Daily Prelims Notes 15 August 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

15 August 2023

Table Of Contents

1. How to make Urea more efficient as a fertilizer
2. President Murmu pays tribute to Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Barua:
3. On a bumpy road to net zero, trucks shift gear to reduce emissions
4. Isro’s space probe to study the Sun: What is the Aditya-L1 mission, its significance
5. 5.1 Covid variant takes off, India not at risk currently
6. ‘There is no link between Lord Mayo’s assassination and the Criminal Tribes Act’
7. Doctors cannot be forced to prescribe poor quality drugs
8. Is Air Pollution Driving Antibiotic Resistance?
9. RBI’s Public Tech Platform for ‘Frictionless Credit’ Pilot
10. President approves four Kirti Chakras, 11 Shaurya Chakras
11. SC to consider giving more ‘bite’ to media regulations, suggests raising the penalty
12. SEBI paper suggests alternative mechanism to delist shares
13. Is zero revenue deficit desirable?

1. How to make Urea more efficient as a fertilizer

Subject : Geography

Section: Physical geography

Context:

• Recently, the PM of India officially launched ‘Urea Gold’ fertilizer – basically urea fortified with sulphur, developed by the state-owned Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (RCF).

What is UREA Gold:

• ‘Urea Gold’ is a new fertilizer launched by the Indian Prime Minister and developed by Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd.
• It’s made up of 37% Nitrogen and 17% sulphur.
• This combination addresses the sulphur deficiency in Indian soils, particularly beneficial for oilseeds and pulses.
• It offers a more gradual release of Nitrogen, ensuring plants remain green longer. This means farmers might need fewer applications, possibly using two bags instead of three for crops like paddy or wheat.

Why is Urea consumption a concern in India:

• Urea consumption in India has increased from 26.7 million tonnes in 2009-10 to 35.7 million tonnes in 2022-23. Despite measures like mandatory neem coating and reduced bag sizes, there’s been a noticeable uptrend in consumption since 2017-18.
• Out of the 35.7 million tonnes consumed last fiscal year, 7.6 million tonnes were imported. Even domestically-produced urea relies heavily on imported natural gas as its primary feedstock
• The Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) of urea in India is worrying. Only 35% of the Nitrogen applied through urea is actually used by crops. The remaining 65% is lost, either released as ammonia gas or leached into the ground as nitrate.

What are the Government Efforts to Reduce Urea Consumption in India:

• The introduction of the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime in 2010.
  • Under NBS, the government fixed a per-kg subsidy (unlike the earlier product-specific subsidy regime) for each fertilizer nutrient: Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potash (K) and sulphur (S).
  • It aims to promote balanced fertilization by discouraging farmers from applying too much urea (46% N), di-ammonium phosphate (DAP – 46% P plus 18% N) and muriate of potash (MOP – 60% K).
• Implementing the DBT system, the government directly provides fertilizer subsidies into farmers’ bank accounts.
• In 2015, the Centre made it mandatory to coat all indigenously manufactured and imported urea with neem oil.
• This was followed by replacing 50-kg bags with 45-kg ones in 2018, and the launch of liquid ‘Nano Urea’ by the Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) in 2021.
  • Liquid nano urea is essentially urea in the form of a nanoparticle aimed at reducing the unbalanced and indiscriminate use of conventional urea, increasing crop productivity, and reducing soil, water, and air pollution.

2. President Murmu pays tribute to Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Barua:

Subject : History

Section: Modern History

Context: During the Presidential address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day, President Droupadi Murmu paid tributes to women freedom fighters like Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Barua.

More about Matangini Hazra:

• She was born in a village named Hogla, near Tamluk, on 19th October 1869.
• She was married at 12 to Trilochan Hazra, a 60-year-old man from Alinan village in Medinipur.
• By age of 18, Matangini Hazra was widowed, without any children.
• In 1905, she became actively interested in the Indian Independence Movement, her source of inspiration being Mahatma Gandhi.
• In 1932, she took part in the Civil Disobedience movement and was arrested for breaking the Salt Act.
• After being released, she became an active member of the Indian National Congress and took to spinning her own Khadi.
• People fondly started calling her Gandhi Buri (Old Lady Gandhi) for her dedication towards Gandhian principles.
• In 1933 when Sir John Anderson, Governor of Bengal visited Tamluk to address a public gathering, Matangini craftily managed to avoid the security and reach the dais where she waved a black flag. She was awarded six months rigorous imprisonment for her bravado.
• She died on September 29, 1942, while leading a procession of around 6000 supporters towards Tamluk police station.

