Daily Prelims Notes 10 November 2021

November 10, 2021
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

10 November 2021

Table Of Contents

Subject – Environment

Context – An estimated 11 million metric tonnes of plastic are entering the world’s oceans every year, and without urgent action, this number is set to increase to 23-37 million tonnes by 2040.

Concept –

The Counter MEASURE project works to identify sources and pathways of plastic pollution in river systems in Asia, particularly the Mekong and the Ganges.
It is a project by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Government of Japan, which aims to track, survey, and offer solutions for reducing plastic leakage into rivers in Asia.
The project has developed plastic leakage models for localities in 6 different countries using an innovative and replicable approach.
Deploying technologies like GIS, machine learning and drones has allowed the Counter MEASURE team to augment ground-level research in an efficient and scalable way.
This scientific knowledge can then be used to inform policy decisions and actions to beat plastic pollution and ensure rivers are free of plastic waste.

2. Issi saaneq

Subject – Environment

Context – Issi saaneq: New dinosaur species, which roamed Greenland 214 mn years ago

Concept –

The two-legged Issi saaneq lived about 214 million years ago in what is now Greenland.
It was a medium-sized, long necked herbivore and a predecessor of the sauropods, the largest land animals ever to live.
The name of the new dinosaur pays tribute to Greenland’s Inuit language and means “coldbone”
The new findings are the first evidence of a distinct Greenlandic dinosaur species.
The dinosaur differs from all other sauropodomorphs discovered so far, but has similarities with dinosaurs found in Brazil, such as the Macrocollum and Unaysaurus, which are almost 15 million years older.

3. Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI)

Subject – Environment

Context – Sweden, UK lead the way in climate change performance

Concept –

The 17th edition of the Climate Change Performance Index 2021, compiled by German watch, the New Climate Institute, and the Climate Action Network, was released.
The index, which monitors climate mitigation progress of 57 countries and the European Union, places Sweden on top, while countries such as Morocco and the UK are also ranked high.
The first three ranks of the overall rankings were kept empty because no country had performed well enough in all index categories to achieve an overall very high rating.
The bottom-ranked country, the United States, therefore, was placed at 61.
In the overall rankings, India is at number 10 with a score of 63.98. It is a high performer except in the renewable energy category, in which it is ranked “medium”. The report says that India is benefiting from its relatively low per-capita emissions.

About CCPI

The CCPI is developed by not-for-profit organisations German watch and New Climate Institute (Germany) together with the Climate Action Network (CAN International).
It is an important tool to enhance transparency in international climate politics and enables comparison of climate protection efforts and progress made by individual countries.
The latest list is prepared by assessing performances of 57 countries and European Union (as a whole) in four categories – GHG emissions (40%), renewable energy (20%), energy use (20%) and climate policy (20%). These 57 countries and the EU collectively are responsible for about 90% of global GHG emissions.

4. Corbett National Park

Subject – Environment

Context – Forest officer quits Corbett investigation

Concept –

To know about Corbett National Park, please refer August 2021 DPN and October 2021 DPN.

5. Frothing in Delhi’s Yamuna

Subject – Environment

Context – layer of froth was seen floating over parts of the Yamuna river near Kalindi Kunj

Concept –

The froth is a sign of a polluted river.
Experts say the release of untreated or poorly treated effluents, including sewage from those parts of the city that are not connected to the sewerage network and industrial waste, could lead to frothing.
Specifically, phosphates in the river form the froth.
- Surfactants and phosphates from detergents in households and industrial laundry find their way into the river, as all the sewage is not treated.
The river is in a lean phase and the water flow is less. Pollutants, therefore, are not diluted.
The water falling after discharge from the Okhla barrage causes the surfactants and foaming agents present in the wastewater or in the sludge on the river bed to get agitated, forming foam.

Okhla barrage

It is a roughly 800-yard long weir across Yamuna River opened in 1874.
It also serves as the location of Okhla Bird Sanctuary today.
It is situated 10 km to the south of New Delhi and downstream of Nizamuddin Bridge at Okhla, where Agra canal originates from it.
The top of barrage also serves as the Delhi-Noida carriageway of Mahamaya-Kalindi Kunj road.
It is under the management of the government of Uttar Pradesh.

6. The power of 5G

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – Speed apart, 5G will give a fillip to AI and IoT

Concept –

1G, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G represent the five generations of mobile networks where G stands for ‘Generation’ and the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 represent the generation number.
Since the early 1980s, we see a new generation of mobile networks almost every ten years.

