Daily Prelims Notes 15 March 2023

March 15, 2023
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

15 March 2023

Table Of Contents

Subject: Environment

Section: International Convention

Context: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an UN-backed scientific body whose periodic assessments of climate science form the basis of global climate action, is set to finalise what is known as the Synthesis Report.

More on the News:

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is meeting in Switzerland this week to finalise the last report of its sixth assessment cycle, which is expected to set up the tempo for a string of climate change-focused discussions over the next fortnight.
IPCC, an UN-backed scientific body whose periodic assessments of climate science form the basis of global climate action, is set to finalise what is known as the Synthesis Report, incorporating the findings of the five reports that it has released in the sixth assessment cycle since 2018.
The Synthesis Report is supposed to be a relatively non-technical summary of the previous reports, aimed largely at policymakers around the world. It is meant to address a wide range of policy-relevant scientific questions related to climate change, but, like all IPCC reports, in a non-prescriptive manner.
This will bring an end to the Sixth Assessment Report, a collective work of thousands of scientists over a period of eight years, starting in February 2015.
The release of the Synthesis Report on March 20 would be immediately followed by a ministerial-level meeting in Copenhagen. This will discuss ways to implement the decisions taken at last year’s climate meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, especially the one related to creation of a new fund to help countries hit by climate-related disasters. This meeting is aimed at building the atmosphere for more ambitious agreements at this year’s climate conference, scheduled in Dubai towards the end of the year.

Assessment Reports

IPCC’s Assessment Reports (ARs), which are produced every few years, are the most comprehensive and widely accepted scientific evaluations of the state of the Earth’s climate.
They form the basis for government policies to tackle climate change, and provide the scientific foundation for the international climate change negotiations.
Six Assessment Reports have been published so far.
The first Assessment Report (1990) noted that emissions resulting from human activities are substantially increasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. This report formed the basis for the negotiation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992, known as the Rio Summit.
The second Assessment Report (1995) revised the projected rise in global temperatures to 3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100, and sea-level rise to 50 cm, in light of more evidence. AR2 was the scientific underpinning for the Kyoto Protocol of 1997.
The third Assessment Report (2001) revised the projected rise in global temperatures to 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius by 2100 compared to 1990.
The fourth Assessment Report (2007) said greenhouse gas emissions increased by 70 per cent between 1970 and 2004, and atmospheric concentrations of CO2 in 2005 (379 ppm) were the most in 650,000 years. The report won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for IPCC. It was the scientific input for the 2009 Copenhagen climate meeting.
The fifth Assessment Report (2014) said more than half the temperature rise since 1950 was attributable to human activities, and that the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide were “unprecedented” in the last 800,000 years. AR5 formed the scientific basis for negotiations of the Paris Agreement in 2015.
Sixth report (AR6) coming in three parts.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

The IPCC is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.
The IPCC was set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Its main activity is to prepare Assessment Reports, special reports, and methodology reports assessing the state of knowledge of climate change.
However, the IPCC does not itself engage in scientific research. Instead, it asks scientists from around the world to go through all the relevant scientific literature related to climate change and draw up the logical conclusions.

2. Madia Gond tribes forced to leave ancestral land

Subject: Environment

Section: Places in news

Context: Madia Gond tribes forced to leave ancestral land, as human-animal conflict increases.

More on the News:

In 2007, 625.82 square kilometres of area inside the Tadoba reserve, in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, was declared as a critical tiger habitat.
In 2022, six people were killed in human-animal conflicts between October 12 and 24 in Chandrapur district alone. One of the major reasons for rise in human-animal conflicts is the coal mines and power plants located close to the forest and natural corridors, where the animals travel to the adjoining forests, note experts.
Following this, the forest department started relocating the tribal families residing there as they were not allowed to use forest land for their livelihood and graze cattle anymore.
The tribes that have been relocated to new areas are facing negative consequences due to inadequate resettlement facilities.