Who was Kanaklata Barua:

• She was born on 22 December 1924 at Borangabari,Assam
• During the Quit India Movement, Kanaklata Barua led a group of protesters, carrying the national flag, in an attempt to hoist it at the local police station in Gohpur on 20 September 1942 and was shot by the police during an altercation.
• She had joined the Mrityu Bahini just two days before the incident.
• The Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Kanak Lata Barua of the Indian Coast Guard, commissioned in 1997, was named after Barua.

Some other female freedom fighters during Quit India Movement:

• Aruna Asaf Ali: Aruna Asaf Ali, also known as the “Grand Old Lady” of the Indian independence movement, was an active participant in the Quit India Movement. She worked to organize underground activities, distribute pamphlets, and mobilize people against British rule.
• Sucheta Kriplani: Sucheta Kriplani was a prominent freedom fighter and a leading figure in the Quit India Movement. She was known for her organizing skills and leadership in various protest activities.
• Usha Mehta: Usha Mehta was a dedicated freedom fighter who played a significant role in organizing and broadcasting underground radio messages during the Quit India Movement. She used her technical skills to spread the message of independence.
• Kamla Devi Chattopadhyay: Kamla Devi Chattopadhyay was a prominent social reformer and freedom fighter. She participated actively in the Quit India Movement and worked to unite women in the struggle against British rule.
• Rajkumari Amrit Kaur: Rajkumari Amrit Kaur was a key figure in the Quit India Movement and an active member of the Indian National Congress. She also contributed to the Quit India resolution and was arrested during the movement.
• Tara Rani Srivastava: Tara Rani Srivastava was a notable Indian freedom fighter who actively participated in the Quit India Movement and made significant contributions to India’s struggle for independence. In 1942, she and her husband were leading a march in Siwan towards the police station when he was shot by police.

3. On a bumpy road to net zero, trucks shift gear to reduce emissions

Subject : Environment

Section: Climate change

Context:

• Diesel trucks that are the core of India’s domestic freight movement also contribute to the transport sector’s emissions.

Details:

• The move to zero-emission trucks could lead the way as India pushes to meet its 2070 net-zero targets.
• High upfront costs, clarity on charging infrastructure and effective communication with fleet owners in the primarily unorganized trucking sector are some of the challenges to overcome in the transitioning sector.

Emissions from truck transport:

• India is poised to become the world’s second-largest trucking market in the next decade.
• A single truck is projected to emit a total of 1,300 tonnes of CO2 over its operational lifespan.
• India has approximately four million trucks (as of 2022).
• These trucks shoulder 70% of India’s freight demand, transporting over 4.6 billion tonnes annually.
• Despite comprising just 2% of the total vehicles on Indian roads, these freight trucks collectively contribute to 45% of the transport sector’s emissions.
  • Almost all the emissions from the transportation sector — 90% — is from road transport, with trucks accounting for approximately 50% of these emissions.
• A projected fleet of 17 million trucks is envisioned to be on Indian roads by 2050.

Zero Emission Trucks as a Solution:

• Enhancing the efficiency of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE).
• Zero Emission Vehicles Emerging Markets Initiative (ZEV-EMI) and Indian government’s E-FAST (Electric Freight Accelerator for Sustainable Transport) initiative.
  • The zero emission trucks or Electric trucks, though currently at the concept stage, these trucks can help achieve India’s target of achieving Net Zero emission by 2070.
  • ZETs can lead to 2.8-3.8 gigatonnes of cumulative CO2 savings through 2050, which is equal to or greater than India’s entire economy-wide annual GHG emissions today.

• During the G20 Energy Ministers’ meeting, the World Economic Forum announced the launch of India’s pioneering zero-emission road freight cluster initiative.
  • In partnership with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and supported by NITI Aayog’s e-FAST program, this initiative aims to deploy 550 ZETs within the next 18-24 months, along select road corridors in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• Tata Motors, dominating nearly 50% of India’s truck sales market, has committed, in its latest annual report, to achieving net-zero emissions for its commercial vehicles by 2045.

Challenges include:

• India’s truck market is largely unorganized sector.
• High upfront cost
• Lack of financial incentives
  • Currently, trucks are not included in any demand incentive schemes, whether it’s the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) subsidy— a scheme that provides incentives to buyers of electric vehicles — or state-level EV policies.
• Unavailability of high-capacity charging infrastructure.

International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT):

• The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 2001 to provide first-rate, unbiased research and technical and scientific analysis to environmental regulators.
• Together, these efforts are projected to result in billions of tons of carbon dioxide reductions and prevent thousands of premature deaths over the next decade and beyond.

E-FAST initiative:

• NITI Aayog, in collaboration with World Resources Institute (WRI), India, launched the country’s first national electric freight platform – e-FAST India (Electric Freight Accelerator for Sustainable Transport – India).
• Supported by the World Economic Forum, CALSTART and RMI India, the platform brings different stakeholders together, from across the freight ecosystem.
• The platform aims to raise awareness on freight electrification bolstered by on-ground demonstration pilots and evidence-based research.