Evolution from First Generation to Fifth Generation

1G was launched in the 1980s and worked on analog radio signals and supported only voice calls.
2G was Launched in the 1990s which uses digital radio signals and supported both voice and data transmission with a Bandwidth of 64 Kbps.
3G was launched in the 2000s with a speed of 1 Mbps to 2 Mbps and it has the ability to transmit telephone signal including digitised voice, video calls and conferencing.
4G was launched in 2009 with a peak speed of 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps and it also enables 3D virtual reality.

Features of 5G –

5G is the fifth generation cellular technology that apart from increasing the downloading and uploading speeds over the mobile network, also reduces the latency i.e. the time taken by a network to respond.
5G will provide download speed of 1 Gbps, which is at least 100 times the existing data speeds.
It also increases energy efficiency and offers more stable network connections.
5G will have a wider area in the frequency spectrum (range of frequencies) that will ensure no network congestion.
In addition, it will also ensure connectivity to a full circle i.e. everything is connected to every other thing.
The standards for the usage of 5G are defined and driven by 3rd Generation Partnership Project.
5G is based on OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing). It is a method that reduces interference by modulating a digital signal across different channels.
Mobile users do not need a new SIM for 5G. The existing 4G SIM will work, but with some limitations.
Also, 4G phones will work on a 5G network, but not at the coveted 5G speed.
The cost of using data on 5G wireless services will not be that different from what customers incur to get 4G service.
5G technology has the potential to bring data costs even lower than for the current 4G services, industry experts believe.
But 5G will require new transmission infrastructure, including thousands of cell towers and tens of thousands of antennas.

7. AY.4.2 variant

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – AY.4.2 variant is rapidly spreading.

Concept –

Viruses constantly mutate. And the same is the case with SARS-CoV-2, the novel Coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
The AY.4.2 is a sublineage of the Delta variant of the SARS-Co-V-2 virus or B.1.617.2.
This sub-lineage contains two mutations in its spike protein.
As of now, there is no biological basis for increased transmissibility of AY.4.2, as judged epidemiologically, and further examination is going on
The INSACOG weekly bulletin says vaccine effectiveness does not seem to be different for AY.4.2, compared to other Delta variants.
4.2 frequency in India is too low to be a variant of concern at this point in time. It is less than 0.1 per cent of all variants of concern (VOC) or variant of interest (VOI), according to INSACOG.

Most virulent variant of Covid so far –

Delta is the most contagious among all variants so far.
It is considered a variant of concern by the WHO and CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) because it appears to be more easily transmitted from one person to another.

8. Vaccine Pacts

Subject – IR

Context – ‘India has entered into vaccine pacts with 96 nations’

Concept –

India has entered into agreements for mutual recognition of vaccination certificates with as many as 96 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK and several EU members for easing of travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers.
But this may not automatically lead to approval for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, which received WHO’s emergency use nod last week, as the agreements are subject to domestic regulations of partner countries.
- Despite WHO nod, not all recognise Covaxin, given their own protocol.
While countries such as the UK and Switzerland have agreed to accept vaccines that are part of WHO’s EUL, others such as Canada have their own processes in place for approving a vaccine.

9. Diamond-Water Paradox

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – diamonds are much more expensive than water

Concept –

Also known as the diamond-water paradox, the paradox of value describes the vast difference seen in the prices of certain essential goods and non-essential goods.
Many goods and services that are essential to human life have a much lower price in a market economy than other goods and services that are not so essential.
- For example, water that is essential for human existence sells at a price that is just a fraction of the price of diamond, which is a luxury item that is not essential for human existence.
The paradox of value has also been used to describe the vast difference in the wages of essential workers such as nurses and farmers and that of others such as CEOs of companies, who are considered by many to be nonessential workers.
- This paradox has been cited by many critics of the market economy, who argue that it is an unfair economic system that leads to inequality among different populations.
The paradox of value is often used in discussions on the theory of value to elaborate the concept of marginal utility and how the use value of an object can differ quite a lot from its exchange value. Many economists have tried to explain the paradox.
Some of them such as Adam Smith, who was a proponent of the labour theory of value, believed that the paradox of value can be explained by the difference in the amount of labour that it takes to produce a good or service.

