission
also justified criminalising sedition, saying it is a reasonable
restriction under Article 19(2) of the Constitution (which deals
with restrictions on the right to freedom of speech, assembly,
etc. under Article 19(1)).
• Realities differ in every jurisdiction: The Courts of competitive
jurisdictions, like the US, the UK, etc. had their own history,
geography, population, diversity, laws, etc. which are not
compatible with Indian circumstances.
• Other countries also retain it: Even in some of the most
advanced democracies around the world, mere cosmetic
changes have been affected in the law of sedition, without
taking away the core substance of the offence. These
countries have only merged their sedition law with counter-
terror legislation.
• Existence of counter-terror legislations: The existence of anti-
terror legislations does not by “implication cover all elements
of the offence and envisaged under Section 124A of IPC.”
Further, in the absence of a provision like capital Section
124A of IPC, any expression that incites violence against
the government, would invariably be tried under the special
laws and counter terror legislation, which contain much more
stringent provisions to deal with the accused.
• Sedition being a colonial legacy: The Commission also refuted
the argument that the sedition law must be repealed since it
has an imprint of colonial legacy. It is because, going by that
virtue, the entire framework of the Indian legal system is a
colonial legacy. The police force and the idea of an all India
civil service are also temporal remnants of the British era.
Merely ascribing the term ‘colonial’ to a law or institution does
not by itself, ascribe it to an idea of anachronism.
Concluding Remarks:
• The Commission has sought to address two concerns
usually raised about sedition: its rampant misuse and its
relevance to the present day. However, its very existence
on the statute affords great scope for its unjustified use,
often with deliberate intent to suppress dissent and
imprison critics.
• It is doubtful if a mere prior sanction requirement, as mooted
in the report, or a mandatory preliminary probe, will lead to
fewer sedition cases.
• In fact, an effective legal framework against hate speech is
what is needed more than one to penalise speech or writing
that targets the government. Notwithstanding the report, the
government should consider the review of the provision.
11
 Current
PolityAffairs
& Gov Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023

NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building, which will have
exquisite artwork and a ceremonial sceptre ‘Sengol’ among several features.

Features of new Parliament Building:
• It has been developed as part of India's Central Vista
Redevelopment Project.
• It is located in New Delhi directly opposite the old building's
site.
• Design: It has a built-up area of about 65,000 sq m, with its
triangular shape ensuring the optimum utilisation of space.
• Capacity: The new building will house a larger Lok Sabha
hall with a capacity of up to 888 seats, and a larger Rajya
Sabha hall with a capacity of upto 384 seats. The Lok Sabha
may accommodate up to 1,272 seats for joint sessions of
Parliament.
• Theme: The Lok Sabha hall is based on the peacock theme,
India’s national bird. The Rajya Sabha is based on the lotus
theme, India’s national flower.
• Constitutional Hall: A state of the art Constitutional Hall in the
building “symbolically and physically puts the Indian citizens
at the heart of our democracy”.
• Central Lounge: A Central Lounge that will complement the
open courtyard will be a place for members to interact with
each other. The courtyard will have a banyan, the national
tree.
• Divyang friendly: The new Parliament will be divyang friendly,
and people with disabilities will be able to move around
freely.
• Modern features: The building will have ultra-modern office
spaces that will be secure, efficient, and equipped with the
latest communications technology. The new building will
have large committee rooms with the latest audio-visual
equipment, and will provide a superior library experience.
• Platinum-rated Green Building: The new Sansad Bhavan
is a “Platinum-rated Green Building” and embodies India’s
commitment towards environmental sustainability.
Need of New Parliament Building:
• Old: The existing Parliament House, which was commissioned
in 1927, is almost a century old Heritage Grade-I building that
has seen a massive increase in parliamentary activities and
users over the decades.
• Ad hoc modifications: Ad hoc constructions and modifications
have been made over time, and the building “is showing
signs of distress and over-utilization and is not able to meet
the current requirements in terms of space, amenities and
technology”.
• Narrow seating space for MPs: The present building was never
designed to accommodate a bicameral legislature for a full-
fledged democracy. The number of Lok Sabha seats is likely
to increase significantly from the current 545 after 2026,
when the freeze on the total number of seats lifts. The seating
arrangements are cramped and cumbersome, with no desks
beyond the second row.
• Distressed infrastructure: The addition of services like
water supply and sewer lines, air-conditioning, firefighting
equipment, CCTV cameras, etc., have led to seepage of
water at several places and impacted the aesthetics of the
building. Fire safety is a major concern at the building.
• Obsolete communication structures: Communications
infrastructure and technology is antiquated in the existing
Parliament, and the acoustics of all the halls need improvement.
• Safety concerns: The current Parliament building was built
when Delhi was in Seismic Zone-II; currently it is in Seismic
Zone-IV. This raises structural safety concerns.
• Inadequate workspace for employees: Over the years, inner
service corridors were converted into offices which resulted in
poor-quality workspaces. In many cases, these workspaces
were made even smaller by creating sub-partitions to
accommodate more workers.
CENTRAL VISTA REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT
• Central Vista Redevelopment Project refers to the
ongoing redevelopment to revamp the Central Vista,
India's central administrative area located near Raisina
Hill, New Delhi.
• The area was originally designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and
Sir Herbert Baker during British colonial rule.
• Scheduled between 2020 and 2026, the project aims to
 revamp a 3 km long Kartvyapath between Rashtrapati
Bhavan and India Gate,
 convert North and South Blocks to publicly accessible
museums by creating a new common Central Secretariat
to house all ministries,
 establishing a new Parliament building near the
present one with increased seating capacity for future
expansion,
 establishing new residence and office for the Vice-
President and the Prime Minister near the North
Block and South Block and convert some of the older
structures into museums.

12
 Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

Foucault Pendulum: • The composition of the coin is of a quaternary alloy — 50

• One of the features of the new Parliament building in New
Delhi is a Foucault pendulum.
• The pendulum hangs from a skylight at the top of the
Constitution Hall, and signifies the “integration of the idea of
India with the idea of the cosmos”.
• It has been designed and installed by the National Council of
Science Museums (NCSM), Kolkata.
• The Foucault pendulum is named for Léon Foucault (1819-
1868), the French physicist who devised the apparatus in the
19th century.
• In 1991, the then-new Inter-University Centre for Astronomy
and Astrophysics, Pune, commissioned India’s first Foucault
pendulum for public display from the NCSM.
Working of Foucault Pendulum:
• This device is used to illustrate the earth’s rotation.
• The pendulum consists of a bob suspended at the end of a
long, strong wire from a fixed point in the ceiling.
• If the pendulum is installed at the North Pole, it will basically
be swinging as the earth rotates ‘below’. But someone
standing on the earth’s surface doesn’t notice the planet’s
rotation; instead, to them, the plane of the swing will seem to
rotate by a full circle as the earth completes one rotation.
• If the pendulum is installed over the equator, the plane won’t
appear to shift at all because it will be rotating along with the
earth.
• On any other latitude, the plane will shift through 360 degrees
in “one sidereal day divided by the sine of the latitude of its
location”, as per a Brown University note.
per cent silver, 40 per cent copper, 5 per cent nickel and 5
per cent zinc.
• The face of the coin shall bear the Lion Capitol of Ashoka
Pillar in the centre, with the legend Satyameva Jayate
inscribed below, flanked on the left periphery with the word
“Bharat” in Devnagri script and on the right periphery the
word “INDIA” in English.
• The other side of the coin displays an image of the new
parliament building. The inscription “Sansad Sankul” is
written in Devanagari script on the upper periphery while
the words “Parliament Complex” in English on the lower
periphery of the coin.
• Background of Commemorative Coins
 India has been issuing commemorative coins since
the 1960s for several reasons such as paying homage
to notable personalities, spreading awareness about
government schemes, or remembering key historic events.
 The country released its first commemorative coin in
1964 in honour of Jawaharlal Nehru, who had passed
away that year.
• Power to design and mint coins:
 The Coinage Act, 2011 gives the central government the
power to design and mint coins in various denominations.
 In the case of coins, the role of the RBI is limited to
the distribution of coins that are supplied by the central
government.
 All coins are minted in the four mints owned by the
Government of India in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata
and Noida.

Rs 75 Coin Launched:
• A new commemorative coin with a denomination of Rs 75 was
unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration
of the new Parliament building.
• The latest Rs 75 coin is circular in shape with a diameter of
44mm.

13
 Current Affairs Cover Story
Edition: June 2023

14
Cover Story Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

15
 Current Affairs Cover Story
Edition: June 2023

16
 Polity & Gov
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY: ANALYSIS
In the background of inauguration of new parliament building, it is time to
analyse the functioning of parliamentary democracy in India.
Parliamentary Democracy as distinguished from
Presidential Democracy:
• Our constitution provides for parliamentary form of
government. We have borrowed the constitutional features of
several democratic countries. But our parliamentary model is
predominantly based on the British system.
• The Head of Government in our system, the Prime Minister,
can hold office only so long as he commands the confidence
of the Lok Sabha. Confidence of the House is reflected in
existence/continuance of majority support - whether it be of a
single party or of a coalition of parties. This feature can, and
does, cause instability in governance.
• In Presidential democracies, the Head of Government, the
President is directly elected by the people and cannot be
removed from office except in circumstances of high crimes
and misdemeanour established through impeachment process.
• Hence, Presidential democracies provide stable governance.
In our parliamentary system, we have had changes
of government through mid term elections or political
realignments. Changes in government undoubtedly bring
about disruptions in implementation of policies, development
programmes and schemes.
• A question that has been publicly debated often is whether
we should not opt for Presidential form of government.
Parliamentary form being a basic feature of the Constitution,
as held by the Supreme Court, legal problems might arise in
switch over to any other form.
• Nor is it the case that parliamentary form is without its merits.
• The Parliament is in a position to keep the Prime Minister
and his Ministers under constant vigil through its oversight
mechanisms and devices - Question Hour, Adjournment
Motions, Calling Attention Notices, debates, Confidence
and No Confidence Motions, Scrutiny of budget and its
implementation, public accounts audit etc.
• We should also remember that lack of mandate for the
parliament to force a government out of office when
circumstance would warrant may result in dictatorial
tendencies on the part of the Head of the Government.
• We can perhaps consider the feasibility of adopting
the German model of constitutional/legal provisions for
constructive Votes of No Confidence. Under this model, the
parliament may express its lack of confidence in the Head
of government only by electing a successor by the vote of
a majority of Members and requesting the President for the
appointment of the successor.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
Head of Government to be from the House of the
People:
• Under Article 75 of the Constitution, the Prime Minister is
appointed by the President and the other Ministers are
appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime
Minister.
• The Council of Ministers including the Prime Minister are
collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Often our Prime
Ministers are not from the Lok Sabha but from the Rajya
Sabha.
• His responsibility being to the Lok Sabha, it is desirable that
the Prime Minister is drawn from the Lok Sabha.
Money and Muscle Power in Elections:
• Money power plays a significant role in our elections. Of
course, the Election Commission does try to keep vigil
through its expense monitoring mechanisms against efforts
at mobilizing votes for money. That by no means can be
considered to be adequate.
• At least the public perception is that the election expenses
incurred by candidates are several multiples of the
expenditure ceilings officially fixed. Even as ceilings have
to be reviewed and revised, making them more realistic
and consistent with ground realities, statutory regulations
in respect of their breach should be made stringent and
deterrent.
• Criminalization of politics caused by the nexus between
bureaucracy, political players and criminals has been a
subject matter for public debates over several years. But the
problem persists. Candidates having criminal background do
enter legislative bodies.
• This is because parties, cutting across the political spectrum,
give seats to candidates on ground of their so called
"winnability." It is for the political parties themselves to set up
standards regarding clean candidature policy.
• Of course, electoral contestants are now making declarations
regarding their criminal antecedents, if any, as well as their
assets in affidavits filed by them while filing nomination
papers. At present, this is being done by them based on
Supreme Court Ruling.
• It is desirable to have clear statutory provisions regarding
mandatory declarations. Such provisions should also
stipulate appropriate sanctions against non disclosure of full
information.
17
 Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
Multi-Party System:
• For a long time now, governance through coalition
arrangements has more or less become the order of the day
in the multi party system that we follow.
• In the 15th Lok Sabha, forty political parties had their
presence. The UPA II Coalition consisted of 11 parties and
was supported from outside by 9 parties.
• Running the government by coalition formations like this is
like running a handicapped race. The government gets to be
hamstrung in taking effective policy/reform measures.
• Coalition partners have their regional, local and ideological
agendas which they are often unable to harmonize with the
overall coalition programmes.
• While the Government tries to ventilate its helplessness by
referring to "coalition compulsions," the constituent partners
complain of violation of "coalition dharma" by the government
in not reaching out to them.
• There needs to be effective and meaningful efforts on the
part of ruling coalitions at what late Prime Minister V.P Singh
characterized as "management of contradictions". This is
feasible only if coordination mechanisms are perfected and
made functional by ruling coalitions.
Federalism:
• Our polity is a Union of States. Our administration is
decentralized. Sharing of powers is constitutionally provided
for and mandated.
• Rising up to local aspirations, since original States
Reorganization, several new States have been created.
According to constitutional experts of India, parliamentarians
and constitutional authorities of other countries have marvelled
about our finely balanced Centre State relationship. Our
political leaders owe it to our people not to disrupt this balance.
• Of late, especially with the rise of the regional parties,
jurisdictional questions are being increasingly raised on
grounds of federalism.
• Examples are jurisdictional debates that occurred in the
context of Lok Pal Bill and creation of National Counter
Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
• On issues of national importance, National and State level
leaders and parties need to carefully harmonize their
respective concerns in a non partisan manner. This would be
feasible only if National and State governments reach out to
each other for consensus building.
Representation:
• The system of election that we follow in our country is the "first
past the post system."
• That is, among various contesting candidates, whoever gets
the highest number of validly polled votes is declared elected.
18
• This results in candidates who do not necessarily get the
majority (more than 50%) of valid votes getting qualified for
seats in the legislative bodies. This also results in political
parties having seats in the legislative bodies disproportionate
to the popular votes polled by them in electoral contests.
• The merit of the "first past the post system" is that in our
country of a billion people, we can conduct elections without
complicated procedures inherent in proportional system of
representation. The latter system also results in multiplicity of
parties in the legislative bodies.
Rules of Order in the Houses:
• The Rules of Procedure for the Conduct of Business of
the Houses do contain elaborate provisions concerning
orderliness in business transaction. These provisions are
more often observed only in their breach.
 Members drown one another in their noisy demands,
projecting issues outside the agenda;
 demand suspension of the Question Hour;
 do cross talking;
 don't comply with the instructions of the Chair;
 repeat arguments in debates, not having done home work
on the subjects of debates;
 often force adjournment of the Houses from hour to hour,
day to day;
 boycott Ministers;
 pass budgets hurriedly without serious debates, cause
guillotining important demands for grants.
• In the process what suffers is the performance of the
parliament in holding the government to account. The
people are seriously concerned with chaotic parliamentary
proceedings.
• Of course, the Presiding Officers can discipline the Members.
But they rarely exercise their disciplinary powers in the
interests of patiently getting the business through. Ultimately,
it is for the parliamentary parties to ensure the orderly conduct
of their Members.
• Either the writ of these parties does not run among its Members
or they passively allow the members to create chaos on
partisan considerations. The parties should introspect on this
matter.
Constructive Opposition:
• The Opposition necessarily has to play the role of vigilantly
keeping the government on leash.
• But it has a very constructive role to play. Indeed, in the British
parliamentary system, the senior leaders in the Opposition
form "shadow cabinet" - to "shadow" each member of the
government. It keeps government initiated laws and policies
under scrutiny and offers alternative policies.

• Often, shadow cabinet members themselves become
Ministers when the Opposition gets to form the government.
Opposition unity and integrity is as important as unity and
integrity of the ruling dispensation.
• People of the country should not lose out in terms of delivery
of services in a merry ground of cyclical partisan hostility
between the ruling dispensation and the Opposition.
Law Making:
• Law making is the primary function of legislative bodies. In
all parliaments, there are established procedures for making
laws. By and large, these procedures concern initiation,
introduction, general discussion, Committee scrutiny, public
consultation, amendments, discussion in the plenary and
voting leading to authentication by the President.
• We also have time honoured rules for legislation comparable
to international standards.
• Of late, Civil Society Organizations have tended to become
strident in regard to the manner in which they should be
consulted in law making. Of course, these organizations
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
can provide invaluable inputs based on their grass roots
perception of people's aspirations.
• It is desirable that any public consultation including with
Civil Society organizations is done within the framework of
parliamentary procedures. In representational democracies,
it is the prerogative of the parliament to make laws on behalf
of the sovereign people.
• We cannot allow law making to be delegated to the Civil
Society with the result that it becomes something in the
nature of collective bargaining. The simple reason is that
there are lot many Civil Society Organizations and we should
not tie ourselves down by complicated procedures. Nor do
they have representative character.
• This apart, such organizations also may have their caprices
and partisan orientations. Laws touching, as they do, millions
of people should be formulated without capricious and
partisan orientations. Government, on their part, could study,
and learn from, the experiences of other countries such as
UK in perfecting pre-legislative scrutiny.
19
 Current
PolityAffairs
& Gov Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
PARLIAMENT FUNCTIONING STATISTICS
With the new building coming into use from the next Parliament session,
this is a review of the performance of the MPs in the old building.
Sitting Days:
• Entering the final year of its term, the 17th Lok Sabha has
functioned for 230 sitting days so far. Of all the Lok Sabhas
that completed the full five-year term, the 16th Lok Sabha had
the lowest sitting days (331).
• With one more year remaining in the term, and 58 average
sitting days a year, the 17th Lok Sabha is unlikely to sit for
more than 331 days. This could make the 17th Lok Sabha
likely to be the shortest full term Lok Sabha since 1952.
• This has been the sixth shortest budget session since 1952
amidst continuous disruptions.
• In the Budget Session 2023, Lok Sabha functioned for 33% of
its scheduled time (46 hrs) and Rajya Sabha for 24% (32 hrs).
Legislative Activity:
• The Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was the only
Bill passed during this session (excluding Finance and
Appropriation Bills). This Bill as well as the Finance Bill were
passed without any discussion by either House.
• Three Bills were introduced, one of which, the Forest
(Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, was referred to a Joint
Parliamentary Committee.
• In the 17th Lok Sabha, so far, 150 Bills have been introduced
and 131 have been passed (excluding Finance and
Appropriation Bills). In the first session, 38 Bills were
introduced and 28 were passed. Since then, the number of
Bills introduced and passed has declined. Fewer than 10
Bills have been introduced or passed in each of the last four
consecutive sessions.
• No Private Member Bills were introduced or discussed.
Discussions:
• The Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address was the
only item discussed in this session.
20
• In this budget session, Lok Sabha spent 18 hours on financial
business, of which 16 hours were spent on the general
discussion of the budget. In the previous budget sessions of
the 17th Lok Sabha, financial business was discussed for 55
hours on average.
• The proposed expenditure of all Ministries, amounting to Rs
42 lakh crore, was passed without any discussion. In the
last seven years, on average, 79% of the budget has been
passed without discussion.
• Rajya Sabha discusses the working of select Ministries during
the budget session. But in this session, it could not discuss.
Holding the Government Accountable:
• The Rules of Procedure of both Houses of Parliament provide
for various devices which can be used to draw attention
to matters of public importance, and hold the government
accountable. These include half-an-hour discussions, short
duration discussions, and adjournment motions.
• In the 17th Lok Sabha, only 11 short duration discussions and
one half-an-hour discussion have been held so far. None
were held in this session.
• In Rajya Sabha, under Rule 267, the proceedings of the House
may be suspended with the permission of the Chairperson to
discuss a matter of importance (analogous to adjournment
motions in Lok Sabha).
• In this session, more than 150 notices were filed under this
rule, none were accepted.
• This session also saw the least amount of time spent on
questions in the current Lok Sabha. Question Hour functioned
for 19% of scheduled time in Lok Sabha and 9% in Rajya
Sabha. About 7% of starred questions were answered in
each House.
Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha:
• Article 93 of the Constitution states that Lok Sabha will
choose two Members of the House to be Speaker and Deputy
Speaker, as soon as possible.
• The 17th Lok Sabha has not elected a Deputy Speaker even
as it enters the final year of its five-year term. This is despite
the Supreme Court issuing a notice to the central government
in February 2023 to respond to a public interest litigation
regarding delay in the election of the Deputy Speaker.
• There has just been one instance in the past – 269 days
during the 12th Lok Sabha – when it took over three months
to elect a Deputy Speaker.
 Polity & Gov
PRESIDENT AND PARLIAMENT
Opposition parties criticized the Government of India that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
and not President Draupadi Murmu, inaugurated the new Parliament building on May 28.
About:
• Opposition parties cited Article 79 of the Constitution of India
which states that "There shall be a Parliament for the Union
which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be
known respectively as the Council of States and the House of
the People."
• Though the President is a constituent part of the Parliament,
the President does not sit or participate in the discussions in
either of the two Houses.
• The President of India is directly elected by an electoral
college consisting of the elected members of both the Houses
of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative
Assemblies of the States for a period of five years and is
eligible for re-election to that office.
• The President is the Constitutional Head of State and in the
discharge of all functions, the President acts on the aid and
advise of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers,
which is responsible to the House of the People, that is, the
Lok Sabha.
President Address:
• Article 87 of the constitution provides two instances when the
President specially addresses both Houses of Parliament.
The President of India addresses both the Rajya Sabha and
the Lok Sabha at the beginning of the first Session after each
general election when the reconstituted lower house meets
for the first time.
• The President also addresses both the houses at beginning
of the first session of each year.
• The President’s speech essentially highlights the
government’s policy priorities and plans for the upcoming
year. The address provides a broad framework of the
government’s agenda and direction.
Law Making Powers:
• Certain Bills can be introduced and proceeded only after the
recommendation of the President has been so obtained.
• All bills passed by the parliament can become law only after
receiving the assent of the president as per Article 111. After
a bill is presented to them, the president shall declare either
that they assent to the Bill, or that they withhold assent from
it. As a third option, they can return a bill to parliament, if it is
not a money bill, for reconsideration.
• When both the Houses are not in Session and the President is
satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
to take immediate action, the President promulgates
Ordinances (under Article 123) having the same force and
effect as a law passed by the Parliament.
Bill passed by a State Legislature:
• A bill passed by a State Legislature may also be reserved for
the consideration of the President by the Governor of that State.
• The President enjoys this right in relation to a bill passed by a
State Legislature only in such cases where those are referred
to him by the Government of a State under Article 200.
Summons Parliament:
• Apart from addressing Parliament, the President may also,
in case of necessities, send messages to either House, or
to both Houses [Article 86(2)]. Normally, the President does
not send such a message, unless however, he has a serious
disagreement with the Council of Ministers.
• The President summons the joint sitting of both the Houses in
case of a disagreement between them on a Bill.
Financial Powers and Functions:
• The President of India also exercises financial powers.
No money bill can be introduced in Parliament without the
recommendations of the President.
• According to the Constitution of India, the Annual Financial
Statement is placed by the President before both the Houses
of Parliament. This statement shows the estimates of revenue
and expenditure of the central Government for the next year.
• No proposal for spending money or raising revenues for
purposes of government can be introduced in Parliament
without previous permission of the President.
Other Functions:
• The President nominates a number of members in both Houses.
The chief purpose of the nomination is to ensure adequate
representation in Parliament of all sections of population which
many not always be achieved through elections.
• The President has the power to dissolve the Lok Sabha.
• The President appoints the Speaker pro tem of the Lok Sabha
and the acting Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, as and when the
need arises.
• Besides, the President is empowered to decide, after
obtaining the opinion of the Election Commission, whether any
member, duly elected, attracts disqualifications laid down in
the Constitution. The President’s decision in this matter is final.
21
 Current
PolityAffairs
& Gov Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
MANIPUR CONFLICT
Violent clashes broke out in Manipur between the Meitei community and other tribal groups after
the High Court directed the State Govt. to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meitei community.
Manipur’s Ethnic Composition:
• Geography has a lot to do with Manipur’s problems. The State
is like a football stadium with the Imphal Valley representing
the playfield at the centre and the surrounding hills the
galleries.
• The valley, which comprises about 10% of Manipur’s
landmass, is dominated by the non-tribal Meitei who account
for more than 64% of the population of the State and yields 40
of the State’s 60 MLAs.
• The hills comprising 90% of the geographical area are
inhabited by more than 35% recognised tribes but send only
20 MLAs to the Assembly.
• While a majority of the Meiteis are Hindus followed by
Muslims, the 33 recognised tribes, broadly classified into
‘Any Naga tribes’ and ‘Any Kuki tribes’ are largely Christians.
Reasons for ST Status demand by Meitei Community:
• There has been an organised push in support of this demand
for at least since 2012, led by the Scheduled Tribes Demand
Committee of Manipur (STDCM).
• In their plea before the High Court, the petitioners argued that
the Meitei community was recognised as a tribe before the
merger of the princely state of Manipur with the Union of India
in 1949, and that it lost its identity as a tribe after the merger.
• The Meitein/Meetei have been gradually marginalised in their
ancestral land. Their population which was 59% of the total
population of Manipur in 1951 has now been reduced to 44%
as per 2011 Census data”.
• They argued that the ST status is needed to “preserve” the
community and “save the ancestral land, tradition, culture,
and language” of the Meiteis.
• Meiteis needed constitutional safeguards against outsiders,
stating that the community has been kept away from the hills
while the tribal people can buy land in the “shrinking” Imphal
Valley.
Arguments Against:
• The tribal groups say the Meiteis have a demographic and
political advantage besides being more advanced than them
academically and in other aspects.
• They feel the ST status to the Meiteis would lead to loss of job
opportunities and allow them to acquire land in the hills and
push the tribals out.
22
• Sections of the Meiteis are already classified under Scheduled
Castes (SC) or Other Backward Classes (OBC).
• Manipuri language of the Meiteis is already included in the
Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
• The claim that Meiteis need ST status to protect their culture
and identity is self-defeating. The Meiteis are a dominant
group controlling the state and its apparatuses.
• To the hill tribal people of Manipur, the demand for ST status
is a ploy to attenuate the fervent political demands of the
Kukis and Nagas, as well as a tacit strategy of the dominant
valley dwellers to make inroads into the hill areas of the state.
Reason for Recent Clashes:
• A major reason for the discontent has been the state
government’s notices since August 2022 claiming that 38
villages in the Churachandpur-Khoupum Protected Forest
area (in Churachandpur and Noney districts) are “illegal
settlements” and its residents are “encroachers”.
• Following this, the government set out on an eviction drive
which resulted in clashes.
• Kuki groups have claimed that the survey and eviction is a
violation of Article 371C, which confers some administrative
autonomy to the tribal-dominated hill areas of Manipur.
Article 371C Special provision with respect to the
State of Manipur:
• Article 371C was not a part of the Constitution of India
1950. It was inserted by the Constitution (Twenty-seventh
Amendment) Act, 1971, following the formation of the new
state of Manipur.
• Under Article 371C of the Constitution of India a special
provision with respect to the State of Manipur was made
providing for:
 constitution and functions of a committee of the Legislative
Assembly of the State consisting of members of that
Assembly elected from the Hill Areas of that State,
 for the modifications to be made in the rules of business of
the Government and
 modifications in the rules of procedure of the Legislative
Assembly of the State and
 for any special responsibility of the Governor in order to
secure the proper functioning of such a committee.
• It protects the tribal areas, restricts the people from the
Valley or outsiders from buying and acquiring land in the hill
districts.
 Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

SCHEDULED TRIBES (ST) LISTS

Definition: How many Scheduled Tribes have been identified so
• The term ‘Scheduled Tribes’ first appeared in the Constitution far?
of India. • As per Census 2011, STs constitute 8.6% of the population
• Article 366 (25) defines scheduled tribes as “such tribal (i.e. over 10 crore).
communities as are deemed under Article 342 of the • More than 700 tribes have been notified under Article 342 of
Constitution to be Scheduled Tribes”. the Constitution.
• Article 342 prescribes procedure to be followed in the matter • The largest number of main tribal communities (more than 60)
of specification of scheduled tribes. has been specified in Odisha.
• The Scheduled Tribes have been specified in relation to all
Criteria for inclusion in ST List:
the States and UTs except Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh,
• The criteria presently followed for specification of a community
Delhi, and Pondicherry.
as a Scheduled Tribe are:
 Indications of ‘Primitive’ way of life and habitation
STATE SPECIFIC
 Distinctive Culture,
 Geographical Isolation, The list of Scheduled Tribes is State/UT specific and a
 Shyness of contact with the community at large, and community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need
 General backwardness in all respects. not be so in another State.
• These criteria are not spelt out in the Constitution but have
become well established. Benefits of Inclusion in ST List:
• These criteria subsumes the definitions contained in 1931 • Reservation in educational institution has been provided in
Census and reports of Kaka Kalelkar Commission (1955), Lokur Article 15(4) of constitution while reservation in posts and
Committee (1965) and Chanda Committee (1969). services has been provided in Article 16(4), 16(4A) and 16(4B)
• In March 2022, the Supreme Court said it wanted to fix fool- of the Constitution.
proof parameters to determine if a person belongs to a • Specific safeguards have been provided in Article 244 read
Scheduled Tribe. It referred this matter to a larger bench. with the provisions contained in Fifth and Sixth Schedule of the
Constitution.
Procedure to add/remove a community from “ST lists”
• Article 243D provides reservation of Seats for Scheduled
• The process begins at the level of a State/UT.
Tribes in Panchayats.
• The concerned State Government or administration may
• Article 330 provides reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes
choose to recommend certain communities for addition or
in the Lok Sabha.
subtraction from the list of STs based on its discretion. This
recommendation may come from the studies commissioned
by it.
• Following this, the proposal is sent to the Union Ministry of
Tribal Affairs.
• The Ministry 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 Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
• If the NCST also recommends the case, the proposal is sent
back to the Union government, which after inter-ministerial
deliberations, introduces it in the Cabinet for final approval.
• Thereafter the matter is put up before the Parliament in the
form of a bill to amend the Constitution Order (The Presidential
notifications under Clause 1 of Article 342 of the Constitution
are issued as the Constitution Orders).

