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Oct 06, 2023

[Mission 2023] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 7 June 2023

InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from

InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions ina your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically

Table of Contents:

GS Paper 1:

GS Paper 2:

GS Paper 3:

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Mapping

Syllabus: Modern India: Marathas/ Ethics

Source: TH

Other aspects of his rule:

Significance of Raigarh Fort:

Celebrations of the 350th anniversary of the coronation are being held at Raigad Fort in Maharashtra.

At this fort, Shivaji was coronated in 1674. Here, he laid the foundation of "Hindavi-Swaraj" or the self-rule of Hindu people and also took the title Chhatrapati. It is a hill fort situated about 25 km from Mahad in Raigad district and Early Europeans called it the Gibraltar of the East. Fort overlooks an artificial lake known as ‘Ganga Sagar Lake’. Shivaji was cremated at the fort in 1680.

Ethical learnings from his life:

Conclusion:

Shivaji Maharaj was a legendary Maratha warrior king who left a lasting impact on Indian history. His legacy continues to inspire generations, serving as a reminder of the virtues of justice, valour, and compassion.

Insta Links

Marathas

Mains Links

Discuss the significance of Marath's rule in India's history. (250 Words)

Prelims links:

He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was (UPSC 2018)

(a) Aurobindo Ghosh

(b) Bipin Chandra Pal

(c) Lala Lajpat Rai

(d) Motilal Nehru

Answer: C

Syllabus: Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of Vulnerable Sections

Source: TH

Context: According to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E), only 508 districts out of the total 766 in the country have declared themselves manual-scavenging free.

The practice of manual scavenging in India:

Attempts to abolish manual scavenging:

Salient features of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013:

Other efforts:

Concerns:

Way ahead:

Best practice:

Insta Links:

Manual scavenging

Syllabus: Agricultural Produce and Issues and Related Constraints

Source: IE

Context: As compared to edible oil, India has relatively achieved atma nirbharta (self-reliance) in pulses.

Edible oil production in India:

Import of edible oil by India: The quantum of imports has surged from ~8 mt to 16 mt between 2013-14 and 2022-23 (from ~$7 to 21 billion in value terms).

Govt efforts to increase edible oil production:

Concerns: The productivity (yield) gap between improved technology and farmers’ practices ranged from 21% in sesame to 149% in sunflower.

Case of pulses:

Import data: In quantity terms, India's imports of pulses came down from 6.61 mt in 2016-17 to 2.52 mt in 2022-23.

Breakup of India's imports of major pulses:

Reasons behind the reduction in pulses imports:

Concerns:

Way ahead:

Insta Links:

Agricultural exports-imports

Mains Links:

How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in the recent past? Elaborate the emphasis on millet production and consumption. (UPSC 2018)

Syllabus: Economy: Energy/ SDGs

Source: DTE

Context: The world is facing challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) by 2030. (As per the Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2023 report)

The report has been released by a collaborative effort of the International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency, United Nations Statistics Division, World Bank and the WHO

What is SDG 7?

SDG 7 refers to Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims at reaching universal access to electricity and clean cooking, doubling historic levels of efficiency improvements, and substantially increasing the share of renewables in the global energy mix.

Factors limiting the world in achieving SDG 7 are:

The report provides the following recommendations:

India's status:

India's initiatives for SDG7:

About the 2030 SDG Agenda:

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, also called the 2030 Agenda, was launched by a UN Summit in 2015 and is aimed at ending poverty in all its forms. There are 17 SDGs, which are an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership. 2023 marks the halfway point for achieving SDGs by 2030.

Insta Links

India, its SDG pledge goal, and the strategy to apply

Prelims Links

Consider the following statements: (USPC 2016)

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only(b) 2 only(c) Both 1 and 2(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: B

Syllabus: Infrastructure (Energy)/Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation

Source: TH

Context: Given the significant impact that cities have on the environment, low-carbon cities are crucial to mitigate the effects of climate change.

How are cities impacting climate?

Challenges ahead: By 2050, 7 billion people will be living in cities.

Need of the hour – A just energy-system transition:

Mitigation options on the supply side: Include phasing out fossil fuels and increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix, and using carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.

On the demand side:

Why is a just energy transition needed?

Significance of Indian states to achieve energy transition goals:

Good news: With rapid advancements in clean energy and related technologies and reduced cost, the economic and technological barriers to implementing low-carbon solutions have been crossed.

Way ahead:

Conclusion:

Insta Links:

Low-cost finance for the energy transition report

Source: TH

Context: A German factory in Hamburg has developed a process to convert cocoa bean shells into biochar, a black powder that has the potential to counter climate change.

The shells are heated in an oxygen-free environment, which locks in greenhouse gases and produces biochar that can be used as a fertilizer or as an ingredient in "green" concrete. Biochar has the ability to capture a significant amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.

Usage: Indian government has also been emphasizing ‘biochar’. The example can be used in Agriculture/Environment Questions.

Source: TH

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first school in Vadnagar, Gujarat, is being transformed into an inspirational model school called "Prerna" to motivate the youth of India to become agents of change. The school, set to graduate its first batch next year, aims to impart values through various techniques and technologies.

As part of the initiative, two students from each of the 750 districts in the country will be selected to spend a week at the school, with 30 students from 15 districts present at any given time.

Usage: The school can be used as an example of value-based education.