Theory of Marginalism

It argued that the price or the exchange value of goods and services is not determined by their simple use value. Instead, it is determined by their marginal use value (or utility) to the buyer.
This is the most widely accepted resolution of the paradox of value among economists.
Marginalism is a theory that asserts individuals make decisions on the purchase of an additional unit of a good or service based on the additional utility they will receive from it.
- That is, value is determined by how much additional utility an extra unit of a good or service provides.
Marginalist theory, known as the Marginalist Revolution, is seen as the dividing line between classical and modern economics.
Marginalism theory helps to better explain human rationality, human action, subjective valuation, and efficient market prices.
The difference between total utility and marginal utility is explained through marginalism.

10. Goa Maritime Conclave

Subject – IR

Context – Third edition of the annual Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC-21) started in Goa from November 7, 2021.

Concept –

The theme for this year’s edition of GMC is “Maritime Security and Emerging Non-Traditional Threats: A Case for Proactive Role for IOR Navies”, which has been derived keeping in mind the necessity of ‘winning everyday peace’ in the maritime domain.
At the GMC 2021, Indian Navy is hosting Chiefs of Navies/ Heads of Maritime Forces from 12 Indian Ocean Region countries comprising Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The Indian Ocean Region

The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean of the world and covers nearly 20% of water surface.
The Indian Ocean Region can be roughly identified as follows: Its western border is continental Africa to a longitude of 20° E, where it stretches south from Cape Agulhas; its northern border is continental Asia from Suez to the Malay Peninsula; in the east it incorporates Singapore, the Indonesian archipelago, Australia to longitude 147° E and Tasmania; while in the south it stretches to latitude 60° S as determined per the Antarctic Treaty of
The region has 51 coastal and landlocked states, namely 26 Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) states, five Red Sea states, four Persian Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, France, Britain and 13 landlocked states.
Four critically important access waterways are
- the Suez Canal (Egypt),
- Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen),
- Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and
- Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia).
Major seaports are:
- Chennai (Madras, India);
- Colombo (Sri Lanka);
- Durban (South Africa);
- Jakarta (Indonesia);
- Kolkata (Calcutta, India);
- Melbourne (Australia);
- Mumbai (Bombay, India);
- Richards Bay (South Africa).

11. National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI)

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – The COVID-19 vaccination drive is a reminder that the benefits of many vaccines have yet to reach the adult population

Concept –

It was established by an order of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in 2001.
As India’s apex advisory body on immunization, the NTAGI provides guidance and advice to the MoHFW on provision of vaccination and immunization services for the effective control of vaccine preventable diseases in the country.
NTAGI of India fulfils a need for informing decision-making concerning the introduction of new vaccines and strengthening the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
The role and membership of NTAGI have expanded over the years in tune with the emerging needs and priorities of the Government of India.
The NTAGI includes a Standing Technical Sub-Committee (STSC).
The STSC is tasked with undertaking technical review of scientific evidence on matters related to immunization policy and programmes.
Final recommendations are drafted by the NTAGI taking into account the scientific review by the STSC and any other relevant evidence.

12. Indian Navy’s Mission Based Deployment

Subject – Defence and Security

Context – The Indian Navy is monitoring the Chinese Navy and its maritime assets deployed in the IOR, says Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh on the sidelines of the Goa Maritime Conclave.

Concept –

It is deploying mission ready ships and aircraft along critical sea lanes of communications and choke points in Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Under this mission-based deployment plan, Indian Navy’s 14-15 ships will be deployed year-round in region. These deployments are expected to meet any eventuality across spectrum of operations ranging from acts of maritime terrorism and piracy to Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions.
This also aims at maintaining 24/7 and round the year vigil with ships being sustained and turned around on station.
Since August 2017, Indian Navy deployments in the IOR have been further structured under the Mission Based Deployment (MBD) concept.
Under MBD concept, In addition to the anti-piracy deployment, IN ships were also Mission Deployed for
- Operation ‘GULFDEP’ in the Persian Gulf,
- Operation ‘CENTDEP’ in the central Indian Ocean Region,
- Operation ‘NORDEP’ in the northern Bay of Bengal and
- Operation ‘MALDEP’ in the Andaman Sea and approaches to the Malacca Strait.

13. Troika-plus-Pakistan Conference

Subject – IR

Context – India, Pakistan to hold parallel meets on Afghanistan

Concept –

Troika-plus-Pakistan meeting involves consultations between the US, Russia, China, Pakistan along with the representatives of the Afghanistan government, Taliban, and other senior Afghan leaders.
The meeting is expected to discuss ways to assist in advancing the intra-Afghan talks.
It aims to reduce the level of violence and to end the armed conflict in Afghanistan.