23
 Current
PolityAffairs
& Gov Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
DELHI (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE
The Government of National Capital Territory (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, was promulgated in
May 2023. It amends the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.
Background: Supreme Court Judgement
• A Constitution Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India D.Y.
Chandrachud on May 11 held that the Delhi government can
make laws and administer civil services in the national capital.
• The court limited the role of the Lieutenant Governor (LG),
an arm of the Centre, over bureaucrats in the capital to three
specific areas — public order, police and land.
• The judgment intended to strike a balance between the
national interests of the Centre in the capital and the authority
of an elected Delhi government to legislate and administer
meaningfully through “professional” civil service officers
deputed to its departments.
Ordinance:
• However, on May 19, the President promulgated the
Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment)
Ordinance, 2023 to make a fresh claim of power over the
services in the capital.
• The government has used the Ordinance route to indirectly
return to its original position which it had taken in May 21,
2015 through a Home Ministry notification which gave the
Lieutenant Governor (LG) power over the services.
• The Ordinance forms a “permanent” National Capital Civil
Service Authority (NCCSA) with the Chief Minister as
chairperson, and the Chief Secretary and Principal Home
Secretary as Member and Member Secretary, respectively.
• The NCCSA exercises authority over civil service officers
working in all Delhi government departments except those in
public order, police and land.
• It would decide transfers, postings, prosecution sanctions,
disciplinary proceedings, vigilance issues, etc, of civil
service officers deputed to Delhi government departments
by majority of votes of the members present and voting.
• The Lieutenant Governor’s decision, in case of a difference of
opinion, would be final.
• The Ordinance explains that the Chief Secretary would
represent “the will of the officers of GNCTD” (Government of
the National Capital Territory of Delhi).
Critical Analysis:
• The Ordinance has put the LG back in the driver’s seat by
giving him the power to take a final call on any decision taken
by the NCCSA regarding services. This is despite the fact
that the LG’s powers were curtailed way back in 2018 by
another Constitution Bench judgment.
24
• The Supreme Court had envisaged a “neutral civil service”
carrying out the day-to-day decisions of the Council of
Ministers. The NCCSA attempts to bring civil service officers
out of the administrative control of the elected Ministers, who
embody the will of the people, and transform them into a
power lobby.
• The NCCSA negates the intrinsic link between government
accountability and the principle of collective responsibility
highlighted in the judgment.
• The Ordinance, by creating the NCCSA, skirts the emphasis
laid down in the judgment on the “triple chain of command”
in the governance of Delhi. The court had held that the civil
services were accountable to the Ministers of the elected
government, under whom they function. The Ministers were
in turn accountable to the legislature, and the legislature
ultimately to the people of Delhi. The chain of command
was forged by the Supreme Court to ensure democratic
accountability.
• The Ordinance also does not heed the President’s own
Transaction of Business Rules of the Government of National
Capital Territory of Delhi, 1993.
• The Supreme Court had held in 2018 that “a significant
aspect of the Rules is that on matters which fall within the
ambit of the executive functions of the Government of
National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD), decision-making
is by the government comprising the Council of Ministers with
the Chief Minister at its head”. This view was reinforced on
May 11, 2023.
• The court had also dismissed the K. Balakrishnan
Committee’s specific recommendation that the “services”
should not be included within the legislative and executive
ambit of the NCTD. The court held that the committee report
was not relevant as it preceded the insertion of Article 239AA
— the provision that deals with the governance structure of
Delhi, in the 69th Constitution Amendment, 1991.
Way Ahead:
• An Ordinance is not beyond judicial review of the apex court.
• If the 2023 Ordinance is challenged separately, the Union
would have to prove the “extraordinary or emergent situation”
which necessitated it to promulgate an Ordinance merely
days after a Constitution Bench settled the law.
• A Constitution Bench in DC Wadhwa versus State of Bihar
had held that the power of the Executive to promulgate an
Ordinance should not be “perverted to serve political ends”.
 Polity & Gov
ORDINANCES
The central government promulgated an Ordinance that undid the Supreme Court Verdict,
which gave the Delhi government control over the posting of officials in the National Capital Territory (NCT).
Ordinance making Powers of the President:
• Under the Constitution, the power to make laws rests with
the legislature. However, in cases when Parliament is not in
session, and ‘immediate action’ is needed, the President can
issue an ordinance.
• Article 123 of the Constitution deals with the “Power of
President to promulgate Ordinances during recess of
Parliament”.
• An Ordinance “shall have the same force and effect as an Act
of Parliament”.
• The President can only promulgate an Ordinance when either
of the two Houses of Parliament is not in session.
• Since the President acts on the advice of the Council of
Ministers, it is in effect the government that decides to bring
the Ordinance. The President may return the recommendation
of the Cabinet once if he/she feels it warrants reconsideration;
if it is sent back (with or without reconsideration), he/she has
to promulgate it.
• An Ordinance is valid for six weeks, or 42 days, from the date
on which the next session starts. If the two Houses start their
sessions on different dates, the later date will be considered.
Lapsing of Ordinance:
• The government is required to bring an Ordinance before
Parliament for ratification — and failure to do so will lead to its
lapsing “at the expiration of six weeks from the reassembly of
Parliament”.
• The Ordinance may lapse earlier if the President withdraws it.
• Ordinance will also cease to operate in case resolutions
disapproving the Ordinance are passed by both the Houses
(Rejection of an Ordinance would, however, imply the
government has lost majority).
• Also, if an Ordinance makes a law that Parliament is not
competent to enact under the Constitution, it shall be
considered void.
Ordinance making Powers of the Governor:
• Just as the President of India is constitutionally mandated
to issue Ordinances under Article 123, the Governor of a
state can issue Ordinances under Article 213, when the state
legislative assembly (or either of the two Houses in states
with bicameral legislatures) is not in session.
• The powers of the President and the Governor are broadly
comparable with respect to Ordinance making.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• However, the Governor cannot issue an Ordinance without
instructions from the President in cases where the assent of
the President would have been required to pass a similar Bill.
Limitations on Ordinance making Power:
Following limitations exist with regard to the Ordinance making
power of the executive:
• RC Cooper vs. Union of India (1970): The Supreme Court held
that the President’s decision could be challenged on the
grounds that ‘immediate action’ was not required; and the
Ordinance had been passed primarily to by-pass debate and
discussion in the legislature.
• AK Roy vs. Union of India (1982): The Supreme Court argued
that the President’s Ordinance making power is not beyond
the scope of judicial review. However, judicial review should
be exercised only when there were substantial grounds to
challenge the decision, and not at “every casual and passing
challenge”.
Repromulgation of Ordinance:
• If, for whatever reason, an Ordinance lapses, the only option
for the government is to reissue or repromulgate it.
• DC Wadhwa vs. State of Bihar (1986):
 The supreme court was examining a case where the
state government (under the authority of the Governor)
continued to re-promulgate ordinances instead of
laying them before the state legislature. A total of 259
Ordinances were re-promulgated, some of them for as
long as 14 years.
 The Supreme Court held that the legislative power of
the executive to promulgate Ordinances is to be used in
exceptional circumstances and not as a substitute for the
law making power of the legislature. If Ordinance making
was made a usual practice, creating an ‘Ordinance raj’,
the courts could strike down re-promulgated Ordinances.
• Krishna Kumar Singh and Another vs State of Bihar (2017):
 The Supreme Court examined a case where the state of
Bihar re-promulgated an Ordinance several times without
placing it before the legislature.
 It reiterated that legislation should normally be done by
the legislature, and the Governor’s power to issue an
Ordinance is in the nature of an emergency power.
 There might be circumstances permitting the re-promulgation
of an Ordinance, however, repeated re-promulgations
without bringing the Ordinance to the legislature would
usurp the legislature’s function, and will be unconstitutional.
25
 Current
PolityAffairs
& Gov Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
JUDGES RECUSAL
Recently, there have been various instances of judges
recusing themselves from hearing cases.
Why do Judges Recuse?
• When there is a conflict of interest, a judge can withdraw
from hearing a case to prevent creating a perception that she
carried a bias while deciding the case.
• The conflict of interest can be in many ways — from holding
shares in a company that is a litigant to having a prior or
personal association with a party involved in the case.
• Another instance for recusal is when an appeal is filed in the
Supreme Court (SC) against a judgement of a High Court that
may have been delivered by the SC judge when she was in
the High Court (HC).
Underlying Principles:
• The practice stems from the cardinal principle of due process
of law — nemo judex in sua causa, that is, no person shall be
a judge in his own case.
• Another principle guiding judicial recusals is ‘justice must not
only be done but must also be seen to be done’ propounded
in 1924 in Rex v. Sussex Justices by the then Lord Chief
Justice of England.
• By taking the oath of office, judges, both of the Supreme Court
and High courts, promise to perform their duties, ‘without fear
or favour, affection or ill-will’, in accordance with the Third
Schedule of the Constitution.
Process for Recusal:
• The decision to recuse generally comes from the judge
himself as it rests on the conscience and discretion of the
judge to disclose any potential conflict of interest.
• In some circumstances, lawyers or parties in the case bring
it up before the judge. If a judge recuses, the case is listed
before the Chief Justice for allotment to a fresh Bench.
• There are no formal rules governing recusals, although
several Supreme Court judgments have dealt with the issue.
SUPREME COURT JUDGMENTS
• In Ranjit Thakur v Union of India (1987), the Supreme
Court held that the tests of the likelihood of bias is the
reasonableness of the apprehension in the mind of the party.
• The 1999 charter ‘Restatement of Values in Judicial Life’, a code
of ethics adopted by the Supreme Court states that “A Judge
shall not hear and decide a matter in a company in which
he holds shares unless he has disclosed his interest and no
objection to his hearing and deciding the matter is raised.”
26
Can a Judge Refuse to Recuse?
• Once a request is made for recusal, the decision to recuse or
not rests with the judge.
• While there are some instances where judges have recused
even if they do not see a conflict but only because such an
apprehension was cast, there have also been several cases
where judges have refused to withdraw from a case.
• For instance, in 2019, Justice Arun Mishra had controversially
refused to recuse himself from a Constitution Bench set up to
re-examine a judgement he had delivered previously, despite
several requests from the parties.
• Justice Mishra had reasoned that the request for recusal was
really an excuse for “forum shopping” and agreeing could
compromise the independence of the judiciary.
Recording Reasons for Recusal:
• Since there are no formal rules governing the process, it is
often left to individual judges to record reasons for recusal.
Some judges disclose the reasons in open court; in some
cases, the reasons are apparent.
Concerns:
• Undermining Judicial Independence: It allows litigants to
cherry-pick a bench of their choice, which impairs judicial
fairness. Also, the purpose of recusal in these cases
undermines both independence and impartiality of the judges.
• Different Interpretations: As there are no rules to determine
when the judges could recuse themselves in these cases,
there are different interpretations of the same situation.
• Delays the Process: Some requests for recusal are made
with the intent to intimidate the court or to get better of an
'inconvenient' judge or to obfuscate the issues or to cause
obstruction and delay the proceedings or in any other way
frustrate or obstruct the course of justice.
Way Forward:
• Recusals should not be used as a tool to manoeuvre justice,
as a means to pick benches of a party’s choice, and as an
instrument to evade judicial work.
• Judicial officers must resist all manner of pressure, regardless
of where it comes from and if they deviate, the independence
of the judiciary would be undermined, and in turn, the
Constitution itself.
• Therefore, a rule that determines the procedure for recusal on
part of judges should be made at the earliest.
 Polity & Gov
REUTERS INSTITUTE DIGITAL NEWS REPORT
The 12th edition of Reuters Institute Digital News Report was released in
collaboration with the Asian College of Journalism.
About:
• It surveys the news consumption habits of consumers on six
continents across 46 markets.
• The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is part of the
Department of Politics and International Relations at the University
of Oxford, and affiliated with Green Templeton College.
Major Findings of the Report:
• Structural Shifts: Various shocks of the last few years,
including the war in Ukraine and the Coronavirus pandemic,
have accelerated structural shifts towards more digital,
mobile, and platform-dominated media environments.
• Social Media: Facebook remains one of the most-used social
networks overall, but its influence on journalism is declining
as it shifts its focus away from news. It also faces new
challenges from established networks such as YouTube and
vibrant youth-focused networks such as TikTok.
• Increasing relevance of Celebrities and Influencers: When it
comes to news, audiences pay more attention to celebrities,
influencers, and social media personalities than journalists in
networks like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
• Algorithms: Much of the public is sceptical of the algorithms
used to select what they see via search engines, social
media, and other platforms. Despite this, on average, users
still slightly prefer news selected this way to that chosen by
editors or journalists (27%).
• Participation in online news: Despite hopes that the internet
could widen democratic debate, fewer people are now
participating in online news than in the recent past.
Aggregated across markets, only around a fifth (22%) are now
active participants, with around half (47%) not participating in
news at all.
• Trust in news: Trust in the news has fallen, across markets,
by a further 2 percentage points in the last year, reversing
– in many countries – the gains made at the height of the
Coronavirus pandemic. Finland remains the country with the
highest levels of overall trust (69%), while Greece (19%) has
the lowest after a year characterised by heated arguments
about press freedom and the independence of the media.
• Traditional Media: Consumption of traditional media, such as
TV and print, continues to fall in most markets, with online
and social consumption not making up the gap. Across
countries the majority of online users say they still prefer to
read the news rather than watch or listen to it. Video news
consumption has been growing steadily across markets, with
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
most video content now accessed via third-party platforms
such as YouTube and Facebook.
• News Podcast: News podcasting continues to resonate with
educated and younger audiences but remains a minority
activity overall. Around a third (34%) access a podcast
monthly, with 12% accessing a show relating to news and
current affairs.
Indian Scenario:
• Access to online news: There was a sharp decrease in access
to online news particularly through social media. Television,
popular among a large section of the population, also saw a
decline as a news source with our younger and more urban-
based sample. These falls in news use can be attributed, in
part, to the reducing impact of the pandemic, with lockdown
restrictions withdrawn.
• Decrease in Trust: India registered a small decrease in overall
trust in news compared to last year, and was ranked 24th among
46 countries in this regard. Among individual news brands,
public broadcasters like DD India, All India Radio, and BBC
News retained high levels of trust among survey respondents in
India, emphasizing the importance of public service media.
• Social Media: YouTube was the most preferred social media
platform for news with 56% of the respondents accessing
it. WhatsApp (47%) and Facebook (39%) were the next two
preferred social media platforms for news in India among the
survey respondents.
Changing Platforms and the Implications for Publishers:
• A running sore for news publishers over the last decade
or more has been the increasing influence of tech platforms
and other intermediaries on the way news is accessed and
monetised.
• Although search and social media play different roles,
news access has for some time been dominated by two
giant companies (Google and Facebook), who at their height
accounted for just under half of online traffic to news sites.
• The growing popularity of digital audio and video is bringing
new platforms into play while some consumers have
adopted less toxic and more private messaging networks for
communication.
• In some sense these changes represent a ‘new normal’
where publishers need to navigate an even more complex
platform environment in which attention is fragmented, where
trust is low, and where participation is even less open and
representative.
27
 CurrentSecurity
Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
SIPRI ANNUAL REPORT 2023
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has released its annual assessment
of the state of armaments, disarmament and international security of 2023.
Nuclear Arsenals:
• The nine nuclear-armed states—the USA, Russia, the United
Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and
Israel—continue to modernize their nuclear arsenals. Russia
and the USA together possess 90% of all nuclear weapons.
• China’s nuclear arsenal increased from 350 warheads in
January 2022 to 410 in January 2023. China could potentially
have as many intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as
either the USA or Russia by the turn of the decade.
• India and Pakistan appear to be expanding their nuclear
arsenals, and both countries introduced and continued to
develop new types of nuclear delivery system in 2022.
• North Korea conducted no nuclear test explosions in 2022,
it conducted more than 90 tests of missiles. Some of these
missiles, which include new ICBMs, may be capable of
carrying nuclear warheads.
Impact of Russia-Ukraine War on Nuclear Diplomacy:
• In February 2023 Russia suspended its participation in the
2010 Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START)—the last
remaining nuclear arms control treaty limiting Russian and
US strategic nuclear forces.
• Iran’s military support to Russia in Ukraine and the political
situation in Iran also overshadowed talks on reviving the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement
meant to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Peace Agreements:
• The UN succeeded in arranging a truce in Yemen that lasted
from April until October last year, apparently leading to a
decline in fatality rates despite ongoing violence.
• A combination of mediators from UN and other countries
helped the military authorities in Sudan to agree a new
framework for civilian government following military– civilian
turmoil throughout 2021.
• A successful military drive by the Ethiopian military and its
allies forced the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front to come for
a truce in November 2022.
Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs):
• The past 20 years have witnessed the rapid growth of PMSCs.
• There is no universally accepted, legally binding, standard
definition of a PMSC and the sector often operates in a legal
lacuna: the employees of PMSCs are not soldiers or civilians,
nor can they usually be defined as mercenaries.
28
• Cost-efficiency calculations is leading to the growth of
PMSCs. The USA, the United Kingdom, China and South
Africa together are estimated to host about 70 percent of the
entire sector.
Military Expenditure and Arms Production:
• Global military expenditure rose for the eighth consecutive
year in 2022 to reach an estimated $2240 billion, the highest
level ever recorded by SIPRI.
• Despite the 3.7 per cent year-on-year increase in spending,
world military expenditure as a share of world gross domestic
product (GDP)—the military burden—remained at 2.2 percent
because the global economy also grew in 2022.
• Governments around the world spent an average of 6.2
percent of their budgets on the military, or $282 per person.
International Transfers of Major Arms:
• The volume of international transfers of major arms in the five-
year period 2018–22 was 5.1 percent lower than in 2013–17
and 3.9 percent higher than in 2008–12.
• The volume of transfers in 2018–22 was among the highest
since the end of the cold war, but was still around 35 percent
lower than the totals for 1978–82 and 1983–87, when arms
transfers peaked.
• The 25 largest suppliers accounted for 98 percent of the total
volume of exports, and the 5 largest suppliers in the period—
the United States, Russia, France, China and Germany—
accounted for 76 percent of the total volume of exports.
Importers of Major Arms:
• The five largest arms importers were India, Saudi Arabia,
Qatar, Australia and China, which together accounted for 36
percent of total arms imports.
• The region that received the largest volume of imports of
major arms in 2018–22 was Asia and Oceania, accounting for
41 percent of the global total, followed by the Middle East (31
percent), Europe (16 percent), the Americas (5.8 percent)
and Africa (5.0 percent).
SIPRI
• SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated
to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and
disarmament. It is based in Stockholm.
• It was established in 1966.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

29
 Current Affairs
Economy Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
OPEN NETWORK FOR DIGITAL COMMERCE
The Union government is looking to formally launch the Open Network for
Digital Commerce (ONDC) this year.
About:
• The ONDC is modelled after the Unified Payments Interface
(UPI) project that is seen as a success by many.
• The UPI project allows people to send or receive money
irrespective of the payments platforms on which they are
registered. Similarly, the government wants to ensure that buyers
and sellers of goods in the e-commerce market can transact
regardless of the platforms on which they are registered.
• Under ONDC, a buyer registered on Amazon, for example,
may directly purchase goods from a seller who sells on
Flipkart. To make such transactions a reality, the government
has ordered companies to list themselves on the ONDC.
Governance:
• The ONDC entity, a not-for-profit company incorporated
under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013, manages and
operates the ONDC Network.
• It is responsible for building and maintaining the underlying
infrastructure (common registries and protocols) as well as
defining the rules of engagement and code of conduct for the
Network Participants through the ONDC Network Policy and
the ONDC Network Participant Agreement.
• Moving a step forward from previous Digital Public
Infrastructure (DPI) governance models such as those of
Aadhaar and UPI, ONDC takes a more representative and
multistakeholder approach to the governance that prioritises
the evolving needs of its users.
Benefits:
• The government wants to change the fundamental structure
of the e-commerce market from the current “platform-centric
model to an open-network model”.
• With ONDC, the government aims to “democratise e-commerce”
and “to provide alternatives to proprietary e-commerce sites”.
• The government believes that the ONDC will put an end to the
domination of the e-commerce market by a few large platforms.
It says that the e-commerce market is currently broken into
“silos” operated and dominated by private platforms.
• Amazon and Flipkart, for instance, have been accused of
promoting certain seller entities in which they hold indirect
stakes. Food delivery apps such as Swiggy and Zomato have
also been accused of charging high commissions from sellers.
• With an open network like ONDC that connects buyers and
sellers across platforms, the government hopes to level the
playing field and make private platforms redundant.
30
Present Status:
• The pilot version of ONDC was launched last year in a few
major cities and thousands of sellers have already been on-
boarded onto the platform.
• While government has urged companies to join the ONDC
platform, major e-commerce players such as Amazon and
Flipkart have been reluctant to get on board. Commerce
Minister Piyush Goyal recently asked these companies to join
ONDC soon or risk being left behind.
Criticism:
• Critics argue that the purported benefits of an open network
for digital commerce are far from certain at the moment.
• Sellers are already free to list their products across various
e-commerce platforms even in today’s platform-centric
e-commerce model. Buyers also routinely shop across platforms.
Then there are also services such as price-comparison that are
offered by various private websites that bridge the information
gap and help buyers make better decisions.
• So, critics argue, the domination of the e-commerce market
by platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart may not be due to
any captive hold that these platforms have over buyers and
sellers.
• Further, the supposed monopoly that platforms are said to
enjoy may be no different from the limited monopoly that any
business today has over its property.
Way Ahead:
• The capacity of the government to come up with an efficient
alternative to e-commerce platforms that can work seamlessly
will be tested as the government rolls out the ONDC.
• It remains to be seen if and how the government’s open
network will list products offered by various sellers.
• Competition generally pushes e-commerce platforms to
prominently list products that are most likely to catch the
fancy of buyers.
• Their on-boarding and listing of sellers is also heavily
influenced by the ability of sellers to fulfil customer orders.
In fact, platforms may invest money to build exclusive on-
boarding and listing processes.
• If the open network’s rules prevent platforms from benefiting
from such investments, they may cease to make them
anymore. This will eventually affect the quality of services
available to consumers.
• Building an efficient marketplace for the sale of goods and
services may turn out to be the key challenge for ONDC.
 Economy
MONETARY POLICY STATEMENT
In June 2023, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of RBI
has made the following announcements.
Announcements:
• The policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility
(LAF) remains unchanged at 6.5 %.
• The standing deposit facility (SDF) rate remains unchanged at
6.25 % and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the
Bank Rate remains unchanged at 6.75 %.
• For Financial Year 2023-24, the RBI retained GDP growth
forecast at 6.5%, while expecting CPI inflation to be at 5.1%.
Stance:
• The RBI has focused on its stance of ‘withdrawal of
accommodation’ until all risks to inflation (the El Nino impact
and the food risk) dissipate.
• An accommodative stance means the central bank is
prepared to expand the money supply to boost economic
growth. Withdrawal of accommodation means reducing the
money supply in the system which will rein in inflation further.
Reasons for Pausing Interest Rates:
• The pause in the Repo rate in June 2023 is for the second
time since the RBI started hiking Repo rate in May 2022 to
check inflation. In the April 2023 policy statement, the MPC
members had unanimously decided to pause the rate hike
cycle.
• CPI inflation has declined to an 18-month low of 4.7 per cent
in April from 5.7 per cent in March, remaining under the RBI’s
comfort zone of 2-6 per cent for two consecutive months.
• India’s GDP expanded at 6.1 per cent January-March 2023
quarter, in turn pushing up the growth estimate for the full
year (2022-23) to 7.2 per cent. With ease in inflation and
strong GDP growth, the RBI maintained the status quo in the
June policy.
• The RBI’s decision to leave the repo rate unchanged also
factored in the possible pause by the US Federal Reserve in
its meeting scheduled in June 2023.
Impact of Decisions:
• As the RBI has kept the policy rate unchanged, external
benchmark lending rates (EBLR) linked to the repo rate will also
not rise.
• It will provide some relief to borrowers as their equated
monthly instalments (EMIs) will not increase.
• Banks will also not increase fixed deposit rates. The decision
to hold deposit rates at the current levels will be driven by
surplus liquidity in the banking system due to improvement
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
in low-cost current account and savings account (CASA)
balance following the deposit of Rs 2000 banknotes.
Additional Measures announced by RBI:
• In order to expand payment options for Indians traveling
abroad, the Reserve Bank has decided to allow issuance of
RuPay Prepaid Forex cards by banks in India for use at ATMs,
PoS machines, and online merchants overseas.
• Scope and reach of e-Rupi vouchers are proposed to be
expanded by permitting nonbank prepaid payment instruments
issuers to issue e- Rupi vouchers. It will enable to issue e- Rupi
vouchers on behalf of individuals and simplify the process.
• It has been decided to extend the timelines for achieving the
priority sector lending (PSL) targets for Urban Cooperative Banks
(UCBs) by two more years up to March 2026 as a number of
UCBs have met the required targets as of March 2023.
• It has been decided to rationalize and simplify the licensing
framework for Authorised Persons (APs) under Foreign
Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
• To further enhance the efficiency of the Bharat Bill Payment
System (BBPS) and to encourage greater participation, it was
proposed to streamline the process flow of transactions and
membership criteria for operating units.
COMMENT ON INDIAN ECONOMY
Reading the MPC statement does paint a good picture of economy:
• GDP growth for FY23 came in at 7.2% instead of RBI’s
expectation of 7%. On inflation, headline retail inflation fell
to 4.7% in April, the lowest reading since November 2021.
• Higher Rabi crop production as well as the forecast of
normal monsoon points to a recovery in consumption
levels of the common Indian.
However, the MPC has chosen to stay vigilant because:
• GDP growth rate is expected to decelerate in FY24 from
7.2% to 6.5%.
• Many factors are capable of pushing against the economy.
These include weak demand for Indian goods from the rest
of the world (ROW) because the ROW is struggling to grow
by itself, the volatility in global financial markets, continuing
geopolitical tensions, and possible impact of El Nino.
NOTE TO READERS
For detailed analysis of “Instruments of Monetary
Policy”, refer Page 47 of March 2023 edition of Current
Affairs Magazine.
31
 Current Affairs
Economy Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVES (SPR)
Government of India is studying the prospects and feasibility of developing
salt cavern-based strategic oil reserves in Rajasthan.
About:
• Government-owned engineering consultancy firm Engineers
India (EIL) is studying the prospects and feasibility of
developing salt cavern-based strategic oil reserves in
Rajasthan, in line with the government’s objective of
increasing the country’s strategic oil storage capacity.
• If the idea comes to fruition, India could get its first salt
cavern-based oil storage facility.
Salt Cavern-Based Reserves vs. Rock Cavern-Based
Reserves:
• Unlike underground rock caverns, which are developed
through excavation, salt caverns are developed by the
process of solution mining, which involves pumping water
into geological formations with large salt deposits to dissolve
the salt.
• After the brine (water with dissolved salt) is pumped out
of the formation, the space can be used to store crude oil.
The process is simpler, faster, and less cost-intensive than
developing excavated rock caverns.
• Salt cavern-based oil storage facilities are also naturally
well-sealed, and engineered for rapid injection and
extraction of oil.
• This makes them a more attractive option than storing oil
in other geological formations, according to a report by
the Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT).
• The salt that lines the inside of these caverns has extremely
low oil absorbency, which creates a natural impermeable
barrier against liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, making the
caverns apt for storage.
• Also, unlike rock caverns, salt cavern-based storages can be
created and operated almost entirely from the surface.
32
Strategic Petroleum Reserves:
• Strategic Petroleum Reserves are huge stockpiles of crude
oil that would serve as a cushion during any external supply
disruptions.
• These strategic storages would be in addition to the existing
storages of crude oil and petroleum products with the oil
companies.
Working:
• In India, these are being constructed near the coastal regions
in underground rock caverns (as they are considered the
safest means of storing hydrocarbons).
• Crude oil from these caverns can be supplied to the Refineries
either through pipelines or through a combination of pipelines
and ships.
Global Scenario:
• The concept of SPRs were introduced by the International
Energy Agency (IEA) in the aftermath of the 1973 oil shock
when Arab countries drastically cut production of oil.
• The International Energy Agency (IEA) recommends that all
countries hold crude oil stocks worth 90 days of imports.
• Subsequently, many major global oil consumers such as the
US, China and Japan have built massive strategic reserves of
oil over the years.
GLOBAL CRUDE RESERVES
• USA: The Department of Energy's Strategic Petroleum
Reserve (SPR) is the world's largest emergency storage
that can hold up to 727 million barrels, which is reported
to be about 85% full. If completely filled, the SPR could
theoretically replace about 60 days of oil imports.
• JAPAN: Second largest emergency supply with a reported ca
pacity of close to 600 million barrels. The SPR is composed
of state-controlled reserves at 11 locations totalling 324
million barrels, and private reserves of 129 million barrels.
• CHINA: The Chinese Strategic Petroleum Reserve consists of
a government-controlled strategic reserve complemented
by mandated commercial reserves. Planned state reserves
of 475 million barrels plus planned enterprise reserves of
209 million barrels are expected to provide around 90 days
of consumption.
• EU: According to the Council Directive of December 20,
1968, all 27 members must have a strategic petroleum
reserves equal to at least 90 days average daily internal
consumption.

India’s SPR Programme:
• Government of India established petroleum storage facilities
with total capacity of 5.33 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) at
3 locations, namely (i) Vishakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), (ii)
Mangaluru (1.5 MMT) and (iii) Padur, near Udupi (2.5 MMT).
• All the storage facilities have been filled with crude oil. These
facilities, with total capacity of 5.33 million tonnes, can meet
9.5 days of India’s crude oil requirements based on 2019-20
consumption levels.
• The country is in the process of expanding its SPR capacity by
a cumulative 6.5 million tonnes at two locations — Chandikhol
in Odisha (4 million tonnes) and Padur (2.5 million tonnes).
Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL)?
• The construction of SPRs in India is being managed by Indian
Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL).
• It is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) under the
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
• It was founded in 2005.
Arguments Against:
1. Globally, there are no perceived shortages envisaged in oil
supplies (as there is plenty of oil in the global market), at least
in the foreseeable future.
2. Also, any supply disruption due to any conflict, would not last
longer.
3. Constructing SPRs involves huge capital investment, estimated
at Rs. 4098.35 crore for the three original SPR sites alone.
4. Infact, U.S. has been debating about reducing its strategic
stockpile to half, driven by the shale revolution and the
country’s dramatic resurgence as a net oil exporter.
Benefits:
• SPRs add a necessary layer to India’s energy security.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Global Scenario: The global practice is to maintain strategic
reserves of at least 90 days of oil imports. Thus, India is on
the right path.
• Supply crisis: Notwithstanding the current adequate supply
condition, there is little certainty in oil markets. There is a
perception that a period of plenty could be followed by a
supply crisis. Also, the longevity of shale production is also
not certain over the long term.
• Price volatility: The issue is not just about availability of oil, but
about ‘affordable oil’. The world keeps on witnessing oil price
spike due to geo-political standoff. An expanded SPR would
provide some relief from price hikes.
• Production manipulation: Price volatility has become a regular
feature due to production manipulation by oil producers to
protect their market share. E.g. in December 2016 OPEC and
non-OPEC producers agreed to curtail production so as to
shore up prices.
• India’s Oil Dependence: Years of stagnating domestic production
and the rising demand for crude (82% of which is imported) is
continuously increasing India’s crude oil import bill.
• It is one of the Most economic method of storing petroleum
products (underground storage rules out the requirement of large
swathes of land, loads of security, ensures less evaporation).
• Energy diplomacy: An enlarged SPR can be a key component
of India’s energy diplomacy.
 Countries which cannot afford to maintain SPRs could
purchase crude from India in the event of a disruption,
which, in turn, could strengthen bilateral relations.
 India can also provide joint stockpiling opportunities to
even producers. e.g. under an agreement with the UAE’s
ADNOC, Two-thirds of the volume at SPR, Mangalore
would be available for India, and ADNOC could store the
remaining volumes.
 With India now an associate member of the IEA, it could
coordinate with the Agency in times of supply shortages
as well as manage demand.
33
 Current Affairs
Economy Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
AADHAAR-ENABLED PAYMENT SYSTEM
Scammers are reportedly using leaked biometric details, bypassing
the need for OTPs, to siphon money from users’ bank accounts.
What is an Aadhaar-enabled Payment System?
• It is a bank-led model which allows online financial transactions
at Point-of-Sale (PoS) and Micro ATMs through the business
correspondent of any bank using Aadhaar authentication.
• It is created by National Payments Corporation of India.
• The only inputs required for a customer to do a transaction
under this scenario are: Bank Name; Aadhaar Number and
Fingerprint captured during enrollment.
• Banking Services Offered by AePS: Cash Deposit; Cash
Withdrawal; Balance Enquiry; Mini Statement Aadhaar to
Aadhaar Fund Transfer; Authentication; BHIM Aadhaar Pay
and BFD.
• The model removes the need for OTPs, bank account details,
and other financial details.
• An Aadhaar card holder who has a linked bank account can
use the AePS facility to make transactions quickly and easily.
• The transaction amount will only be deducted from the
Aadhaar linked bank account.
What is BFD?
• BFD is Best finger detection. The best finger of a resident
is the one that has the highest probability of matching. A
resident can possess one or more best fingers, which can be
detected during the Best Finger Detection (BFD) process.
• Operator checks the resident’s fingers and captures all fingers
from both hands (generally ten) to determine the best fingers.
• Once the best attempt is captured for all fingers, It is then
compared with the biometric data stored with UIDAI CIDR.
Based on the response, results are communicated indicating
the best fingers of the resident with the rankings in decreasing
order.
Benefits of AePS are as follow:
• Aadhaar enabled Payment System is easy to use, safe and
secure payment platform to avail benefits by using Aadhaar
number & biometrics.
• Aadhaar enabled Payment System is based on the
demographic and biometric/iris information of an individual, it
eliminates the threat of any fraud and non-genuine activity.
• Aadhaar enabled Payment System facilitate disbursements
of Government entitlements like NREGA, Social Security
pension, Handicapped Old Age Pension etc. of any Central
or State Government bodies using Aadhaar authentication.
• Aadhaar enabled Payment System facilitates inter-operability
across banks in a safe and secured manner.
34
• Reaching the unreached: The model enable banks to extend
financial services to the unreached clients beyond their
branch network as beneficiaries of the BCs are mostly located
at unbanked and underbanked areas.
How is Biometric Information Leaked?
• Aadhaar numbers are readily available in the form of
photocopies, and soft copies, and criminals are using
Aadhaar-enabled payment systems to breach user
information. Scammers have, in the past, made use of silicone
to trick devices into initiating transactions.
• Biometric information is part of identity. Unlike a password,
it can’t be changed. When cybercriminals access biometric
data — fingerprints, retina, facial, or voice — they gain
information which can be linked to identity forever.
How to Secure Aadhaar Biometric Information?
• Rarely share your biometric data: If anyone asks to collect
biometric data, check to see if one can supply an alternate
form of identification.
• Aadhaar lock: Users are also advised to ensure that they lock
their Aadhaar information by visiting the UIDAI website or
using the mobile app.
 This will ensure that the biometric information, even
if compromised, cannot be used to initiate financial
transactions. Aadhaar can be unlocked when the need for
biometric authentication arises.
Aadhaar:
• Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identity number that can be
obtained voluntarily by the citizens of India and resident
foreign nationals who have spent over 182 days in twelve
months immediately preceding the date of application for
enrolment, based on their biometric and demographic data.
• The data is collected by the Unique Identification Authority of
India (UIDAI), a statutory authority under the jurisdiction of the
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. UIDAI is
governed by the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery
of Financial and other Subsidies, benefits and services) Act,
2016.
• Uses: The Aadhaar project has been linked to some public
subsidy and unemployment benefit schemes such as the
domestic LPG scheme and MGNREGA.
• Concerns: Some civil liberty groups have also opposed the
project over privacy concerns.
 Disaster Mgmt
RAIL SAFETY
On 2 June 2023, three trains collided in Balasore district, in Odisha.
2023 Odisha Train Collision:
• The Coromandel Express entered the passing loop instead
of the main line near Bahanaga Bazar railway station at full
speed and collided with a goods train.
• Due to the high speed of the Coromandel Express, its 21
coaches derailed and three of those collided with the
oncoming SMVT Bengaluru–Howrah Superfast Express on the
adjacent track.
Reasons:
• A "change in electronic interlocking", an error in electronic
signals, caused the crash.
• The railway authorities stated that the anti-collision system
had not yet been deployed on the track where the collision
happened.
Fatality:
• A total of 292 people were killed in the crash and 1,175 others
were injured.
• It was one of the deadliest railway crash in India behind the
1981 Bihar train derailment (750+ killed), followed by the 1995
Firozabad rail disaster (358 killed), the 2023 Odisha train collision
(292 killed) and the 1999 Gaisal train disaster (285 killed).
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• It was also the deadliest rail disaster worldwide since the
2004 Sri Lanka tsunami train wreck.
Issues in Railways Safety: CAG Report
• In 2022, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG),
released a report on “Derailments in Indian Railways”. Its key
findings are as follows.
• There were shortfalls ranging from 30-100% in inspections by
track recording cars and idling of track machines owing to
various reasons.
• It revealed 24 factors responsible for derailments in the
selected cases/accidents. The total damages/loss of assets
in these cases was reported as ₹32.96 crore.
• While total 422 derailments were attributable to the
Engineering Department, the major factor responsible for
derailment was related to “maintenance of track” (171
cases), followed by “deviation of track parameters beyond
permissible limits” (156 cases).
• In all, 182 derailments were attributable to the Mechanical
Department and there were 154 accidents attributable to
the loco pilots. “Bad driving/over speeding” was also a key
factor.
35
 Current Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
• The number of accidents attributable to the Operating
Department was 275 and “incorrect setting of points and
other mistakes in shunting operations” accounted for 84%.
• The report had said that in 63% cases, the inquiry reports
were not submitted to the accepting authority within the
prescribed time schedule and in 49% cases, there was a
delay in the acceptance of the reports by authorities.
• Besides, the overall expenditure on Priority-I works from the
Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) showed a declining
trend from 81.55% in 2017-18 to 73.76% in 2019-20.
Recommendations made in the CAG Report:
• Ensure strict adherence to the scheduled timelines for
conducting and finalising accident inquiries.
• Develop a strong monitoring mechanism to ensure timely
implementation of maintenance activities by adopting fully
mechanised methods of track maintenance and improved
technologies.
• Railway Administration must follow the ‘guiding principles for
deployment of Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) funds’
to avoid fund constraints in the area of Priority-I works.
Steps taken by Government:
• All unmanned level crossings (UMLCs) on Broad Gauge (BG)
were eliminated in 2019.
• The 18th UIC World Security Congress was jointly organized by
Railway Protection Force(RPF) and the International Union of
Railways (UIC) in February 2023 focusing on the theme of
"Railway Security Strategy: Responses and Vision for Future."
It adopted the Jaipur Declaration.
36
• Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) has been introduced
in 2017-18 for replacement/renewal/upgradation of critical
safety assets, with a corpus of ₹1 lakh crore for five years.
• Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems with centralized
operation of points and signals are progressively provided
to eliminate accident due to human failure and to replace old
mechanical systems.
• Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) Type Coaches are of a superior
design coaches that reduce the chances of derailment. Indian
Railways has completely switched over to the manufacture of
LHB coaches from 2018-19 onwards.
COMMISSION OF RAILWAY SAFETY (CRS)
• Functions: It deals with matters pertaining to Rail safety and
other statutory functions – inspectorial, investigatory, and
advisory – as laid down in the Railways Act, 1989.
• Established in: 1961; HQ: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• Parent agency: It works under the jurisdiction of Ministry of
Civil Aviation. It does not report to the Ministry of Railways
so as to prevent conflicts of interest.
• Governance: It is headed by a Chief Commissioner of
Railway Safety (CCRS).
Goomty:
• After the Odisha train accident, the Indian Railways has decided
to secure the goomties with a ‘double-lock’ arrangement.
• Goomty is a small cabin or small structure covering lever
frame and other fixed equipment, at level-crossings and near
railway stations. They houses signalling equipment on railway
station premises.
 Disaster Mgmt
KAVACH
The 2023 Odisha train collision incident has brought into focus the safety
mechanisms needed to prevent such tragedies.
About:
• Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train
Protection (ATP) system.
• It is designed by the Research Design and Standards
Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with the Indian industry.
Functions and Objectives:
• It is meant to provide protection by preventing trains to pass
the signal at Red (which marks danger) and avoid collision. It
activates the train’s braking system automatically if the driver
fails to control the train as per speed restrictions.
• It prevents the collision between two locomotives equipped
with functional Kavach systems. The system also relays SoS
messages during emergency situations.
• There is a centralised live monitoring of train movements
through the Network Monitor System.
Working of Kavach:
• The Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), with the help
of equipment on board the locomotive and transmission towers
at stations connected with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
tags, helps in two-way communication between the station
master and loco-pilot to convey any emergency message.
• The instrument panel inside the cabin helps the loco-pilot
know about the signal in advance without visual sighting, and
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
the permissible speeds to be maintained. If a red signal is
jumped and two trains come face to face on the same line, the
technology automatically takes over and applies sudden brakes.
• Additionally, the hooter activates by itself when approaching
a level crossing which serves as a big boon to loco-pilots
during fog conditions when visibility is low.
Implementation Status:
• The South Central Railway (SCR) Zone is a pioneer in the
implementation of the KAVACH – TACS. The Kavach system
has been deployed over 1,465 kms in the SCR limits in 77
locomotives and 135 stations till March this year.
• The Secunderabad-based Indian Railways Institute of Signal
Engineering & Telecommunications (IRISET) hosts the ‘Centre
of Excellence’ for Kavach. IRISET has been mandated by the
Railway Board to train the inservice railway staff on Kavach.
Benefits:
• Kavach has been certified for compliance with safety integrity
level 4 (SIL-4) operations where the probability of error is 1 in
10,000 years.
• Kavach has been promoted as being the cheapest ATP
system available in the world, costing roughly Rs. 50 lakh / km
to operate compared to about two crore rupees worldwide.
Could Kavach have prevented Odisha Collisions?
• Both the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express and the
Yeshwanthpur-Howrah Express – which were involved in
Odisha train accident – were not fitted with KAVACH-TACS.
• The disaster could not have been averted with Kavach since
the system cannot prevent derailment. Additionally, both
trains moving towards each other needed to have been
equipped with Kavach for the system to function, but neither
were. The trains were also running within permissible speed
limits, which would not have triggered the brake activation.
• But, most importantly, the mainline signal was green for both
trains, but the Coromandel Express got diverted into a loop
line where a stationary locomotive was resting. Kavach is
not designed to detect and act on interlock malfunctions or
changes in track alignment.
• Lastly Kavach requires a minimum distance for slowing
down before a locomotive comes to a complete stop, said
Kimbahune. In the case of Odisha, given the speed and
distance on the loop, it would have been impossible for the
loco pilot to react or for the system to automatically bring the
train to a halt safely.
37
 Current Affairs
Science & Tech Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
KFON AND ‘RIGHT TO INTERNET’
The Kerala government officially launched the Kerala Fibre Optical Network (KFON) in June 2023.
Background:
• In 2016, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
passed a non-binding resolution recognising Internet access
as a basic human right.
• In 2019, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala
announced that Internet connection would be a basic right in
the State, becoming the first State in the country to do so. To
make this right a reality, the Kerala government announced
the setting up of the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON).
• In 2023, Kerala Chief Minister declared Kerala as India’s first
fully e-governed state and also commissioned of the first
phase of KFON.
What is KFON?
• KFON is an optical fibre cable network of 30,000 kms, with
375 Points-of-Presence across Kerala.
• The aim of the KFON is to create a core network infrastructure
(information highway) with non-discriminatory access to
all service providers, and to ensure a reliable, secure and
scalable intranet connecting all government offices and
educational institutions.
• Its major services are connectivity to government offices,
leasing of dark fibre, internet leased line, fibre to the home,
wifi hotspots, colocation of assets under network operating
centres and Point-of-Presences, internet protocol television,
OTT, and cloud hosting.
• In the first stage of KFON, the government wants to provide
connectivity to 30,000 government offices and 14,000 BPL
families in the state. KFON promises an internet speed from
10 mbps to 10 Gbps.
Stakeholders:
• KFON project is a joint venture of Kerala State Electricity
Board (KSEB) and Kerala State IIT Infrastructure Limited.
Bharat Electronics (BEL) is the system integrator for the
KFON project.
• The Union Department of Telecommunications had provided
Infrastructure Provider (category one) licence as well as the
Internet Service Provider licence (category B) to the KFON.
Need of KFON:
• According to the Kerala government, existing TELCOS
have only limited infrastructure in the rural areas and their
wireless connectivity infrastructure is providing only limited
bandwidth.
38
• Due to the low business potential in rural areas, private
TELCOs are not keen to enhance connectivity infrastructure.
• Hence, the Government in 2017 decided to establish KFON,
for efficient service delivery, assured Quality of Service,
reliability, interoperability, and security.
Significance:
• Through KFON, Kerala, aims to reduce the digital divide by
ensuring high speed broadband internet access to all houses
and government offices. Government wants to ensure internet
connection for 20 lakh families below poverty line.
• It is also intended to improve e-governance and accelerate
Kerala’s journey towards being a knowledge-based economy.
• The quality of mobile phone calls is also expected to improve.
Once KFON is connected to mobile towers in Kerala, it will
speed up transition to 4G and 5G.
Linkage with Other Rights (Judicial Verdicts):
• The right to freedom of speech (Articles 19(1)(a)) and expression
and right to practise any profession (Article 19(1)(g)) over
the medium of internet under and has been held to be
constitutionally protected by the Supreme Court in Anuradha
Bhasin v. Union of India (2020).
• Any restriction to the right to freedom of speech and
expression and the right to practise any profession over the
medium of internet, if imposed by the state, under Article 19
will have to pass muster of the proportionality test enumerated
by the Puttaswamy Judgement (2019).
• In Faheema Shirin RK vs. State of Kerala (2019), Kerala High
Court stated that Right to access internet is a part of Right to
education and Right to Privacy under Article 21A and Article
21 of the Constitution of Indian respectively.
• The right to development is a right recognized by the UN
General Assembly. Increasing access to the Internet can
improve low-income individuals' access to financial and
educational services.
• Right to internet also contributes to Right to freedom of
assembly. Social media networks played a major role in
organizing political events such as the Arab Spring.
Challenges to Right to Internet:
• Implementing this right can only be accomplished by
requiring that universal service providers provide a mandatory
minimum connection capability to all users in the regions.
• The type and breadth of access which is ensured by an enshrined
right can widely vary in terms of minimum targets of speed.
 Science & Tech
PANGENOME MAP
A new study published in the Nature journal describes a pangenome reference map,
built using genomes from 47 anonymous individuals from various countries.
Genome:
• The genome is the blueprint of life, a collection of all the
genes and the regions between the genes contained in our
23 pairs of chromosomes. Each chromosome is a contiguous
stretch of DNA string.
• In other words, Human genome consists of 23 different
strings, each composed of millions of individual building
blocks called nucleotides or bases.
• The four types of building blocks (A, T, G and C) are arranged
and repeated millions of times in different combinations to
make all of our 23 chromosomes.
Genome Sequencing:
• Genome sequencing is the method used to determine the
precise order of the four letters and how they are arranged
in chromosomes. Sequencing individual genomes helps us
understand human diversity at the genetic level and how
prone we are to certain diseases.
• As sequencing individual genomes of all humans is
expensive, we do not yet have all our genome identity cards.
To circumvent this, one can have a collective identity card.
For example, we can have a single genome identity card for
everyone living in a region.
Reference Genome:
• When genomes are newly sequenced, they are compared to
a reference map called a reference genome. This helps us
to understand the regions of differences between the newly
sequenced genome and the reference genome.
• One of this century’s scientific breakthroughs was the making
of the first reference genome in 2001. It helped scientists
discover thousands of genes linked to various diseases;
better understand diseases like cancer at the genetic level;
and design novel diagnostic tests.
• Although a remarkable feat, the reference genome of 2001
was 92% complete and contained many gaps and errors.
Additionally, it was not representative of all human beings
as it was built using mostly the genome of a single individual
of mixed African and European ancestry. Since then, the
reference genome map has been refined to have complete
end-to-end sequences of all the 23 human chromosomes.
Pangenome Map:
• Although complete and error-free, the finished reference
genome map does not represent all of human diversity. The
new study published in Nature changes this which describe
the making of the pangenome map.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Unlike the earlier reference genome, which is a linear sequence,
the pangenome is a graph. The graph of each chromosome is
like a bamboo stem with nodes where a stretch of sequences
of all 47 individuals converge (similar), and with internodes of
varying lengths representing genetic variations among those
individuals from different ancestries.
• To create complete and contiguous chromosome maps in
the pangenome project, the researchers used long-read DNA
sequencing technologies, which produce strings of contiguous
DNA strands of tens of thousands of nucleotides long.
• Using longer reads helps assemble the sequences with
minimum errors and read through the repetitive regions of the
chromosomes which are hard to sequence with short-read
technologies used earlier.
Importance of Pangenome Map:
• Although any two humans are more than 99% similar in their
DNA, there is still about a 0.4% difference between any two
individuals. This may be a small percentage, but considering
that the human genome consists of 3.2 billion individual
nucleotides, the difference between any two individuals is a
whopping 12.8 million nucleotides.
• A complete and error-free human pangenome map will help
us understand those differences and explain human diversity
better. It will also help us understand genetic variants in some
populations, which result in underlying health conditions.
• The pangenome reference map has added nearly 119 million
new letters to the existing genome map and has already
aided the discovery of 150 new genes linked to autism.
Limitations:
• Although the project is a leap forward, genomes from many
populations are still not a part of it.
• For example, genomes from more people from Africa,
the Indian sub-continent, indigenous groups in Asia and
Oceania, and West Asian regions are not represented in the
current version of the pangenome map.
Indian Scenario:
• Even though the current map does not contain genome
sequences from Indians, it will help map Indian genomes
better against the error-free and complete reference genomes
known so far.
• Future pangenome maps that include high quality genomes
from Indians, including from many endogamous and isolated
populations within the country, will shed light on disease
prevalence and help discover new genes for rare diseases.
39
 Current Affairs
Science & Tech Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
TITAN SUBMERSIBLE
A deep-sea submersible carrying five people on a voyage to the Titanic wreck
suffered a “catastrophic implosion” that killed everyone aboard.
Titan:
• On 18 June 2023, Titan, a submersible operated by American
tourism and expeditions company OceanGate, imploded
during its descent in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 370
nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
• It carried five people and was part of a tourist expedition to
view the wreck of the Titanic.
• After a search lasting nearly 80 hours, a remotely operated
underwater vehicle (ROV) discovered a debris field containing
parts of Titan, about 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the bow of the
Titanic.
Reasons:
• According to scientists, the pressure hull had imploded while
Titan was descending, resulting in the instantaneous deaths
of all five occupants.
• Numerous industry experts had raised concerns about the
safety of the vessel. OceanGate executives, including its CEO
Stockton Rush (who was on board and died in the implosion),
had not sought certification for Titan, arguing that excessive
safety protocols hindered innovation.
Titanic:
• RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner, operated by the
White Star Line, that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15
April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage
from Southampton, England to New York City, United States.
• Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, more
than 1,500 died, making it the deadliest sinking of a single
ship up to that time.
Submersible vs Submarine:
• While the two categories can overlap, a submarine refers to
an underwater vehicle that is largely independent and has
power reserves to help it depart from a port or come back to
the port after an expedition.
• A submersible is generally smaller in size and has less power,
so it needs to work with a ship in order to be launched and
recovered.
• The missing submersible Titan was working with a vessel
named Polar Prince.
Convention on the Protection of the Underwater
Cultural Heritage:
• The Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural
40
Heritage is a treaty that was adopted in 2001 by the General
Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• It became effective in 2009. More than 70 states are parties
to the convention. India, USA, Russia and China are not party
to the convention.
• The convention is intended to protect "all traces of human
existence having a cultural, historical or archaeological
character" which have been under water for over 100 years.
• This extends to the protection of shipwrecks, sunken cities,
prehistoric art work, treasures that may be looted, sacrificial
and burial sites, and old ports that cover the oceans' floors.
• Along with the 100-year limitation period, the 2001 UNESCO
Convention included the phrase 'cultural, historical or
archaeological character' as the qualifying concepts that
define underwater cultural heritage. Because many objects
of cultural heritage lose their significance when taken out of
water, this convention seeks to ensure the preservation of
sunken sites.
• The convention may provide a customary framework to help
raise awareness and seek to combat the illegal looting and
pirating occurring in waters worldwide. As an international
body, member states of the convention agree to work
towards the preservation of sunken cultural property within
their jurisdiction and the high seas.
MATSYA 6000
• Samudrayaan mission (Deep Ocean Mission) aims to at
sending three personnel to 6000-metre depth in a vehicle
called ‘MATSYA 6000’ for the exploration of deep sea
resources like minerals.
• ‘MATSYA 6000’ vehicle is being designed and developed
by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai
under Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• The communication system that will be used in
Matsya-6000 is the ultra short baseline acoustic positioning
system (USBL). This allows the mothership, which has a
transponder attached beneath, to send pulses and the
travelling submersible to send pulses back. This will then
allow the ship to determine the depth and orientation of the
submersible.
• Matsya-6000 also has syntactic foam, a flotation device that
would rise to the top and help determine the physical location
of the submersible, even if it was unable to resurface.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