Source: TH

Damodar Kashyap, a 74-year-old tribal farmer in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, has transformed 400 acres of land in his village into a flourishing forest through a community-based approach to conservation.

As the village sarpanch, he implemented strict rules and fines for forest destruction and deployed villagers to patrol and guard the forest. Kashyap also utilized local beliefs and practices to emphasize the sacredness of the forest.

He has received recognition for his conservation work, including the Paul K Feyerabend Foundation Award in 2014 and a chapter in the Class 9 social sciences textbook of the Chhattisgarh Board.

Usage: The story can be used in Ethics (Environment ethics)/Essay/ Governance/ Environment Questions.

Source: BS

Context: The Indian Navy's frontline warship, INS Trishul, is visiting Durban to commemorate the 130th anniversary of an incident involving Mahatma Gandhi on June 7, 1893.

About the incident:

The Pietermaritzburg Railway Station incident occurred on June 7, 1893, when Mahatma Gandhi, a young lawyer at the time, was evicted from a first-class train compartment in South Africa. The incident was a result of racial discrimination, as non-whites were not allowed in first-class compartments.

Significance of the incident:

The Pietermaritzburg Railway Station incident holds great significance as it marked a turning point in Mahatma Gandhi's life and his fight against racial discrimination. This incident became a catalyst for Gandhi's activism and played a pivotal role in shaping his approach towards social and political change, ultimately influencing the Indian independence movement.

In 1997, former South African President Nelson Mandela conferred the ‘Freedom of Pietermaritzburg’ posthumously on Gandhi.

Source: ET

Context: The Bihar government plans to collaborate with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to gather valuable geological information about magnetite-bearing rocks and ultramafic rocks in the region.

What are magnetite-bearing rocks?

Magnetite-bearing rocks are rocks that contain magnetite, a black, opaque, and magnetic mineral. These rocks often exhibit magnetic anomalies and are known to host valuable minerals such as Chromite, Nickel, Platinum Group of Elements (PGE), and gold. Magnetite is one of the most abundant metal oxides and has various industrial applications. More often, magnetite occurs in its massive form, commonly called ‘lodestone’

What are ultramafic rocks?

Ultramafic rocks are a type of igneous rock that have a high concentration of dark-coloured minerals rich in iron and magnesium. These rocks typically contain very little silica and are composed mainly of minerals such as olivine and pyroxene. Ultramafic rocks are associated with deep-seated mantle processes and are often found in areas where tectonic plates are converging.

Source: medicalxpress

Context: A study conducted by the University of Exeter shows that the public is aware of and accepts the use of bacteria-killing viruses, known as phage therapy, as an alternative to antibiotics.

What is Phage therapy?

Phage therapy is a treatment approach that uses bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect and kill specific bacteria. It involves using these viruses to target and destroy bacterial infections, serving as an alternative to antibiotics.

How do they function?

Phages are highly specific in their action, targeting only the specific bacteria they are programmed to attack, which can potentially reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance. Phage therapy has gained attention as a potential solution for antibiotic-resistant infections and is being explored as a promising avenue in medical research.

What are Bacteriophages?

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and use them as hosts for their replication. They are highly diverse and can target different types of bacteria. It was discovered by Frederick Willian Twort in 1915 (Great Britain) and Felix d’Herelle in 1917 (France)

What is Antibiotic Resistance?

Antibiotic resistance refers to the ability of bacteria or other microorganisms to withstand the effects of antibiotics, making them ineffective in treating infections caused by these resistant bacteria. By 2050, antibiotic resistance will result in the death of 10 million people from drug-resistant diseases every year

Source: DTE

Context: According to scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the Earth's atmosphere have spiked over 50% since the beginning of the industrial age.

About Keeling Curve:

The Keeling Curve is a record of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. It was initiated by scientist Charles David Keeling in 1958.

About NOAA:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a Washington, D.C.-based scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce, a United States federal government department.

Source: Mongabay

Context: A new initiative called ‘The Ocean Census initiative’ aims to discover 100,000 new marine species within ten years, utilizing advanced technologies like high-resolution imagery, DNA sequencing, and machine learning.

Need: Scientists estimate that only about 10% of marine species have been formally described, leaving approximately 2 million species unidentified.

The Plan:

The Ocean Census plans to conduct multiple expeditions to marine biodiversity hotspots, with the first expedition already underway in the Barents Sea. The initiative seeks to build upon previous efforts such as the Challenger Expeditions and the Census of Marine Life (between 2000 to 2010).

Implemented by:

It is jointly established by The Nippon Foundation (a non-profit philanthropic organization in Japan) and Nekton Foundation (marine science and conservation institute in the U.K) to discover unknown marine life

Source: IE

Context: A huge Soviet-era dam on the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, known as the Kakhovka Dam, was breached, resulting in flooding across the war zone.

The dam was an important part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, supplying water to the Crimean Peninsula and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

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.

Source: TH

Context: NATO has sent 700 more of its peacekeeping troops to Kosovo, to establish peace in the Kosovo-Serbia conflict

About the conflict:

The Kosovo-Serbia conflict stems from Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008, which Serbia does not recognize. Tensions arise from historical, ethnic, and political factors, leading to sporadic clashes and disputes. Efforts to resolve the conflict have been slow, with concerns about Serbia's ties to Russia.

About Kosovo and Serbia

Kosovo is located between the Mediterranean Sea and mountainous regions of Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Serbia is a small land-locked country in the Balkan region. It shares borders with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Albania.

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