4. Isro’s space probe to study the Sun: What is the Aditya-L1 mission, its significance

Subject :Science and technology

Section: Space technology

Context:

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on August 14 released images of the Aditya-L1 mission — the space agency’s first attempt to study the Sun.

Details:

• The satellite has reached the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, for its integration with the launch vehicle, PSLV.

What is the Aditya-L1 mission?

• The Aditya-L1 will observe the Sun from a close distance, and try to obtain information about its atmosphere and magnetic field.
• It’s equipped with seven payloads (instruments) on board to study the Sun’s corona, solar emissions, solar winds and flares, and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), and will carry out round-the-clock imaging of the Sun.

Why is studying the Sun important?

• The solar weather and environment affect the weather of the entire system.
  • Variations in this weather can change the orbits of satellites or shorten their lives, interfere with or damage onboard electronics, and cause power blackouts and other disturbances on Earth.
• Knowledge of solar events is key to understanding space weather.
• To learn about and track Earth-directed storms, and to predict their impact, continuous solar observations are needed.
• Every storm that emerges from the Sun and heads towards Earth passes through L1, and a satellite placed in the halo orbit around L1 of the Sun-Earth system has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses.

What is Lagrange Point-1 (L1):

• L1 refers to Lagrangian/Lagrange Point 1, one of five points in the orbital plane of the Earth-Sun system.
• Lagrange Points, named after Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis Lagrange, are positions in space where the gravitational forces of a two-body system (like the Sun and the Earth) produce enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion.
• These can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to remain in position.
• The L1 point is home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO), an international collaboration project of NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
• The L1 point is about 1.5 million km from Earth, or about one-hundredth of the way to the Sun.
• Aditya L1 will perform continuous observations looking directly at the Sun.
• NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018, has already gone far closer — but it will be looking away from the Sun.
• The earlier Helios 2 solar probe, a joint venture between NASA and the space agency of erstwhile West Germany, went within 43 million km of the Sun’s surface in 1976.

How much heat will the Aditya-L1 face?

• The Parker Solar Probe during its flyby of the Sun has faced blisteringly hot temperatures of more than one thousand degree Celsius and remained fully operational.
• The Aditya-L1, however, will not face such heat as it is slated to stay much further away from the Sun in comparison with NASA’s mission.
• But there are other challenges.
  • Many of the instruments and their components for this mission are being manufactured for the first time in India, presenting as much of a challenge as an opportunity for the country’s scientific, engineering, and space communities.

5. EG.5.1 Covid variant takes off, India not at risk currently

Subject :Science and technology

Section: Health

Context:

• EG.5, a descendent of the Omicron lineage of XBB.1.9.2, was designated a variant of interest (VOI) after risk evaluation by the World Health Organization on August 10, 2023. It was previously designated a variant under monitoring.

Details:

• EG.5 may spread globally and contribute to a surge in case incidence.
• EG.5 was first reported on February 17 of this year. As of August 9, EG.5 has been reported from a total of 48 countries.
• In India, one EG.5.1 was detected in Maharashtra.
• The global genome sequencing databases indicate the remarkable rise of the new sublineage. EG.5.1 is taking off everywhere. It is definitely out-competing its predecessors in the XBB lineage that were dominating most of 2023.
• The recent VOI classification of EG.5 suggests that due to changes in the receptor binding domain of the spike protein, the variant escapes neutralization by antibodies generated from previous infections or vaccinations.
• EG.5 carries an additional F456L amino acid mutation in the spike protein compared to the parent XBB.1.9.2 subvariant and XBB.1.5.
• Within the EG.5 lineage, the subvariant EG.5.1 has an additional spike mutation Q52H and represents 88 per cent of the available sequences for EG.5 and its descendent lineages.

Virus variant:

• Variants of a virus have one or more mutations that differentiate it from the other variants that are in circulation. While most mutations are deleterious for the virus, some make it easier for the virus to survive.

Classification:

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies variants into four categories:

1. Variant of Interest (VOI):
   • A variant with specific genetic markers that have been associated with changes to receptor binding, reduced neutralization by antibodies generated against previous infection or vaccination, reduced efficacy of treatments, potential diagnostic impact, or predicted increase in transmissibility or disease severity.
   • An example of VOI is the 1.617 variant of the virus which has two mutations, referred to as E484Q and L452R.
   • This variant is classified as a VOI by the World Health Organization (WHO) as well.
   • Both are separately found in many other coronavirus variants, but they have been reported together for the first time in India.
2. Variant of Concern (VOC):
   • A variant for which there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease (e.g., increased hospitalizations or deaths), significant reduction in neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or diagnostic detection failures.
   • The 1.1.7 (UK variant), B.1.351 (South Africa Variant), P.1 (Brazil Variant), B.1.427, and B.1.429 variants circulating in the US are classified as VOCs.
3. Variant of High Consequence:
   • A variant of high consequence has clear evidence that prevention measures or medical countermeasures have significantly reduced effectiveness relative to previously circulating variants.
   • So far, the CDC has not found variants of high consequence in circulation in the US.
4. Variants Under Investigation (VUI):
   • Public Health England (PHE) says that if the variants of SARS-CoV-2 are considered to have epidemiological, immunological or pathogenic properties, they are raised for formal investigation.
   • At this point, the variants emerging from the 1.617 lineage are designated as VUI.