41
 Current Affairs
Science & Tech Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
SPATIAL COMPUTING
Apple announced 'Vision Pro' at its 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
About:
• Apple Vision Pro is an augmented reality (AR) headset
developed by Apple Inc.
• The Vision Pro is a standalone device that runs visionOS, a
derivative of iOS designed for extended reality software and
controlled via motion gestures, eye tracking, and voice input.
• It is Apple's first major product introduction since the Apple
Watch in 2015.
• Apple has described the product as a "spatial computer".
What is Spatial Computing?
• Spatial computing is often a complex term to define because
it’s an “umbrella” concept covering a variety of technologies.
In the age of hybrid work, spatial technologies are increasingly
popular as companies look to bridge the gap between the
digital and physical worlds.
• While spatial computing involves a variety of concepts, from
natural language processing to deep neural networks, its
42
core focus is empowering human/computer interactions.
Spatial computing takes us away from the clunky interactions
we had with computers and mobile devices in the past. It
places us within the computing environment.
Working:
• Spatial technology leverages a variety of tools to merge
computing into our everyday world. Sensors capable of
automatically switching lights on when you enter a room
are examples of spatial computing. IoT solutions monitoring
processes in a factory are another example.
• In fact, instances of spatial computing appear throughout
virtually every industry. For instance, in the construction world,
sensors, photogrammetry, and AI can provide computer
systems with real-time insights into data from a product,
environment or process. This information is then processed,
and used to support users with intuitive applications and
automated workflows.
• In the extended reality space, spatial computing solutions are
changing how we interact with others and computers alike.
Headsets like the new Apple Vision Pro allow users to interact with
apps in an infinite landscape without needing a desktop screen.
• The human brain thrives in a three-dimensional physical
environment, something we lack when using 2D screens on
desktop computers and phones. Spatial technology taps
into this natural environment, bringing digital content into a
landscape that aligns with human cognitive abilities.
Core pillars of Spatial Computing:
• Technology that allows us to perceive 3D content in the
real world, such as AR/VR or mixed reality headsets, smart
glasses, and AR apps.
• Tools that allow us to interact naturally with the content we
see, such as voice control systems, hand/body tracking,
haptics, and eye tracking.
• Solutions that enhance the spatial experience, such as
lighting, photogrammetry, artificial intelligence, spatial
sound, sensors, and 3D UX design.
Examples of Spatial Computing:
• Spatial computing won’t just dramatically change our lives in
the years to come. It has already had a significant influence
on how we live today.
• For instance, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are the
two technologies most likely to be associated with spatial

computing. With spatial computing, developers can explore
the world of “extended reality”, where we manipulate digital
content in a non-digital format.
• With augmented reality, adding aspects of the digital world
into our real-world surroundings is possible. For instance,
in the industrial world, you might use an AR app or smart
glasses to overlay information about a machine’s internal
features onto the outside of that device.
Benefits of Spatial Computing:
• While many of the benefits of spatial technology can already
be seen in the XR space, the revolution expands beyond AR
and VR. Spatial solutions connect the dots between digital
twins, IoT, AI, the metaverse, and more.
• Spatial tools can also help guide people (and robots) through
complex processes, from repairing a machine to packaging
goods for a consumer. It’s even influencing the healthcare
industry. Tools like ProjectDR allow users to display MRI and
CT scans on a patient’s body, improving surgical accuracy.
Use cases for Spatial Computing:
• Enhanced training: Spatial tools pave the way for more engaging
training experiences and simulations. They allow team members
to interact with scenarios securely, safely, and innovatively.
• Product design: Spatial computing is already having an
impact on product design. Companies use digital twins, and
3D visualization tools to explore product ideas and align
global employees.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Collaboration: Spatial computing will directly impact the hybrid
meeting room and evolving world of work. It allows people to
collaborate efficiently through the metaverse and XR.
• Productivity: Spatial technology brings crucial information
and assets into an accessible space. It can help team
members overcome technical hurdles by providing direct
hands-free access to information.
• Customer service: Even the CX landscape benefits from
spatial technology. Sensors can capture information about
customers and help companies build more personalized
experiences. Plus, employees can use spatial devices to
deliver customer service.
Future of Spatial Computing:
• Spatial computing is already here, and it’s significantly
impacting every industry. Examples of spatial computing are
everywhere, from manufacturing companies like Ford, using
spatial technologies to create safer vehicles, to tech giants
like Meta exploring the metaverse.
• However, this landscape is set to grow significantly in the
years ahead, thanks to the introduction of new and improved
technologies. 5G and edge computing tools pave the way for
more advanced XR experiences with reduced latency and
lag. The IEEE protocol for Web 3.0 offers a technical standard
to help developers unify spatial solutions for apps and tools.
• Going forward, spatial computing will provide the tools companies
need to leverage more data, automate crucial functions, and
connect the dots between humans and computer systems.
43
 CurrentHealth
Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
NON-SUGAR SWEETENERS
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended against the use of Non-Sugar Sweeteners (NSS)
to control body weight or reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
About:
• Names: Non-Sugar Sweeteners (NSS) are referred to by a
variety of names, including high-intensity sweeteners, low- or
no-calorie sweeteners, non-nutritive sweeteners, non-caloric
sweeteners and sugar-substitutes.
• Usage: NSS have been developed as an alternative to
free sugars. They are widely used as an additive in pre-
packaged foods, beverages and personal care products
(e.g. toothpaste, mouthwash), as well as added to foods and
beverages directly by the consumer.
• Types: Common NSS include acesulfame K, aspartame,
advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose,
stevia and stevia derivatives; certain D-amino acids, and
several plant proteins also impart a sweet taste.
Working:
• NSS include a wide variety of synthetically derived chemicals
and natural extracts that may or may not be chemically
modified, and are generally many times sweeter than sugars,
which allows them to be added to foods and beverages in
very small quantities.
• NSS elicit sweet taste through binding and activation of sweet-
taste receptors located in the oral cavity, with subsequent
signalling to the brain.
• Sweet-taste receptors have more recently been found at sites
outside the oral cavity, including the gastrointestinal tract,
pancreas, brain and adipose tissue, and may be involved in
various metabolic effects of NSS observed in a large body of
in vitro, animal and human studies.
Reasons for their Increasing Use:
• Since the release of the WHO guideline on free sugars intake,
interest in the potential utility of NSS to reduce sugars intake
at the population level has increased.
• Because of their ability to impart sweet taste without calories,
NSS are generally marketed as aiding weight loss or
maintenance of healthy weight.
• NSS are also frequently recommended as a means of
controlling blood glucose levels in individuals with diabetes.
WHO Recommendations:
• In May 2023, The WHO has released a new guideline on
non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), which recommends against
the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
44
Exceptions:
• The recommendation by WHO applies to all people except
individuals with pre-existing diabetes and includes all
synthetic and naturally occurring or modified non-nutritive
sweeteners that are not classified as sugars found in
manufactured foods and beverages, or sold on their own to
be added to foods and beverages by consumers.
• The recommendation does not apply to personal care and
hygiene products containing NSS, such as toothpaste, skin
cream, and medications, or to low-calorie sugars and sugar
alcohols (polyols), which are sugars or sugar derivatives
containing calories and are therefore not considered NSS.
Justification by WHO:
• The recommendation is based on the evidence that use of
NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body
fat in adults or children. NSS are not essential dietary factors
and have no nutritional value.
• There may be potential undesirable effects from long-term
use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes,
cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults.
• The WHO guideline on NSS is part of a suite of existing and
forthcoming guidelines on healthy diets that aim to establish
lifelong healthy eating habits, improve dietary quality and
decrease the risk of NCDs worldwide.
INDIAN SCENARIO
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),
has allowed five artificial sweeteners— saccharin sodium,
aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose and
neotame—for use by the food industry and listed maximum
permitted levels. These are used in items such as juices,
beverages, sweets, chewing gum and confectionery.
• Every ad for sugar-free items have to state the names of
artificial sweeteners it contains.
• It is yet to be seen whether the regulator will make any
changes to its recommendations now.
Way Ahead:
• People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars
intake, such as consuming food with naturally occurring
sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages.
• Fruits, dates, whole grains and minimally processed
unsweetened food and beverages are better alternatives. A
gradual training of the taste buds to adapt to items with less
or no sugar is another helpful method.
 Health
FIXED-DOSE COMBINATION
The Union Health Ministry recently banned manufacture, sale and distribution of
14 Fixed Dose Combination (FDCs) drugs, which were licensed before 1988.
About:
• The banned combinations include medicines used for cough,
fever and infections, and are sold over the counter.
• The banned FDCs are part of 344 FDCs prohibited for
sale by the Union Health Ministry in 2016 based on the
recommendations of Kokate Committee. But the makers of 15
such drugs challenged the decision in Delhi High Court.
• The decision was taken as ‘there is no therapeutic justification
for these medicines and they may put people at risk’.
List of banned FDCs:
1. Salbutamol + Hydroxyethyltheophylline (Etofylline) + Bromhexine
2. Ammonium Chloride + Sodium Citrate + Chlorpheniramine
Maleate + Menthol (100mg + 40mg + 2.5mg + 0.9mg) ,
(125mg + 55mg + 4mg + 1mg) , (110mg + 46mg + 3mg +
0.9mg) & (130mg + 55mg + 3mg + 0.5mg) per 5 ml
3. Phenytoin + Phenobarbitone Sodium
4. Chlorpheniramine + Codeine Phosphate + Menthol Syrup
5. Salbutamol + Bromhexine
6. Paracetamol + Bromhexine + Phenylephrine
Chlorpheniramine + Guaiphenesin
7. Dextromethorphan + Chlorpheniramine + Guaiphenesin +
Ammonium Chloride
8. Nimesulide + Paracetamol dispersible tablets
9. Amoxicillin + Bromhexine
10. Pholcodine + Promethazine
11. Chlorpheniramine Maleate + Dextromethorphan
Guaiphenesin + Ammonium Chloride + Menthol
12. Chlorpheniramine Maleate + Codeine Syrup
13. Ammonium Chloride + Bromhexine + Dextromethorphan
14. Bromhexine + Dextromethorphan + Ammonium Chloride +
Menthol
Fixed-Dose Combination (FDCs):
• FDCs refer to products containing one or more active
ingredients used for a particular indication(s). FDCs can be
divided into the following groups.
• The first group of FDCs includes those in which one or more
of the active ingredients is a new drug. For such FDCs to be
approved for marketing, data to be submitted will be similar
to data required for any new drug (including clinical trials).
• The second group FDCs includes those in which active
ingredients already approved/marketed individually are
combined for the first time, for a particular claim and where
the ingredients are likely to have significant interaction of a
pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic nature.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• The third group of FDCs includes those which are already
marketed, but in which it is proposed either to change the ratio of
active ingredients or to make a new therapeutic claim. For such
FDCs, the appropriate rationale including published reports (if
any) should be submitted to obtain marketing permission.
• The fourth group of FDCs includes those whose individual
active ingredients (or drugs from the same class) have
been widely used in a particular indication(s) for years, their
concomitant use is often necessary and no claim is proposed
to be made other than convenience.
Advantages of FDCs:
• Combination drugs have proved to be particularly useful in the
treatment of infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis-C, malaria
and tuberculosis, where giving multiple antimicrobial agents
is the norm. FDCs are also useful for chronic conditions,
especially when multiple disorders co-exist.
• FDCs leads to improved medication compliance by reducing the
pill burden of patients. Pill burden is the number of pills needing
to be taken, and the associated burdens such as keeping track
+
of several medications, understanding their instructions, etc.
• FDC have advantages such as complementary mechanism
of action, synergistic effects, better tolerability, elongated
product life-cycle management, and cost savings.
• Since FDCs are reviewed by regulating agencies, the active
ingredients used in the FDCs are unlikely to exhibit adverse
drug interactions with each other.
+
Disadvantages of FDCs:
• There may not be an FDC available with the appropriate
drugs and/or in the most appropriate respective strength(s)
for a given patient, which can lead to some patients getting
too much of an ingredient and others getting too little.
• If an adverse drug reaction occurs from using an FDC, it
becomes difficult to identify the active ingredient responsible.
• Scientists face challenges in the development stages of multi-
drug formulations such as compatibility issues among active
ingredients and excipients affecting solubility and dissolution.
• If one drug is contraindicated for a patient, whole FDC cannot
be prescribed.
Comment:
• The Union Health Ministry’s latest action is part of the
government's intention to supply only efficacious medicines
and to improve the image of the Indian pharmaceutical industry
which was badly affected due to death of 66 children in Gambia
after allegedly consuming Indian-made cough syrup.
45
 CurrentHealth
Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Recently, the new national estimates for diabetes and other
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) were released.
About:
• The decade-long nationwide study was funded by the
Indian Council of Medical Research and Department of Health
Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and co-
ordinated by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation.
• The results of the study are to be published in The Lancet
Diabetes and Endocrinology journal.
• The study is the first comprehensive epidemiological research
paper which includes participants from 31 States and some Union
Territories, with a large sample size of 1,13,043 individuals.
• This cross-sectional, population-based survey of adults
aged above 20 years, across the country uses a stratified,
multistage sampling design in the study titled — “Metabolic
non-communicable health report of India-the ICMR-INDIAB
National Cross-sectional Study.”
Study Highlights:
• According to the study, in 2021, India has 101 million people
with diabetes and 136 million people with prediabetes.
• Additionally, 315 million people had high blood pressure;
254 million had generalised obesity, and 351 million had
abdominal obesity.
• 213 million people had hypercholesterolaemia (wherein fat
collects in arteries and puts individuals at greater risk of heart
attack and strokes) and 185 million had high low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
Interstate and Inter-Regional Variations:
• The highest diabetes prevalence was found in Goa, Puducherry
and Kerala.
• Prediabetes was prevalent in Sikkim, Hypertension was
highest in Punjab.
• Generalised obesity and abdominal obesity were highest in
Puducherry.
• Kerala had high hypercholesterolemia and high LDL cholesterol.
• The lowest prevalence of NCDs was found in U.P., Mizoram,
Meghalaya and Jharkhand.
There are Two Big Trend Indicators in the Study:
• Diabetes and other metabolic non-communicable diseases,
such as hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia are much
more common than estimated previously in India.
• While currently urban regions had higher rates of all metabolic
NCDs than rural areas, with the exception of prediabetes,
rural India will see a diabetes explosion in the next five years if
left unregulated.
46
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs):
• NCDs, also known as chronic diseases, are non-transmissible
diseases of often long duration.
• NCDs have been one of the major concerns of the Health
Ministry. It has identified the four major NCDs: cardiovascular
diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.
• Causes: NCDs are driven primarily by behaviors that often start
during childhood and adolescence including physical inactivity,
unhealthy diet, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol.
Impact of NCDs:
• The epidemic of NCDs poses devastating health consequences
for individuals, families and communities, and threatens to
overwhelm health systems.
• The socioeconomic costs associated with NCDs make the
prevention and control of these diseases a major development
imperative for the 21st century.
• Estimates suggest that approximately 70% of the premature
deaths that occur among adults stem from health-related
behaviours that originate in childhood and adolescence.
• Apart from the lives they take, NCDs take a heavy toll on
economies, cutting down people in their most productive years.
Steps taken to reduce Non-Communicable Diseases:
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has
renamed the National Programme for Prevention and Control
of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke
(NPCDCS) as ‘National Programme for Prevention & Control of
Non-Communicable Diseases [NP-NCD]’.
• The Union Health Ministry has launched 75/25 initiative for
screening and putting 75 million people with hypertension
and diabetes on Standard Care by 2025.
• Preventive aspect of Cancer is strengthened under
Comprehensive Primary Health Care through Ayushman Bharat
Health Wellness Centre scheme, by promotion of wellness
activities and targeted communication at the community level.
• Other initiatives for increasing public awareness about Cancer
and for promotion of healthy lifestyle includes observation of
National Cancer Awareness Day& World Cancer Day and use
of print, electronic and social media for continued community
awareness.
• Furthermore, healthy eating is also promoted through Food
Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Fit India
movement is implemented by Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports, and various Yoga related activities are carried out by
Ministry of AYUSH.
 Society
PERIOD POVERTY
Concern about “period poverty” has fuelled campaigns globally calling for
the end of the so-called tampon tax.
Menstrual Products:
• Menstrual products is also called as ‘feminine hygiene’
products. These are made to absorb or catch menstrual blood.
• A number of different products are available - some are
disposable, some are reusable.
• Disposable products include: Sanitary napkins (also called
sanitary towels or pads); Tampons and Disposable menstrual
cups made of soft plastic.
• Reusable products include: Menstrual cups made of silicone
and can last 5 years or longer; Reusable cloth pads; Padded
underwear; underwear with extra absorbent layers sewn in to
absorb flow and Sponges worn internally like a tampon.
Period Poverty:
• Period poverty describes the struggle many low-income
women and girls face while trying to afford menstrual products.
• It also refers to the increased economic vulnerability women
and girls face due the financial burden posed by menstrual
supplies. These include not only menstrual pads and tampons,
but also related costs such as pain medication and underwear.
Impact of Period Poverty:
• Period poverty not only affect women and girls in developing
countries; it also affects women in wealthy countries.
• It causes girls to stay home from school and work; use unhygienic
products; and pushes girls closer toward dangerous coping
mechanisms. E.g. in Kenya, some schoolgirls have engaged
in transactional sex to pay for menstrual products.
List of Human Rights Undermined:
• Right to health: Menstruation stigma prevents women from
seeking treatment for menstruation-related disorders or pain.
• Right to education: This is violated due to of school
absenteeism and poor educational outcomes.
• Right to work: Women may refrain from taking certain jobs, or
they may be forced to forgo working hours.
• Right to Non-Discrimination and Gender Equality: Stigmas
related to menstruation can reinforce discriminatory practices.
• Right to water and sanitation during periods: They also face poor
access to safe Water and sanitation facilities, such as bathing
facilities, that are private, safe and culturally acceptable.
Tampon Tax / Tax On Periods:
• What it is? "Tampon tax" (or period tax) means menstrual
products being subject to value-added tax (VAT) or sales tax.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• What it is not? It is not a special tax levied directly on feminine
hygiene products.
• Arguments for abolishing it: This will ‘End Period Poverty’; It is
a basic necessity as females use them for about a week each
month for about 30 years.
Why Countries Retain Tampon Tax?
• VAT is an important source of revenue for governments. In
countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD), VAT revenue represented
6.7% of their gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020.
• VAT rates vary widely from country to country – from 5% in
Canada to up to 27% in Hungary – and governments often
have different definitions of what is considered an essential
good that is exempted from the levy.
• In countries where menstruation remains a taboo subject,
lawmakers and policymakers show little interest in starting
debate about the affordability of period products.
Global Initiatives:
• Since Kenya became the first country to scrap VAT on sanitary
pads and tampons in 2004, at least 17 countries have followed
suit. Among the latest countries to pass laws to abolish the
tampon tax are Mexico, Britain and Namibia.
• Another 10 countries have designated sanitary products as
tax-exempt goods or have exempted the tax on imported raw
materials used to make them.
• In 2022, Scotland became the first nation to make tampons and
sanitary pads free and available at designated public places
such as community centres, youth clubs and pharmacies.
• In 2017, Government of India imposed a 12% tax on sanitary
napkins under the new GST regime; this was abolished later on.
Janaushadhi Suvidha:
• In 2018, Government of India launched ‘Janaushadhi Suvidha’.
• It is an Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkin complying
with ASTM D-6954 (biodegradability test) standards. ‘Oxo-
biodegradable’ means a special additive is added in the
SUVIDHA napkin which makes it biodegradable when it
reacts with oxygen after it is used and discarded.
• It has been launched under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya
Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) by Union Department of
Pharmaceuticals.
• This ensures ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha’ for the
underprivileged Women.
47
 CurrentSociety
Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023

GENDER GAP REPORT, 2023

India has ranked at 127 out of 146 countries in terms of gender parity — an improvement of eight places
from last year — according to the World Economic Forum’s annual Gender Gap Report, 2023.