Madia Gond tribe

The Madia Gond tribe is an indigenous community that primarily resides in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, India. They also live in parts of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
They are primarily forest-dwellers and depend on the forest for their livelihood, which includes hunting, fishing, and gathering forest produce. They also practice shifting cultivation and grow crops like rice, millets, and pulses.
They have several unique musical instruments, including the mandar, tarpa, and nagada. Their dances are performed on various occasions like weddings, harvest festivals, and religious ceremonies.
However, the Madia Gond tribe faces several challenges today, including displacement from their land due to developmental activities like mining and construction, lack of access to basic facilities like education and healthcare, and discrimination by the dominant caste communities.

Adoba Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary

Adoba Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, India.
It was established in 1985 and covers an area of 635.47 square kilometers.
The sanctuary is part of the larger Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, which includes the Tadoba National Park.
It is Maharashtra’s oldest and largest national park.
The sanctuary is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, hyenas, sambar deer, barking deer, chital, and many species of birds.
The Andhari River, which runs through the sanctuary, is an important source of water for the animals and birds.

Critical Tiger habitats (CWH)

Critical wildlife/Tiger habitats (CWH) are defined under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
Critical wildlife habitat means such areas of National Parks and Sanctuaries which are required to be kept as inviolate for the purposes of wildlife conservation.
It is determined and notified by the Central Government in the Ministry of Environment and Forests after an open process of consultation by an Expert Committee.

3. Old homes of Kashmir’s cold valley

Subject: Environment

Section: Msc

Context: The old houses of the Kashmir Valley are living examples of climate-resilient and sustainable architecture.

More on the News:

Kashmir’s architecture evolved in response to the Valley’s climate, including addressing harsh winter periods.
Houses were built in such a way that they responded both to climate and the availability of materials.
Houses were built with a wooden framework and walls were made of mud and clay, insulating them from the cold and regulating the temperature inside the house. The mud has the best heat retention capacity and that is the reason why rooms that are plastered with mud feel warm in harsh winters.
Kashmir is recognised as a zone for high tectonic activities and prone to high intensity earthquakes. The two major techniques of construction – taaq and dhajji dewari – withstood disasters including high intensity earthquakes.
A section of house-owners and architectural experts says modern construction and design does not factor in local climatic conditions.
However, traditional structures for insulation and air flow can easily be replicated in new constructions based on contemporary design and modern aesthetics.

TAQ SYSTEM OF CONSTRUCTION

In taq system of construction there is a bearing wall construction with horizontal timber lasing embedded into masonary. In taq system of construction horizontal timbers are embedded in the masonary walls at each floor level and window lintel level. Taq construction is a bearing wall masonry construction with horizontal timber lacing embedded into the masonry to keep it from spreading and cracking. In taq system , there is a construction of masonary piers of size 1-2 feet square and the window bay (taqshe) 3-4 feetin width. From this the size of the traditional kashmiri house can be depicted as of 3 taq (window bay) to 13 taq in width. . The masonry piers are thick enough to carry the vertical loads, and the bays may either contain a window, or a thinner masonry wall as required by the floor plan and the building’s orientation In taq system of construction the different construction elements are arranged with a modular layout of masonary piers and window bays tied together just like ladder like construction, as timber is used at each floor level and window lintel level in which masonary is embedded. A combination of wood and unreinforced masonry laid on weak mortar gave [taq] buildings the required flexibility. The wooden bands tied the mud mortar walls and imparted ductility to an otherwise brittle structure. An important factor in the structural integrity of taq is that the full weight of the masonry is allowed to bear on the timbers, thus holding them in place, while the timbers in turn keep the masonry from spreading. The spreading forces can result over time from differential settlement – or in an instant in an earthquake. The overburden weight of the masonry in which the timbers are embedded serves to “pre-stress” the wall, contributing to its resistance to lateral forces.

DHAJJI-DEWARI SYSTEM OF CONSTRUCTION

Dhajji dewari is a timber frame into which one layer of masonry is tightly packed to form a wall, resulting in a continuous wall membrane of wood and masonry. In Dhajji-Dewari system of construction there is a wooden frame which is filled with masonary. The wooden members used here can be imparted horizontally, vertically or inclined into the masonary wall. These wooden members divides the masonary wall, so that the crack does not propagate to the whole wall and ultimately imparts strength to the masonary wall. Dhajjidewari is a variation of a mixed timber and masonry construction type found around the world in one form or another, both in earthquake and non-earthquake areas. While earthquakes may have contributed to its continued use in earthquake areas, timber and masonry infill frame construction probably evolved primarily because of its economic and efficient use of materials. The term dhajjidewari comes from the Persian and literally means “patchwork quilt wall”, which is an appropriate description for the construction to which it refers. The Persian name may provide a clue to Persian influence in the origins of this system of construction. It is also very similar to Turkish hımış construction, which was also common beyond the boundaries of Turkey, perhaps in part because of the widespread influence of the Ottoman Empire. Dhajjidewari consists of a complete timber frame that is integral with the masonry, which fills in the openings in the frame to form walls.