14. Chief Secretary

Subject – Polity

Context – ‘Chief Secretary should know Mizo’

Concept –

The Chief Secretary is the top-most executive official and senior-most civil servant of the state government.
The Chief Secretary is the ex-officio head of the state Civil Services Board, the State Secretariat, the state cadre Indian Administrative Service and all civil services under the rules of business of the state government.
The Chief Secretary acts as the principal advisor to the chief minister on all matters of state administration.
The Chief Secretary is the officer of Indian Administrative Service.
The Chief Secretary is the senior-most cadre post in the state administration, ranking 23rd on the Indian order of precedence.
- The post of Chief Secretary of a State Government is equivalent to Vice Chief of the Army Staff/Commanders and officers in the rank of full General and its equivalents in the Indian Armed Forces, and are listed as such in the Order of Precedence
The Chief Secretary acts as an ex-officio secretary to the state cabinet, therefore called “Secretary to the Cabinet”. The status of this post is equal to that of a Secretary to the Government of India.
Appointment:
- The Chief Secretary is ‘chosen’ by the Chief Minister.
- As the appointment of Chief Secretary is an executive action of the Chief Minister, it is taken in the name of the Governor of the State.
Tenure:
- The office of Chief Secretary has been excluded from the operation of the tenure system.
- There is no fixed tenure for this post.

Chief Secretary in Union Territory –

In the union territories, which are governed by Administrators, Chief Secretaries are absent. In these territories an Adviser to the Administrator is appointed by the Union Government.
However, the union territories of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry, which have been granted partial statehood, do have Chief Secretaries.
In Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry, the Chief Minister chooses the Chief Secretary and is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.
Chief Secretaries and Advisers to the Administrators of Union territories, in general, are junior in rank compared to the Chief Secretaries of the States. The office bearers generally are of the rank Joint Secretary to Government of India and its equivalents.
However, in Delhi and Chandigarh, the topmost civil servant is either of the ranks of Secretary to Government of India and its equivalents or Additional Secretary to Government of India and its equivalents.

Cabinet Secretary

The Cabinet Secretary is the top-most executive official and senior-most civil servant of the Government of India.
The Cabinet Secretary is the ex-officio head of the Civil Services Board, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), and all civil services under the rules of business of the government.
The Cabinet Secretary is the senior-most cadre post of the Indian Administrative Service,ranking eleventh on the Indian order of precedence.
The Cabinet Secretary is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.
Since 2010, the Cabinet Secretary’s term length was extended to a maximum of four years.
- According to All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement-Benefits) Rules, 1958, the government can give extension in service to a cabinet secretary provided the total tenure does not exceed four years.

Functions of Cabinet Secretary

The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 and the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961, facilitating smooth transaction of business in Ministries/ Departments of the Government.
This Secretariat provides Secretarial assistance to the Cabinet and its Committees, and also assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-Ministerial coordination , ironing out differences amongst Ministries/ Departments and evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the standing/ adhoc Committees of Secretaries.
The Cabinet Secretariat ensures that the President, the Vice President and Ministers are kept informed of the major activities of all Ministries/Departments by means of monthly summary of their activities.
Management of major crisis situations in the country and coordinating activities of various Ministries in such a situation is also one of the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat.

Origin of the post of Cabinet Secretary

Before the adoption of the portfolio system in India, all Governmental business was disposed of by the Governor-General in Council, the Council functioning as a Joint Consultative Board.
This procedure was legalized by the Indian Councils Act, 1861 during the time of Lord Canning, leading to the introduction of the portfolio system and the inception of the Executive Council of the Governor-General.
The Secretariat of the Executive Council was headed by the Private Secretary to the Viceroy, but he did not attend the Council meetings.
Lord Willingdon first started the practice of having his Private Secretary by his side at these meetings.
Later, this practice continued and in November, 1935, the Viceroy’s Private Secretary was given the additional designation of Secretary to the Executive Council.
The constitution of the Interim Government in 1946 brought a change in the name, though little in functions, of this Office. The Executive Council’s Secretariat was then designated as Cabinet Secretariat.
It no longer remained concerned with only the work of circulating papers to Ministers and Ministries, but developed into an organisation for effecting coordination between the Ministries.