6. ‘There is no link between Lord Mayo’s assassination and the Criminal Tribes Act’

Subject :History

Section: Modern History

Context:

• Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo, a British statesman and prominent member of the British Conservative Party who served as Chief Secretary for Ireland (1852, 1858-9, 1866-8) and Viceroy of India (1869-72) was the only Viceroy to be assassinated in India during his tenure.

About the Viceroy Mayo:

• Mayo, after whom Mayo College in Ajmer is named, remains the only British Indian Viceroy to be assassinated.
• His assassination had led to the creation of the first intelligence bureau in colonial India.
• It also led to the birth of Continental cuisine in the country.
• Just a year before the assassination on February 8, 1872, the colonial government had passed a law that was to have implications for thousands of Indians: The Criminal Tribes Act, 1871.
• The law declared that certain Indian groups were habituated to a life of crime and should be punished severely. The stigma created by the law lingers to this day.
• He was assassinated by Sher Ali Afridi, the Pashtun from the restive Northwest Frontier Province of British India.

As Viceroy of India Lord Mayo was responsible for the following actions:

• Lord Mayo stabilized the northwestern frontier of India by cultivating closer relationships with Sher Ali, the emir of Afghanistan. He did this with the hope of negating Russian influence in the region and ensuring a buffer state would exist between the Russian and British Empire.
• He ordered the first census of India in 1871 which produced a general picture of various peoples of the subcontinent and their population size.
• Setting up of Department of Revenue, Agriculture and Commerce
• Introduction of the most improved rifle, the Snider, and of rifled guns for the artillery.
• Improvement in the sanitary conditions for the troops.
• infrastructure development in the country by which an immense extension of roads, railroads, and canals was carried out.
• Lord Mayo took interest in the Prison reforms, especially the convict settlements at the Andaman Islands.
• The most important legal reform during his time was the passage of the Indian Evidence Act in 1872.
  • The act removed this anomaly and differentiation and introduced a standard set of law applicable to all Indians. Earlier the law system was differentiated and was applied as per the caste, community and social group in question.

The political climate of British India in the year 1872:

• Various political murders took place in 1872.
• The attack on Justice John Paxton Norman on the steps of Calcutta Town Hall on September 20, 1871.
  • Some rules affected the religious freedom of some groups and sects. The Wahhabi movement was seen as a threat to British rule and their plans for expansion of the Empire. Many prominent Wahhabi leaders were sent on sentences of transportation for life to the penal colony of Andamans during the Ambala trials of 1864.
  • Justice Norman was known to have passed harsh sentences against Wahhabis and sent them to the Andamans. It is believed that Mohammed Abdullah, who killed Justice Norman, was a Wahhabi sympathiser.

Why did Sher Ali Afridi assassinate Mayo?

• There is no proof that Sher Ali fought on behalf of the British during the Great Uprising of 1857.
• He was an Afridi tribesmen hailing from Jamrud.
• He was described as working as an orderly for Colonel Pollock who was a British officer posted in Peshawar.
• He was charged for murder by British law and sentenced to death which was later commuted to transportation for life and sent to Andamans.
• He was known to be a mild, soft-spoken person of affable nature because of which he earned a ticket-of-leave and lived at Hope Town working as a barber.
• It is possible that he was indoctrinated during this period with Wahhabi ideals and decided to kill Lord Mayo.
• During interrogation after the murder of Lord Mayo, Sher Ali is believed to have said he had no personal enmity with Lord Mayo and he killed him because God told him to do so.

There are claims that Sher Ali Afridi was part of a Jihadist plot and that he was influenced by Wahhabism:

• Sher Ali was surely influenced by the Wahhabis in Port Blair but he was not a jihadist.
• Sher Ali grew up in the Pashtun areas bordering Afghanistan in the years after the First Afghan War.
• The Afghans had massacred the British Army during the earlier part of the war. When the ‘Army of Retribution’ was sent to take revenge for that and to consolidate British influence in Afghanistan, terrible atrocities were committed on the Afghan people by the British Indian army.

Is there any link between the Criminal Tribes Act and Assassination of Mayo?