4. Schemes and Programmes to attract youth in agriculture

Subject : Schemes

Concept:

Schemes/programmes to attract youth towards agriculture and other related industries and for the development of entrepreneurship:

Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, implements:

Establishment of Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centers (AC&ABC)
Skill training programmes (minimum 200 hours’ duration) for Rural Youth and Farmers including women farmers
Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY)
Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sectors Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) to promote Agri-Startups
Certified Farm Advisor/Certified Livestock Advisor programme
Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Agri Business Management) [PGDM (ABM)]

Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) through Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) implements the following

Technology Assessment and Demonstration for its Application and Capacity Development through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).
Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA)

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Various initiatives implemented through Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI), a subsidiary under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship are furnished below:

Entrepreneurship training
Apprenticeship programme
Vocationalization of School Education
Vocationalization of Higher Education (UGC affiliated Colleges)

The Banks and Lending Institutions

The loan to farmers including youth for various activities of agriculture & allied sectors like crop loan, infrastructure creation through Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Kisan Credit Card (KCCs), value addition entrepreneurships under Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Enterprises (PM FME), Farmer Producer Organization (FPOs), Self Help Group (SHGs) etc
During 2022-23, the Government has increased the agricultural credit target to Rs. 18.00 lakh crore from Rs. 16.50 lakh crore during 2021-22.

5. MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds

Subject : Schemes

Context: The government Tuesday retracted a change in the guidelines for use of MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds, which appeared to water down the requirement to set aside a certain portion for areas dominated by Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Concept:

Advisory guidelines: In order to give due attention to the development of infrastructure in the areas predominantly inhabited by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, it shall be advisable for Members of Parliament to recommend every year, works costing at least 15 per cent,7.5 percent of the total MPLADS entitlement for the year for areas predominantly inhabited by Scheduled Caste population, and Scheduled Tribe population respectively

The earlier guidelines: in place since 2016, provided flexibility in spending funds on either SCs or STs depending on their population in a constituency. They also had a provision to spend the stipulated amount in any other part of the state provided there was not a sizeable SC/ST population in an MP’s constituency.

The revised guideline:

“MPLADS funds can be used for creation of immovable public assets on government-owned land, and movable public assets for government-owned and government-controlled institutions only, i.e. the central state/UT and local governments, including government-aided institutions.” state provided there was not a sizeable SC/ST population in an MP’s constituency.
As per the revised guidelines, cooperative societies – except cooperative housing societies will also be eligible for assistance under MPLADS, on a par with “registered trusts/societies, only for creating durable assets for the community and public utility

MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) funds

Under MPLADS MPs can recommend works of developmental nature with emphasis on the creation of durable community assets in the areas of drinking water, primary education, public health, sanitation and roads in their constituencies.
MPLAD is a Central Sector Scheme which was announced in December 1993.
The recommendations of the works are made by the Members of Parliament for the betterment of the community.
These works are executed by District Authorities in accordance with the respective State Government’s financial, technical and administrative rules.
Initially, the Scheme was under the control of the Ministry of Rural Development and Planning. In October, 1994, the scheme was transferred to the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
Under this scheme, every MP is entitled to spend Rs 5 crore annually.
MPs to get ₹2 cr. each instead of previously approved ₹5 cr.
According to the ‘Guidelines on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)’ published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in June 2016, the MPLAD funds can also be used for implementation of the schemes such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), conservation of water through rain water harvesting and Sansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana, etc.