About:
• The Global Gender Gap Report, now in its 17th edition,
benchmarks the evolution of gender-based gaps in
four areas: economic participation and opportunity;
educational attainment; health and survival; and political
empowerment.
• It is the longest-standing index which tracks progress on
closing these gaps since its inception in 2006.
• It also explores the impact of recent global shocks on the
gender gap crisis in the labour market.
Findings:
• Iceland is the most gender-equal country in the world for the
14th consecutive year and the only one to have closed more
than 90 per cent of its gender gap, according to the report.
• While no country has yet achieved full gender parity, the top
nine countries have closed at least 80 per cent of their gap.
• The report found that the overall gender gap has closed by
0.3 percentage point from last year.
• The overall progress in 2023 is partly due to the improvement
in closing the educational attainment gap, with 117 out of the
146 indexed countries now having closed at least 95 per cent
of the gap.
• For the 146 countries covered in the 2023 index, the Health
and Survival gender gap has closed by 96 per cent, the
Educational Attainment gap by 95.2 per cent, Economic
Participation and Opportunity gap by 60.1 per cent, and
Political Empowerment gap by 22.1 per cent.”
• Parity has advanced by only 4.1 percentage points since
the first edition of the report in 2006, with the overall rate of
change slowing significantly.
• Closing the overall gender gap will require 131 years. At the
current rate of progress, it will take 169 years for economic
parity and 162 years for political parity, the report stated.
• Out of the 117 countries with available data since 2017, 18
countries — including Bolivia (50.4 per cent), India (44.4 per
cent) and France (42.3 per cent) — have achieved women’s
representation of over 40 per cent in local governance.
• In terms of the share of women in ministerial positions, 75
countries have 20 per cent or less female ministers. Populous
countries such as India, Turkey and China have less than
seven per cent women ministers while those like Azerbaijan,
Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have none.
• Overall, the report said gender parity globally has recovered
to pre-Covid levels but the pace of change has stagnated as
converging crises slow progress.
India’s Performance:
• India has ranked at 127 out of 146 countries in terms of gender
parity — an improvement of eight places from last year. India
was ranked at 135 out of 146 countries in the Global Gender
Gap Index in the report’s 2022 edition.
• India has improved by 1.4 percentage points and eight
positions since the last edition, marking a partial recovery
towards its 2020 parity level.
• The country has attained parity in enrolment across all levels
of education.
• India has closed 64.3 per cent of the overall gender gap, the
report said. However, it underlined that India has reached
only 36.7% parity on economic participation and opportunity.
• On political empowerment, India has registered 25.3 per
cent parity, with women representing 15.1 per cent of
parliamentarians — the highest for the country since the
inaugural report in 2006.
• In India, while there has been uptick in parity in wages and
income, the share of women in senior positions and technical
roles have dropped slightly since the last edition, the report
pointed out.
• For India, the 1.9 percentage point improvement in sex ratio
at birth has driven up parity after more than a decade of slow
progress.
• Compared to top scoring countries that register a 94.4 per
cent gender parity at birth, the indicator stands at 92.7 per
cent for India (albeit an improvement over last edition) and
below 90 per cent for Vietnam, China and Azerbaijan.
Performance of Neighbouring Countries:
• The index ranked India’s neighbours Pakistan at 142,
Bangladesh at 59, China at 107, Nepal at 116, Sri Lanka at
115 and Bhutan at 103.
• Overall, the Southern Asian region has achieved 63.4 per
cent gender parity, the second-lowest of the eight regions.
• The score in South Asia has risen by 1.1 percentage points
since the last edition on the basis of the constant sample of
countries covered since 2006. The improvement is partially
attributable to the rise in scores of populous countries such
as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

48
 Society
NIRF 2023
The Ministry of Education released the National Institutional
Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking for 2023.
NIRF:
• The NIRF is a ranking methodology of Ministry of Education to
rank institutions of higher education.
• The framework was launched in 2015 and first rankings
released in 2016.
• This is the eighth consecutive edition of India Rankings of
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in India.
Three Distinct Additions of 2023 Edition of India
Rankings are as follows:
• Introduction of a new subject namely “Agriculture & Allied
Sectors”.
• Integration of “Innovation” ranking previously executed by
the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements
(ARIIA) into the India Rankings.
• Expansion of scope of “Architecture” to “Architecture and
Planning” to include institutions imparting courses in Urban
and Town Planning.
(With the addition of new category (Innovation) subject domain
(Agriculture & Allied Sectors) and expansion of “Architecture”
to “Architecture and Planning”, the existing portfolio of India
Rankings has increased to 13 categories and subject domains
that have been ranked in India Rankings 2023)
Methodology:
• The institutes are ranked on 5 Parameters which have various
sub-parameters. A total number of 16 – 18 sub-parameters
are used for ranking of HEIs in different categories and
subject domains.
• In addition to parameters used for Overall category, the
following two additional sub-parameters were included for
ranking institutions under “Research Institutions”: (i) Research
Papers published in journals covered in the First Quartile of
Journal Citation Report (JCRQ1); and (ii) H Index.
Parameters:
1. Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR) – (weightage - 0.30)
 Student Strength including Doctoral Students (SS)
 Faculty-student ratio with emphasis on permanent faculty
(FSR)
 Combined metric for Faculty with PhD (or equivalent) and
Experience (FQE)
 Financial Resources and their Utilisation (FRU)
2. Research and Professional Practice (RP) – (weightage - 0.30)
 Combined metric for Publications (PU)
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
 Combined metric for Quality of Publications (QP)
 IPR and Patents: Published and Granted (IPR)
 Footprint of Projects and Professional Practice (FPPP)
3. Graduation Outcomes (GO) – (weightage - 0.20)
 Metric for University Examinations (GUE)
 Metric for Number of Ph.D. Students Graduated (GPHD)
4. Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) – (weightage - 0.10)
 Percentage of Students from Other States/Countries
(Region Diversity RD)
 Percentage of Women (Women Diversity WD)
 Economically and Socially Challenged Students (ESCS)
 Facilities for Physically Challenged Students (PCS)
 Perception (PR) Ranking
5. Peer Perception – (weightage - 0.10)
 Academic Peers and Employers (PR)
H-INDEX
• The h-index is a measure used to indicate the impact and
productivity of a researcher based on how often his/her
publications have been cited.
• It is sometimes called the Hirsch index or Hirsch number,
named after the physicist, Jorge E. Hirsch, who provides the
definition for the H-index.
Rankings for 2023:
1. Overall: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras
2. University: Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
3. College: Miranda House, Delhi
4. Research: Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
5. Management: Indian Institute of Management (IIM),
Ahmedabad.
6. Engineering: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras
7. Architecture and planning: Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT), Roorkee
8. Medical: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New
Delhi
9. Pharmacy: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education
and Research, Hyderabad
10. Dental: Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical
Sciences, Chennai
11. Law: National Law School of India University, Bengaluru
12. Agriculture and Allied Sectors: Indian Agricultural Research
Institute, New Delhi
13. Innovation: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur
49
 CurrentSociety
Affairs Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
GLOBAL SLAVERY INDEX 2023
The fifth edition of the Global Slavery Index 2023 was released by Walk Free,
an international human rights organisation based in Perth, Australia.
Modern Slavery:
• Modern Slavery refers to situations of exploitation that a
person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence,
coercion, deception, or abuses of power.
• It includes a whole variety of abuses such as forced labour,
forced marriage, debt bondage, sexual exploitation, human
trafficking, slavery-like practices, forced or servile marriage,
and the sale and exploitation of children.
DO YOU KNOW?
• Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) served as the 16 th president
of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in
1865.
• Lincoln led the Union through the American Civil War to
defend the nation as a constitutional union and succeeded
in abolishing slavery.
Global Slavery Index:
• The index presents a global picture of modern slavery in 160
countries.
• It is constructed by Walk Free, and is based on data provided
by the Global Estimates of Modern Slavery, which, in turn, is
produced by International Labour Organization (ILO), Walk
Free, and International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Key Findings of 2023 Index:
• In 2021, as many as 50 million people were living in “modern
slavery”. There is a worsening situation, with nearly 10 million
more people in modern slavery in 2021 than in 2017.
• Among these 50 million, 28 million suffer from forced labour
and 22 million from forced marriages. Of these 50 million, 12
million are children.
• Countries with the Highest prevalence: North Korea, Eritrea,
Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
• Countries with the lowest prevalence: Switzerland ,Norway,
Germany, Netherlands and Sweden.
• Countries hosting the maximum number of people living in
modern slavery: India, China, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia.
• Prevalence of modern slavery: The prevalence refers to the
incidence of modern slavery per 1000 population.
• Six G20 nations (India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey, and
the US) are among the top ten countries hosting the maximum
number of people living in modern slavery.
50
Reasons for Modern Slavery:
• It mostly affects people who are in poverty, work in the informal
economy, unprotected migrant workers, people subject to
discrimination, and those living in contexts of crisis, such as
armed conflicts and natural disasters.
• In recent years, compounding crises – pandemics, armed
conflicts, and the climate crisis – have served to heighten the
risk of all forms of modern slavery.
How to End Modern Slavery by 2030?
Governments must lead the road to eradication by:
• Support survivors of modern slavery to exit and remain out of
slavery.
• Establish effective criminal justice mechanisms to prevent
modern slavery.
• Develop coordination mechanisms at the national and
regional level.
• Address risk factors such as attitudes, social systems, and
institutions that enable modern slavery.
• Stop sourcing goods and services produced by forced labour.
Steps by India and World:
• Target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calls
for taking measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern
slavery and human trafficking and by 2025 end child labour
in all its forms.
• India has ratified the two fundamental ILO Conventions
concerning the elimination of child labour, the Minimum Age
Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the Worst Forms of Child
Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).
• The Right against Exploitation is provided under Articles 23
and 24 of the Indian Constitution.
• Article 23(1): Traffic in human beings and the beggar and
other similar forms of forced labour are prohibited and any
contravention of this provision shall be an offense punishable
in accordance with the law.
• Article 24: No child below the age of fourteen years shall be
employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any
other hazardous employment.
• Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976: It empowers
Executive Magistrates to exercise powers of Judicial
Magistrate of first or second class for trial of offences; Vigilance
Committees at District and Sub-divisional levels have been
prescribed to identify and rehabilitate bonded labourer.
 Geography
FLASH FLOODS
The Chandigarh-Manali highway was blocked following flash floods and
landslides in parts of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
About:
• Excessive or continuous rainfall over a period of days, or
during particular seasons, can lead to stagnation of water
and cause flooding.
• Flash floods refers to a flood situation, but one that occurs in
a much shorter span of time, under six hours, and is a highly
localised phenomenon.
Indian Scenario:
• According to government data from a project by the Assam
State Disaster Management Authority, India is the worst
flood-affected country in the world, after Bangladesh, and
accounts for one-fifth of the global death count due to floods.
• Flash floods have been commonly witnessed in cities like
Chennai and Mumbai.
Reasons:
• In India, flash floods are often associated with cloudbursts –
sudden, intense rainfall in a short period of time.
• Flash floods occur frequently in India because nearly 75% of
the total Indian rainfall is concentrated over a short monsoon
season of four months (June to September). As a result, the
rivers witness a heavy discharge during these months.
• Flash floods can also be caused by factors apart from rainfall,
like when water goes beyond the levels of a dam.
• Himalayan states face the challenge of overflowing glacial
lakes, formed due to the melting of glaciers, and their
numbers have been increasing in the last few years.
• Flash flooding commonly happens more where rivers are
narrow and steep, so they flow more quickly.
• Depression and cyclonic storms in the coastal areas of Orissa,
West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and others also cause flash
floods.
• Flash floods can occur in urban areas located near small
rivers, since hard surfaces such as roads and concrete do not
allow the water to absorb into the ground.
• Flash floods can also begin after wildfires. This is because
wildfires destroy forests and other vegetation, which in turn
weakens the soil and makes it less permeable for water to
seep through.
Impact:
• Flash Flooding occurs so quickly that people are caught
off-guard. Their situation may become dangerous if they
encounter high, fast-moving water while traveling.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• If people are at their homes or businesses, the water may
rise quickly and trap them, or cause damage to the property
without them having a chance to protect the property.
• Urban areas are also centres of economic activities with vital
infrastructure which needs to be protected 24x7. In most of
the cities, damage to vital infrastructure has a bearing not
only for the state and the country but it could even have
global implications. Major cities in India have witnessed loss
of life and property, disruption in transport and power and
incidence of epidemics.
• Flash floods can cause rapid soil erosion. However, flash
floods of short duration produce relatively little bedrock
erosion or channel widening, having their greatest impact
from sedimentation on the floodplain.
• Frequently, flash floods are accompanied by landslides,
which are sudden movements of rock, boulders, earth or
debris down a slope. It is common in mountainous terrains.
• About 40 million hectares of land in India are liable to floods
according to the National Flood Commission, and an average
of 18.6 million hectares of land are affected annually.
Recommendation: Flood Plain Zoning
• Flood plain zoning has been recognised as an effective non-
structural measure for flood management.
• Flood plain zoning measures aim at demarcating zones or
areas likely to be affected by floods of different magnitude or
frequencies and probability levels, and specify the types of
permissible developments in these zones, so that whenever
flood occur, the damage can be minimized.
Steps by Government:
• A model draft bill for flood plain zoning legislation was also
circulated by the Union Government to all the States in 1975
for their consideration and enactment of suitable legislation.
The States of Manipur, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and erstwhile
State of Jammu & Kashmir have enacted the legislation.
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has advised all
Sates in Ganga basin for demarcation of river flood plains
and removal of encroachment from floodplain of the river
Ganga and its tributaries in adherence to the River Ganga
Authorities Order, 2016.
• In 2020, Ministry of Earth Sciences dedicated ‘Flash Flood
Guidance services’ for South Asian countries namely India,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is designed to
provide warnings for flash floods about 6- 12 hrs. in advance
at the watershed level with resolution of 4kmx4km for the
Flash Flood prone South Asian countries.
51
 Current Affairs
Geography Feature Articles
Edition: June 2023
CLOUD SEEDING
The Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) successfully conducted a test in June 2023
for artificial rain via cloud-seeding over a limited area in their campus.
Background: Basics of Clouds
• Clouds are made up of tiny water droplets or ice crystals
that form when water vapor in the atmosphere cools and
condenses around a tiny particle of dust or salt floating in the
atmosphere.
• Without these particles, known as condensation or ice nuclei,
raindrops or snowflakes cannot form and precipitation will not
occur.
What is Cloud Seeding?
• Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that improves
a cloud’s ability to produce rain or snow by introducing tiny ice
nuclei into certain types of subfreezing clouds.
• These nuclei provide a base for snowflakes to form. After
cloud seeding takes place, the newly formed snowflakes
quickly grow and fall from the clouds back to the surface of
the Earth, increasing snowpack and streamflow.
Conventional Process:
• The most common chemicals used for cloud seeding include
silver iodide, potassium iodide and dry ice (solid carbon
dioxide). Liquid propane (which expands into a gas) and
hygroscopic materials, such as table salt, has also been used.
• Cloud seeding chemicals may be dispersed by aircraft or
by dispersion devices located on the ground (generators or
canisters fired from anti-aircraft guns or rockets).
Silver Iodide:
• Silver iodide is an inorganic compound with the formula AgI.
• Source and Preparation: Silver iodide exists naturally in the
environment at low concentrations. It is also prepared by
reaction of an iodide solution (e.g., potassium iodide) with a
solution of silver ions (e.g., silver nitrate).
• Properties: The compound is a bright yellow solid, but
samples almost always contain impurities of metallic silver
that give a gray coloration.
• Applications: Silver-based photography, antiseptic and cloud
seeding.
Other Process:
• Electric charges: In 2021, the United Arab Emirates used
drones equipped with a payload of electric-charge emission
instruments and customised sensors to fly at low altitudes
and deliver an electric charge to air molecules.
• Laser-assisted water condensation: This experimental
technique for artificially causing rainfall was developed in
52
2011 by scientists from the University of Geneva. It works by
creating nitric particles in the clouds that cause condensation
with laser pulses.
Benefits and Applications:
• Cloud seeding can produce good rain over smaller areas,
and can supplement the natural phenomenon. Since timely
rain, rather than a lot of it, is what is often more important for
crops, seeding can help.
• The Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
(IITM) has carried out Cloud Aerosol Interaction and
Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) in areas
around Nagpur, Solapur, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur,
and Varanasi. The success rate of these experiments in
inducing rains is about 60 to 70 per cent.
• Cloud seeding has negligible environmental and health
impacts. The toxicity of silver iodide is of low order. Also,
accumulations in the soil, vegetation, and surface runoff have
not been large enough.
Concerns and Limitations:
• In terms of the area it covers, the precipitation it brings, and
the length of the time it lasts, there is no substitute for the
Indian monsoon.
• Cloud seeding works only when there is enough pre-existing
clouds in the atmosphere. The success rate of cloud seeding
depends on local atmospheric conditions, the amount of
moisture in the air and cloud characteristics.
• Cloud seeding is not cheap as it involves use of infrastructure
such as aircraft, radar, balloons and measuring and
communications equipment.
• More research is needed for a deeper understanding of
cloud formations, so that more significant meteorological
interventions can be made.
Environmental Modification Convention (ENMOD):
• Formal name of 'ENMOD' is the Convention on the Prohibition
of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental
Modification Techniques.
• It is the only international framework related to the regulation
of weather and climate modification technologies.
• It opened for signature in 1977 in Geneva and entered into
force in 1978. India has ratified it.
• The convention's scope of application solely encompasses
military or any other hostile uses of weather modification
technologies. The use of weather modification programs for
peaceful purposes is not prohibited by the treaty.
Feature Articles Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

53
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Economy
Edition: June 2023
WORLD’S LARGEST GRAIN STORAGE PLAN IN
COOPERATIVE SECTOR
The Union Cabinet approved the constitution and
empowerment of an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) for
facilitation of the “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in
Cooperative Sector”.
About:
• An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) will be constituted under
the Chairmanship of Minister of Cooperation.
• Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Minister of
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Minister of
Food Processing Industries and Secretaries concerned will
be members of this Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC).
• Ministry of Cooperation will implement a pilot project in at least
10 selected Districts of different States/ UTs in the country.
• The plan would be implemented by convergence of various
schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
and Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
SCHEMES IDENTIFIED FOR
CONVERGENCE UNDER THE PLAN
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF),
• Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI),
• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH),
• Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
Ministry of Food Processing Industries
• Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing
Enterprises Scheme (PMFME),
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
• Allocation of food grains under the National Food Security
Act
• Procurement operations at Minimum Support Price
Role of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS):
• There are more than 1,00,000 Primary Agricultural Credit
Societies (PACS) in the country with a huge member base of
more than 13 crore farmers.
54
ECONOMY
• The plan aims for the creation of infrastructure such as
warehouse, custom hiring center, processing units, godowns,
etc. for Agriculture and Allied purposes, at selected
‘viable’ Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), thus
transforming them into multipurpose societies.
• This would also enable PACS to undertake various other
activities, viz:
 Functioning as Procurement centres for State Agencies/
Food Corporation of India (FCI);
 Serving as Fair Price Shops (FPS);
 Setting up custom hiring centers; and
 Setting up common processing units, including assaying,
sorting, grading units for agricultural produce, etc.
Expected Benefits:
• It aims to leverage the strength of the cooperatives to realize
the vision of “Sahakar-se-Samriddhi” and create the ‘World’s
Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector’.
• Through ‘whole-of-Government’ approach, the Plan would
strengthen PACS by enabling them to diversify their business
activities, thus enhancing the incomes of the farmer members
as well.
• Creation of decentralized storage capacity at the local level
would reduce food grain wastage and strengthening food
security of the country.
• By providing various options to the farmers, it would prevent
distress sale of crops, thus enabling the farmers to realise better
prices for their produce.
• It would hugely reduce the cost incurred in transportation of
food grains to procurement centres and again transporting
the stocks back from warehouses to FPS.
FOODGRAIN PRODUCTION
Ministry of Agriculture released the Third Advance Estimates
of Production of major crops for agricultural year 2022-23.
Key Findings:
• Total Foodgrain Production: As per Third Advance Estimates
for 2022-23, Total Foodgrain production in the country is
estimated at record 3305.34 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) which
is higher by 149.18 LMT as compared to previous year
2021-22.

• Rice: Total production of Rice during 2022-23 is estimated at
(record) 1355.42 LMT. It is higher by 60.71 LMT as compared
to previous year.
• Wheat: The production of Wheat (record) in the country is
estimated at 1127.43 LMT which is higher by 50.01 LMT as
compared to previous year’s production.
• Maize: Production of Maize in the country during 2022-23 is
estimated at (record) 359.13 LMT which is higher by 21.83
lakh tonnes than the previous year production.
• Nutri / Coarse Cereals: Production of Nutri / Coarse Cereals is
estimated at 547.48 lakh tonnes which is higher by 36.47 LMT
than the previous year’s production.
• Total Pulses Production: Total Pulses production during 2022-
23 is estimated at 275.04 LMT which is higher by 2.02 lakh
tonnes than previous year’s production of 273.02 LMT.
• Moong: The production of Moong is estimated at 37.40 LMT
which higher by 5.74 LMT as compared to previous year’s
production.
• Total Oilseeds production: Total Oilseeds production in the
country during 2022-23 is estimated at record 409.96 LMT
which is higher by 30.33 lakh tonnes than the previous year’s
oilseeds production.
• Soybean and Rapeseed & Mustard: The production of Soybean
and Rapeseed & Mustard is estimated at 149.76 LMT and
124.94 LMT respectively, which is higher by 19.89 LMT and
5.31 LMT respectively than the production of previous year
2021-22.
• Sugarcane: Total production of Sugarcane in the country
during 2022-23 is estimated at record 4942.28 LMT. The
production of sugarcane during 2022-23 is higher by
548.03 LMT than the previous year’s production.
• Textiles: Production of Cotton is estimated at 343.47 lakh
bales (of 170 kg each) and production of Jute & Mesta is
estimated at 94.94 lakh bales (of 180 kg each).
GAINS 2023
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd has
launched GAINS 2023.
About:
• GAINS 2023 (GRSE Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme
– 2023) is a startup challenge to identify and encourage the
development of innovative solutions towards technological
advances in shipbuilding by Startups.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE):
• Status: It is a Category 1 Mini Ratna public sector undertaking
and is under the administrative control of Ministry of
Defence.
In-Shorts | Economy Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Mandate: GRSE is one of India's leading shipyards. It builds
and repairs commercial and naval vessels. GRSE also builds
export ships.
• Achievements: It is first Indian shipyard to build 100 warships
and the 1st Defence Shipyard to get listed with Stock
Exchanges.
• History: It was founded in 1884 on the eastern bank of River
Hooghly.
• HQ: It is located in Kolkata.
PANCH KARMA SANKALP
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW)
announced ‘Panch Karma Sankalp’ during the ministry’s
second Chintan Shivir held in Munnar, Kerala.
The ‘Panch Karma Sankalp’ includes 5 major
announcements which are –
1. To provide 30% financial support for the promotion of Green
Shipping;
2. Under the Green Tug Transition Programme Jawaharlal Nehru
Port (Navi Mumbai), VO Chidambaranar Port (Tuticorin, TN),
Paradip Port (Odisha) and Deendayal Port, Kandla (Gujarat)
will procure two tugs each;
3. Deendayal Port and VO Chidambaranar Port to be developed
as Green Hydrogen Hub;
4. Jawaharlal Nehru Port and VO Chidambaranar Port, Tuticorin
to become smart port by next year;
5. Single Window Portal to monitor river and sea cruises.
MAHIR (MISSION ON ADVANCED AND HIGH-
IMPACT RESEARCH)
The Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy are jointly launching National Mission MAHIR.
About:
• Objective: The mission aims to identify emerging technologies
in the power sector and develop them indigenously, at scale,
for deployment within and outside India.
• Funding: The Mission will be funded by pooling financial
resources of the Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy and the Central Public Sector Enterprises
under the two Ministries. Additional funding will be mobilized
from Government of India's budgetary resources.
• Duration: The mission is Planned for an initial period of five
years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
55
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Economy
Edition: June 2023
Following eight areas are identified for research:
1. Alternatives to Lithium-Ion storage batteries
2. Modifying electric cookers/pans to suit Indian cooking methods
3. Green hydrogen for mobility (High Efficiency Fuel Cell)
4. Carbon capture
5. Geo-thermal energy
6. Solid state refrigeration.
7. Nano technology for EV battery.
8. Indigenous CRGO technology.
The Mission will have a Two-Tier Structure:
• Technical Scoping Committee: It will be chaired by the
Chairperson of Central Electricity Authority. It will identify
ongoing and emerging research areas globally and
recommend potential technologies for development under
the Mission.
• Apex Committee: It will be chaired by the Union Minister for
Power & New and Renewable Energy. It will deliberate on the
technology and products to be developed and approve the
research proposals.
SUBSIDY ON ELECTRIC 2-WHEELERS
The Ministry of Heavy Industries announced that the subsidy
would be reduced to ₹10,000 per kilowatt hour (kWh)
effective 1 June from ₹15,000 currently. The lower subsidy
would be applicable to all electric two-wheelers registered
on or after 1 June.
FAME I:
• The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles
(FAME) scheme was launched in 2015 under the National
Electric Mobility Mission.
• It was launched to encourage electric and hybrid vehicle
purchase by providing financial support.
FAME II:
• The second phase of FAME II was launched in April 2019. It
has been extended until 31 March 2024 with a total outlay of
₹10,000 crore.
• It provide incentives for electric vehicles in the segments of
electric three-wheelers, electric four-wheelers, and electric
buses. Privately owned registered electric two-wheelers are
also eligible for subsidies.
• It aims to generate demand by way of supporting 7,000
e-buses, 500,000 electric three-wheelers, 55,000 electric
cars and 1 million electric two-wheelers.
56
NATIONAL ROZGAR MELA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the National
Rozgar Mela and distributed about 70,000 appointment
letters to newly inducted recruits in various Government
departments and organizations.
About:
• The selected recruits from across the country will join the
Government in various Ministries/ Departments including
the Financial Services, Posts, School Education, Higher
Education, Defence, Health, Atomic Energy, Railways, Audit
and Accounts, Atomic Energy and Home Affairs.
• The newly inducted appointees are also getting an
opportunity to train themselves through Karmayogi Prarambh,
an online orientation course on iGOT Karmayogi portal for all
new appointees in various Government departments. Here
more than 400 e-learning courses have been made available
for ‘anywhere any device’ learning format.
Steps for Employment Generation:
• The Government of India has announced Aatmanirbhar
Bharat package to provide stimulus to business and to
mitigate the adverse impact of Covid 19. Under this package,
the Government is providing fiscal stimulus of more than Rs.
27 lakh crore.
• The Government of India is implementing Prime Minister’s
Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(MGNREGS), Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen
Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Deen Dayal Antyodaya
Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) etc.
for employment generation.
• Besides these initiatives, various flagship programmes of
the Government, such as Make in India, Start-up India, Stand-
up India, Digital India, PM GatiShakti, Housing for All etc. also
generate employment opportunities.
DEFAULT LOSS GUARANTEE (DLG)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed default loss
guarantee (DLG), a safety-net arrangement among banks,
non-banking finance companies, and lending service
providers (LSPs, popularly known as fintech players) in the
digital lending space.
About:
• DLG is also known as First Loss Default Guarantee (FLDG).
The RBI nod for compensating banks in case of default is
expected to boost fintech activity in the financial sector.

• FLDG is an arrangement whereby a third party such as a
financial technology (fintech) player (LSP) compensates
lenders if the borrower defaults. The LSP provides certain
credit enhancement features such as first loss guarantee up
to a pre-decided percentage of loans generated by it.
• From the perspective of the fintechs, offering FLDG acts as a
demonstration of its underwriting skills. From the perspective
of the lender, it ensures the platform’s skin in the business.
• For all practical purposes, credit risk is borne by the LSP
without having to maintain any regulatory capital. The loan
portfolio backed by FLDG is akin to the off-balance sheet
portfolio of the LSP wherein the nominal loans sit in the
books of the lender without having to partake in any lending
process.
Lending Service Providers (LSPs):
• Lending service providers (LSPs) are new-age players who
use technology platforms in the lending space.
• They are agents of a bank or NBFC who carry out one or more
of a lender’s functions (in part or full) in customer acquisition,
underwriting support, pricing support, disbursement,
servicing, monitoring, recovery of specific loan.
DISINFLATION
Recently, the RBI Governor said that the disinflation process
in India will be slow and protracted, with the 4% inflation
target likely to be met only over the medium term.
What is Disinflation?
• Disinflation is a temporary slowing of the pace of price
inflation and is used to describe instances when the inflation
rate has reduced marginally over the short term.
• Unlike inflation and deflation, which refer to the direction of
prices, disinflation refers to the rate of change in the rate of
inflation.
Causes of Disinflation:
• If a central bank decides to impose a tighter monetary policy
and the government starts to sell off some of its securities, it
could reduce the supply of money in the economy, causing a
disinflationary effect.
• Contraction in the business cycle or a recession can also
trigger disinflation. For example, businesses may choose not
to increase prices to gain greater market share leading to
disinflation.
• Unemployment and wage loss can reduce people’s buying
ability and thus discourage a price increase.
In-Shorts | Economy Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
Effects of Disinflation:
• Positive Effects: The decrease in prices is favourable for
consumers as it protects the value of their money and
enables them to save more. A healthy amount of disinflation
is necessary since it prevents the economy from overheating.
• Negative Effects: If disinflation is caused by moderate to severe
economic recession, it might be dangerous to the economy.
Hence, constant control and monitoring are required to
maintain the balance between disinflation and deflation.
COMMISSION OF RAILWAY SAFETY (CRS)
Investigation into the recent tragic train accident in Odisha is
being conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS).
About:
• The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) is a government
body that acts as the railway safety authority in the country.
Rail safety commissioners are part of CRS.
• Purpose: CRS deals with matters related to safety of rail travel
and operations, among some other statutory functions –
inspectorial, investigatory, and advisory – as laid down in the
Railways Act, 1989.
• Administrative Control: Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).
 The CRS does not report to the Ministry of Railways of the
Railway Board.
• Headquarter (HQ): Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
SCHEME FOR “EXPLORATION OF COAL AND
LIGNITE”
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved
the continuation of a central-sector scheme for “Exploration
of Coal and Lignite” with an estimated outlay of Rs.2,980
crore from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
About:
• Under this scheme, exploration for Coal and Lignite is
conducted in two broad stages:
 Promotional (Regional) Exploration: Approximately, 1300
sq. km area will be covered under Regional exploration
and
 Detailed Exploration in Non-Coal India Limited blocks:
Approximately 650 sq. km area will be covered under
Detailed exploration.
• Exploration for Coal and Lignite is required to prove and
estimate coal resources available in the country which helps
in preparing detailed project report to start coal mining.
57
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Economy
Edition: June 2023
• The Geological reports prepared through these exploration is
used for auctioning new coal blocks and the cost is thereafter
recovered from successful allocatee.
DO YOU KNOW?
Coal
• Coal is one of the important minerals which is mainly used
in the generation of thermal power and smelting of iron ore.
• It occurs in rock sequences mainly of two geological ages,
namely Gondwana and tertiary deposits.
 The Indian coal deposits are primarily concentrated
in the Gondwana sediments occurring mainly in the
eastern and central parts of Peninsular India, although
Gondwana coal deposits also occur in Assam and
Sikkim in the northeastern part of the country.
 The Tertiary coal-bearing sediments are found in
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Meghalaya.
Lignite
• Lignite is a low-grade brown coal, which is soft with high
moisture content.
• Indian lignite deposits occur in the Tertiary sediments in
the southern and western parts of the peninsular shield
particularly in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Gujarat,
Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir.
 The principal lignite reserves are in Neyveli in Tamil
Nadu and are used for the generation of electricity.
MP’S CM LEARN AND EARN SCHEME
The Madhya Pradesh cabinet headed by the CM approved the
‘Mukhyamantri Seekho-Kamao Yojana’ (CM Learn and Earn
Scheme).
About:
• Under the scheme, unemployed youth will get a stipend of Rs
8,000 to 10,000 per month as financial assistance during the
period of skill learning in various establishments.
• 703 work areas including: Engineering, Tourism, Hotel
Management, Hospital, Railway, ITI, Software Development,
Banking, Chartered Accountant, Industries, and other
financial services have been identified for training.
• It will also provide industry-oriented training to the trainees,
proficiency in latest technology and processes, thereby
enhancing their regular employability.
Eligibility:
• The local residents of Madhya Pradesh, in the age group of
18 to 29 years, whose educational qualification is 12th or ITI
or higher, will be eligible in the scheme. The selected youth
will be called student trainees.
58
GOOMTY
The Indian Railways has decided to secure the goomties
days after the devastating three-way train accident in
Odisha.
About:
• A goomty is a small cabin at level crossings or near stations
where railway equipment is kept.
• In other words, it houses signaling equipment on railway
station premises with a double-lock arrangement.
• Recent Directions: Railway launched a month-long safety
drive to ensure that the goomties located within the railway
station limits are provided with double locks.
‘100 DAYS 100 PAYS’ CAMPAIGN (UNCLAIMED
DEPOSITS)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the ‘100 Days 100
Pays’ Campaign for Return of Unclaimed Deposits.
About:
• Balances in savings / current accounts which are not operated
for 10 years, or term deposits not claimed within 10 years from
date of maturity are classified as “Unclaimed Deposits”.
• These amounts are transferred by banks to “Depositor
Education and Awareness” (DEA) Fund maintained by the
Reserve Bank of India.
• In May 2023, the RBI announced a ‘100 Days 100 Pays’
campaign for banks to trace and settle the top 100 unclaimed
deposits of every bank in every district of the country within
100 days.
• This campaign will aim to reduce the quantum of unclaimed
deposits in the banking system and return such deposits to
their rightful owners/ claimants.
INDIA’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL CRUISE VESSEL
The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways flagged
off MV Empress, India’s first international cruise vessel - from
Chennai to Sri Lanka in Chennai.
About:
• The cruise service is the result of an MoU signed during the
first Incredible India International Cruise Conference in 2022
between Chennai Port and M/S Waterways Leisure Tourism
Pvt Ltd to start domestic and international cruise service.
• The cruise service will sail to three Sri Lankan ports; viz.
Hambantota, Trincomalee, and Kankesanturei.
In-Shorts | International Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

59
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | International
Edition: June 2023
INTERNATIONAL
IRAN-TALIBAN WATER CONFLICT
Iran and Afghanistan are locked in a long-standing dispute
over the sharing of water from the Helmand River.
About:
• The Helmand River is a vital source of water for both sides,
supporting agriculture, livelihoods and ecosystems in the
region.
What is the Dispute?
• Afghanistan and Iran signed an agreement — the Helmand
River Treaty — in 1973 to regulate the allocation of river water.
But the accord was neither ratified nor fully implemented,
causing disagreements and tensions to persist.
• Iran has accused Afghanistan of violating its water rights for
years, arguing that far less water than the amount agreed to
in the 1973 treaty flows into Iran.
• Last year, Iran received only 4% of its share of the river water,
Afghanistan has rejected Iran's accusations, underlining that
climatic factors like a shortage of rainfall, resulting in reduced
river water volumes, are to blame for the situation.
• A major source of concern for Iran is Afghanistan's
construction of dams, reservoirs and irrigation systems along
the Helmand River.
Helmand River:
• The Helmand is Afghanistan's longest river. It originates near
Kabul in the western Hindu Kush mountain range and flows
in a southwesterly direction through desert areas for a total
of about 1,150 kilometers before emptying into Lake Hamun,
which straddles the Afghanistan-Iran border.
• Lake Hamun is the largest freshwater lake in Iran.It used to be
one of the world's largest wetlands fed by Helmand.
• It is separated from the watershed of the Kabul River by the
Unai Pass.
Iran -Taliban Ties:
• Iran and Afghanistan share a 950-kilometer land border. Both
countries have no major territorial disputes.
• Iran had cultivated good ties with the Taliban before the
Islamic fundamentalist group captured Kabul in August 2021
as US and NATO troops were in the final weeks of their pullout
from Afghanistan.
60
INDIA AND SURINAME
President Droupadi Murmu was on a 3-day state visit to
Suriname. She has been decorated with the highest civilian
honour of Suriname - The Grand Order of the Chain of Yellow
Star. She is the first Indian to receive this award.
Key Highlights of the Visit:
• Both the countries discussed ways to deepen India-Suriname
relations and held wide-ranging discussions on multiple areas
including defence, agriculture, IT, and capacity building.
• 3 MoUs were signed between the two countries.
 Two MoUs were signed in the field of Health and one in
the field of Agriculture.
• The Government of India also announced the supply of
essential medicines worth 5.1 Cr rupees to Suriname to aid the
Caribbean country’s flood relief efforts.
• India has extended the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)
facility to the 5th & 6th generation of Persons of Indian origin
in Suriname. This was a long pending demand of the Indian
diaspora there.
India-Suriname Relations:
• Historical Linkages: India shares close, warm, and friendly
relations with Suriname with historical linkages.
 Soon after Suriname’s Independence on November 25,
1975, India established diplomatic relations in 1976.
• Cooperation at the International level: Suriname and India
actively cooperate on various multilateral fora.
 Suriname has been supporting India’s candidature
on various multilateral platforms including elections of
different bodies under the UN.
• Economic: Trade and economic links between India and
Suriname are modest.
 Indian export to Suriname consists of boilers, machinery,
iron & steel, electrical machinery & equipment, sound
recorders, pharmaceutical products, textiles, vehicles,
coffee, tea and spices, rubber, paper, tobacco, organic
chemicals, furniture, carpets, ceramic products, footwear
and printed books.
 Indian import consists of wood, aluminum and electrical
machinery.
• Indian diaspora: The first ship carrying 452 Indian labourers
arrived in Suriname's capital Paramaribo on June 5, 1873.
Most of the labourers hailed from eastern Uttar Pradesh and
Bihar.