• The Criminal Tribes Act was mainly used against some tribes who were accused of pursuing crimes like robbery, dacoity, counterfeiting, etc, as hereditary professions.
• There was not any connection between the Criminal Tribes Act and the assassination of Lord Mayo. The transportation of some ‘criminal tribes’ like the Bhattus and Bhantus to the Andamans started much later, around 1920.
• Sher Ali was an Afridi, a Pashtun tribesman for whom ‘honour’ was most important. They were never branded as a ‘criminal tribe’ by the British.

7. Doctors cannot be forced to prescribe poor quality drugs

Subject :Science and technology

Section: Health

Context:

• Following the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) latest regulation asking doctors to prescribe generic drugs, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on August 14 demanded urgent intervention from the government stating that they should not be forced to do the work of chemists, and prescribe “poor quality drugs” to patients.

Details:

• The biggest impediment to generic drugs is the uncertainty about its quality.
• The quality control in the nation being very weak, there’s practically no guarantee of the quality of drugs, and prescribing drugs without assured quality would be detrimental to patient health.
• Less than 0.1% of the drugs manufactured in India are tested for quality.

National Medical Commission (NMC):

• The NMC has been constituted by an act of Parliament known as National Medical Commission Act, 2019 which came into force on 25.9.2020 by gazette notification dated 24.9.2020.
• The Board of Governors in supersession of Medical Council of India constituted under section 3A of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 stands dissolved thereafter.

Mission and Vision:

• The Aim of the National Medical Commission are to:

1. improve access to quality and affordable medical education,
2. (ensure availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals in all parts of the country;
3. promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals accessible to all the citizens;
4. encourages medical professionals to adopt latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research;
5. objectively assess medical institutions  periodically in a transparent manner; (vi) maintain a medical register for India;
6. enforce high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services;
7. have an effective grievance redressal mechanism.

Indian Medical Association (IMA):

• IMA is the largest represented organization of doctors of the modern system of medicine in India which looks after the interests of doctors as well as the wellbeing of the community at large.
• It has a membership of 3.5 lakh doctors spread over in 28 State Branches, 5 Union territorial Branches and 1702 local branches in almost all the districts of India.
• In the pre-independence era there were Associations of doctors at few places in India. But in one of the doctors’ conferences, it was discussed that all these Associations of all these doctors should continue functioning under one Association.
• In 1928, the name Indian Medical Association was coined.
• Indian Medical Association, in the year 1946 helped in organization of the World body of medical Associations across the globe, namely, World Medical Association (WMA) and thus became its Founder member.
  • As a Member organization of WMA, it has been and continues to play an important role in its deliberations.
• IMA hosted the III World Conference on Medical Education under the joint auspices of WMA and IMA in New Delhi in 1966 and in 2009 hosted WMA General Assembly and Dr. Ketan Desai was installed as WMA President in 2015.
• IMA has got the opportunity to lead CMMAO on three occasions. IMA will lead CMAAO as its President in 2019.
• Vision: IMA is a democratic forum working to maintain dignity, honour and social security of the medical fraternity in the country. It strives to provide quality healthcare to each and every citizen of India. IMA is committed to preserve the autonomy of the profession.

Objectives:

• To promote and advance medical and allied sciences in all their different branches and to promote the improvement of public health and medical education in India
• To maintain the honour and dignity and to uphold the interest of the medical profession and to promote co-operation amongst the members thereof;
• To work for the abolition of compartmentalism in medical education, medical services and registration in the country and this to achieve equality among all members of the profession.

8. Is Air Pollution Driving Antibiotic Resistance?

Subject :Science and technology

Section: Health

Introduction

• PM2.5 pollution’s microscopic impact on global health.
• The potential link between PM2.5 and antibiotic resistance explored.
• A study published in Lancet Planetary Journal suggests a correlation.

Antibiotic Resistance (AMR) Threat

• Magnitude of AMR
  • AMR is responsible for more deaths than malaria or HIV/AIDS.
  • Directly caused 1.27 million deaths; associated with 4.95 million deaths globally in 2019.
  • AMR factors: misuse of antibiotics, weak sanitation, disease burden, and healthcare infrastructure.
• Air Pollution and Antibiotic Resistance
  • Global connection established between air pollution and antibiotic resistance.
  • Every 10% air pollution rise correlates with 1.1% antibiotic resistance increase.
  • Novel approach: combat clinical antibiotic resistance by tackling environmental pollution.

Impact and Challenges of Antibiotic Resistance

• Microbe Evolution and Drug Resistance
  • Example: ciprofloxacin resistance in Escherichia coli (E. coli).
  • Multidrug-resistant TB strains reduce the effectiveness of isoniazid and rifampin.
  • Bacterial changes lead to drug inefficacy and increased disease burden.
• Healthcare Ramifications
  • Antibiotic resistance complicates treatment for diseases like tuberculosis, cholera, and pneumonia.
  • Surgical and chemotherapy patients at heightened infection risk.
  • Extends hospitalization, widens healthcare inequities.