Functioning

Each year, MPs receive Rs. 5 crore in two instalments of Rs. 2.5 crore each. Funds under MPLADS are non-lapsable.
Lok Sabha MPs have to recommend the district authorities projects in their Lok Sabha constituencies, while Rajya Sabha MPs have to spend it in the state that has elected them to the House.
Nominated Members of both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha can recommend works anywhere in the country.
MPs are to recommend every year, works costing at least 15 per cent of the MPLADS entitlement for the year for areas inhabited by Scheduled Caste population and 7.5 per cent for areas inhabited by ST population.
The District Authority would be responsible for overall coordination and supervision of the works under the scheme at the district level and inspect at least 10% of the works under implementation every year.

6. RBI has allowed banks of 18 other nations to trade in rupee

Subject : Economy

Section: External Sector

Concept :

Banks from 18 countries have been permitted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to open Special Vostro Rupee Accounts (SVRAs) for settling payments in Indian rupees.

Background:

The process of SVRAs began in July 2022 when the RBI announced to put in place an additional arrangement for invoicing, payment, and settlement of exports/imports in INR.
India has been supporting the idea of trade in local currency mainly to boost exports.

Special Vostro accounts

A vostro account is an account that domestic banks hold for foreign banks in the former’s domestic currency.
Domestic banks use it to provide international banking services to their clients who have global banking needs.
It is an integral offshoot of correspondent banking that entails a bank (or an intermediary) to facilitate wire transfer, conduct business transactions, accept deposits and gather documents on behalf of the other bank.
It helps domestic banks gain wider access to foreign financial markets and serve international clients without having to be physically present abroad.
The SRVA is an additional arrangement to the existing system that uses freely convertible currencies and works as a complimentary system.
Indian exporters could get advance payments in INR from overseas clients and in the long-term promote INR as an international currency once the rupee settlement mechanism gains traction.

About the initiative:

SVRAs could be set up by banks of partner countries by approaching Authorised Dealer (AD) banks in India that may get permission from the RBI after the due procedure.
The RBI had granted approval to domestic and foreign AD Banks in 60 cases for opening SRVAs of banks from 18 nations.
The countries includes Botswana, Fiji, Germany, Guyana, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Russia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda and the United Kingdom.
Procedures for trade in INR have been delineated by RBI in the Circular (No 10 RBI/2022-2023/90 dated on ‘International Trade Settlement in Indian rupees’).
RBI has clarified matters related to operationalization of SRVAs through FAQs, which are available to banks, importers and exporters etc.

Eligibility criteria for banks

Authorised banks can open multiple SRV accounts for different banks from the same country.
Further, balances in the account can be repatriated in freely convertible currency and/or currency of the beneficiary partner country depending on the underlying transaction, that is, for which the account was credited.
Domestic banks must also put forth for perusal, financial parameters pertaining to the corresponding bank.

7. Australia to buy US nuclear submarine under AUKUS

Subject : International Relations

Section: Groupings

Concept :

Australia has unveiled plans to buy up to five U.S. nuclear-powered submarines, then build a new model with U.S. and British technology under an ambitious plan to bulk up Western muscle across the Asia-Pacific in the face of a rising China.
The announcement came at an event at a San Diego, California, naval base where U.S. President Joe Biden hosted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
US said it had “safeguarded stability in the Indo-Pacific for decades” and that the submarine alliance would bolster “the prospect of peace for decades to come.”
US President stressed, Australia, which joined a newly formed alliance known as AUKUS with Washington and London 18 months ago, will not be getting nuclear weapons.
However, acquiring stealthy submarines powered by nuclear reactors puts Australia in an elite club and at the forefront of U.S.-led efforts to push back against Chinese military expansion.
IAEA, UN nuclear watchdog, said it has to ensure that “no proliferation risks” will come from the deal.

Details of the Submarine deal

The United States, Australia and Britain unveiled details of a plan to provide Australia with “nuclear-powered” attack submarines from the early 2030s.
Under the deal, the United States intends to sell Australia three US Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines, in the early 2030s, with an option for Australia to buy two more if needed.
The multi-stage project would culminate with British and Australian production and operation of a new submarine class – SSN-AUKUS.
SSN-AUKUS will be a trilaterally developed vessel based on Britain’s next-generation design.
It would be built in Britain and Australia and include cutting edge U.S. technologies.
Britain would take delivery of its first SSN-AUKUS submarine in the late 2030s, and Australia would receive its first in the early 2040s.
Funding mechanism: Australia will also provide $3 billion over the next four years to production lines in the US and the UK as part of its financial commitment, with the US receiving the majority of the funding for improvement.