 India-Suriname relations acquire special significance on
account of the Indian diaspora, which is over 27 percent
of the Suriname population.
• Culture And Education: Indian Cultural Centre in Suriname
was opened in 1978 and is quite active in promoting the Hindi
language, Kathak, Yoga, and classical music
 India provided a yearly grant worth US 29500/- for the
promotion of Hindi in Suriname through Suriname Hindi
Parishad until 2019.
Potential and Importance:
• Deep historical and cultural ties provide the foundation for
the India-Suriname multifaceted and modern partnership.
• The agreements signed during the recent visit would help
boost trade and economic ties.
• The signing of MoUs, in the sector of Health, will open the
Suriname market for Indian pharma industries.
Future Outlook:
• Bilateral trade between the two countries is well below
potential.
• There is scope for further collaboration in sectors like
pharmaceuticals, Ayurveda, agriculture, and defence.
• Therefore, there is a need to work together to expand bilateral
trade for mutual benefit.
• The recent visit will add fresh momentum too and further
strengthen India-Suriname bilateral ties.
US TO REJOIN UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO) announced that the United States
will rejoin it in July.
About:
• UNESCO is a UN agency tasked with furthering international
cooperation and peace through the promotion of educational,
scientific and cultural causes.
• The United States was a founding member of UNESCO in
1945.
• It designates locations globally as World Heritage Sites,
which means international recognition and possible funding.
• UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda,
adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
• It has 195 member states and ten associate members. India is
among the founding members of the Organisation.
Why did the US Exit UNESCO?
• In 2011, UNESCO inducted Palestine as a member. This led to
the US halting the agency’s funding, worth millions of dollars,
under then President Barack Obama.
In-Shorts | International Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Palestine is not recognised as a sovereign state by the United
Nations. It was included as a non-member observer State over
Israel’s objections in 2012, meaning it could participate in
General Assembly proceedings but lacked voting rights.
• The Palestinians claim the West Bank, east Jerusalem and
Gaza Strip — territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war —
for an independent state. Israel says the Palestinians’ efforts
to win recognition at the UN are aimed at circumventing a
negotiated settlement and meant to pressure Israel into
concessions.
• US laws, owing to the country’s historical ties with Israel,
prohibit funding to any UN agency that implies recognition
of the Palestinians’ demands for their own state. But this
was negotiated recently through an agreement in 2022 that
allowed for giving UNESCO funds again.
Why has the USA rejoined it?
• The US absence from UNESCO had strengthened China's
position. The decision to return was also due to China filling
the gap left by the US in UNESCO policy making, such as
in setting standards for artificial intelligence and technology
education around the world.
CUTS BY OPEC +
The OPEC+ grouping agreed to reduce overall oil production
targets from January 2024 by a further 1.4 million barrels per
day (bpd).
Reasons for OPEC+ Cutting Oil Output:
• Concerns about weak global demand
• Punishing oil short sellers betting on oil price declines
• Increasing U.S. crude oil production
OPEC and OPEC+:
• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OPEC) was established in 1960 at Baghdad conference.
• It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
• Currently, it has 13 members including Saudi Arabia, Iran,
Iraq, Kuwait and Venezuela.
OPEC+:
• OPEC+ comprises OPEC members and other major oil
producers (such as Russia, Kazakhstan, South Sudan)
• The OPEC+ was formed in 2016 after the adoption of the
‘Algiers Accord’ and ‘Vienna Agreement’.
Functions:
• OPEC and OPEC+ controls about 35 per cent and 45 per
cent of the global oil supply respectively and coordinate
policies with respect to petroleum demand and supply.
61
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | International
Edition: June 2023
KOSOVO
In the aftermath of one of the worst escalation of tensions
between Kosovo and Serbia in at least a decade, the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) sent 700 more of its
peacekeeping troops to Kosovo.
About:
• Clashes broke out on May 29 between Serbs protesting
in North Kosovo and the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR),
leaving about 30 NATO soldiers and 50 Serbs injured.
• Since then, the Presidents of Serbia and Kosovo have met
once on June 1 under pressure from the European Union
(EU) in the presence of French and German leaders.
• However, a resolution to the long-standing conflict remains
uncertain.
Kosovo: Factsheet
• Status: Kosovo is a partially recognised state in Southeast
Europe.
• Location: It is a landlocked country in the Balkan Peninsula,
bordering Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and
Serbia.
• Capital: Pristina.
• Mountains: The most noticeable topographical features of
Kosovo are the Accursed Mountains and the Sharr Mountains.
• Rivers: The longest rivers of Kosovo include the White Drin,
the South Morava and the Ibar.
• Demography: Of the 1.8 million people living in Kosovo, 92%
are Albanian and only 6% Serbian. The rest are Bosniaks,
Gorans, Turks and Roma.
Independence:
• Post-World War II, Kosovo was part of Yugoslavia as the
‘Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija’ within the
‘Yugoslav constituent republic of Serbia’.
• Tensions between Kosovo's Albanian and Serb communities
simmered through the 20th century.
62
• After the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Kosovo sought
its own autonomy and independence, culminating in the
Kosovo War of 1998 and 1999.
• Serbia’s brutal response prompted a NATO intervention in
1999 to protect ethnic Albanians, which forced Serbia to pull
out and cede control to international peacekeepers.
• In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from
Serbia.
Diplomatic Recognition:
• Kosovo has gained diplomatic recognition as a sovereign
state by over 100 member states of the United Nations (UN),
including the United States and most Western countries.
• But Russia and China, which do not recognize it, have
blocked Kosovo's membership of the UN.
• Kosovo is a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
and World Bank.
Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo: Reasons
• The Serbian government has refused to recognize Kosovo’s
statehood and still considers it part of Serbia, even though it
has no formal control there.
• Serbia cherishes the region as the heart of its statehood
and religion. Numerous medieval Serb Orthodox Christian
monasteries are in Kosovo. Serb nationalists view a 1389
battle against Ottoman Turks there as a symbol of its national
struggle.
• Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanians, most of whom are
Muslim, view Kosovo as their country and accuse Serbia of
occupation and repression.
• There are constant tensions between Kosovo’s government
and ethnic Serb residents in northern Kosovo who keep close
ties with Serbia. Government attempts to impose more control
in the Serb-dominated north are usually met with resistance.
• Serbs in Kosovo want to create an association of majority-
Serb municipalities that would operate with greater autonomy.
Serbia and Kosovo have made little progress on this and
other issues since committing to the EU-sponsored Brussels
Agreement of 2013.
• The deadlock between the West (which backed independence
of Kosovo) and Russia (which supports Serbia in its efforts
to block Kosovo’s membership of global organisations) has
kept tensions simmering.
Way Ahead:
• International officials still hope Kosovo and Serbia can reach
a deal that would allow Kosovo to get a seat in the United
Nations without Serbia having to explicitly recognize its
statehood.
• Both nations must normalize ties if they want to advance
toward EU membership.

• No breakthrough in the EU-mediated negotiations would
mean prolonged instability, economic decline and the
constant potential for clashes.
Why doesn't India recognize Kosovo as a sovereign
Country?
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has concluded that,
‘declaration of independence of Kosovo adopted on 17
February 2008 did not violate international law’.
• But legalities apart there is still no consensus about the
independence of Kosovo and its recognition. Even some
European nations are not in favour of the independence of
Kosovo.
• Parallels could also be drawn with the instances when as a
fallout of the Russia-Georgia War in 2008, Russia unilaterally
recognized the two Georgian provinces, Abkhazia and South
Ossetia.
• India has been silent about this contentious issue of
unilateral declarations by some break-away or renegade
provinces, and prefers to wait for an international consensus
to emerge.
• Realistically, recognising Kosovo as a sovereign country is
neither a top priority nor a foreign policy challenge for India.
THIRD G20 TOURISM WORKING GROUP
MEETING IN SRINAGAR, JAMMU AND
KASHMIR
The third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting is being held
in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
About:
• Under India’s G20 Tourism Track, the Tourism Working Group
is working on five priority areas: Tourism; Digitalization; Skills;
MSMEs ; and Destination.
• This is the first such international event in Jammu and Kashmir
since 2019, when it became a Union Territory after its special
status under Article 370 was scrapped.
India’s G20 Presidency
• The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum
comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU).
• India took over the G20 Presidency from Indonesia on 01
December 2022 and will hold the post for a year.
• The theme of India’s G20 Presidency is “Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam” or “One Earth One Family One Future”.
• The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will
take place in September 2023 in New Delhi.
In-Shorts | International Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
TURKEY’S GANDHI
A second round of Presidential elections will be held in Turkey
between Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, current president and leader of
Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu:
• Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is a leader of the Republican People's Party
(CHP), Turkey’s oldest political party, which was established
by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish
nation and its first president.
• Turkish media calls him ‘Turkey’s Gandhi’ or ‘Gandhi Kemal’,
because of his resemblance with Mahatma Gandhi’s slight,
bespectacled appearance”.
Electoral System:
• The President of Turkey is directly elected through the two-
round system, under which a candidate must obtain a simple
majority (more than 50%) of the popular vote to be elected.
• If no candidate secures an overall majority outright, then a
runoff is held between the two most voted-for candidates from
the first round, the winner of which is then declared elected.
CHINA’S ANTI-ESPIONAGE LAW
Recently, China’s legislature approved sweeping
amendments to China’s anti-espionage law, broadening the
scope of what may be defined as activities related to spying
and national security.
About:
• The recent amendments are to China’s 2014 anti-espionage
law.
 Article 1 of the law says the idea behind the legislation
is “to prevent, stop and punish espionage conduct and
maintain national security.”
• China broadened the law’s scope, with one of the changes
declaring that “all documents, data, materials, and items
related to national security and interests” will be protected on
par with what is deemed state secrets.
• The transfer of any information deemed by authorities to be
in the interest of what they define to be “national security” will
now be considered an act of espionage.
• The latest change “improves the regulations on cyber
espionage” and “clearly defines cyberattacks, intrusions,
interference, control and destruction” as espionage.
• Other changes would include “clarifying the responsibility of
national security organs in guiding and arranging publicity
as well as provisions to strengthen the protection of personal
information in counter-espionage work.
63
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | International
Edition: June 2023
Objectives:
• The amendments come amid a string of high-profile
cases involving journalists, foreign executives, as well as
international companies in China, who have come under the
lens of authorities on national security grounds.
• The expanded law follows the Xi Jinping government’s
increasing focus on “security” and a recent policy shift
now emphasises the dual importance of “development
and security”, rather than a focus solely on economic
development.
Repercussions:
• The amended law is likely to have a chilling impact both
within China and beyond.
• Chinese journalists, academics, and executives who
frequently engage with foreign counterparts are likely to think
twice before doing so, at least without explicit government
sanction.
• Unrestricted engagement between Chinese and foreign
scholars, which has already become limited in the Xi Jinping
era, is likely to become even rarer.
Impacts on India:
• Indian companies with a presence in China, particularly
in sectors deemed to be sensitive such as pharma and
IT, will likely need to review their exposure to risks under
the expanded law and broadened definitions of “national
security”, particularly amid deteriorating relations between
the neighbours.
INDIA-U.S. STRATEGIC TRADE DIALOGUE
(IUSSTD)
India and the U.S. pledged to streamline their export control
regimes for critical technologies at the inaugural of India-
U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue (IUSSTD).
About:
• IUSSTD focused on ways in which both governments can
facilitate the development and trade of technologies in critical
domains such as semiconductors, space, telecom, quantum,
AI, defence, bio-tech and others.
• The dialogue is seen as a key mechanism to take forward
the strategic technology and trade collaborations under
the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies
(iCET).
• A regular monitoring group will be set up to review progress
in deepening cooperation in the bilateral high-tech trade and
technology partnership.
64
Export Control Regime for Critical Technologies:
Wassenaar Arrangement:
• The Wassenaar Arrangement is to promote transparency
and responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and
dual-use (i.e. those having civil and military uses) goods and
technologies to prevent destabilising accumulations of those
items.
• It was established in 1996.
• Currently there are 42 member states and India is also a
member of this group.
Nuclear Suppliers Group:
• It is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent
nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials,
equipment and technology that can be used to manufacture
nuclear weapons.
• The NSG was founded in response to the Indian nuclear test
in May 1974.
• Currently there are 48 member states and India is not a
member of this group.
Australia Group:
• The Australia Group (AG) is an informal forum of countries
which seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the
development of chemical or biological weapons.
• The group was formed in 1985.
• Currently there are 43 members (42 countries and the
European union).
• India is a member of this group.
Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR):
• The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is a group
of 35 member states that seeks to limit the proliferation of
missiles and missile technology.
• The group was formed in 1987.
• India is a member of this group.
US-INDIA DEFENCE RELATIONS
India and the US recently concluded an ambitious roadmap
for defence industrial cooperation to fast-track technology
tie-ups and co-production of military platforms such as air
combat and land systems.
About:
• The new framework for cooperation was finalised during talks
between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his visiting
American counterpart Lloyd Austin.
• Both agreed to initiate negotiations on a framework for the
security of supply arrangement and a reciprocal defence
procurement agreement, which will promote long-term supply
chain stability.

• Both sides also touched upon General Electric's proposal to
share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New
Delhi's plan to procure 31 MQ-9B armed drones for over USD
3 billion from US defence major General Atomics Aeronautical
Systems Inc.
• India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and
rules-bound Indo-Pacific region.
• They also welcomed the establishment of the India-US
Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), a new initiative to
advance cutting-edge technology cooperation.
Overview of India-US defence relations:
• New Framework for India-U.S. Defence Relationship(2005):
 The agreement has emerged as a major pillar of India-
U.S. strategic partnership and resulting intensification
in defence trade, joint exercises, personnel exchanges,
collaboration and cooperation in maritime security.
 The Defence Framework Agreement was updated and
renewed for another 10 years in June 2015.
• Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI): DTTI,
launched in 2012 to bring focus on the bilateral defence
trade relationship, creates opportunities for the U.S.-India
co-production and codevelopment, and fostering more
sophisticated science and technology cooperation.
• Bilateral Exercises:
 MALABAR exercise: It began as an annual bilateral naval
exercise between India and the US in 1992.Later Japan
and Australia joined it in 2015 and 2020 respectively.
 Yudh Abhyas: India-U.S. Army exercise began in 2002.
 Cope India: Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force and
United States Air Force began in 2004.
• Major Defence Partner: In June 2016, the U.S. recognised
India as a "Major Defence Partner", which commits the U.S. to
facilitate technology sharing with India to a level commensurate
with that of its closest allies and partners, and industry
collaboration for defence co-production and co-development.
• Foundational defence agreement: India has signed all the four
foundational defence agreements with the US.
1. General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA):
 It was signed in 2002
 The agreement prescribed security standards and protocols
for safeguarding information shared by the Pentagon with
India’s defence ministry, as well as by US defence firms
with Indian defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs).
2. Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA):
 It was signed in 2016
 LEMOA allows the militaries of the US and India to
replenish from each other's bases, and access supplies,
spare parts and services from each other’s land facilities,
air bases, and ports, which can then be reimbursed.
3. Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement
(COMCASA):
In-Shorts | International Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
 It was signed in 2018
 The signing of COMCASA paved the way for the transfer
of communication security equipment from the US to India
to facilitate “interoperability” between their forces — and
potentially with other militaries that use US-origin systems
for secure data links.
4. Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA):
 It was Signed In 2020.
 BECA will help India get real-time access to American
geospatial intelligence that will enhance the accuracy of
automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed
drones.
 Through the sharing of information on maps and satellite
images, it will help India access topographical and
aeronautical data, and advanced products that will aid in
navigation and targeting.
Significance of India-US Defence Relations:
• The defence cooperation between both the nations will
help to counter China's aggressive measures in India's
neighbourhood and also in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Co-development and co-production of existing and new
technologies will strengthen the defence startup ecosystem of
the two countries.
Challenges:
• Russian apprehensions: India-US deepening ties is pushing
Russia towards China, as the former consider the Indo-US
relations a threat to its sovereignty.
• Critics argue that increasing defence ties with the US may
portray India's image as a western ally.
EXERCISE AIR DEFENDER 23
Germany is preparing to host the biggest air deployment
Exercise Air Defender 23 in NATO's history.
About:
• The Air Defender 23 exercise will see 10,000 participants and
250 aircraft from 25 nations respond to a simulated attack on
a NATO member country.
• The exercise will be held across Germany, with some of the
training taking place at Ramstein Air Base, which is one of
NATO’s largest air bases.
• The exercise is being held in response to the increased threat
posed by Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The exercise
is designed to demonstrate NATO’s readiness to respond to
any threat to its airspace.
• Sweden, which is hoping to join the alliance, and Japan are
also taking part in the exercise.
65
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | International
Edition: June 2023
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance (also
called the Washington Treaty) made up of the United States,
Canada, France, and eight other European countries.
• It was founded in 1949.
• The key purpose of NATO's formation was to create a
"collective defence" against any potential German or Soviet
Union attack in the aftermath of World War II.
• Article 5: If a NATO member attacks another member, it is
considered ‘an attack on all NATO members, according to
Article 5 of NATO.
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
Membership of NATO:
• It is open to all European nations that fulfil certain criteria that
include “a functioning democratic political system based on
a market economy; fair treatment of minority populations;
a commitment to resolve conflicts peacefully; an ability and
willingness to make a military contribution to NATO operations;
and a commitment to democratic civil-military relations and
institutions”.
• New members are admitted with the unanimous consent of all
members.
• India is not a member country of NATO.
ATLANTIC DECLARATION
US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
agreed on an “Atlantic declaration.
About:
• The Atlantic Declaration and accompanying Action Plan form
the basis of a new type of innovative partnership across the
full spectrum of economic, technological, commercial, and
trade relations.
 It is the "first of its kind" in covering the broad spectrum of
the two countries.
• It will constitute a new economic security framework covering
ever-closer cooperation on critical and emerging technologies
and stronger protective toolkits.
• It will support the United States and the United Kingdom in
efforts to harness the energy transition and technological
breakthroughs to drive broadly shared growth, create good
jobs, and leave no community behind.
• It will explore ways to deepen trade and investment
relationships.
• Other focused areas: Partnering on an inclusive and
responsible digital transformation,
66
 Building the clean energy economy of the future, and
 Further strengthening our alliance across defense, health
security, and space.
Objectives:
• Both countries announced a new strategic pact as their
leaders rededicated the “special relationship” to counter
Russia, China, and economic instability.
• It aims to boost industry ties on defense and renewable
energy, in the face of growing competition from China.
• It will allow them to explore increased cooperation in other
areas for mutual economic benefit.
Status of a partnership between both countries:
• The U.S.-UK bilateral investment relationship is the largest in
the world, with over $1.5 trillion in stock supporting more than
2.7 million jobs in both countries.
• Over the last century, the essential partnership between the
United States and the United Kingdom has enabled them to
lead together on issues of global importance.
 Since the signing of the Atlantic Charter in 1941, They
have worked together to shape an open and rules-based
international order based on their enduring support for
shared values.
 In the New Atlantic Charter signed in 2021, they
underscored and refreshed this vision.
Challenges:
• They face new challenges to international stability – from
authoritarian states such as Russia and the People’s Republic
of China (PRC);
• Disruptive technologies;
• Non-state actors; and
• Transnational challenges like climate change.
Steps:
• They are committed to continuing to strengthen NATO’s ability
to deter further attempts to undermine Alliance security, in
support of NATO’s new Strategic Concept.
• They have taken significant steps to implement AUKUS,
including announcing their plans to support Australia acquiring
conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
Future Outlook:
• They must keep pace with changes in the world around them
and adapt alliances to them.
• The global economy is undergoing one of the greatest
transformations since the Industrial Revolution. Breakthroughs
in innovation offer enormous potential if they can harness
them to work for, not against.
• The transition to the clean energy economies of the future is
an opportunity to improve jobs and livelihoods and deepen
the resilience of our economies.

INDIA AND SERBIA
President Droupadi Murmu visited Serbia and reviewed the
bilateral relations.
Outcomes of the Visit:
• Both the leaders agreed to set a target for bilateral trade from
the present 320 million euros to one billion euros by the end
of the decade.
• Serbian President promised simplification of the issue of
Visa to Indians and hoped that direct flights between the two
countries will begin soon.
• A high-powered business delegation consisting of members
from three Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry,
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of
India (ASSOCHAM), The Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce & Industry (FICCI), and Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII) also held talks with a business delegation from
Serbia.
Geographical Location of Serbia:
• Serbia is a landlocked country situated at the crossroads
of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the far southern
edges of the Pannonian Plain and the central Balkans.
• Serbia shares its borders with eight other European countries:
Kosovo, Macedonia, and Montenegro to the south, Bosnia
and Croatia to the west, Hungary to the north, and Romania
and Bulgaria to the east.
• The capital of Serbia is Belgrade, which is also the largest city
in Serbia.
• The most significant mountains in Serbia are Kopaonik, Tara,
Zlatibor, Stara Planina and Golija. The highest peak in Serbia
is Djeravica on Prokletije (2,656 m).
• Rivers: The Danube flows 588 km through Serbia or as a
border river (with Croatia in the northwest and Romania in the
southeast).
 Other chief rivers in Serbia are tributaries of the Danube
including the Sava (flowing from the west), Tisa (flowing
from the north), Drina (flowing from the south, forming a
natural border with Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Morava.
Only the Morava flows nearly entirely through Serbia.
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia:
• Former Yugoslavia is the territory that was up to 1991
known as The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY).
Specifically, the six republics that made up the federation
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro,
Serbia (including the regions of Kosovo and Vojvodina) and
Slovenia.
• On 25 June 1991, the declarations of independence of Slovenia
and Croatia effectively ended SFRY’s existence.
In-Shorts | International Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• By April 1992, the further declarations of independence by two
other republics, Macedonia, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina,
left only Serbia and Montenegro within the Federation.
• These two remaining republics declared the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia (FRY) on 27 April 1992.
• In 2003, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was reconstituted
and re-named as a State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.
This union effectively ended following Montenegro's formal
declaration of independence on 3 June 2006 and Serbia's on 5
June 2006.
India Serbia Relations:
• India and Yugoslavia traditionally enjoyed deep friendship as
co-founders of the Non-Aligned Movement. The deep bond
of friendship continued in subsequent decades resulting in
close and friendly ties between India and Serbia.
• A Protocol on Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between
India and Yugoslavia was signed in June 1995.
• Agreements: Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection
Agreement (BIPPA) [2003] - BIPPA would stand terminated
in 2020 and New Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) is under
negotiation.
 Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) [2006]
 Trade Agreement (MFN status) [2006]
 Tourism Agreement [2004]
 MOU on Agricultural Cooperation [2009]
 MOU on Cooperation in Science and Technology [2004]
 MOU on IT & Electronics [October 2016]
• Training: The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation
(ITEC) Programme was extended to Serbia in 2008 and since
then 160 Serbian ITEC trainees have undergone training in
India.
 Serbian military officers are also availing UN Peacekeeping
training courses in India.
• Visas: Serbia unilaterally abolished visas for 30 days’ stay in
a year for Indian nationals holding ordinary passports w.e.f.
2nd September 2017. Number of Indian tourists visiting
Serbia have increased substantially since then.
67
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | International
Edition: June 2023
• Economic & Commercial Relations: Bilateral trade at US$ 198.5
m in 2017 registered an increase of 39% as compared to
2016 with Indian exports worth US$ 187.6 m and imports US$
10.9 m.
 Bilateral trade increased further by 8.2% in 2018 to reach
US$ 214.8 million with Indian exports of US$ 202.6 million.
• Joint Economic Committee: The India-Serbia JEC was
established under the Agreement on Trade & Economic
Cooperation signed in 2006.
• Cultural Relations: There is also a lot of interest in Serbia on
Indian leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
and Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore visited Serbia in 1926 and
gave two lectures in Belgrade University.
 Serbia has two streets named after Mahatma Gandhi and
Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru with the busts of the two leaders.
 Serbia co-sponsored India’s Resolutions at the UN for
declaring October 2 as International Day of NonViolence
and June 21 as International Day of Yoga.
EU'S ASYLUM POLICY
European Union ministers have agreed on a deal to overhaul
the bloc’s asylum procedures.
What is the European Union (EU)?
• The European Union (EU) is a political and economic alliance
of 27 European countries.
• The EU promotes democratic values in its member nations
and is one of the world's most powerful trade blocs.
• Nineteen of the countries share the euro as their official
currency.
• Purpose: The European Union was created to bind the nations
of Europe closer together for the economic, social, and security
welfare of all. It is one of several efforts after World War II to
bind together the nations of Europe into a single entity.
Asylum:
• An asylum seeker is a person who has left their country and is
seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights
violations in another country, but who hasn’t yet been legally
recognized as a refugee and is waiting to receive a decision
on their asylum claim.
Background:
• More than a million asylum seekers and refugees crossed into
Europe in 2015, due to conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
• The bloc has since tightened external borders and its asylum
laws, and struck deals in the Middle East and North Africa to
have more people stay there.
68
• For years the EU has been struggling to harmonise asylum
policy. That is difficult with 27 member states, each with their
own police force and judiciary.
Need of the Asylum Procedure Regulation (APR):
• Common Procedure: It establishes a common procedure
across the EU that member states need to follow when people
seek international protection.
 It streamlines the procedural arrangements (e.g. the
duration of the procedure) and sets standards for the rights
of the asylum seeker (e.g. being provided with the service
of an interpreter or having the right to legal assistance
and representation).
• Prevention of abuse of the system: The regulation also aims to
prevent abuse of the system by setting out clear obligations
for applicants to cooperate with the authorities throughout the
procedure.
• Border Procedures: The APR also introduces mandatory
border procedures, with the purpose to quickly assess at the
EU’s external borders whether applications are unfounded or
inadmissible.
 Persons subject to the asylum border procedure are not
authorised to enter the member state’s territory.
• Preventing abuse and secondary movements: It also contains
measures aimed at preventing abuse by the asylum seeker
and avoiding secondary movements (when a migrant moves
from the country in which they first arrived to seek protection
or permanent resettlement elsewhere).
 The regulation for instance sets obligations for asylum
seekers to apply in the member states of first entry or legal
stay and discourages secondary movements.
Asylum Procedure Regulation (APR):
• Initiation of Procedure: The border procedure would apply
when an asylum seeker makes an application at an external
border crossing point, following apprehension in connection
with an illegal border crossing and following disembarkation
after a search and rescue operation.
• Mandatory: The procedure is mandatory for member states if
the applicant is a danger to national security or public order,
he/she has misled the authorities with false information or by
withholding information and if the applicant has a nationality
with a recognition rate below 20%.
• Duration of the procedure: The total duration of the asylum and
return border procedure should be not more than 6 months.
• Will apply on: It would apply to all those deemed dangerous,
uncooperative or coming from countries with low asylum
recognition rates in the EU like India or Serbia.

 EU countries could also apply the speedy procedure to
people picked up in the sea, caught while trying to get
in illegally or filing for asylum at the border rather than in
advance.
• Share of People: Each EU country would be assigned a
share of the 30,000 people overall the bloc is expected to
accommodate in its joint migration system at any given time.
 It will be calculated based on the size of the country’s GDP
and population, the number of irregular border crossings
including via sea rescue operations, and more.
 Countries unwilling to take in people would instead be
able to help their hosting peers through cash – at least
20,000 euros per person a year – equipment or personnel.
• The agreed measures include modified time limits for its
duration:
 the member state of first entry will be responsible for the
asylum application for a duration of two years.
 when a country wants to transfer a person to the member
state which is actually responsible for the migrant and
this person absconds (e.g. when the migrant goes into
hiding to evade a transfer) responsibility will shift to the
transferring member state after three years.
 if a member state rejects an applicant in the border
procedure, its responsibility for that person will end after
15 months (in case of a renewed application).
Modification of Dublin Rules:
• The APR should replace, the current Dublin regulation which
is an agreement originally signed in 1990 and revised three
times, set out rules determining which member state was
responsible for the examination of an asylum application.
• The APR will streamline these rules and shorten time limits.
For example, the current complex take back procedure
aimed at transferring an applicant back to the member state
responsible for his or her application will be replaced by a
simple take back notification.
Concerns:
• Before eventually endorsing it, Italy and Greece voiced
concerns about whether the new system would prove
workable given some states’ refusal to host people.
 The southern countries of arrival worry about being
overwhelmed, while those further away from the bloc’s
external borders tend to drag their feet on admitting arrivals
and complex solidarity schemes take time to kick in.
 Criticism also came from Poland and Hungary, the EU’s
loudest voices against immigration from the Middle East
and Africa.
In-Shorts | International Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Another challenge is keeping close tabs on the movements of
people once they get inside Europe’s zone of free travel.
• Rights groups said the scheme risked reviving tragic scenes
that unfolded on the Greek islands several years ago by
creating more overcrowded migration camps on the edges of
the EU.
• The new plan could lead to protracted detention of minors
and is being criticised as it focuses on keeping people away
rather than helping those in need.
KAKHOVKA DAM (UKRAINE)
The Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine has breached, causing
extensive flooding across the war zone.
About:
• Located on the Dnieper River in southern Ukraine, the
dam was under the control of the Russian military, which
had seized it in the early days of the Russian invasion of
Ukraine.
• It holds a volume about equal to the Great Salt Lake in the
U.S. state of Utah.
• The dam was an important part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric
power plant, supplying water to the Crimean Peninsula and the
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Crimean Peninsula:
• Crimea is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast
of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea
and the smaller Sea of Azov. It came under Russian rule in
2014.
69
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Internal Security
Edition: June 2023
INTERNAL SECURITY
OBESITY IN POLICE FORCES
Haryana Government issued an order that overweight
Haryana policemen will be transferred to police lines until
they regain their fitness.
Overweight and Obesity:
• Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive
fat accumulation that may impair health.
• Body mass index (BMI) is an index of weight-for-height that is
commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults.
It is defined as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the
square of his height in meters (kg/m2).
• For adults, WHO defines overweight and obesity as follows:
 overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25; and
 obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30.
Reasons for Obesity in Police Forces:
• While policemen might be faced with physically demanding
challenges on the odd occasion, their work is largely
sedentary, involving long hours of sitting and little exercise.
• Stress is another contributor to obesity.
• Uncertain work hours also impact police personnel’s sleep
schedule which leads to obesity.
• While on the job, police personnel often do not eat proper,
healthy meals. Fried snacks such as samosas and kachoris
are popular.
Steps Taken:
• In May 2023, Assam Police said it will start offering voluntary
retirement to all obese personnel (those having BMI of 30+) if
they fail to reduce their weights by November 2023.
70
• In 2018, the Karnataka State Reserve Police told its personnel
to slim down or potentially lose their jobs. The decision was
made after over a 100 policemen died in just over a year in
the state due to lifestyle-related diseases, linked to obesity.
• In 2012, Andhra Pradesh introduced extensive physical
training for its police officers, after reports showed that nearly
40 per cent of the force was overweight.
• The Union Ministry of Health supports the States/UTs under
the National Programme for Prevention & Control of Non-
Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), as part of National
Health Mission (NHM).
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has
prescribed limits for trans fatty acids in oils and fats to be not
more than 2% by weight.
ANJADIP
An anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft vessel built
by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
(GRSE), for the Navy was launched at Kattupalli Port.
About:
• Anjadip, is the third of the eight ships of the contract that was
signed between Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers,
Kolkata and Ministry of Defence in April 2019.
• The vessel was named after the island of Anjadip, located
off Karwar Port, Karnataka, signifying its strategic maritime
importance.
• It is designed to undertake anti-submarine operations
in coastal waters, low intensity maritime operations and
subsurface surveillance among others.
• The ship is a 900-ton, 77-metre-long vessel powered by
water-jet propulsion.
• It features a fire control system (FCS), an integrated Platform
Management system, an Atomic Power Management system,
and a Battle Damage control system.
INS SINDHURATNA
The Navy’s Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhuratna which
underwent a major upgrade in Russia reached Mumbai after
sailing for 97 days and almost 10,000 miles with two port calls
in between. It underwent a Medium Refit Life Certification
(MRLC) process in Russia which extended its life.

About
• INS Sindhuratna (S59) (Jewel of the Sea) is a Sindhughosh-
class diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy.
• Sindhughosh-class submarines are Kilo-class diesel-electric
submarines in active service with the Indian Navy.
• The Sindhughosh submarines, designated 877EKM, were
designed as part of Project 877, and built under a contract
between Rosvooruzhenie and the Ministry of Defence
(India).
• The submarines have a displacement of 3,000 tonnes,
a maximum diving depth of 300 meters, top speed of 18
knots, and are able to operate solo for 45 days with a crew
of 53. The final unit was the first to be equipped with the 3M-
54 Klub (SS-N-27) antiship cruise missiles with a range of
220 km.
• Submarines in this class: Sindhughosh, Sindhuraj,
Sindhukesari, Sindhukirti, Sindhuvijay, Sindhurashtra.
NECROPHILIA
The Karnataka High Court gave a judgement on necrophilia.
What is Necrophilia?
• The Karnataka High Court in “Rangaraju @Vajapeyi vs
State of Karnataka” observed that “necrophilia” is a morbid
fascination with death and the dead and more particularly, an
erotic attraction to corpses.
• It is psychosexual disorder which could be the result of
rage, experimentation, or lust rather than sexual necessity or
habit. It is classified under the DSM-IV, along with a group
of disorders, called “paraphilias,” including paedophilia,
exhibitionism, and sexual masochism.
Countries Prohibiting Necrophilia:
• The United Kingdom’s Sexual Offences Act, 2003, includes
necrophilia as an offence punishable with six months to two
years imprisonment.
• Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa, too, prohibit
necrophilia under different laws.
• Indian Scenario: The Indian Penal Code (IPC) does not list
“necrophilia” as a specific offence. But it could be brought
under Section 297 as causing “indignity to any human
corpse” if someone trespasses into a place for performing
funeral rites or a depository for the remains of the dead.
Karnataka High Court Judgement:
• The Karnataka High Court in May 2023 held that having
sexual intercourse with a woman’s dead body will not attract
the offence of rape, punishable under Section 376 of the IPC.
In-Shorts | Internal Security Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Justification: There is no provision in the Indian Penal Code
(IPC) for it. Under Section 46 of the IPC, the court said that
“death” denotes the “death of a human being”.
• Therefore, the court opined that rape must be “accomplished
with a person, not a dead body”.
• Recommendations: The court recommended that the Centre
should amend the IPC to protect the dignity of the dead and
include necrophilia under Section 377 (unnatural offences) of
the IPC or as a new provision.
G20 DELHI DECLARATION ON CYBER-
SECURITY
National Cyber Security Coordinator of India proposed
a draft "Delhi Declaration on cybersecurity" for G20
nations.
About:
• It consists of a series of commitments to “responsible state
behaviour in cyberspace” for G20 member countries, drawn
from existing non-binding norms that they have already
signed onto under United Nations auspices.
• If adopted, G20 countries would commit to -
 not damage critical infrastructure or other essential
systems;
 cooperate, mitigate and investigate cyber-crime in
particular ransomware;
 protect and not disrupt software supply chains;
 respect international law and rule of law in cyberspace;
 training people on cyber hygiene, which involves having
standard operating procedures for various actions, cyber
crisis management plans, audits etc.
DO YOU KNOW?
• National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) under National
Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) coordinates with
different agencies at the national level for cyber security
matters.
• The G20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising
European Union (EU) and 19 countries (Argentina,
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India,
Indonesia, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Russia,
Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom
and the United States).
• Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a victim's
files. The attacker then demands a ransom from the victim
to restore access to the data upon payment.
71
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Polity & Governance
Edition: June 2023
GOVERNANCE
ADVERSE POSSESSION
As per the recent report by 22nd Law Commission there is no
justification for introducing any change in the law relating to
adverse possession.
What is adverse possession?
• Adverse possession essentially means when a tenant
possesses the property of the owner when they are not legally
entitled to do the same overtly i.e., without any attempt
regarding the concealment from the owner.
• In such a situation, if they continue to hold the property
unlawfully for more than 12 years and the owner, despite
having the same, doesn’t take any action over these years, they
would lose their right to claim the property by filing a suit in
the court of law upon the expiration of this term.
• As a result, the person in the possession of the property will
acquire a prescriptive title over the land through adverse
possession.
• The concept of adverse possession stems from the idea that
land must not be left vacant but instead, be put to judicious
use.
LAW COMMISSION OF INDIA
• It is a non-statutory body and is constituted by a notification
of the Government of India, Ministry of Law & Justice,
Department of Legal Affairs.
• Vision: Reforming the laws for maximizing justice in society
and promoting good governance under the rule of law.
• Function: To carry out research in the field of law and the
Commission makes recommendations to the Government (in
the form of Reports) as per its terms of reference.
 The Law Commission has taken up various subjects on
references made by the Department of Legal Affairs,
Supreme Court and High Courts and submitted 280
reports.
 It provides excellent thought provoking and vital review
of the laws in India.
Limitation Act, 1963:
• Under the Limitation Act, 1963 there are a few provisions that
deal with adverse possession.
72
POLITY &
 Section 27 of the Limitation Act, 1963 reaffirms the
limitation period to file a suit on the part of the property
owner to be 12 years. After the other party has possessed
the property for more than 12 years continuously, no
action shall lie against them.
 Article 64 and Article 65 of the Limitation Act, 1963 lay
down the onus on the tenant to prove the dispossession of
the property for the period of 12 years. At the same time,
the burden to prove the period of adverse possession within
12 years falls on the landlord.
 For adverse possession of any kind of Government
property the period to claim the ownership for the
Government or any public organization has been fixed at
30 years.
Arguments in Favour
• To avoid long disputes: The real aim of law is neither to punish
the one nor reward the other. But a society should not be
bothered with disputes for eternity. So the law puts a limit of
twelve years for such quarrels and disputes before which the
title must be settled.
• Land should be put to a judicious use: The concept of adverse
possession stems from the idea that land must not be left
vacant but instead, be put to judicious use. Essentially, adverse
possession refers to the hostile possession of property, which
must be continuous, uninterrupted, and peaceful.
 According to the Law Commission, the rationale behind
this comes from considerations that the “title to land
should not long be in doubt”, “society will benefit from
someone making use of land the owner leaves idle,” and
“persons who come to regard the occupant as owner may
be protected.”
• Original title holder neglected his rights: The maxim that the
law does not help those who sleep over their rights is invoked
in support of adverse possession. Simply put, “the original
title holder who neglected to enforce his rights over the land
cannot be permitted to re-enter the land after a long passage
of time,”.
Arguments Against
• Harsh for true owner: The law as it exists is extremely harsh for
the true owner and a windfall for a dishonest person who has
illegally taken possession of the property.
 In-Shorts | Polity & Governance Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

 It shows that the law seeks to punish a non-diligent title AKHAND BHARAT
holder who fails to assert his rights within twelve long
years, by denying his claim, but on the converse side Controversy has erupted in Nepal over the mural of the
the same law rewards a wrong doer and a trespasser by
Indian subcontinent landmass in the newly inaugurated
Parliament building.
confirming his title by adverse possession, provided his
possession satisfies the stipulated condition.
 SC bench, in its 2008 ruling in Hemaji Waghaji Jat v. Controversy
Bhikhabhai Khengarbhai Harijan and Others, while dealing • Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has described
with Article 65 of the Schedule of the Limitation Act, 1963, the mural as a map of “akhand Bharat”
observed that the law of adverse possession “ousts an • The mural shows Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha,
owner on the basis of inaction within limitation” and is indicating India’s claims over the region. Nepal considers
“irrational, illogical, and wholly disproportionate”. Lumbini as one of the major cultural centres on the Nepalese
• Avoidable and expensive litigation: True owners have been map.
subjected to, such as “avoidable and expensive litigation”
by unscrupulous persons” who are acquainted with fraud,
the already overburdened machinery of the courts is further
saddled with avoidable work, much to the misery of the
litigants.
• Struck off law will not harm anybody: lf the law of adverse
possession is struck off from the Limitation Act it will not
hinder anybody’s right nor will it cause any neglect of land
resources.
• Promotes false claims: The fact that land prices are
skyrocketing in both rural and urban areas defeated the
Commission’s argument that land is not put to proper use. In
an over-populous country like India where land is scarce, the
law of adverse possession only promotes false claims under
the colour of adverse possession which ultimately does not
stand judicial scrutiny.
• Different laws for state and private individuals: If in a welfare
state and under law, state and common man have same rights
and same Acts being applicable, then why is there a different
time window for the adverse possession over Government
land.