India’s Antibiotic Usage and AMR Circulation

• High Antibiotic Usage
  • India’s indiscriminate antibiotic use, poor hygiene, lack of awareness.
  • COVID-19 pandemic worsens trend with increased antibiotic sales.
• Circulation of AMR
  • Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes spread via humans, animals, water, air.
  • India’s water sources contain antimicrobial-resistant bacteria due to inadequate treatment.

Study Findings: Air Pollution and Antibiotic Resistance

• PM2.5 and Resistance
  • Each 1% PM2.5 rise is linked to a 0.5-1.9% antibiotic resistance increase.
  • Airborne transmission affects densely populated regions (urbanization)
  • 2018: 18.2 million years of life lost, $395 billion cost due to premature deaths.
• Projected Consequences
  • Air pollution-linked antibiotic resistance caused 480,000 premature deaths in 2018.
  • By 2050, a possible 17% increase in antibiotic resistance will lead to nearly 840,000 annual premature deaths.
  • Meeting WHO PM2.5 reduction targets could reduce antibiotic resistance by 16.8%, and lower premature deaths by 23.4%.
• WHO PM2.5 targets

Airborne Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance

• Air as Pathway
  • Airborne PM2.5 carries bacteria and antibiotic-resistant genes over distances.
  • PM2.5 particles penetrate bodies, linked to chronic conditions.
  • PM2.5’s contribution to antibiotic resistance surpasses antibiotic use and water contamination.
• Uncertainties
  • The mechanism of air pollutants affecting antibiotic resistance is still unclear.
  • Study observational, not proving causation.
  • More medical evidence is needed for verification.

The concept of Antibiotic Resistance (AMR) Explained

• AMR Basics
  • AMR: Microbes evolve, and become resistant to drugs.
  • Example: Due to resistance, antibiotic ciprofloxacin is ineffective against Escherichia coli (E. coli).
  • AMR makes infections difficult to treat and increases disease burden.
  • AMR is observed across bacteria like Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and more.

• Contributing Factors
  • Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals.
  • Poor infection prevention, inadequate sanitation, and lack of access to clean water.
  • Global travel facilitates the spread of resistant microbes.
• Solutions and Global Efforts
  • Responsible antibiotic use and prescription by healthcare professionals.
  • Better sanitation and hygiene practices to prevent infections.

Investment in new antibiotic development and alternatives to traditional antibiotics.

9. RBI’s Public Tech Platform for ‘Frictionless Credit’ Pilot

Subject :Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

Context

• RBI’s announcement of Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit by RBI Innovation Hub (RBIH).
• Current credit appraisal data challenges due to fragmented data sources.
• RBI’s bold step towards a more efficient and integrated credit delivery system.
• Leveraging technology to transform the lending landscape.

Platform’s Objective and Architecture

• Facilitate frictionless credit delivery by streamlining digital information flow.
• Built on an open architecture with open APIs and industry standards.
• Encourages all financial sector players to connect seamlessly using a ‘plug and play’ model.

Pilot Project Rollout and Approach

• Pilot launch on August 17, 2023, in a phased manner.
• Focus on specific loans and services during this initial phase.
• Aims to:
  • enhance lending process efficiency,
  • reduce costs,
  • expedite disbursement, and
  • enable scalability.

Key Products and Services During Pilot

• Kisan Credit Card loans
• Dairy Loans
• Collateral-free MSME loans
• Personal loans
• Home loans
• Offered through collaborating banks to cater to diverse borrower needs.

Integration of Services and Data

• Integration with Aadhaar e-KYC for identity verification.
• Incorporation of land records from selected State Governments (Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra).
• Utilization of satellite data for a comprehensive assessment.
• PAN validation and transliteration services.
• Aadhaar e-signing for digital signatures.
• Account aggregation is facilitated by Account Aggregators (AAs).
• Integration of milk pouring data from dairy cooperatives.
• Incorporation of property search data.

Expansion and Future Prospects

• Platform’s scope is to be expanded based on learnings from the pilot.
• Addition of more products, information providers, and lenders.
• Aims for wide adoption across the financial sector.
• Continual adaptation to evolving digital infrastructure.

Benefits and Significance

• Streamlined credit delivery process.
• Enhances collaboration, innovation, and efficiency.
• Reduction in operational costs.
• Quicker loan disbursement and scalability.

About RBIH

• The RBI Innovation Hub (RBIH) is an RBI subsidiary fostering innovation in the financial sector.
• It encourages collaboration among stakeholders for innovative strategies and solutions.
• RBIH aims to position India as a global financial innovation hub.
• The network involves financial services, fintech, policymakers, academia, and investors.
• The focus is on ideation, capability incubation, and accessible financial services for Indians.