AUKUS partnership

Signed in September 2021, the new enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, United Kingdom, and United States is named as “AUKUS”.
This is a trilateral defence deal for Indo-Pacific.
Intent for AUKUS is to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific in the long term.
It drew a sharp response from China, whose territorial ambitions across the Indo-Pacific may well have been a key factor behind the formation of this group.
The first major initiative of AUKUS would be to deliver a “nuclear-powered” submarine fleet for Australia.
These countries, however, made it clear that their aim is not to arm the new submarines with nuclear weapons.
This is because Australia is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) which bans it from acquiring or deploying nuclear weapons.

8. House panel apprehensive about PM-PVTG allocation

Subject : Schemes

Concept :

Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment expressed disappointment that such a massive budgetary allocation ( 15,000 crores ) had been planned when even the Ministry of Tribal Affairs does not have data on PVTG populations in several States and Union Territories.

PM- PVTG Development Mission

The Finance Minister announced the launch of a new scheme called the Pradhan Mantri PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) Development Mission as part of the Union Budget 2023-24.
A fund of Rs 15,000 crore for the next three years has been allocated for the socio-economic development of the group.
It will be launched as part of ‘Reaching The Last Mile’, one of the seven Saptarishi priorities enlisted in this year’s Budget.
The PVTGs Mission aims to provide basic facilities like housing, water, road, telecom, education and health in PVTG areas across the country.
The scheme follows the strategic approach of Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana , which is need-based and strives to optimise utilisation of resources available under various programs and aims at specific outcomes.
Implementation: Among the ministries that are expected to be roped in along with Tribal Affairs Ministry, to implement the PM-PVTG Mission the Rural Development Ministry, the Water Resources Ministry, the Education Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Women and Child Development Ministry.

Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana (VKY)

The Scheme was launched in 2014 as a Central Sector Scheme by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The scheme aims at overall development of tribal people with an outcome-based approach, ensuring that all the intended benefits, goods and services through various programmes/schemes of Central and State Governments covered under the respective Tribal Sub-Plans actually reach them.

PVTG:

Particularly vulnerable tribal group

75 tribal groups have been categorized categorized by Ministry of Home Affairs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG)s.
The criteria for identifying Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups are: –

Pre-agricultural level of technology
Low level of literacy
Economic backwardness
A declining or stagnant population.

PVTGs reside in 18 States and UT of A&N Islands.
Besides a number of schemes of Government of India and the State Governments where PVTG population are also benefitted along with other population, Ministry of Tribal Affairs administers a scheme namely ‘Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG)’specifically for the PVTG population.
The scheme covers the 75 identified PVTGs in 18 States, and Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The scheme aims at planning their socio-economic development in a comprehensive manner while retaining the culture and heritage of the communities by adopting habitat level development approach.
The projects taken up under this scheme are demand driven.

9. Emigration Act

Subject: Schemes

Concept:

In 2022, emigration clearances were issued to 3,73,434 Indians, of which 10,654 were from Punjab, the Lok Sabha was informed.
The Emigration Act, 1983, regulates emigration of skilled, semiskilled and unskilled workers as well as certain professionals such as nurses, for employment in 18 specified countries.

Emigration Act 1983

Currently, Labour Recruitment is done through this Act.
The act talks about Labour Migration abroad (Especially west Asia and Gulf Countries) for jobs.
The recruiting Agency, middlemen should be Government certified.
It talks in detail about the Recruitment charges and also the minimum service conditions to be provided.
It sought to protect the rights of individuals going abroad for jobs.