Way Ahead
• Compensate the Title owner: If this law is to be retained,
according to the wisdom of Parliament then at least the law
must require those who adversely possess land to compensate
the title owners according to the prevalent market rate of the
land or property in question.
• Increase the time frame of possessing the property: Parliament
might simply require the adverse possession claimants to
possess the property in question for a period of 30 to 50 years,
rather than a mere 12.
 A longer statutory period would also decrease the
frequency of adverse possession suits and ensure that only
those claimants most intimately connected with the land
acquire it, while only the most passive and unprotected
owners lose title.
Clarification by Government
• The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that “The mural in
question depicts the spread of the Ashokan empire and the
idea of responsible and people-oriented governance that he
(Ashoka) adopted and propagated.”
• The official description of the mural says: “Between 265 and
238 BC, Ashoka spread the message of Buddhism and got it
inscribed at many places”.
• The artwork occupies one of the 16 niches in the Constitutional
Foyer of the new Parliament building. Murals in the other
niches are dedicated to Indian sages, ancient texts, and the
Ramayana; one of them is dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru.

73
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Polity & Governance
Edition: June 2023
History of the idea of Akhand Bharat:
• Akhand Bharat, is a term for the concept of a unified Greater
India.
• It asserts that modern-day Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are
one nation.
• During the Indian independence movement, K.M. Munshi
(of Indian National Congress) and Veer Savarkar (of Hindu
Mahasabha) propounded the notion of an Akhand Bharat.
• Occasionally, the call for creation of the Akhand Bharat
has been raised by Hindu Mahasabha, RSS, Vishva Hindu
Parishad, Shiv Sena etc.
CANCEL CULTURE
Recently, the term Cancel culture was in the news due to the
debate of its impact on society.
About:
• What is it? Cancel culture’ is a widely used contemporary term
to describe a culture in which those who are deemed to have
acted or spoken in an unacceptable manner are ostracised,
boycotted or shunned.
• How does it work? When a large number of people on social
media platforms collectively object to any action by a public
figure, it leads to calls to ‘cancel’ the person.
 This cancelling occurs by pressuring the individual’s
workplace to fire them, pressuring brands to drop their
association with the offending individual, using threats of
boycott or engaging in any other action that impacts the
individual’s reputation or finances.
• Demanding accountability from people holding such
problematic views is central to cancel culture.
Recent Examples:
• In 2020, J.K. Rowling faced a fierce backlash against her
controversial tweets about the transgender community.
• Donald Trump was ‘cancelled’ because of his racist,
inappropriate conduct and words towards women, people of
colour and immigrants.
• #Me too Movement, where many people took to social media
to “cancel” or boycott celebrities and public personalities
accused of sexual misconduct.
• In Bollywood many prominent personalities were cancelled
for allegedly promoting nepotism.
Arguments in favour of cancel Culture
• The idea of cancel culture began as a tool for marginalised
communities to assert their values and norms against
public figures who continued to cling on to power despite
wrongdoing.
74
• For many people, such collective action has come to signify
a form of social justice.
Arguments against cancel culture
• Critics argue that Cancel culture is no longer about holding
people accountable, and has instead become an online form
of vicious mob intimidation.
• Individuals or organisations are presumed guilty without due
process, leading to loss of employment, reputational damage,
psychological distress and even legal actions.
• Cancel culture affects free speech and often signifies the lack
of ability to forgive and move on.
• The goalposts of cancel culture keep changing, individuals
and organisations are selectively targeted and face different
degrees of outrage.
• It has led to people being constantly aggravated and
frustrated with each other. They can’t seem to move beyond
that, to actually initiate change of the kind they actually want
to see.
UNDERUTILISATION OF FUNDS IN NORTH
EAST
Nearly two-thirds of funds allocated to the eight hilly states
of the North-East (N-E), remained unutilised by the ministry
of development of the northeastern region, the latest
data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA)
showed.
Why is there an Underutilisation?
• Very often the funds are not released because the Detailed
Project Report (DPR) for the new projects is not available on
time and as a result of this, funds get lapsed, the projects get
delayed and the total cost of the project also gets escalated.
• Sometimes after the release of the first initial instalment of
funds, the subsequent grants do not get released because
of the failure of the State Governments to furnish Utilisation
Certificates (UCs) on time.
What needs to be done?
• Use of e Governance tools: To overcome these delays, on-line
submission of DPRs and UCs should be encouraged.
• Project monitoring: Follow up of the projects should be
regularly varied out to ensure accountability of those working
on the projects.
• Ease of procedures: The Ministry can modify the procedure
related to DPRs and Utilisation Certificates so that the State
Governments do not have reason to complain and at the
same time, the Ministry of DoNER is also able to make full use
of the funds available.

CITIIS 2.0
The Union Cabinet has approved the City Investments to
Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0).
About:
• Objective: The program aims to support competitively
selected projects promoting circular economy with focus
on integrated waste management at the city level, climate-
oriented reform actions at the State level, and institutional
strengthening and knowledge dissemination at the National
level.
• Funding: The funding for CITIIS 2.0 would include a loan of
Rs.1760 crore (EUR 200 million) from AFD and KfW (EUR 100
million each) and a technical assistance grant of Rs.106 cr.
(EUR 12 million) from the EU.
• Agencies involved: CITIIS 2.0 is a program conceived by the
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in partnership
with the French Development Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt für
Wiederaufbau (KfW), the European Union (EU), and National
Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
• Duration: The program will run for a period of four years, i.e.,
from 2023 till 2027.
CITIIS 2.0 has Three Major Components:
• Component 1: Financial and technical support for developing
projects focused on building climate resilience, adaptation
and mitigation in up to 18 smart cities.
• Component 2: All States and UTs will be provided support
to (a) set-up State climate centres (b) create State and city
level Climate Data Observatories (c) facilitate climate-data
driven planning, develop climate action plans and (d) build
capacities of municipal functionaries.
• Component 3: Interventions at all three levels; Centre, State
and City to further climate governance in urban India through
institutional strengthening.
Significance:
• CITIIS 2.0 will supplement the climate actions of Government
of India through its ongoing National programs (National
Mission on Sustainable Habitat, AMRUT 2.0, Swachh Bharat
Mission 2.0 and Smart Cities Mission).
• CITIIS 2.0 will contribute positively to India’s Intended
Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and Conference
of the Parties (COP26) commitments.
In-Shorts | Society Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
SOCIETY
PARAKH
Ministry of Education and PARAKH organize the 1st National
level workshop on assessment with States and UTs.
About:
• PARAKH is the National Assessment Centre and is an
organisation under National Council of Educational Research
and Training (NCERT).
• It aims at unifying the 60 school examination boards operating
in different States/UTs on a common platform under one
umbrella.
KHAP PANCHAYAT
Many Khap leaders have come forward to support the
ongoing protests against the Wrestling Federation of India
(WFI) chief,accused of sexual harassment.
About:
• Meaning:Khaps are mainly gotra – clans tracing their paternal
lineage to a common ancestor – and region-based social
outfits.They derive their name either from the number of
villages/clusters of villages or the gotras they represent.
• Khap Panchayat: Khap panchayat governs the khap formed
by same gotra ( clan) families from several neighbouring
villages.It is an assembly of Khap elders.The system is
believed to have existed as early as 600 AD.
• Functions:
 The major function of Khaps today is to settle disputes
and ensure that social and religious custom is enforced in
their area.
 They set the rules in an area which may include one or more
villages. Transgressors' penalty can be serious and grave.
• Leadership and succession:
 Khaps do not have a set organisation. Earlier, succession
as a Khap president/leader was hereditary.Now, it is not
necessarily the same.
 To preside over a meeting of a particular Khap or a group
of Khaps, the chairman is nominated unanimously and on
the spot. There are no defined rules to elect the president.
Types of Khaps
• There are nearly 300 main Khaps in north India – in Haryana,
Uttar Pradesh, Delhi,Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.
75
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Society
Edition: June 2023
• Gotra based khaps:Several khaps including Gathwala khap
(Malik khap), Dalal khap, Poonia khap, Sangwan khap, Dahiya
khap, Sheoran khap, Binain khap (Hisar) and Sherawat khap
etc have jurisdiction in the villages dominated by the gotras
concerned
• Region based Khaps:These include Meham chaubisi khap,
Rohtak Chaurasi khap, Satrol khap, Jharsa 360 khap and
Sonipat 360 khap.They have influence ranging from a couple
of villages to a few hundred villages.
• Khaps are not affiliated with the formally elected government
bodies and are instead concerned with the affairs of the Khap
it represents.
Influence of Khap Panchayat:
• In several rural parts of north India, Khaps have tremendous
influence among villagers because of their role in resolving
local social disputes including marital problems, land disputes,
and other family matters.
• Khaps can impose a number of penalties, such as social
boycotts,monetary fines etc.
• In 2020-21, they had actively participated in the farmer
agitation against three contentious farm laws, which were
eventually repealed.
Where do Khaps draw their power from?
• Khaps draw power from the large number of people who are
associated with them, by virtue of their gotra or place of
residence.
• They also play the role of pressure groups, mobilising people
for political issues.
• They have also become crucial players in north Indian
politics, with all parties constantly looking for their support.
Criticism:
• Over the years they have emerged as quasi-judicial bodies
that pronounce harsh punishments based on age-old
customs and traditions.They have also been accused of
committing honour killings.
• Critics have called them “kangaroo courts” – imposing the
law of regressive social custom rather than the constitution of
India.
• In 2011, The Supreme court of India declared these khap
panchayats illegal.
UGC (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITIES)
REGULATIONS, 2023
Recently, the Union Education Minister released the UGC
(Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023,
which will replace the 2019 guidelines.
76
Background:
• The UGC Act 1956 provides for the Central Government to
declare any institution other than a University to the status of
Institution Deemed to be University as if it were a university
within the meaning of Section 2(f).
 Upon declaration, such institution shall be deemed to be a
university.
• The procedure for the declaration of status (General) & De
Novo, the establishment of an off-campus centre, minimum
eligibility to acquire the status, its governance, etc. are
regulated by UGC Regulations.
 The first set of Regulations was notified in the year 2010
and was revised in 2016 and 2019.
• With the announcement of the National Education Policy
2020 and in order to make the Regulations simple the UGC
constituted an expert committee to review and revise the
Regulations.
Salient features of the regulations:
• The new rules are built on the principle of a "light but tight"
regulatory framework envisioned in the National Education
Policy 2020.
• It is released for existing higher education institutions to get
the deemed-to-be status by simplifying the eligibility criteria in
order to establish more quality-focused deemed universities.
• Under the 2019 guidelines, higher education institutions
having "existence for not less than 20 years" were eligible for
applying for the status.
 However, the revised guidelines have now replaced it with
multi-disciplinarity, NAAC grading, NIRF ranking and NBA
grading.
 Besides, a cluster of institutions managed by more than
one sponsoring body or a society can also apply for
deemed to be university status.
• The new regulations also introduce the "Distinct Institution"
category, where an existing institution
 or an institution starting from the beginning with the focus
on teaching and research in unique disciplines and
 or addressing the strategic needs of the country or engaged
in the preservation of Indian cultural heritage
 or preservation of the environment or dedicated to skill
development or dedicated to sports or languages
 or any other discipline, so determined by the Expert
Committee of Commission, will be exempted from
eligibility criteria.
• Among other criteria that have been changed are the faculty
strength has been increased from 100 to 150, corpus fund for
private institutions has been increased from Rs 10 crore to Rs
25 crore, and the creation of executive councils like central
universities in these universities as well.

• The revised guidelines have also made it mandatory for
deemed universities to register on Academic Bank of Credits
(ABC).
• The institutions can offer twinning programmes, joint degree
programmes, and dual degree programmes in accordance
with the provisions stipulated in the regulations concerned.
Significance:
• It will encourage universities to focus on quality and excellence,
strengthen the research ecosystem and have a long-term
impact in transforming our higher education landscape.
• It will facilitate the creation of much more quality-focused
deemed-to-be universities in an objective and transparent
manner.
MANUAL SCAVENGING
According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment's
recent report only 66% of districts in a country are free of
manual scavenging.
About:
• The Act of Manual Scavenging refers to manually cleaning,
carrying, and disposing of, or handling in any manner, human
excreta in an insanitary latrine.
• In 2013, the definition of manual scavengers was also
broadened to include people employed to clean septic tanks,
ditches, or railway tracks.
Issues and Concerns:
• Manual scavenging is a “dehumanizing practice” which has
been carried on in the country with a background of historical
injustice and indignity suffered by the manual scavengers.
• It constitutes problems that encompass domains of health
and occupation, human rights and social justice, gender and
caste, and human dignity.
• Manual scavenging and deaths of people trapped in flooded
sewer lines continue to be a reality though the practice was
banned.
• The workers were made to work in the most hazardous way.
• There was not enough protective gear and tech support and
they continue to do it manually.
• Other issues are Poverty and Caste-discrimination
Initiatives:
• NAMASTE scheme: The scheme for rehabilitation of manual
scavengers has now been merged with the NAMASTE scheme
for 100% mechanisation of sewer work.
 The NAMASTE scheme provides capital subsidies to sewer
cleaners on the purchase of sanitation machinery, training
In-Shorts | Society Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
of workers with a stipend amount, and loan subsidies with
capped interest rates on sanitation equipment.
 The Union Budget for 2023-24 showed ₹100-crore
allocation for the NAMASTE scheme and no allocation for
the rehabilitation scheme.
• Manual scavenging as defined under Section 2 (1) (g) of the
“Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their
Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)” is prohibited with
effect from 6.12.2013.
 No person or agency can engage or employ any person
for manual scavenging from the above date.
 Any person or agency who engages any person for
manual scavenging in violation of the provisions of the
MS Act, 2013 is punishable under Section 8 of the above
Act, with imprisonment upto 2 years or fine upto Rs. One
Lakh or both.
• Under Swachhta Udyami Yojana of National Safai Karamcharis
Finance and Development Corporation, concessional loans
are provided to safai karamcharis, manual scavengers & their
dependants and the Urban Local Bodies & other agencies
responsible for cleaning, for procurement of sanitation related
instruments/vehicles.
• A short-duration training programme (RPL) is organised for
the sanitation workers wherein they are trained in safe and
mechanised cleaning practices.
Supreme Court’s Judgements:
• The apex court itself had reinforced the prohibition and
directed the rehabilitation of people, traditionally and
otherwise, employed as manual scavengers in its judgment
in Safai Karamchari Andolan And Others vs. Union of India.
 The judgment had called for their “rehabilitation based on
the principles of justice and transformation”.
Suggestions:
• Proper implementation of the rules, and adequate monitoring
are absolutely essential.
• Simultaneously, all efforts must be taken, within existing
schemes, to provide compensation to the family members of
those who have died, and to provide them a way out of the
profession, if they so wish.
• There is a need for bio-toilets to prevent deaths of manual
scavengers, and increase fund allocation for their
rehabilitation.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFO) has
temporarily suspended food aid to Ethiopia because its
supplies are being diverted to the Ethiopian military.
77
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Society
Edition: June 2023
About:
• Status: The World Food Programme (WFP) is an international
organisation within the United Nations (UN). Its Parent
organisation is the UN General Assembly.
• Mandate: It is the world's largest humanitarian organisation
that provides food assistance worldwide. It aims to achieve
the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 which is about
creating a world free of hunger by 2030.
• Background: It was established In 1961 after the 1960 Food
and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Conference. It launched
its First development programme in Sudan in 1963.
• Headquarters: Rome, Italy.
• Award: WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 for its
efforts to provide food assistance in areas of conflict.
• Hunger Hotspots: This report is jointly published by the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and
the World Food Programme (WFP).
Governance:
• Executive Board: It is the supreme governing body of WFP. It
comprises 36 States Members of the UN or Member Nations
of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• Executive Directors: WFP is headed by an executive director,
who is appointed jointly by the UN Secretary-General and the
director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) of the United Nations. Sushil Dev of India served as the
acting Executive Director of WFP in 1968.
78
NATIONAL EXIT TEST (NEXT)
Union Health Ministry announced that the National Exit Test
(NExT) will be held in 2024.
About
• It will replace the final-year MBBS examination and the
National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Postgraduate (NEET-
PG), acting as the test for registration for doctors and
admission to medical postgraduate courses.
• The combined NExT exam will also serve as the mandatory
licentiate examination for undergraduate medical students to
practice modern medicine in India.
Objectives
• The importance of the NExt lies in the fact that it will be the
same for everyone whether trained in India or any part of the
world and hence it will solve the problem of foreign medical
graduates (FMGs) and mutual recognition,
HAR GHAR JAL PROGRAMME
The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report
highlighting benefits of the 'Har Ghar Jal' programme in
India.
About:
• The Har Ghar Jal Programme was launched in 2019 under the
Jal Jeevan Mission and is impemented by the Ministry of Jal
Shakti.
• Objective: The program aims to provide every rural household
with a fully functional tap water connection by 2024.
 A fully functional tap water connection is defined as a
household getting at least 55 litres of per capita per day of
potable water all through the year.
• Significance: The program's components are aligned with the
following Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators-
 Indicator 6.1.1: proportion of the population using safely
managed drinking water services.
 Indicator 3.9.2: mortality related to unsafe water, sanitation,
and hygiene.
Achievements under Programme
• Five States – Goa, Telangana and Haryana, Gujarat and
Punjab and three Union Territories — Andaman & Nicobar
Islands, Daman Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli and Puducherry
have reported 100% coverage.
• Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh has become the first
‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified district in the country.

Findings of WHO report
• The ‘Har Ghar Jal’ report focuses on diarrheal diseases as
they contribute significantly to the overall disease burden
related to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) issues.
• Currently about 12.3 crore rural households, or 62%, have
piped water connections up from 3.2 crore or about 16.6%
from 2019 when the scheme was launched.
• The report estimates that ensuring safely managed drinking
water for all households in the country could avert nearly
400,000 deaths caused by diarrheal diseases.
• Additionally, this would avoid 14 million DALYs (Disability
Adjusted Life Years) from diarrhoea and save around $101
billion.
• It has saved the time and efforts of women of 66.6 million
hours every day that would otherwise have been spent
collecting water.
• Also investing in water and sanitation results in many benefits,
including economic, environmental, quality of life, and health.
Every dollar invested in sanitation interventions gives a $4.3
return in the form of reduced health care costs.
DALYS (DISABILITY ADJUSTED LIFE YEARS)
DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) represents the loss of
the equivalent of one year of full health and are a way to account
for the years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) and
the years lived with a disability (YLDs),due to prevalent cases
of a disease or a health condition, in a population.
Diarrhoeal Disease
• What is it? Diarrhoea is defined as the passage of three or
more loose or liquid stools per day (or more frequent passage
than is normal for the individual).It is usually a symptom of
an infection in the intestinal tract, which can be caused by a
variety of bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms.
In-Shorts | Society Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Common causes: E.coli, Salmonella (bacteria), Rotavirus
(virus), Giardia, Cryptosporidium (parasites).
• Transmission: Infection is spread through contaminated food
or drinking-water, or from person-to-person as a result of
poor hygiene.
• There are three clinical types of diarrhoea:
 Acute watery diarrhoea – lasts several hours or days, and
includes cholera;
 Acute bloody diarrhoea – also called dysentery; and
 Persistent diarrhoea – lasts 14 days or longer.
• Prevention:safe drinking-water, use of improved sanitation
and hand washing with soap can reduce disease risk.
• Treatment:Diarrhoea should be treated with oral rehydration
solution (ORS), a solution of clean water, sugar and salt. In
addition, zinc tablets and nutrient rich food shortens diarrhoea
duration and improves outcomes.
Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight
• It was launched in 2014 by the centre with the aim of ‘zero
child deaths due to childhood diarrhoea’.
• During the fortnight health workers visit the households of
under five children to increase awareness about the use of
ORS and Zinc in diarrhea.
BANNING DOG MEAT’S SALE
The Kohima bench of the Gauhati High Court recently
quashed a 2020 government notification, which had banned
the trade and sale of dog meat in Nagaland.
About:
• In a 2020 government notification, Nagaland had banned
dog markets, the commercial import and trading of dogs, as
well as the commercial sale of dog meat in markets and in
dine-in restaurants.
• This had come after a 2014 circular by the Food Safety and
Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) stating that the slaughter
of any species other than the ones listed in Food Safety and
Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives)
Regulation, 2011 is not permissible.
 Regulation 2.5.1(a) of the 2011 Regulations defines “animal”
as any animal belonging to the species of ovines [sheep
family], caprines [goat family], suillines [pig family],
bovine [cattle], and including poultry and fish.
• The Nagaland government order had stated that the ban
was necessary to “regulate the safety of food articles safe for
human consumption”.
79
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Society
Edition: June 2023
HC Observation on Meat Regulation
• The HC observed that dog meat “appears to be an accepted
norm and food amongst the Nagas even in modern times.”
• The court noted that the long-standing consumption of dog
meat by various tribes in Nagaland has been recorded in
multiple texts such as ‘The Angami Nagas, With Some Notes
on Neighbouring Tribes’ authored by J.H. Hutton in 1921.
• The court also underlined that the definition of ‘food’ in the FSSA
as primarily meaning “any substance, whether processed,
partially processed or unprocessed, which is intended for
human consumption.” The court noted that this definition is
“wide and liberal enough” to include dog meat.
• The court stated, there can be remedial measures to ensure
the enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
and the Indian Penal Code.
Consumption of Dog Meat
• Dog meat is considered a delicacy among certain communities
of Nagaland and some other parts of the Northeast — has
been traditionally consumed in parts of the state for decades.
• Certain communities in Nagaland also consider dog meat to
have medicinal properties.
“PROFESSORS OF PRACTICE” (POP)
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has
launched an online portal to facilitate the recruitment of
industry experts as “Professors of Practice” (PoP) for India's
education institutions.
About
• The scheme for PoP was introduced as a part of the National
Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
 The recent launch of the portal is a significant step in the
implementation of the same.
• It aims to bring expertise from industry and other fields
such as art, crafts and other professional areas into higher
education institutes (HEIs).
Features
• The portal will function as a common platform for the experts
and the universities.
 The experts can register themselves by uploading their
biodata, and the platform will also enable them to contact
the universities that require “professors of practice”.
 The platform will also allow educational institutions
to register, give advertisements and approach these
experts.
• The number of such PoPs will be restricted to 10 percent
of the total sanctioned faculty positions in higher education
institutions (HEIs).
80
Objectives
• It aims to enhance the quality of higher education by bringing
practitioners, policymakers, skilled professionals, etc. into
the higher education system.
• This will help to take real-world practices and experiences
into the classrooms and also augment the faculty resources
in higher education institutions.
• In turn, the industry and society will benefit from trained
graduates equipped with the relevant skills.
BIMA VAHAKS
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of
India (IRDAI) issued draft guidelines for Bima Vahaks.
About
• It seeks to establish a dedicated distribution channel at the
level of Gram Panchayats.
• The guidelines propose Corporate Bima Vahaks and Individual
Bima Vahaks for the distribution channel.
 Corporate Bima Vahak would be legal persons registered in
accordance with the respective laws and engaged by an
insurer.
 Individual Bima Vahak could be any individual appointed
by an insurer or appointed by a Corporate Bima Vahak.
• Features
 The BVs, both corporate and individual, would be
authorised to undertake activities like the collection of
proposal information, and KYC documents and coordinate
claims-related services.
 Every Insurer shall remain responsible for ensuring KYC
and AML (anti-money laundering) compliance with
respect to the policies sourced through Individual Bima
Vahaks and Corporate Bima Vahaks.
 The guidelines emphasize the identification and development
of local resources within each Gram Panchayat, with a
special focus on encouraging the onboarding of women as
Bima Vahaks to gain the trust of the locals.
 The guidelines also empower the Chairperson of the
Authority to issue clarifications to resolve any difficulties
in the application or interpretation of these guidelines.
• Importance and Objectives: To establish a dedicated
distribution channel focused on enhancing insurance inclusion
and creating awareness in every Gram Panchayat (village
council).
 To improve accessibility and availability of insurance in
every nook and corner of the country.
 The Bima Vahak initiative holds immense promise for the
future and will be a powerful force to enhance insurance
inclusion and awareness.

ENVIRONMENT
EVAPOTRANSPIRATION
Evapotranspiration due to warming climate is playing a
major role in rapid depletion of groundwater in north India.
About:
• The term Evapotranspiration is an amalgam of two terms:
evaporation (which is how the soil loses water) and
transpiration (which is how plants do it).
• Evapotranspiration (ET) combines two separate processes
whereby water is lost on the one hand from the soil surface
by evaporation and on the other hand from the crop by
transpiration
• Evapotranspiration is part of a larger planet-wide rhythm
called the water cycle.
• The term was first defined by Thornthwaite in 1944.
Types of Evapotranspiration:
• Actual evapotranspiration (AET) or seasonal consumptive use
(seasonal CU): It is the water consumed in evapotranspiration
and the one the plant used for metabolic activities.
• Potential evapotranspiration (PET): It is a representation of
the water loss from a large area that is uniformly covered with
a short green crop of uniform height and with adequate water
status in the soil profile.
Factors Affecting Evapotranspiration:
• Factors that affect the rate of evapotranspiration in plants
include the amount of solar radiation, temperature, soil
factors, wind, and atmospheric vapor pressure.
In-Shorts | Environment Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Soil factors like the available soil moisture, the depth of the
water table, and the density of vegetation really have a great
influence on evapotranspiration.
• Plant morphology, plant cover, crop geometry, and root
depth of the plant also affect evapotranspiration in plants.
Importance of Evapotranspiration:
• Evapotranspiration is one of the most important components
of the water cycle.
• In the agricultural sector, it is an important soil water balance
component that plays a role in determining the potential
yields.
• Irrigators can use plant evapotranspiration information for
more accurate irrigation schedules in order to help achieve
top yields and improve water productivity.
• In a farm situation, it can help give a relatively objective and
reliable estimate of the water needed for actively growing
plants.
GANGA PRAHARI
Over 4,000 Ganga Prahari volunteers under the Namami
Gange initiative have been keeping a check on littering and
poaching in the river to make sure that its flora, fauna are
intact.
About:
• Ganga Prahari (guardian) is a task force of volunteers
constituted by the National Mission for Clean Ganga and
the Wildlife Institute of India (NMCG-WII) under the Namami
Gange programme to cover 8.61 billion sq.km of the river
basin.
• Ganga Prahari project began in 2016.
• The task force, now has over 4,000 volunteers in 100 districts
across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and
West Bengal
• It keeps a check on river protection, preventing people from
littering, and reports poaching.
Namami Gange:
• Namami Gange Programme’, is an Integrated Conservation
Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union
Government in 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives
of effective abatement of pollution, conservation, and
rejuvenation of the National River Ganga.
81
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Environment
Edition: June 2023

• The main pillars of the Namami Gange Programme are: Sewerage • Threats:
Treatment Infrastructure, River-Surface Cleaning, Afforestation,  Habitat destruction due to various anthropogenic
Industrial Effluent Monitoring, River-Front Development, Bio- pressures such as habitat encroachment, tourism, and
Diversity, Public Awareness and Ganga Gram. grazing pressure.
• Its implementation has been divided into Entry-Level Activities  According to a study carried out in the western Himalayas
(for immediate visible impact), Medium-Term Activities (to be by scientists of Zoological Survey of India in 2020, there
implemented within 5 years of time frame) and Long-Term will be a decline of about 73 per cent of the bear’s habitat
Activities (to be implemented within 10 years).
by 2050.
• The United Nations in December 2022 recognised the
• IUCN Red List status of Himalayan Brown bear: Critically
initiative as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships
Endangered.
involved in reviving the natural world under the banner of the
UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) – a global
movement coordinated by the UN Environment Programme
and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

HIMALAYAN BROWN BEARS

A Himalayan brown bear was captured by the Jammu
and Kashmir Wildlife Department at Rajwara in the North
Kashmir district of Handwara, days after it was found
wrecking graveyards, reportedly in search of human
cadavers to eat.

About:
• One explanation for the bears’ weird behaviour is the
insufficient food in their habitats.
• Due to the remote terrains they occupied, the Himalayan
brown bear was a rare sight for the last two decades.
• Scientific Name: Ursus arctos isabellinus.
• Diet: The normal food of brown bears is insects, small
crustaceans, alpine bulbs, roots of plants, shoots of young
grasses, domestic goats, sheep and voles. Their sense of
smell is acutely developed and believed to be their principal
means of finding food.
• Behaviour: They are nocturnal.
• Features: The Himalayan brown bear is the largest mammal
found in Kashmir, with adult individuals weighing 250
kilograms or more.
• Habitat: They inhabit altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 2,500
metres, predominantly above the tree line.
• Distribution:
 Brown bears are distributed worldwide. The northern
mountains of India and Pakistan are home to the species’
Himalayan variant.
 In India, brown bears are present in 23 protected areas
(PA) in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and the NEW EEL DISCOVERED
states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The scientists of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have
• Population: Global number of Brown Bear is estimated to discovered a new species of eel from Palur canal in Odisha’s
be less than 1,000 and possibly half that in India (Only an Ganjam district.
estimated 500 brown bears left in India).

82

Eels:
• Eels are elongated ray-finned fish belonging to the order
Anguilliformes, which consists of eight suborders and about
800 species.
• Eels live both in salt and fresh water, and some species are
catadromous.
New Species of Eels:
• Scientific Name: The new species has been named
Pisodonophis kalinga after the name of ancient Odisha.
• Common Name: The scientists have proposed kalinga snake
eel as the common name of the new species.
• Family: It belongs to the family Ophichthidae and order
Anguilliformes.
• Features:
 It has a snake-like appearance and varies in length from
560 millimetres to 7 metres.
 The dorsal side of the body of new species is dark olive-
brown, ventrally pale white and both the colors meet at the
lateral side.
• Distribution:
 The species was found in the Chilika lagoon, Asia’s
biggest brackish water lagoon, and the adjoining Palur
canal, where water flow is completely tide dependent.
 The Palur canal connects Chilika with River Rushikulya.
WOLF-DOG HYBRIDISATION
Researchers have found the first evidence of wolf-
dog hybridisation in the country. The findings claimed
that wolf (Canis lupus)-dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
hybridisation may lead to immense reduction of certain
adaptations in wolves eventually causing a drop in wolf
populations.
Indian Wolf:
• Scientific name: Canis lupus pallipes.
• Distribution: It is a subspecies of gray wolf that ranges from
Southwest Asia to the Indian subcontinent.
• Features: It is intermediate in size between the Himalayan wolf
and the Arabian wolf, and lacks the former's luxuriant winter
coat due to it living in warmer conditions. It has shorter fur
with little to no underfur.
• Behaviour: The Indian wolf travels in smaller packs and is less
vocal than other variants of the gray wolf.
• IUCN Status: Endangered
• Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary in the state of Jharkhand is only
wolf sanctuary in the country.
In-Shorts | Environment Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
AXOLOTLS
Scientists are studying the ability of axolotls to regenerate
limbs, gills and parts of their eyes and brains. This might give
clues on how to replicate the same in Humans.
About:
• Scientific Name: Ambystoma mexicanum.
• Family: The axolotl is a species of salamander (lizard-like
amphibians).
• Habitat: Even though they are amphibians, axolotls remain
aquatic throughout their lives. Hence, the common name,
‘axolotl’, of Aztec origin, has been variously interpreted as
‘water dog’, ‘water twin’, ‘water sprite’, or ‘water slave’.
• Distribution: They were originally found in Lake Xochimilco,
near Mexico City. But, they are now almost extinct in the wild.
Their gene pool survives among individuals bred in captivity
for the pet trade and for aquaria.
• Status: It is listed as critically endangered in the wild by
IUCN and is listed under Appendix II of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
• Threats: Axolotl faces threats due to urbanization in
Mexico City and consequent water pollution, as well as the
introduction of invasive species such as tilapia and perch.
PEOPLE’S BIODIVERSITY REGISTER (PBR)
The Union Ministry of Environment launched the National
Campaign for Updation and Verification of People’s
Biodiversity Register (PBR) in Goa with the objective of
documentation and preservation of India's rich biological
diversity.
About:
• The People’s Biodiversity Register serves as a comprehensive
record of various aspects of biodiversity, including the
conservation of habitats, preservation of land races, folk
varieties and cultivars, domesticated stocks and breeds of
animals and micro-organisms.
• As per the Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biodiversity
Management Committees (BMC) are created for “promoting
conservation, sustainable use and documentation of
biological diversity” by local bodies across the country.
• BMCs have been constituted by the local bodies in the States
and Union Territories and are entrusted with preparation of
the People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs), in consultation
with local communities.
83
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Environment
Edition: June 2023
AMRIT DHAROHAR YOJANA
On the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5, 2023), PM
Modi launched the Amrit Dharohar Yojana. The scheme was
first announced by the Union finance minister in the 2023-24
Union budget.
About
• The scheme will ensure conservation of the existing Ramsar
sites with the help of local communities over the next three
years.
• These Ramsar sites will become centres of eco-tourism and a
source of green jobs for thousands of people.
• India currently has 75 Ramsar sites that are wetlands of
international importance and designated under the Ramsar
Convention on Wetlands.
INDIA-UK NET ZERO INNOVATION VIRTUAL
CENTER
India and the United Kingdom have agreed to create India-UK
NET zero innovation virtual center.
About:
• It will provide a platform to bring stakeholders from both
countries together to work in some of the focus areas
including the Decarbonization of manufacturing processes &
transport systems and Green Hydrogen as a renewable source.
Other Developments
• The close collaboration between the India-UK strengthened
through an ambitious ‘Roadmap 2030’ that provides a
framework for UK-India relations across health, climate,
trade, education, science and technology, and defence.
• the MOES and UK Met Office collaboration in weather and
climate science aims to conduct joint research on natural
hazards in the South Asian monsoon system, improve the
modelling capabilities at different scales, and improve
tools and techniques for risk based (ensemble) forecasting
of natural hazards, the MOES-NEKTON joint research
programme towards exploration and conservation of marine
biodiversity under the Deep Ocean Mission in India.
Importance
• The UK has emerged as India’s second-largest international
research and innovation partner.
 The India-UK Science & Technology (S&T) collaboration
has been growing at a rapid pace and the joint research
programme has gone from an almost zero base to close
to £300-400 million now.
84
• The partnership will provide a great mechanism to support
research and innovation in both countries for long-term
sustainable growth through expanding and maximizing
cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
• The revival of the DST Innovate UK Industrial R & D programme
will provide opportunity to Indian and UK academia and
industry for developing newer products/process together for
economic growth of both nations.
DO YOU KNOW?
• India is on the fast track move and the nation is determined
to achieve its Climate Change and Environmental targets
on time.
• Dwelling on the issue of India’s net zero journeys, energy
efficiency and renewable energy are central pillars, where
India has already taken lead by various initiatives like India
Solar Alliance, Clean energy mission etc.
INDIA'S FIRST CARBON NEUTRAL VILLAGE
India's first carbon neutral Village is being developed in
Bhiwandi Taluka of Thane district, Maharashtra.
About
• Carbon neutrality means having a balance between emitting
carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere in carbon
sinks.
• Carbon sequestration: Removing carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere and then storing it is known as carbon
sequestration.
• Carbon sink is any system that absorbs more carbon than
it emits. The main natural carbon sinks are soil, forests and
oceans. To date, no artificial carbon sinks are able to remove
carbon from the atmosphere on the scale to fight global
warming.
• Carbon offsetting: Another way to pursue carbon neutrality
is to offset emissions made in one sector by reducing them
somewhere else.
• This can be done through investment in renewable energy,
energy efficiency or other clean, low-carbon technologies.
India’s Net Zero Target
• In 2021, at COP-26, India announced an ambitious target for
achieving net zero GHG-emission by 2070.
UNDERSTANDING TEMPERATURE
ANOMALIES
March 2023 was the second warmest March on record.