10. President approves four Kirti Chakras, 11 Shaurya Chakras

Subject : Polity

Section: Msc

Context:

• President Droupadi Murmu approves 76 gallantry awards for armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.
• The approval comes on the eve of the 77th Independence Day.

Gallantry Awards in India: Recognizing Bravery and Sacrifice

• Gallantry Awards instituted by the Government of India to honor acts of bravery and sacrifice by Armed Forces personnel, lawfully constituted forces and civilians.
• Awards are announced twice a year: Republic Day and Independence Day.

Types of Gallantry Awards

• Gallantry in the Face of the Enemy

1. Param Vir Chakra (PVC)
2. Mahavir Chakra (MVC)
3. Vir Chakra

• Gallantry Other than in the Face of Enemy (peacetime)

1. Ashok Chakra
2. Kirti Chakra
3. Shaurya Chakra

Post-Independence Gallantry Awards

• The first three gallantry awards after India’s independence—Param Vir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, and Vir Chakra—were instituted on January 26, 1950, and their effects were retroactively set to August 15, 1947.
• Subsequently, three awards—the Ashoka Chakra Class-I, Class-II, and Class-III—were instituted on January 4, 1952, and later renamed the Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra in January 1967.

Order of Precedence

• Order of precedence:

1. Param Vir Chakra,
2. Ashoka Chakra,
3. Mahavir Chakra,
4. Kirti Chakra,
5. Vir Chakra,
6. Shaurya Chakra.

• This hierarchy reflects the level of bravery and self-sacrifice each award represents.

Investiture Ceremony

• The gallantry awards, along with some other Defence Distinguished Service awards, are conferred by the President at the Defence Investiture Ceremony held annually at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
• However, the Param Vir Chakra and the Ashoka Chakra are conferred by the President to the awardees or their Next-of-Kins (NoKs) on the occasion of the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath.

Eligibility for Gallantry Awards

• Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra & Vir Chakra
  • Eligibility includes officers, men, and women of all ranks in the Armed Forces, Reserve Forces, Territorial Army, Nursing Services, and civilians.
  • Awards awarded for conspicuous bravery, acts of gallantry, and self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy.
• Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra & Shaurya Chakra
  • Eligibility includes officers, men, and women of all ranks in the Armed Forces, Reserve Forces, Territorial Army, Nursing Services, civilians, and Police Forces.
  • Awards awarded for conspicuous bravery, acts of gallantry, and self-sacrifice not in the face of the enemy.
• All awards may be given posthumously.
• Recipients must not have adverse reports, censure, court-martial, or administrative punishments.

Selection Process

• The Ministry of Defence solicits recommendations twice a year from the Armed Forces and Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• Armed Forces initiate cases, reviewed by the Awards Committee at Services HQs, then recommended to the Ministry of Defence.
• MHA receives recommendations from State/UT Governments, Central Ministries/Departments, Central Armed Police Forces, and Railway Protection Force.
• Central Honours & Awards Committee (CH&AC) reviews all recommendations, comprising Raksha Mantri, Service Chiefs, Defence Secretary, and Home Secretary for MHA cases.
• Recommendations submitted for Prime Minister and President approval.
• Awards are announced on Republic Day and Independence Day.

Other Awards:

• Sena Medal:
  • It is awarded for acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage in the Army.
• Nao Sena Medal:
  • It is awarded for individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage in the Navy.
• Vayu Sena Medal:
  • It is awarded for individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage in the Air Force.

11. SC to consider giving more ‘bite’ to media regulations, suggests raising the penalty

Subject : Polity

Section: National body

Context

The Supreme Court noted that a ₹1 lakh fine is inadequate to discourage unethical conduct by TV channels and suggested a fine exceeding the show’s profits.

SC’s Stance on Media Regulation and Self-Regulation Mechanism

• SC emphasizes effective self-regulation without government censorship.
• A three-judge bench considers National Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA)’s appeal against the Bombay High Court’s (HC) comments.
• High Court criticized the media’s coverage of the Sushant Singh Rajput case.

Concerns About Current Self-Regulation and Fines

• Chief Justice questions the efficacy of current self-regulation.
• Reference to sensationalism impacting criminal investigations.
• Doubts raised about Rs 1 lakh fine deterrence.
• The need for fines proportional to media profits was discussed.

Solicitor General’s Input and Regulatory Guidelines

• Solicitor General highlights NBDA as one of several regulatory bodies.
• Comprehensive ethical conduct guidelines proposed.
• Upon Delhi High Court’s intervention, press officers were appointed for daily media briefings to curb unnecessary sensationalism.