Emigration Bill 2022

It will replace and improvise over the previous act, Emigration Act, 1983.
Emigrants are defined as Indian citizens who seek to or have departed out of India for employment.
New policy division: A new emigration policy division is launched under the Ministry of External Affairs. It establishes help desks and welfare committees for migrant workers
The draft Bill seeks to create two authorities:
Bureau of Emigration Policy and Planning (BEPP): Its functions will consist of preparing policies on matters related to the welfare of emigrants and negotiating labour and social security agreements with destination countries.
It envisages the appointment of a joint secretary level officer as the chief of emigration policy and planning.
Bureau of Emigration Administration (BEA): It will work on maintaining a database of Indian emigrants, and implementing measures and programmes for the welfare of emigrants.
Nodal committees established in states and union territories (UTs): They are set up under Chief Emigration Officer. They work for initiating action to prosecute entities involved in the trafficking of persons and undertaking pre-departure orientation programmes and skill up-gradation programmes for prospective emigrants.
A digitized record shall also be maintained which would capture the details of Indian emigrants and also the blacklisted emigrants.
Accreditation of employers: Any employer who intends to recruit an emigrant must apply for accreditation with the competent authority. Such accreditation will be valid for a period of five years.
Punishment: The offences have been made punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but may extend to seven years or with a fine, which shall not be less than three lakh rupees but which may extend to five lakh rupees or with both.
Human resources agencies: They will be registered by a Competent Authority and are engaged in recruitment for an employer. Appeal against decisions of the competent authority with regard to registration of these agencies will lie with the central government
It prohibits the functioning of Human Resource Agencies except in accordance with being registered as a Company under the Companies Act, 2013 or a Limited Liability Partnership under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 or a partnership under the Indian Partnership Act, 1932.

10. OBC Panel does not have caste census data , says govt

Subject : Polity

Section: Msc

Concept :

Union government on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that the Justice Rohini Commission, which is looking into the subcategorisation, has been working without the data from the previous Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) conducted in 2011.

About Rohini Commission

Headed by Justice (Retd.) G Rohini, the commission was constituted under Article 340 of the Constitution with the approval of the President .
Article 340 deals with the appointment of a commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes.
The commission, formed in October 2017, was initially given 12 weeks to finish the task of subcategorising the nearly 3,000 castes within the OBC umbrella and recommend division of the 27% OBC quota among them equitably.
Initially, the government cited more time required by the panel to gather information and data and then it cited the pandemic.
As part of its work, the commission had identified dominant caste groups among all OBC communities in the Central list, finding that a small group of dominant OBC communities were crowding out a large number of communities from the 27% quota.

Sub-categorization of OBCs

The idea is to create sub-categories within the larger group of OBCs for the purpose of reservation. OBCs are granted 27% reservation in jobs and education under the central government.
For OBCs, the debate arises out of the perception that only a few affluent communities among the over 2,600 included in the Central List of OBCs have secured a major part of the 27% reservation.
The argument for creating sub-categories within OBCs is that it would ensure “equitable distribution” of representation among all OBC communities.

Background

In 2015, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) had recommended that OBCs should be categorised into extremely backward classes, more backward classes and backward classes.
The benefits of the reservation in OBCs are being cornered mostly by the dominant OBC groups over the years so there is a need to recognise sub-quotas for the extremely backward classes within the OBCs.
NCBC has the authority to examine complaints and welfare measures regarding socially and educationally backward classes.

Mandate:

Examine the uneven distribution of reservation benefits among different castes in the central OBC list. For example, certain castes were left out of the ambit because of a difference in spelling in a State.
Work out mechanism and parameters for sub-categorisation of OBCs, to identify castes, sub-castes and communities and classify them into sub-categories.
Submit a comprehensive report after consultation with various stakeholders so that Census 2021 can include comprehensive data on OBCs.
To study the various entries in the Central List of OBCs and recommend correction of any repetitions, ambiguities, inconsistencies and errors of spelling or transcription.

11. One Week One Lab’ programme at CSIR-NIIST

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Msc

Concept:

CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), in Thiruvananthapuram signed three agreements on Monday for transfer of technology, including manufacture of leather from agro-residues as an alternative to animal and synthetic leather.
These three tech transfers inked as part of ‘One Week One Lab’ programme at CSIR-NIIST.