About
• Warm March:
 March 2023 was the second warmest in the instrumental
record.
 The warmest March occurred just a few years ago in 2016,
when the biggest El Niño of the 21st century triggered a
‘mini’ global warming.
 In India, we expect March to be the beginning of the
scorching summer season.
 But a particular year’s March may be cooler due to some
other climate factors, such as a La Niña, and especially
when averaged over a region as large as India or even an
Indian State.
• Heating of the Arabian Sea:
 The Arabian Sea has also warmed more than expected
this March.
 This situation can favour a stronger monsoon but may also
enhance cyclogenesis (i.e. birth of cyclonic circulation)
over the Arabian Sea.
• Temperature anomaly:
 The January-to-March average temperature anomaly ranks
2023 as the fourth warmest such period on record.
About the “Temperature anomalies”
• What is a temperature anomaly?
 The term temperature anomaly means a departure from a
reference value or long-term average.
 A positive anomaly indicates that the observed temperature
was warmer than the reference value, while a negative
anomaly indicates that the observed temperature was
cooler than the reference value.
• Significance:
 This product is a global-scale climate diagnostic tool
and provides a big picture overview of average global
temperatures compared to a reference value.
 Global warming does not mean each month or each year
will be warmer than the previous month or the previous
year.
 Instead, a better place to begin would be by averaging
the weather over a decade.
 Decade-to-decade warming clearly shows that humans
are now ensuring each decade is warmer than the one
before.
• What causes the anomalies? The global distribution of
temperature anomalies is due to land-ocean-atmosphere
processes that dynamically determine the weather and climate.
Rising Global Temperatures:
• Human induced warming:
 Air temperatures on Earth have been rising since the
Industrial Revolution.
In-Shorts | Environment Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
 While natural variability plays some part, the preponderance
of evidence indicates that human activities—particularly
emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases—are mostly
responsible for making our planet warmer.
• What does the analysis say?
 According to an ongoing temperature analysis led by
scientists, the average global temperature on Earth has
increased by at least 1.1° Celsius (1.9° Fahrenheit) since
1880.
 The majority of the warming has occurred since 1975, at a
rate of roughly 0.15 to 0.20°C per decade.
• Pattern of warming:
 Global warming does not mean temperatures rise
everywhere at every time at the same rate. Temperatures
might rise 5 degrees in one region and drop 2 degrees in
another.
 For instance, exceptionally cold winters in one place might
be balanced by extremely warm winters in another part of
the world.
 Generally, warming is greater over land than over the
oceans because water is slower to absorb and release
heat (thermal inertia).
 Warming may also differ substantially within specific land
masses and ocean basins.
• Influence of rise: The temperatures we experience locally and
in short periods can fluctuate significantly due to predictable,
cyclical events (night and day, summer and winter) and hard-
to-predict wind and precipitation patterns.
• Challenge for India:
 India’s large population experiences adaptation
challenges due to severe heat waves in the summer and
extreme rainfall during the monsoon season.
 Heatwaves cause mortality and pose challenges for public
health infrastructure.
 Prolonged extreme rainfall results in floods, which damage
agriculture and infrastructure and cause human migration
and loss of lives.
Possibility of intense heatwaves
• Excessively hot summer: The summer this year is predicted
to be excessively hot because of the end of the strong La
Nina phase in equatorial Pacific Ocean, something that has a
general cooling effect on the earth’s atmosphere.
• Possibility of El Nino’s occurrence:
 New forecasts suggest that El Nino, which has the
opposite impacts of La Nina, is expected to kick in from
the May-July period itself, earlier than expected.
 El Nino also tends to result in suppression of monsoon
rainfall over India.
85
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Environment
Edition: June 2023
• Shortfall in rain: A shortfall in rains is already being
apprehended, which could exacerbate the effects of a hot
summer, even though the India Meteorological Department
has predicted a normal monsoon.
Way Ahead:
• Climate scientists need to provide the proper context when
they compare and rank individual months against each other.
• This will help the people at large better understand global
warming as well as its cascading effects on the weather they
experience every day.
• And the better people understand the impact of global
warming in their backyard, the likelier they can be engaged in
climate action.
SONOROUS BEHAVIOUR & CLIMATE CHANGE
Researchers have recorded the bustling sounds of marine
organisms in coral reefs off the coast of south Goa to
understand their behaviour.
About
• The researchers from the Indian Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research’s National Institute of Oceanography
(NIO) used hydrophones to eavesdrop on underwater
organisms in a reef in the Arabian Sea.
 Hydrophones are a low-cost means of monitoring species.
• The technology can help researchers to study the
abundance, diversity and behaviour of organisms. It can also
reveal how they respond to climate change and anthropogenic
disturbances.
• Most fish vocalise in the frequency range of 100 Hertz (Hz) to
2,000 Hz, while shrimp use the 2,000-20,000 Hz range.
• Hydrophones also pick up the sounds of wind (50-20,000 Hz)
and oceanic traffic (10-10,000 Hz).
Key Findings of the Study
• Link Between coral reef & Soniferous: If the coral reef system
is healthy, fish will be there and the presence of soniferous
(sound-producing) fish will generate sound. This can be
monitored using simple hydrophone sensors.
 Soniferous fish represent a group of vocal vertebrates that
produce sounds during various social interactions.
• Fish communication: It is more active in the pre-monsoon
than in the post-monsoon season. Mating activities of fish are
dominant in the pre-monsoon period.
 For example, most fish are ectothermic, which means
their activities are fully controlled by temperature.
86
International Quiet Ocean Experiment (IQOE)
• It is a programme aimed at understanding more about the
effects of sound on marine organisms.
• They used artificial intelligence and other techniques to
identify the species making the noises, which included
snapping shrimp as well as choruses of fish species that eat
plankton – microscopic organisms that live in the ocean.
SC’S MODIFIED JUDGMENT ON ECO-
SENSITIVE ZONES
The Supreme Court has recently modified its judgment to have
mandatory eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) around protected forests.
About
• The previous judgment of SC:
 On June 3, 2022, the apex court had ordered the 1-km buffer
zone for protected areas to act as a “shock absorber”.
 Its judgment was to have mandatory eco-sensitive zones
(ESZ) of a minimum one kilometre around protected forests,
national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country.
• Issue: However, the Centre and several States, including
Kerala, had returned to the apex court seeking modification
of the June 2022 judgment, saying the judicial direction
affected hundreds of villages in the peripheries of forests.
• Apex court’s opinion:
 Agreeing, the court said “the purpose of declaring ESZs is
not to hamper the day-to-day activities of the citizens. If the
direction as issued is continued, it would certainly hamper
the day-to-day activities of the citizens residing in ESZs.
As such, we find that the direction needs to be modified”.
Modified judgment:
 SC Bench reasoned that ESZ cannot be uniform across the
country and has to be “protected area-specific”.
 The court said a stringent observance of the June 2022
judgment would cause more harm than good. For one,
man-animal conflict would only increase rather than abate.
Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ)
• The Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) are areas in India notified
by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoEFCC), GoI around Protected Areas, National Park and
Wildlife sanctuaries.
• Range:
 All identified areas around Protected Areas and wildlife
corridors to be declared as ecologically fragile under
the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (National Wildlife
Action Plan, 2002-2016).
 Eco-sensitive zones could go up to 10 Kms around
Protected Areas.

 In cases where sensitive corridors, connectivity and
ecologically important patches, crucial for landscape
linkage, are even beyond 10 Kms width.
 Further, Eco-sensitive zones may not be uniform all around
and it could be variable in width and extent.
• Prohibited activities: Activities like industries that cause
pollution Commercial mining, saw mills, establishment of
major hydroelectric projects (HEP), commercial use of
wood, Tourism, discharge of effluents or any solid waste or
production of hazardous substances are all prohibited.
• Regulated activities: Activities like felling of trees,
establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of
natural water, erection of electrical cables, drastic change
of agriculture system, e.g. adoption of heavy technology,
pesticides etc., widening of roads.
• Permitted activities: Activities like ongoing agricultural
or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, organic
farming, use of renewable energy sources, adoption of green
technology for all activities are permitted.
Significance of Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ)
• Conservation: ESZs help in in-situ conservation, which deals
with conservation of an endangered species in its natural habitat.
 For example, the conservation of the One-horned Rhino of
Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
 They minimize forest depletion and man-animal conflict.
• Buffer zone:
 The protected areas are based on the core and buffer
model of management, through which local area
communities are also protected and benefitted.
 ESZs are created as “shock absorbers” for the protected
areas, to minimize the negative impact on the “fragile
ecosystems” by certain human activities taking place nearby.
 These areas are meant to act as a transition zone from
areas requiring higher protection to those requiring lesser
protection.
• Mitigating climate change: Biodiversity and climate change
are interconnected. Creation of SEZs may help in reducing
the rise in temperature.
• Significance of Recent Judgment:
 It can lead to more sustainable development.
 Tribal rights will also be protected with the recent judgment
i.e., their culture, diversity etc will be preserved.
Criticisms
• Doubts on the methods used:
 The order is criticised for not using a scientific basis for
the declaration.
 According to experts, an ESZ should only be declared
evolved through participatory planning exercises.
In-Shorts | Environment Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Settlements around protected areas: One km area around
PA is likely to have low-income housing colonies, historical
monuments and livelihood use areas like river floodplains. In
the case of Kerala, there is a high density of human population
near the notified protected areas.
• Topographical differences:
 There are several habitat types like mountains, grasslands,
forests, oceans. But the order does not mention that.
 In case of Sundarbans, the whole area is eco-sensitive.
It is difficult to enforce a 1 km boundary in marine space
that is interconnected.
 The destruction of nature in the name of development
cannot be allowed to continue.
Way Ahead
• The declaration of protected areas should be a participatory
planning process. The Centre needs to come up with a plan
to incentivise farmers for sticking to green practices in Eco-
Sensitive Zones (ESZs).
• Communities living around Protected Areas in several states
should promote the conservation of ESZs.
PROTECTED AREAS OF INDIA
• Protected areas are those in which human occupation or at
least the exploitation of resources is limited.
• The definition that has been widely accepted across
regional and global frameworks has been provided by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its
categorization guidelines for protected areas.
• There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by
level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each
country or the regulations of the international organisations
involved.
• The term "protected area" also includes:
 Marine Protected Areas, the boundaries of which will
include some area of ocean, and
 Transboundary Protected Areas that overlap multiple
countries which remove the borders inside the area for
conservation and economic purposes.
ASIATIC LION
After Cyclone Biporjoy made a landfall near the port of Jakhau
in Kutch, conservationists were worried about the Asiatic lions
of the Gir forest.
Asiatic Lion:
• Scientific Name: Panthera leo persica.
• Status: Listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972,
in Appendix I of CITES and as Endangered on IUCN Red List.
87
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Environment
Edition: June 2023
• Asiatic vs African Lions: Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than
African lions. Asiatic lions have a longitudinal fold of skin
running along its belly.
Habitat And Distribution:
• Asiatic lions were once distributed upto the state of West
Bengal in east and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, in central India.
• At present, there are nearly 700 lions in the Asiatic Lion
Landscape (ALL) spread across the Gir-Somnath, Amreli,
Junagadh and Bhavnagar districts of Gujarat’s Saurashtra
region.
• The area is the last bastion of the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo
leo) in the world.
• The Gujarat government is trying to declare areas within the
ALL, such as the Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, as new homes for
the animals.
• Habitat: They prefer compact tract of dry deciduous forest and
open grassy scrublands in southwestern part of Saurashtra
region of Gujarat.
Translocation to Kuno National Park (KNP):
• Conservationists have always warned of the dangers of
having all the lions in one place. Any epidemic or natural
disaster can wipe off the entire population.
• The spectre of such a wipe-out hung over the lions during
2018 when an epidemic of babesiosis swept Gir. It repeated
next year when Cyclone Tauktae hit Saurashtra.
• Repeated attempts to transfer the lions to the Kuno National
Park (KNP) have been thwarted in the past three decades by
the Gujarat government. Instead, KNP is now home to African
cheetahs brought from Namibia and South Africa.
• The Supreme Court had directed in 2013 that Asiatic lions be
shifted from Gujarat’s Gir forest to Madhya Pradesh’s KNP.
GREAT INDIAN BUSTARDS (GIB)
After Cyclone Biporjoy made a landfall near the port of Jakhau
in Kutch, Conservationists were worried about the 4 Great
Indian Bustards (GIB) of Naliya near Jakhau. All are females
and the last of the GIB population in Gujarat.
About:
• Scientific Name: Ardeotis nigriceps.
• Body features: The body is brownish and the wings are
marked with black, brown and grey.
• Black crown: Black crown on the forehead contrasting with the
pale neck and head. Males and females generally grow to the
same height and weight but males have larger black crowns
and a black band across the breast.
88
• Habitat: Bustards generally favour flat open landscapes with
minimal visual obstruction and disturbance, therefore adapt
well in grasslands. They avoid grasses taller than themselves
and dense scrub like thickets.
• Population: 200 individuals worldwide.
Distribution:
• Historically, the great Indian bustard was distributed
throughout Western India, spanning 11 states, as well as
parts of Pakistan.
• Its stronghold was once the Thar desert in the north-west and
the Deccan plateau of the peninsula.
• Today, its population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and
Gujarat.
• Small population occur in Maharashtra, Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh.
Status: Listed in
• Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972,
• Schedule I of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS),
also known as the Bonn Convention
• Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as
the Washington Convention)
• Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List
Conservation:
• Identified for conservation efforts under the component
‘Species Recovery Programme’ of the Centrally Sponsored
Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitats.
• A satellite conservation breeding facility has been established
at Sam, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
VACTIPELTA BARRETTI
Researchers have identified a new species of dinosaur from the
Fossilised remains found on the Isle of Wight, just off England's
south coast.
About:
• Name: Named Vactipelta barretti, after Professor Paul Barrett,
the head of fossil vertebrates at the Natural History Museum
(NHM).
• Genus: Polacanthus foxii.
• Family: It is part of the wider Ankylosaur family, the plant-
eating dinosaurs.
• Features: The fossil with blade-like spikes for armour is the
first armoured dinosaur species to be discovered in the area
in 142 years.
In-Shorts | Environment Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

89
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Environment
Edition: June 2023

90
In-Shorts | Environment Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

91
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Science & Technology
Edition: June 2023
SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY
USE OF AI AGAINST SUPERBUGS
In a major breakthrough for the use of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) in the field of medicine, scientists have
found a new antibiotic – powerful enough to kill a
superbug – using AI.
What are Superbugs?
• Superbugs are bacteria that are resistant to several types of
antibiotics; they can be fungi as well.
• This happens when bacteria change over time and become
resistant to drugs that are supposed to defeat them and cure
the infections they cause.
• Such resistance directly caused 1.27 million deaths worldwide
in 2019.
Antibiotics
• Antibiotics are medications that destroy or slow down the
growth of bacteria. Doctors prescribe them to treat bacterial
infections. They do this by killing bacteria and preventing
them from multiplying.
• Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first natural
antibiotic, in 1928.
• Antibiotics cannot fight viral infections.
How did researchers use AI to find antibiotics against
Superbug?
• Using Algorithms: Narrowing down the right antibacterial
chemicals against bacteria can be a long, difficult process.
The concept of AI is based on the process of machines
being given large amounts of data and training themselves on
identifying patterns and solutions based on them.
 Researchers first exposed A. baumannii grown in a lab
dish to about 7,500 different chemical compounds, to see
which ones could help pause the growth of the bacterium.
Then they fed the structure of each molecule into the
machine-learning model.
 They also told the model whether each structure could
prevent bacterial growth or not. This allowed the algorithm
to learn chemical features associated with growth inhibition.
• Analysis of Yielded Result: Once the model was trained, the
researchers used it to analyse a set of 6,680 compounds.
This analysis took less than two hours and yielded a few
hundred results.
92
 Of these, the researchers chose 240 to test experimentally
in the lab, focusing on compounds with structures that
were different from those of existing antibiotics.
• Discovery of Abaucin: Those tests yielded nine antibiotics,
including one that was very potent and effective at killing
Acinetobacter baumannii. This has been named abaucin.
Acinetobacter baumannii:
• In 2017, the bacterium was identified by the World Health
Organization (WHO) as one of the world’s most dangerous
antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
• A. baumannii is difficult to eradicate and can cause
pneumonia, meningitis and infected wounds, all of which can
lead to death.
• A. baumanni is usually found in hospital settings, where it can
survive on surfaces for long periods.
Antibiotics Resistance
• Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response
to the use of antibiotics. This ultimately threatens the ability of
medicines to treat common infectious diseases.
• Bacteria, not humans or animals, become antibiotic-resistant.
These bacteria may infect humans and animals, and the
infections they cause are harder to treat than those caused by
non-resistant bacteria.
• Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics
in humans and animals is accelerating the process.
Concerns Associated with Antibiotics Resistance
• Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global
health, food security, and development today.
• A growing number of infections - such as pneumonia,
tuberculosis, gonorrhoea, and salmonellosis - are becoming
harder to treat as the antibiotics used to treat them become
less effective.
• The resistance to a powerful class of antibiotics called
carbapenems - it defeats a number of pathogens - had risen
by up to 10% in just one year alone.
• Things are so worrying that only 43% of the pneumonia
infections caused by one pathogen in India could be treated
with the first line of antibiotics in 2021, down from 65% in
2016.
• Antibiotic resistance leads to higher medical costs, prolonged
hospital stays, and increased mortality.
 In-Shorts | Science & Technology
Why is the Resistance on rise?
• Inappropriate prescription of antibiotics is driving up the
incidence of antibiotic resistance.
 Sometimes prescriptions of the wrong medication — or the
wrong dosage — can lead to antibiotic misuse.
• During the chaotic treatment of Covid-19, patients were treated
with antibiotics which resulted in more adverse effects.
• Misuse can also occur when people do not take antibiotics as
their doctor prescribes.
• A widespread lack of knowledge about antibiotics means that
most patients - rural and urban - are not aware of antibiotic
resistance. Even the rich and educated take antibiotics if they
fall ill or pressure doctors to prescribe antibiotics.
Preventive Measures
• Some measures people can take include finishing the
treatment course and not sharing antibiotic medications with
others— even if they have the same symptoms.
• Only using antibiotics when necessary: Most doctors only
prescribe antibiotics if the person cannot do without them.
• Using the shortest effective treatment: While it is vital to take all
the antibiotics that a doctor prescribes, exactly as instructed,
the doctor will prescribe the shortest possible course.
• Not using antibiotics for viral infections: Antibiotics have no
effect on illnesses caused by viruses, such as the flu, and
using antibiotics incorrectly in this way can contribute to drug
resistance.
• Experts believe India needs to invest more in and beef
up diagnostic labs, produce more infectious diseases
physicians, reduce hospital infections and train doctors
on usage of antibiotics based on tests to tackle the rising
threat of superbugs. Otherwise, resistance to antibiotics has
the potential of taking the form of a pandemic in near future.
BETELGEUSE STAR
Researchers from Japan and Switzerland recently reported
that the Betelgeuse star is in its late carbon-burning stage.
About
• Betelgeuse is classified as a red supergiant, the largest type
of star. It is more than 10 times the mass of sun. If it resided
at the center of solar system, its surface would extend to the
planet Jupiter.
• At roughly 10 million years old, Betelgeuse is much younger
than nearly 5-billion-year-old Sun. But while it is much
younger, it is also much more massive and will burn through
its materials faster and will therefore have a shorter lifespan
than a star like the Sun.
• Betelgeuse is about 640 light-years away. This means that it
Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
takes the light from this star 641 years to reach Earth, so if
you see Betelgeuse in the night sky, you’re seeing the star
from 640 years ago.
• Betelgeuse is particularly easy to spot because of its
brightness; it is often the tenth-brightest star in the sky.
• It is called ‘Thiruvathirai’ or ‘Ardra’ in Indian astronomy, and is
easily spotted in the constellation Orion.
Burning Stages of Star
• Betelgeuse’s observed pulsation matches theoretical
estimates from a late carbon-burning stage, suggesting the
red supergiant is in its death throes.
• In massive stars like Betelgeuse, the carbon-burning stage
lasts only up to a few hundreds of years, after which the star
‘dies’ and collapses into a supernova within a few months.
• Most stars, including the Sun, fuse hydrogen, to produce
helium and some energy as a byproduct. This energy’s
outward push balances gravity’s inward pull, and keeps the
star from collapsing.
• Massive stars like Betelgeuse run out of hydrogen fuel in only
a few crore years, when they switch to using helium to make
carbon. The energy released in the fusion of helium is less
than that of hydrogen, so the star burns more helium to stay
stable. The helium runs out in about ten lakh years.
• At this time, red giants like Betelgeuse burn carbon, then
silicon, and briskly consume one by one the elements of the
periodic table, until finally their core brims with iron – whose
fusion requires more energy than it releases – and some
cobalt and nickel.
• Each of these stages is shorter than the predecessor. In a
star like Betelgeuse, carbon burns in a few hundred years
whereas silicon lasts about a day. So the late-carbon stage is
the terminal phase of Betelgeuse
Reason for the Changing Brightness of the Star
• Red giant stars expand and contract due to the periodic heating
and cooling of the hydrogen in their outermost layers.
• As this process repeats itself, the star appears to a distant
observer to dim and brighten at regular intervals.
DISEASE X
After announcing that that COVID-19 was no longer a global
health emergency, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned
that “Disease X” can lead to an “even deadlier” pandemic.
About:
• Disease X is not real yet and has not been identified in any
human beings.
• It represent a hypothetical, unknown pathogen that could
cause a future epidemic.
93
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Science & Technology
Edition: June 2023
• The name was adopted by the WHO in 2018 on their shortlist
of blueprint priority diseases to ensure that their planning was
sufficiently flexible to adapt to an unknown pathogen.
• Disease X could also be zoonotic meaning that it could be
caused by germs jumping from animals to humans.
Priority List
• Apart from Disease X, Covid-19, Crimean-Congo
haemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus disease, Marburg virus
disease, Lassa fever, MERS-CoV and SARS, Nipah and
henipaviral diseases, Rift Valley fever and Zika are other
diseases on WHO’s priority diseases list.
STATE FOOD SAFETY INDEX (SFSI)
On the occasion of 5th World Food Safety Day (7th June),
Union Health Minister released the 5th State Food Safety
Index (SFSI) 2022-23.
About:
• Background: It was launched in 2018-19 by the Food Safety
and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
• Objective: The SFSI aims to foster healthy competition among
the states/UTs and catalyze positive change in the food
safety ecosystem throughout the country.
• Methodology: The index evaluates the performance of states/
UTs across six different aspects of food safety –
 Human Resources and Institutional Data (weightage –
18%)
 Compliance (weightage – 28 %)
 Food Testing Infrastructure (weightage – 18 %)
 Training And Capacity Building (weightage – 8%)
 Consumer Empowerment And FSSAI Initiatives (weightage
– 18 %)
 Improvement in Rank of States/UTs from State Food
Safety 2021-2022 (weightage – 10%)
• For the year 2022-23, following are the Toppers among the –
 Larger States: Kerala followed by Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
 Smaller States: Goa followed by Manipur and Sikkim.
 UTs: J&K followed by Delhi and Chandigarh.
World Food Safety Day
• June 7 every year is observed as World Food Safety Day to
throw light on the issue of food safety standards.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and
Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) jointly
enable the celebration of this day.
• Theme for 2023: “Food standards save lives”
• Background:
 The Codex Alimentarius Commission, in 2016, proposed to
94
proclaim a World Food Safety Day within the framework of
the United Nations.
 On 20 December 2018 the United Nations General
Assembly adopted resolution 73/250 proclaiming June 7
as World Food Safety Day.
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION (CAC)
• It is an intergovernmental food standards body, set up in
1963.
• CAC was established jointly by the UN’s Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health
Organisation (WHO), within the framework of the Joint Food
Standards Programme.
• Objective: To protect consumer’s health and ensure fair
practices in the food trade.
• Members: It has 189 Codex Members made up of 188
Member Countries and 1 Member Organization (The
European Union).
 India became a member in 1964.
 Timor-Leste is the latest country to join it in 2018.
• Session: The Commission meets in regular session once a
year alternating between Geneva and Rome.
ASSISTANCE TO MEDICAL DEVICE CLUSTERS
FOR COMMON FACILITIES SCHEME
The Centre has announced a new initiative, dubbed the
“Assistance to Medical Device Clusters for Common Facilities”
scheme.
Scheme
• The scheme plans the establishment of additional quality
testing labs, the development of shared infrastructure
facilities, and the provision of financial aid to manufacturers.
• Guidelines for the scheme were issued by the Department
of Pharmaceutical against the backdrop of the recently
launched National Medical Devices Policy.
• The scheme will run from 2023-24 to 2026-27.
Indian medical device industry
• Indian medical device industry is currently the 4th largest Asian
medical devices market after Japan, China and South Korea.
• It is estimated at $11 billion and has the potential to reach
$50 billion by 2030.
PLI SCHEME 2.0 FOR IT HARDWARE
The Union Cabinet approved the Production Linked Incentive
(PLI) Scheme 2.0 for IT Hardware.
 In-Shorts | Science & Technology
About
• The PLI scheme for IT hardware, first notified in 2021, provides
upwards of 4% in incentives for incremental investment in
domestic manufacturing for eligible firms.
• PLI Scheme 2.0 for IT hardware covers laptops, tablets, all-
in-one PCs, servers and ultra small form factor devices
• The budgetary outlay of the scheme is Rs. 17,000 crore
• The tenure of this scheme is 6 years
Expected Benefits of this scheme are
• Incremental production of Rs. 3.35 Lakh crore
• Incremental investment of Rs. 2,430 crore
• Incremental direct employment of 75,000
Electronics manufacturing Sector
• Electronics manufacturing in India has witnessed consistent
growth with 17% CAGR in last 8 years. This year it crossed
105 billion USD (about Rs 9 lakh crore) in production.
• India has become the world’s second largest manufacturer of
mobile phones.
75/25 INITIATIVE (HYPERTENSION)
To mark the World Hypertension Day (May 17), the Union
Health Ministry has launched the 75/25 initiative and the
Shashakt Portal.
About
• Under the 75/25 initiative, the Union Health Ministry aims at
screening and putting 75 million people with hypertension
and diabetes on standard care by 2025.
• The Shashakt Portal has been launched for training of 40,000
Primary Health Care Medical Officers on Standard Treatment
Workflow for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
NP-NCD:
• The Revised operational guidelines of National Programme for
Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-
NCD) were also released with the aim of much wider coverage.
• The programme is now providing services for Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Asthma,
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and Non-Alcoholic Fatty
Liver Diseases NAFLD), ST Elevation of Myocardial Infarction
(STEMI) apart from Hypertension, Diabetes and three
common Cancers including Oral, Breast and Cervical.
Hypertension
• Blood pressure is written as two numbers.
 The first (systolic) number represents the pressure in blood
vessels when the heart contracts or beats.
Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
 The second (diastolic) number represents the pressure in
the vessels when the heart rests between beats.
• Hypertension is diagnosed if, when it is measured on two
different days, the systolic blood pressure readings on both
days is ≥140 mmHg and/or the diastolic blood pressure
readings on both days is ≥90 mmHg.
• Risk factors: Things that increase the risk of having high blood
pressure include: older age, genetics, being overweight or
obese, not being physically active, high-salt diet and drinking
too much alcohol.
• Prevention & Treatment: It is common but can be serious if
not treated. Lifestyle changes like eating a healthier diet,
quitting tobacco and being more active can help lower blood
pressure. Some people may still need to take medicines.
EU’S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ACT
The European Parliament reached a preliminary deal on
a new draft of the European Union’s ambitious Artificial
Intelligence Act.
Provisions of the Act
• Aims:
 Bringing transparency, trust, and accountability to AI and
creating a framework to mitigate risks to the safety, health,
fundamental rights, and democratic values of the EU.
 Strike a balance between promoting “the uptake of AI
while mitigating or preventing harms associated with
certain uses of the technology”.
• Provisions:
 Act defines AI as “software that is developed with one or
more of the techniques that can, for a given set of human-
defined objectives, generate outputs such as content,
predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing
the environments they interact with. It identifies AI tools
based on machine learning and deep learning, knowledge
and logic-based approaches and statistical approaches.
 There are four risk categories in the Act— unacceptable,
high, limited and minimal.
 The Act prohibits using technologies in the unacceptable
risk category with little exception. These include the use
of real-time facial and biometric identification systems in
public spaces.
 The Act lays substantial focus on AI in the high-risk
category, prescribing a number of pre-and post-market
requirements for developers and users of such systems.
it includes AI used in healthcare, education, employment
etc. ‘conformity assessments’ is mandatory for high-
risk AI before coming to market. It also comply with
mandatory post-market monitoring obligations such as
95
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Science & Technology
Edition: June 2023
logging performance data and maintaining continuous
compliance.
 AI systems in the limited and minimal risk category such
as spam filters or video games can be used with a few
requirements like transparency obligations.
 Generative AI such as the language model-based
ChatGPT will have to disclose any copyrighted material
used to develop their systems.
 EU’s regulatory framework proposal states that “as AI
is a fast-evolving technology, the proposal has a future-
proof approach, allowing rules to adapt to technological
change”.
Global AI regulations
• USA'S AI Bill of Rights (AIBoR) as a guidance or a handbook
rather than a binding legislation.
• China regulations targeting specific types of algorithms
and AI. It told companies to “promote positive energy”, to
not “endanger national security or the social public interest”
and to “give an explanation” when they harm the legitimate
interests of users.
• India: NITI Aayog has published a series of papers on the
subject of Responsible AI for All. However, the government
is not considering bringing a law or regulating the growth of
artificial intelligence in the country."
Need of AI Regulation
• Omnipresence: AI is capable of performing a wide variety
of tasks including voice assistance, recommending music,
driving cars, detecting cancer etc.
• Black Box: Many AI tools are essentially black boxes, meaning
even those who design them cannot explain what goes on
inside them to generate a particular output.
• Complex and unexplainable AI tools have already manifested
in wrongful arrests E.g. GPT-4 can generate versatile, human-
competitive and genuine looking content, which may be
inaccurate and use copyrighted material created by others.
• Industry stakeholders including Twitter CEO Elon Musk and
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak signed an open letter
asking AI labs to stop the training of AI models more powerful
than GPT-4 for six months, citing potential risks to society and
humanity.
Challenges in AI regulation
• Lack of understanding: AI is a complex and rapidly evolving
technology, which makes it difficult for regulators to fully
understand its capabilities and potential risks. Sometimes
it is often not possible for even developers to explain the
functioning of algorithms.
96
• Privacy and security: AI systems can collect, store, and
analyze vast amounts of personal data, raising concerns
about privacy and security. Companies are criticizing
transparency requirements, fearing that it could mean
divulging trade secrets.
• Accountability: It can be challenging to hold individuals or
organizations accountable for the actions of AI systems,
particularly if the systems are autonomous and evolving.
• International coordination: AI is a global technology, which
means that regulation must be coordinated across borders to
be effective. However, different countries may have different
regulatory approaches and priorities.
Way Forward for AI Regulation
• Compliance: Compliance is at the heart of policy
implementation. Policymakers should consider how the
regulations and the implementation machinery could be
adjusted to lower costs and barriers to innovation without
adversely impacting safety or public good.
• Multi-stakeholder approach: AI can be a major driver of
economic growth and social progress if industry, civil
society, government, and the public work together to support
development of the technology and implement checks and
balances to ensure accountability.
• International cooperation: In the context of various interrelated
technological applications, and the cross-border reach of AI
technology, international engagement and cooperation, and
regulatory harmonization are crucial.
SEEDS IN SPACE
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had sent two varieties of
seeds, arabidopsis and sorghum to space.
About
• This is the first feasibility study by these organisations to
determine the effect of cosmic radiation, microgravity and
extreme temperatures on plant genomes and biology.
Impacts
• Increased radiation creates genetic changes in plant seeds
that would make them adaptable to harsh environmental
conditions like greater temperatures, arid soils, diseases and
rising sea levels. This adaptation process is known as space
mutagenesis.
Significance of the Cosmic Experiment
• The experiment aims to develop new crops that can adapt to
climate change and help boost global food security.
 In-Shorts | Science & Technology
• With the population reaching almost 10 billion by 2050, there's
a clear need for innovative solutions aimed at producing more
food, as well as crops that are more resilient and farming
methods that are more sustainable.
• Global warming is making it difficult for farmers to sustain
yields. The rising costs for essential grains and political
instability have been aggravating it.
About Sorghum & Arabidopsis
• Sorghum: Sorghum belongs to the family of millets and is a
drought- and heat-tolerant grain grown in many developing
countries for food.
• Arabidopsis: It is a small flowering plant that belongs to the
mustard family (Brassicaceae).
 It is widely used as a model organism in plant biology
research due to its small size, rapid life cycle, and easily
manipulable genetics.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
• Established on 29th July 1957, independent of the UN but the
agency reports to the UN General Assembly and the Security
Council.
• It is entrusted with the task of upholding the principles of the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 1970. India is not a signatory
to the treaty.
SHENZHOU-16 (TIANGONG SPACE STATION)
China launched a spacecraft carrying three astronauts,
including its first civilian, to its Tiangong space station.
About
• So far, China has been sending astronauts chosen from its
People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
• China was the third country to put humans in orbit after USA
and Russia.
• The spacecraft, the Shenzhou-16, was launched atop a Long
March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in
the Gobi Desert in northwest China.
Tiangong space station
• Tiangong is a permanently crewed space station.
• It is operated by China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
• It operates in low Earth orbit between 340 and 450 km above
the surface.
• Its first module entered orbit in 2021 and two more modules
were added to it in the following years.
• It is expected to become the sole in-orbit outpost for scientific
research after the end of operations for the International
Space Station in 2030.
Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
HYPERSPECTRAL REMOTE SENSING
TECHNOLOGY
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare recently
signed a MOU with Pixxel Space India Pvt. Limited to develop
various geospatial solutions for the Indian Agriculture
Ecosystem using Pixxel’s hyperspectral dataset.
About:
• The project focuses on leveraging sample hyperspectral data
from Pixels path finder satellites to develop analytics models
focused on crop mapping, crop stage discrimination, crop
health monitoring, and soil organic carbon assessments.
• This will enable the Government to develop use cases with
hyperspectral data provided by Pixel. MNCFC on behalf of
the DA&FW will associate with Pixel team for developing and
implementing the suitable methodologies.
MAHALANOBIS NATIONAL CROP FORECAST CENTRE (MNCFC)
• Named after great Indian Statistician P. C. Mahalanobis,
was established in 2012 to operationalize the use of space
and related technology for better agricultural forecasting
and drought assessment.
• It comes under the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation
& Farmers welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers
Welfare.
What is Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Technology?
• Hyperspectral remote sensing, also known as imaging
spectroscopy, is currently being used by researchers and
scientists with regard to the detection and identification of
minerals, terrestrial vegetation, and man-made materials and
backgrounds.
• With advancing technology, imaging spectroscopy has
begun to focus on the Earth. The concept of hyperspectral
remote sensing began in the mid-80's and to this point has
been used most widely by geologists for the mapping of
minerals.
• Actual detection of materials is dependent on the spectral
coverage, spectral resolution, and signal-to-noise of the
spectrometer, the abundance of the material and the strength
of absorption features for that material in the wavelength
region measured.
• Applications in Agriculture: This is an emerging technology
with unique capabilities for monitoring agriculture. Crop
health monitoring by detecting the changes in chlorophyll
content and canopy moisture status, using hyperspectral
data would be beneficial to find crop risk management
solutions to farmers.
97
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Geography
Edition: June 2023

GEOGRAPHY

MEKEDATU DAM PROJECT • Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly reactive and flammable.
• Lithium has several industrial applications, including heat-
Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar urged the
resistant glass and ceramics, lithium metal batteries, and
Tamil Nadu government to support the construction of the
lithium-ion batteries.
Mekedatu balancing reservoir near Kanakapura.