Media Regulation in India

• Press Council of India (PCI):
  • Established through the Press Council of India Act of 1978.
  • Led by a former Supreme Court judge.
  • Aims to protect press freedom and enhance newspaper and news agency standards.
  • Comprises 28 members including editors, senior journalists, media managers, and representatives from various entities like the Bar Council of India, UGC, Sahitya Akademi, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha.
  • Notably, it leans towards executive authority.
• Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC):
  • Addresses complaints about entertainment and general segment television programs.
  • Dedicated to regulating content and resolving viewer concerns.
• News Broadcasters Federation:
  • Formed by those who departed from the NBA, with Republic TV’s Mr. Goswami playing a significant role.
• News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA):
• Independent body by News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA), representing TV news, current affairs, and digital broadcasters.
• NBDA is funded by 26 broadcasters (119 current affairs channels).
• The Board of Directors includes senior members from Indian media.
• Aims to unite and protect members’ freedom of speech and expression.

Functions and Powers:

• Standards focus on objectivity, impartiality, discretion in reporting crimes, and national security.
• Authority has a chairperson, experts in law, education, and news editors, nominated by the Board.
• Initiates proceedings independently or in response to complaints.
• “Two-tier” process for grievances:
  • approach the broadcaster first,
  • then file with Authority.
• Within 14 days of the complaint, Authority notifies the broadcaster for an explanation.
• Conducts inquiry with evidence and summoned individuals.
• Unanswered complaints may be dismissed.
• Can recommend license suspension/revocation.
• Fines up to Rs. 1 lakh can be imposed and recovered from the broadcaster.

However, a closer examination of these bodies reveals challenges in effectively fulfilling their primary mandate of upholding freedom while adhering to agreed ethical and professional standards.

12. SEBI paper suggests alternative mechanism to delist shares

Subject : Economy

Section: Capital market

In News: SEBI paper moots a fixed pricing concept for delisting of shares, in addition to changes to reverse building process and provision of counter-offer mechanism.

Key Points:

• A SEBI sub-group, headed by Kiki Mistry, came out with a consultation paper recommending changes to delisting norms.
• The term “delisting” of securities means permanent removal of securities of a listed company from a stock exchange. As a consequence of delisting, the securities of that company would no longer be traded at that stock exchange.
• The major reason behind such a move, according to the sub-group, was the announcement for delisting usually results in increased volatility and speculative activities in the scrip of such a company.
• The main recommendations are as follows:
  •  An acquirer of a company will have the option of providing an exit opportunity to all public shareholders at a fixed price under certain scenarios. The present approach only offers delisting through reverse book building process.
  • At present a minimum of 90 percent share holding post acquisition is necessary for delisting and there is no provision of counter offer. It is proposed that an acquirer can make a counter-offer in case the majority of the public shareholders have tendered their shares and are in favour of delisting, but the delisting offer fails since the required thresholds are not met. The threshold criteria is also relaxed for counter offer.
  • Besides current regulations, it also proposed to include adjusted book value (considering consolidated financials) as determined by an independent registered value to arrive at a fair price to fix floor price.
  • In case of delisting of investment holding company (IHC), an alternate delisting framework has been proposed, whereby the shares of the underlying listed companies held by the IHC are transferred to its public shareholders and the holding of the public shareholders in the IHC is extinguished pursuant to a court approved scheme of arrangement.

13. Is zero revenue deficit desirable?

Subject : Economy

Section: Fiscal Policy

Key Points:

• Reducing revenue deficit to near zero to manage fiscal deficit especially in a crisis situation is accepted as fiscal wisdom.
• A single minded pursuit of this target, accompanied by a mindless transition to capital expenditure can hurt the poor and affects human capital formation and the economic growth process.
• Zero revenue deficit is desirable only if it is attempted through tax revenue buoyancy than revenue expenditure compression.
•  If the zero revenue deficit is attained through compression in revenue spending related job guarantee schemes, cuts in education and health spending, and social security measures, it can trigger a humanitarian crisis amidst widening inequalities in the post pandemic period.
• In the classification of budgetary transactions, revenue expenditure is further re-categorised into general services, economic services and social services.
•  A step further is to say general services (mainly interest payments, salary and pensions, establishment expenses) are non-developmental spending. Social services (mainly social infrastructure spending including education, health, water and sanitation) and economic services are broadly classified as developmental spending.
•  IMF has tried to move away from “single concept of deficit” to “purpose specific deficits”. It has developed the concept ideal deficit which measures the real macroeconomic gap is Public Sector Borrowing Requirement (PSBR) and not the fiscal deficit or revenue deficit.
• PSBR measures the resource gap of “general government” (all tiers of government) plus public sector deficits.

The time series data on “general government” across countries are provided by the IMF Government Finance Statistics (GFS) database.