About One Week One Lab Campaign:

The One Week One lab campaign of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), will highlight India’s global excellence in technology, innovation and Start-ups.
In this campaign, each of CSIR’s 37 constituent laboratories, spread nationwide, will showcase their legacy, exclusive innovations and technological breakthroughs every successive week.
During the campaign each CSIR lab shall be organizing week-long events including industry & start-up meet, students connect, society connect, display of technologies, etc.
The campaign will also focus on academia and skill development, where interested students from varying domains get to know about the research activities and facilities of the CSIR laboratories and get a connection with prospects.
Industries & MSMEs Meets are targeted to establish an understanding between Science and Industry based on the requirement of the society or regional needs and to identify potential industries for co-development of Next Gen technologies and products.
It will be an opportunity to create networks of Govt- Academia-Industry for faster deliveries and deployments of technologies.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research abbreviated as CSIR, was established by the Government of India in 1942 as an autonomous body.
It has emerged as the largest research and development organisation in India.
CSIR is also among the world’s largest publicly funded R&D organisation which is pioneering sustained contribution to S&T human resource development in the country.
Although it is mainly funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, it operates as an autonomous body through the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
The research and development activities of CSIR include aerospace engineering, structural engineering, ocean sciences, life sciences and healthcare including diagnostics, metallurgy, chemicals, mining, food, petroleum, leather, and environmental science.

12. Promises of Monoclonal antibody technology

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Biotechnology

Concept :

WHO has said that the technologies like Monoclonal antibody promises better disease prevention and control in Africa.
They are used to address different kinds of diseases, not just infections.

Monoclonal Antibody

They are Lab-made copies of B cells that mimic the body’s immune system.
The aim is to enable the production of proteins that are very specific to the foreign bodies called antigens.
They’re called monoclonal because they are produced by single clone of the B cells. So, you can have the exact copies of the same protein produced many times over and this way they are called Mab.
MAb can be produced outside the body, but you have to focus on the type since what is produced in our bodies are of different types, hundreds of them.
Whatever infection you have, there is an antibody produced in the body, but if we are producing it from outside, it has to be specific.
MAb are used to address different kinds of diseases, not just infections.

For Example – Cancer Treatment:

Cancer is not infection, but you can use monoclonal antibodies against it.
To treat cancer, the standard method is chemotherapy — the use of drugs. But those drugs are usually cytotoxic. They kill everything — both the normal cells and the cancer cells.
Sometimes, we give radiation; even radiation cannot choose which cells to kill.
But MAb can target specific problems and attack those cells.
Autoimmune diseases are not infections, but you can use Mab.
MAb can be used against infections like malaria or others as they are made to target anything that is interpreted as outside.
For instance, Mali was chosen for clinical trial as malaria is still very high in the country.

Significance for Africa

Africa’s Heads of State recognise that technology is critical to accelerating the continent’s economic development, as embodied in the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063.
To this extent, the AU directed its development agency to establish the Africa Union High-level Panel on Emerging Technologies to provide expert advice on matters of technology and development.
The establishment allows the continent to leverage current and emerging innovations and technologies with a high potential to transform Africa’s science base into a competitive advantage

13. Google discourages sideloading of apps through multiple warnings, CCI tells NCLAT

Subject :Science and Technology

Section: Awareness in IT

Context : Google discourages sideloading of apps through multiple warnings, CCI tells NCLAT

What is sideloading?

Sideloading offers mobile devices users a way to access more applications than are available through commercial app stores such as Google Play or the Apple App Store. It is the installation of an application on a mobile device without using the device’s official application distribution method. In a way it helps users bypass Google’s stranglehold on PlayStore. However, the moot point is sideloading allowed by Google comes with warnings and tedious processes.
It maybe recalled that allowing side loading of applications in Android mobile phones is one of the ten non-monetary directions issued by the Competition Commission of India(CCI) in its Android ruling of October 20 last year. In response to this direction, Google has claimed that it will result in security risk for Android users.
The recently enacted European Digital Markets Act mandates the gatekeepers (Google and Apple) to allow sideloading of apps as well as app stores.

More : https://optimizeias.com/competition-commission-of-india-cci-passed-two-orders-against-google/

14. Perumal Murugan’s Pyre in Booker longlist

Subject :International Relations

Section: International Prizes

Tamil writer Perumal Murugan has been selected for the International Booker prize longlist for 2023, the Booker Prize Foundation announced on Tuesday. Murugan makes it to the prestigious list with his 2016 book Pyre, translated from Tamil by Aniruddhan Vasudevan