About:
• Mekedatu means 'goat's leap' in Kannada. Mekedatu is a
location along Kaveri in the border of Chamarajanagar and
Ramanagara Districts. From this point, about 3.5 kilometers
downstream, the river Kaveri flows through a deep and
narrow gorge.
• The Mekedatu dam project involves constructing a reservoir
near Kanakapura to provide drinking water to Bengaluru and
neighboring areas while generating 400 MW of power.

Debate on this Project:

• View of Karnataka: The project will benefit both states as
surplus water can be shared during times of distress without
impacting Tamil Nadu's water allocation.
• View of Tamil Nadu: The project will impound and divert
uncontrolled water flow from various sub-basins, including
the Kabini, Simsha, Arkavathy, and Suvarnavathi, affecting
its water availability.

LITHIUM TRIANGLE
The Lithium Triangle is a region of the Andes that is rich in
lithium reserves, encompassed by the borders of Argentina,
Bolivia, and Chile.
Indian Scenario:
• Recently, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) discovered
About:
India's first lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The lithium in the triangle is concentrated in various salt pans
• The GSI also found another reserve of Lithium in Degana in
that exist along the Atacama Desert and neighboring arid
Rajasthan's Nagaur district. The British discovered tungsten
areas, the largest areas including
in 1914 on Revant hill in Degana, where the lithium reserves
 Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia,
have been found.
 Salar de Atacama in Chile, and
• Currently, India is import-dependent for several minerals like
 Salar del Hombre Muerto in Argentina.
lithium, nickel and cobalt.
Lithium:
• Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic SHANAN POWER PROJECT
number 3.
Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are set for a face-off as the 99-
• It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal.
year lease on the Shanan hydropower project will expire in
• Under standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the March 2024. Presently, it is under the control of the Punjab.
least dense solid element.

98

About:
• The 110 MW Shanan power project was envisaged by
Col. Battye, the then chief engineer of the Government of
Punjab, in 1922. The first stage (48 MW) of the project was
commissioned in 1932.
• It is situated at Jogindernagar in the Mandi district of Himachal
Pradesh.
• Timeline: It was constructed following the execution of the
lease agreement in 1925.
 It was allocated to the State of Punjab in accordance with
the provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, of 1966.
Under the Act, the Shanan project was allocated to Punjab
State by the Ministry of Irrigation and Power, Government
of India.
 In 1972, the Centre responded with a clarification to an
objection raised by Himachal Pradesh, reaffirming the
allotment of the project in favour of Punjab State
• Stand of stakeholders:
 Himachal Pradesh: It wants the project handed over to the
State on the expiry of the lease period.
 Punjab: It is in no mood to part with its prized project, and
is prepared to take legal recourse to retain it.
CYCLONE’S EFFECT ON MONSOON ONSET
Biparjoy, a very severe cyclonic storm that has developed
in the Arabian Sea, is likely to affect the progress of the
monsoon season.
What is Monsoon?
• A monsoon is a seasonal change in the direction of the
prevailing, or strongest, winds of a region. Monsoons cause
wet and dry seasons throughout much of the tropics.
• Monsoons always blow from cold to warm regions. The summer
monsoon and the winter monsoon determine the climate for
most of India and Southeast Asia.
Factors Affecting the Monsoon:
• Mascarene High: The southwest monsoon derives its name
from winds which blow from a south-westerly direction in
the Indian subcontinent. These come from a powerhouse
located more than 4,000 kilometres from India known as
the Mascarene High. This high-pressure region is located
between 25°S-35°S and 40°E-90°E near the Mascarene
Islands in the southern Indian Ocean.
 A stronger high pressure will produce stronger winds or
monsoon current. If there is a delay in the formation of
Mascarene High, there is also the possibility of a delay in
the onset of monsoon in India.
In-Shorts | Geography Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• Coriolis Force: Coriolis Force is a pseudo force which exists
only because of the Earth’s rotational effect. Rotational motion
observed in a tropical cyclone is also due to this force.
 Hence, these monsoon winds get deflected eastwards
and now they blow from south-west to the north-east
direction. They split into two branches—the Arabian Sea
branch and the Bay of Bengal branch.
• Differential Heating: A mechanism is needed to attract the
monsoon winds from the Arabian Sea or the Bay of Bengal.
Winds flow from high pressure to low pressure areas.
 The Himalayan range plays a vital role in summer heating
by restricting the intrusion of cold air from the north and
allowing heating to occur.
 It is during this season that the land of India, particularly
Rajasthan and surrounding areas (Gujarat and also
Pakistan) heat up extensively.
 The seas surrounding the country also see a temperature
rise. As a result of the differential heating rates and
capacities of air over the sea and the land, we observe
a gradient between air pressure over the sea and that over
India (especially Rajasthan).
 The air pressure over India is lower than that over the
southern part of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. This
acts as an attractor mechanism for the monsoon winds.
• El Nino Southern Oscillation: El Nino Southern Oscillation
(ENSO) refers to the oscillatory mode of the sea surface
temperatures near the equatorial Pacific Ocean in which a
warming (El Nino or cooling (La Nina) or neutrality is observed.
 Due to its mostly unpredictable nature, ENSO has been a
big challenge for forecasters for a long time. Even trusted
models have failed many times.
 ENSO has been a driver of global weather (particularly
in countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean) as it affects
atmospheric circulation.
• Indian Ocean Dipole: In 1999, N H Saji of Japan’s University
of Aizu and others discovered an ENSO-like phenomenon in
the Indian Ocean which they named the Indian Ocean Dipole
(IOD).
 Like ENSO, IOD also has three phases—positive, negative
and neutral. During the positive phase of IOD, sea surface
temperatures are warmer in the western Indian Ocean
(which gives a boost to monsoon winds) as compared to
the eastern Indian Ocean—hence a dipole nature.
 The reverse happens during IOD negative and no gradient
is observed during the IOD neutral period.
 It has been observed that during the period of positive
IOD, the Indian summer monsoon rainfall is considerably
good as compared to the negative IOD period. Despite
1994 and 2006 being El Nino years, India did not witness
drough as IOD was significantly positive.
99
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Geography
Edition: June 2023

100
In-Shorts | Geography Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

101
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Geography

PLACES IN  
Edition: June 2023

KISHTWAR NATIONAL PARK (J&K)

• Rinnay river, main divide of Great Himalaya and
Marwah river bound this park.
• The presence of snow leopards has been recently
confirmed here.

CHENAB RIVER
• Chenab is a tributary of Indus river. It is formed
by the confluence of Chandra and Bhaga rivers
in Lahaul & Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.
• India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge is
built over Anji river, a tributary of Chenab.

TUNGNATH TEMPLE (UTTARAKHAND)

• It is the highest Shiva temple in range near the
the world. into the Bay of Bengal at Sunderban Delta.
• It is believed that Adi Sankacharya Dhansari.
discovered this temple.

BANDHAVGARH TIGER RESERVE

(MADHYA PRADESH)
• The Park is spread over the Vindhya hills in the
eastern part of the state.
• It is famous for Bengal tigers. Recently 18
swamp deer (Barasingha) were released into it
under the second phase of Barasingha
Reintroduction Programme.

NAWEGAON NAGZIRA TIGER RESERVE (MAHARASHTRA)

• The reserve is rich in biodiversity and has linkages with
Kanha, Pench and Tadoba Tiger Reserves.
• The core area of the it comprises of Nawegaon National
Park, Nawegaon Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagzira Wildlife
Sanctuary, New Nagzira W.L.S., Koka Wildlife Sanctuary.

102
 Current Affairs

  NEWS INDIA
In-Shorts | Geography
Edition: June 2023

BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER
• It originates from the Chemayungdung glacier in
Tibet. Here it is known as Yarlung Tsangpo. Then it
takes a U-turn near Namcha Barwa and enters India.
• It empties into the Bay of Bengal at Sunderban Delta.
• Tributaries: Dibang, Lohit, Siang, Burhi Dihing, Tista,
and Dhansiri.

TIPAIMUKH DAM (MANIPUR)

• It is a proposed embankment dam on the
river Barak. The River rises in Manipur hills
and flow through, Nagaland, Mizoram and
Assam before entering Bangladesh.
• Tributaries: Katakhal, Jiri, Chiri, Modhura,
Longai, Sonai, Rukni and Singla.

SANTINIKETAN (WEST BENGAL)

• It is a cultural and heritage place built by Debendranath Tagore.
• Rabindranath Tagore composed many of his literary works here.

SIMILIPAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE (ODISHA)

• It is also a national park and a tiger reserve. It is home to melanistic
tigers, found only in Odisha.
• It is recognized internationally under UNESCO’s MAB programme.
• It derives its name from ‘Simul’ (silk cotton) tree.

SATKOSIA TIGER RESERVE (ODISHA)

• Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Sanctuary together
have been notified as Satkosia Tiger Reserve in 2007.
• River Mahandi passes this tiger reserve. The area is also a part
of the Mahanadi elephant reserve.

103
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Culture & History
Edition: June 2023
CULTURE & HISTORY
INDIAN YELLOW
Van Gogh 360° exhibition was held in Delhi showcasing the
paintings by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh.
About:
• The Starry Night, painted in 1889 by Vincent van Gogh, is
one of the most recognised paintings in the world. A colour
named ‘Indian yellow’ was used by Van Gogh used to paint
the radiant moon in The Starry Night.
• Source: Indian Yellow colour came from the urine of cows
that were given a special diet of mango leaves and water,
occasionally mixed with turmeric, to get a bright yellow urine.
• Production: The urine would be collected in earthen pots and
placed over fire nightlong to attain a more condensed liquid,
which was then strained and hand-pressed into sediment
balls that were further dried in the heat. The piuris reached
Europe through merchants sailing from Kolkata.
• Usage: Indian Yellow was popular across Europe in the 17th
and 18th centuries. The colour was widely used in India since
the 15th century and is seen in traditional Mithila paintings
of Bihar as well as Pahari and Mughal miniatures in the 16th to
19th centuries.
• Ban: Animal cruelty during the process of procuring the colour
eventually led to a ban on its production in the early 1900s.
Mango leaves are known to contain the toxin urushiol, which
would also take a toll on the bovine animal’s health.
DO YOU KNOW?
A yellow pigment called gorocana, also believed to have been
made from cow’s urine, was also used for several rituals in
India and also applied as tilak.
104
VADNAGAR
The Ministry of Culture has announced the redevelopment of
a primary school attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
in Vadnagar.
About:
• Vadnagar is a town and municipality under Mehsana district
of Gujarat state.
• It has been known by names like Anartapura,
Anandapur,Vridhanagar, Chamatkarpur and so on, during
different periods of its history.
• Vadnagar was situated at a strategic location of two major
ancient trade routes: one joining central India with the Sindh
and further northwest regions, while another connected the
port towns on Gujarat’s coast to northern India.
• It is often compared to the historic living cities of Mathura,
Ujjain and Varanasi as cities inhabited since the early historic
period and in the modern day.
• In Dec. 2022, northern Gujarat’s Vadnagar city and the Sun
Temple of Modhera, both part of the Mehsana district, made
it to the Tentative list of the UNESCO World heritage sites.
Vadnagar as a ‘Living City’:
• Vadnagar has often been compared to Varanasi in terms of
both claiming to be “living cities”.
• An unbroken sequence of seven successive cultures going back to
750 BCE has been found and divided into seven periods:
 pre-rampart phase (in 2nd century BCE),
 Rampart phase (2nd century BCE – 1st century CE),
 Kshatrapa phase (1st – 4th century CE),
 post-Kshatrapa phase (5th – 9th/10th century CE),
 Solanki phase (10th – 13th century CE),
 Sultanate-Mughal phase (14th – 17th century CE) and
 Gaekwad phase (17th/18th – 19th century CE).
Cultural Significance:
• The built heritage resource of the Vadnagar includes
historical structures, temples, fortification remains, water
bodies, kothis, residential structures and excavated sites.
• Gates: There are six gates to the town, on the north side Arjun
Bari, Nadiol and Amtol gates on the west, Ghaskol and Pathori
gates on the south and Amarthol gate on the east. All these
gates have niches with sculptures of various deities such as
Mahishasurmardini, Bhairav and Ganesha.
 In-Shorts | Culture & History
• Sharmishtha Lake: This lake covers the north-eastern corner
of the fortified town of Vadnagar, forced to have curvature in
the northern segment of fortification wall.
• Hatkeshwar Temple: Hatkeshwar temple at Vadnagar is
located outside Nadiola gate. Its feature exhibits the Solanki
ornate style. However, some of the feature exhibits post-date
the Solanki period probably to the period following in the 15th
century CE.
• Kirti Torans: Vadnagar has two magnificent glory gates (Kirti-
stambhas) standing outside the fortification wall to the north
of the town. Yellow sandstone without mortar or any other
cementing material is used for building these toranas.
‘PRE-URBAN’ PHASE OF THE HARAPPA
Since 2018, archeologists have discovered 500 graves from
the outskirts of Khatiya village in Gujarat’s Kutch district.
The cemetery, believed to be 5,000 years old, belonged to the
‘pre-urban’ phase of the Harappan civilisation.
Phases:
• The Harappan civilisation is said to have thrived along the
banks of river Indus from around 5,000 BC to 1,000 BC.
• While the 2,500-year-long period from 5,000 BC to 2,600 BC
is known as the ‘pre-urban’ Harappan phase between 2,600
BC and 1,900 BC is the ‘urban’ Harappan phase.
• From there on, the civilisation declines and 1,900 BC to 1,000
BC is considered the ‘post-urban’ Harappan period.
PRE-MAURYAN ERA FINDS IN PURANA QILA
A fresh round of excavations at the site of Delhi’s Purana Qila
(Old Fort) have uncovered evidence of the continuous history
of the city since the pre-Mauryan era.
Excavations of New Site:
• This was the third round of excavations at the site, beginning
from January. Earlier excavations had been carried out in
2013-14 and 2017-18.
• These efforts have revealed nine cultural levels, representing
different historical periods, including pre-Mauryan, Mauryan,
Sunga, Kushana, Gupta, post-Gupta, Rajput, Sultanate, and
Mughal.
• The Findings of New Excavations include:
 shards of Painted Gray Ware pottery which are usually
dated to around 1200 BC to 600 BC,
 remains of a 900-year-old Vaikuntha Vishnu from the
Rajput period,
 a terracotta plaque of Goddess Gaja Lakshmi from the
Gupta period,
Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
 the structural remains of a 2,500-year-old terracotta ring
well from the Mauryan period, and
 a well-defined four-room complex from the Sunga-Kushan
period dating back to 2,300 years ago.
Purana Qila:
• Purana Qila‘ (Old Fort) is one of the oldest forts in Delhi.
• Excavations point to traces from the 3rd century BC, the
pre-Mauryan period. It is believed by many to be the site of
Indraprastha, as mentioned in the Mahabharat.
• The present fort was re-built under the reign of the second
Mughal Emperor Humayun and Sur Emperor Sher Shah Suri.
 The fort was the inner citadel of the city of Din Panah
during Humayun’s rule who renovated it in 1533 and
completed five years later.
 The founder of the Suri Dynasty, Sher Shah Suri, defeated
Humayun in 1540, naming the fort Shergarh; he added
several more structures in the complex during his five-
year reign.
DANCING GIRL (CHANNAPATNA TOYS)
On the occasion of International Museum Day (May 18),
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the International
Museum Expo in Delhi’s Pragati Maidan.
About:
• During the ceremony, PM Modi also unveiled the Expo’s
mascot – a “contemporised” version of the famous Dancing
Girl of Mohenjodaro.
• The traditional craft of Channapatna toys was used to create
this mascot.
Dancing Girl:
• Dancing Girl is a prehistoric bronze sculpture made in lost-
wax casting about c. 2300–1750 BC in the Indus Valley
civilisation city of Mohenjo-daro (in modern-day Pakistan).
• The statue is 10.5 centimetres tall, and depicts a nude
young woman or girl with stylized ornaments, standing in a
confident, naturalistic pose.
• The statue was excavated by British archaeologist Ernest
Mackay in 1926.
• It is now in the National Museum, New Delhi.
Channapatna Toys:
• Channapatna toys are a particular form of wooden toys and
dolls that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna in the
Ramanagara district of Karnataka.
• This traditional craft is protected as a Geographical Indication
(GI).
105
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | On this day in History
On this day in
Edition: June 2023
HISTORY
• 1 June: Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy passed away on June 1,
1996. He was the only President who was elected unopposed.
He served as the sixth president of India, serving from 1977
to 1982. He also served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
between 1 November 1956 – 11 January 1960 and 12 March
1962 – 20 February 1964.
• 2 June: Telangana Formation Day. The state of Telangana
was officially formed after the enactment of the Andhra
Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014. K.C. Rao was elected
as the first chief minister of Telangana. The name "Telangana"
refers to the word Trilinga Desa, earned due to the presence
of three ancient Shiva Temples at Kaleshwaram, Srisailam, and
Draksharamam.
• 3 June: Mountbatten Plan Lord Mountbatten, India's last
Viceroy, put forward his plan that included following
principles: Principle of the partition of British India was
accepted; Successor governments would be given dominion
status; Princely States were given the right to join either
India or Pakistan based on two major factors: Geographical
contiguity and the people's wishes.
• 4 June: Tiananmen Square Protests (June 4, 1989). The
Tiananmen Square protests were suppressed in Beijing,
China by the People's Liberation Army. Estimates of the
death toll vary from several hundred to several thousand.
• 5 June: World Environment Day is celebrated annually.
1972: The UN General Assembly designates 5 June as World
106
Environment Day, marking the first day of the Stockholm
Conference on the Human Environment. 1973: The Day was
celebrated for the first time with the slogan “Only One Earth.”
2023 Theme: #BeatPlasticPollution.
• 6 June: On June 6, 1674, Shivaji was coronated at Raigad Fort
in a grand rajyabhishek ceremony. Surrounded by deep
valleys, the fort is said to be one-of-its-kind in India, and was
known as the ‘Gibraltar of the East’ during British rule.
• 7 June: On this day in 1893, Mahatma Gandhi was evicted
from a train in South Africa’s Pietermaritzburg station
because the compartment he was in was reserved for “whites
only”. His doctrine of Satyagraha subsequently took shape
during Gandhi’s stay in South Africa. The term ‘Satyagraha’ is
derived from ‘satya’ (truth) and ‘agraha’ (insistence or truth-
force) with its practitioners being called Satyagrahis. It was
his newspaper weekly ‘India Opinion’ through which the word
Satyagraha was coined.
• 8 June: On June 8, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting
Service became All India Radio. In April 1930, the Indian
Broadcasting Service, under the Department of Industries
and Labour, commenced its operations on an experimental
basis. Lionel Fielden was appointed the first Controller of
Broadcasting in August 1935. All India Radio is one of the
largest media organisations in the world. With a network of
262 radio stations, AIR today is accessible to almost the entire
population of the country and nearly 92% of the total area.
• 9 June: On June 9, 1900, Birsa Munda died in Ranchi jail.
Birsa Munda (1875-1900) was a tribal freedom fighter, who
belonged to the Munda tribe. He spearheaded a tribal
movement and revolt against the British Raj in the Bengal
Presidency (now Jharkhand) in the late 19th century.
• 10 June: On June 10, 1967 The Six-Day War ended. The
Six-Day War was fought between Israel and a coalition of
Arab states (primarily Egypt, Syria, and Jordan) from 5 to 10
June 1967. Israel won had seized the Gaza Strip, the Sinai
Peninsula, the West Bank of the Jordan River (including East
Jerusalem), and the Golan Heights.
 In-Shorts | On this day in History
• 11 June: Ram Prasad Bismil was born on June 11, 1897. He
was associated with the Arya Samaj from an early age. He
formed the Hindustan Republic Association which soon had
leaders like Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad. Ram
Prasad Bismil along with companions Ashfaqulla Khan and
others executed the plan of looting the train at Kakori near
Lucknow.
• 12 June: The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched
the first World Day Against Child Labour in 2002. The theme
for 2023 is ‘Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!’. Target
8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) calls for
ending child labour in all its forms by 2025. Africa ranks
highest among regions both in the percentage of children
in child labour — one-fifth — and the absolute number of
children in child labour — 72 million. Asia and the Pacific
ranks second highest in both these measures — 7% of all
children and 62 million in absolute terms are in child labour in
this region.
• 13 June: On 13th June, 1879, Ganesh Damodar Savarkar also
called Babarao Savarkar was born on this day. He was the
elder brother of Veer Savarkar. He founded the revolutionary
group 'Abhinav Bharat Society' & was the leader of 'Nasik
Conspiracy Case'.
• 14 June: Schengen Agreement - On June 14, 1985, the
government of Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and
the Netherlands signed the Schengen Agreement. Today, the
Schengen Zone consists of 27 European countries, the citizens
of which move freely within the territory.
Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
• 15 June: Right to Information Act - This law was passed by
Parliament on 15th June 2005. Right to Information Act 2005
mandates timely response to citizen requests for government
information. The basic objective of the Right to Information
Act is to empower the citizens, promote transparency and
accountability in the working of the Government, contain
corruption, and make our democracy work for the people in
a real sense. It goes without saying that an informed citizen
is better equipped to keep necessary vigil on the instruments
of governance and make the government more accountable
to the governed. The Act is a big step towards making the
citizens informed about the activities of the Government.
• 16 June: On June 16th 2010, Bhutan becomes the first country
to institute a total ban on tobacco after the enactment of the
Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan. Bhutan has a land area of
38,394 sq km bordered by China in the north and India in the
east, west and south. The country is not only landlocked, but
has one of the most formidable mountainous terrain in the
world, ranging from 100 metres to 7,500 metres in height.
• 17 June: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
The United Nations General Assembly declared 17 June to
be "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought" by its
resolution A/RES/49/115 adopted in December 1994. The day
is a unique moment to remind everyone that land degradation
neutrality (LDN) is achievable. This year's theme of the
International Day Against Desertification, and Drought: "Her
land. Her rights".
• 18 June: Laxmibai died on this day. Lakshmibai (19 November
1828 - 18 June 1858), the Rani of Jhansi, was an Indian
queen, the Maharani of the Maratha princely state of Jhansi
from 1843 to 1853 as the wife of Maharaja Gangadhar Rao.
She was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of
1857 and became a symbol of resistance to the British Raj for
Indian nationalists.
• 19 June: On 19th June 1595, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji
was born on this day. He was the sixth of ten Gurus of the
Sikh religion. He succeeded Guru Arjan Sahib in 1606, at the
age of eleven years. Guru Hargobind instituted the Akal
Takht (supreme seat) directly opposite Harmandir Sahib in
Amritsar. The concept of "Miri Piri" was highlighted by the
sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji.
• 20 June: The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu (20 June
1958) was born on this day. She is serving as the 15th and
current President of India since 2022. She is the youngest
107
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | On this day in History
Edition: June 2023
and India's first President to be born after Independence.
She is the first person belonging to the tribal community and
also the second woman after Smt Pratibha Devisingh Patil
to hold the office. She has also served as the 9th Governor
of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021. She has also previously
served as a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly
from Rairangpur Assembly constituency from 2000 to 2009
and Minister of State (Independent Charge), Government of
Odisha from 2000 to 2004.
• 21 June: The International Day of Yoga (IDY) is celebrated on
21st June every year worldwide. The first International Day of
Yoga was celebrated on 21st June 2015. The IDY resolution
of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in December
2014 came at the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi and was passed by unanimous consent. This year's
theme of International Day of Yoga; "Yoga for Vasudhaiv
Kutumbakam" (Yoga for 'The World is One Family').
• 22 June: Operation Barbarossa - On 22 June 1941 Hitler
launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet
Union. It was the beginning of a campaign that would
ultimately decide the Second World War.
• 23 June: Battle of Plassey - The Battle of Plassey was fought on
June 23, 1757. The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of
the British East India Company under the leadership of Robert
Clive over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies. It was
Plassey, however, that exposed the subcontinent’s internal
conflicts, destroying the native dynasties then in power and
also the economy of imperial Bengal.
• 24 June: On June 24, 2022 - In Dobbs v. Jackson Women's
Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe
v. Wade (1973), which legalised abortion in the US. India’s
Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 allows abortion
until 20 weeks of pregnancy. Through an amendment in
2021, the ceiling for abortions was raised to 24 weeks, but
only for special categories of pregnant women.
• 25 June: Damodar Hari Chapekar was born on 25th June 1869.
The Chapekar Brothers, Damodar Hari Chapekar, Balkrishna
Hari Chapekar and Vasudeo Hari Chapekar, were Indian
revolutionaries involved in assassinating W. C. Rand, the British
Plague Commissioner of Pune. These three brothers were
influenced by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and were popularly known
as ‘Chapekar Bandhu’.
108
• 26 June: The Battle of Chausa was a notable military engagement
between the Mughal emperor, Humayun, and the Afghan, Sher
Shah Suri. It was fought on 26 June 1539 at Chausa, 10 miles
southwest of Buxar in modern-day Bihar, India. Sher Shah was
victorious and crowned himself Farid al-Dīn Shēr Shah.
• 27 June: On 27th June 1838 Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
(also Chattopadhyay) was Born. He was the author of the
1882 Bengali language novel Anandamath, which is one
of the landmarks of modern Bengali and Indian literature.
His composition 'Vande Mataram', became a source of
courage for many countrymen and leaders during the
freedom struggle. He is widely regarded as a key figure in
the literary renaissance of Bengal as well as the broader
Indian subcontinent. Some of his writings, including novels,
essays and commentaries, broke away from traditional
verse-oriented Indian writings, and provided an inspiration
for authors across India. Bankim Puraskar (Bankim Memorial
Award) is the highest award given by the Government of
West Bengal for contribution to Bengali fiction.
• 28 June: Shri Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (28
June 1921 – 23 December 2004), popularly known as P. V.
Narasimha Rao was born on this day. He served as the 9th
Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He served as the
Minister of Defence from 6 March 1993 – 16 May 1996. He
served as the Minister of External Affairs from 31 March 1992
– 18 January 1994. He served as the Minister of Home Affairs
from 12 March 1986 – 12 May 1986.
• 29 June: National Statistics Day is celebrated every year on
June 29 on the birth anniversary of Professor Prasanta Chandra
Mahalanobis. The objective of this Day is to create public
awareness, specially in the younger generation for drawing
inspiration from Professor (late) Mahalanobis about the role
and importance of statistics in socio-economic planning
and policy formulation. Mahalanobis, who was a member of
India's first Planning Commission, set up the Indian Statistical
Institute as a learned society on 17 December 1931.
• 30 June: The Santhal rebellion (also known as the Sonthal
rebellion or the Santhal Hool) started on 30th June 1855 with
the help of prominent leaders like Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu.
It was a rebellion in present-day Jharkhand and West Bengal,
Eastern India against both the British East India Company
(BEIC) and Zamindari System by the Santhal.

MISCELLANEOUS
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Novak Djokovic (of Serbia) defeated Casper Ruud (of Norway)
in the final to win the men's singles tennis title at the 2023
French Open. It was his third French Open title.
With this he created history by becoming the
• First man to win 23 grand slam Titles in Tennis surpassing
Rafael Nadal. First man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam
in singles by winning all four Grand Slam events at least three
times.
• Oldest French Open champion at the age of 36 years and 20
days.
Grand Slam:
• The Grand Slam tournaments are the world's four most
important annual professional tennis tournaments. The four
Grand Slam tournaments are the Australian Open, the French
Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
• The Australian and the United States tournaments are played
on hard courts, the French on clay, and Wimbledon on grass.
Wimbledon is the oldest tournament.
INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE
Time Shelter, written by Georgi Gospodinov and translated
into English by Angela Rodel, has won the International
Booker Prize 2023. This is the first time a novel originally
published in Bulgarian has won this annual award.
About:
• The International Booker Prize is given every year to a foreign
language book translated into English and published in
Britain or Ireland.
• From 2016 onwards, the prize equally recognises the work of
both author and translator.
• Novels and collections of short stories are both eligible.
• Last year, the prize went to Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand,
translated into English by Daisy Rockwell.
Booker Prize:
• It is distinct from the Booker Prize which is awarded to the
best work of fiction written in English and published in the UK
and Ireland. Indian writers like Arundhati Roy and Aravind
Adiga have won it in the past.
In-Shorts | Miscellaneous Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023
EDUCATION AWARDS
The Union Education Ministry has discontinued the ‘Shiksha
Puraskar’ and ‘Hinditar Bhashi Hindi Lekhak Puraskar’ to
rationalise various awards instituted by the Centre.
About:
• Shiksha Puraskar’ was launched by the Centre in 1992 for
encouraging original writings in Hindi in various fields of
education. Under it, five awards worth ₹1 lakh each is given
every year.
• ‘Hinditar Bhashi Hindi Lekhak Puraskar’, an award given to
promote writings in Hindi by writers from non-Hindi speaking
areas; cash prize of ₹50,000.
ANTARASHTRIYA YOGA DIWAS MEDIA
SAMMAN
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has
announced the second edition of Antarashtriya Yoga Diwas
Media Samman.
About:
• The Ministry of I&B instituted the first Antarashtriya Yoga Diwas
Media Samman (AYDMS) in 2019 acknowledging the positive
role & responsibility of media in disseminating the outreach
of Yoga in India and abroad.
• The first edition of the awards was conferred in 2020.
• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has decided to
revive the Samman and organize the second edition in 2023.
 Under it, thirty-three Sammans will be given out under
three categories viz Print, Television, and Radio in twenty-
two Indian languages and English
 The Samman will be recommended by an independent
Jury.
 The Samman will comprise a special media/plaque/trophy
and a citation.
DO YOU KNOW?
• The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated
annually on 21 June since 2015.
• The idea of the International Day of Yoga was first proposed
by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, during
his address at the United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA), on 27 September 2014.
109
 Current Affairs In-Shorts | Miscellaneous
Edition: June 2023

110
 Current Affairs
Test Yourself
Test Yourself
Edition: June 2023

Objective Questions

Visit: www.nextias.com for monthly compilation of Current based MCQs

Subjective Questions
GS PAPER - I
1. What is Modern Slavery? What steps are taken
worldwide including in India to prevent it?
(10 marks, 150 words)
2. What is a tropical cyclone? Why is there an increase in
the cyclonic storms over the Arabian Sea as compared
to the Bay of Bengal?
(10 marks, 150 words)
GS PAPER - II
3. ‘Justice must not only be done but must also be seen
to be done’. Justify this statement in the light of judges
recusing themselves from hearing cases.
(15 marks, 250 words)
4. What is an ordinance in Indian Democracy? Can the
ordinance and legislation be used interchangeably?
 (15 marks, 250 words)
5. What are the functions of Indian Parliament? How
important is the harmonious working of Parliament for
democracy? (15 marks, 250 words)
6. Sedition Law is a constraint on the legitimate exercise
of constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and
expression. Critically Analyse. (15 marks, 250 words)
7. What is the European Union's Recently concluded
Asylum Policy? Why was it needed?
(10 marks, 150 words)
8. What is the significance of the Pacific Island Nations?
What challenges does India face in building diplomatic
ties with Pacific Island Nations? (15 marks, 250 words)
9. The World Health Organization (WHO) has
recommended against the use of non-sugar sweeteners
(NSS) recently. What are the recommendations and
what are the reasons for the recommendations by
WHO? (10 marks, 150 words)
10. What is the National Institutional Ranking Framework
(NIRF)? How does it work? (10 marks, 150 words)
GS PAPER - III
11. What is a monetary policy statement? Discuss
the announcements made by the Monetary Policy
Committee (MPC) of RBI in 2023.  (10 marks, 150 words)
12. How does the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs)
work? What are the arguments for and against it?
 (15 marks, 250 words)
13. What are the Fixed Dose Combination (FDCs) drugs?
What role does they play in the Indian pharmaceutical
industry? (10 marks, 150 words)
14. What are Strategic Petroleum Reserves? Why are they
significant? What is the Government of India doing to
increase the country’s strategic oil storage capacity?
 (15 marks, 250 words)
15. Discuss the major findings of the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Annual
Report 2023. (10 marks, 150 words)
16. What is India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development
Programme? Discuss it’s achievements and future
course of action. (15 marks, 250 words)
17. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become central
to many of today’s largest and most successful
companies but still there are apprehensions around
the world for massive use of it. Critically Analyse.
 (15 marks, 250 words)
18. What is the Higgs Boson? What is rare about it’s decay
into a Z boson particle and a photon? Which model has
predicted this? (10 marks, 150 words)
19. What is the KAVACH system? How does it work? What
measures has been taken by the Indian Government
to enhance safety of passengers in Indian Railways?
 (15 marks, 250 words)
20. What is Extended Reality Technology? List some of
the initiatives taken by the Government of India to
promote it. (15 marks, 250 words)

111
Current Affairs
Edition: June 2023

Visit: www.nextias.com
for following study material:

  e-Magazine

  Monthly MCQ Compilation based on Current Affairs

  Monthly summary of Yojana

  Monthly summary of Down To Earth

For Daily current affairs, follow us on

Share your feedback at  currentaffairs@nextias.com