Daily Prelims Notes 16 January 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

16 January 2024

Table Of Contents

1. India’s multidimensional poverty rate down to 11.28% in 2022-23 from 29.17% in 2013-14
2. Crisis can impact India as 80% of exports to Europe takes place via Red Sea: Official
3. New butterfly species endemic to Western Ghats discovered in Karnataka
4. AI-led robotic lab develops enzyme to withstand higher temperatures without human intervention. How it works
5. India’s Shipping Min developing river pilgrimage cruises including along Ayodhya – Varanasi – Mathura

1. India’s multidimensional poverty rate down to 11.28% in 2022-23 from 29.17% in 2013-14

Subject: Schemes

Section: Reports and Indices

Context: A discussion paper released by NITI Aayog on Monday

According to a NITI Aayog discussion paper, multidimensional poverty in India declined from 29.17% in 2013-14 to 11.28% of the population in 2022-23, with about 24.82 crore people moving out of this bracket in nine years to 2022-23. They also claim that Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh registered the largest decline.

The Government of India has made remarkable progress in improving the lives of people, aiming to reduce poverty in all dimensions. Noteworthy initiatives like Poshan Abhiyan and Anemia Mukt Bharat have significantly enhanced access to healthcare facilities, leading to a substantial decrease in deprivation.

Operating one of the world’s largest food security programs, the Targeted Public Distribution System under the National Food Security Act covers 81.35 crore beneficiaries, providing food grains to rural and urban populations. Recent decisions, such as extending free food grain distribution under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for another five years, exemplify Government’s commitment. Various programs addressing maternal health, clean cooking fuel distribution through Ujjwala Yojana, improved electricity coverage via Saubhagya, and transformative campaigns like Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission have collectively elevated living conditions and overall well-being of people. Additionally, flagship programs like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and PM Awas Yojana have played pivotal roles in financial inclusion and providing safe housing for the underprivileged.

While the performance of States varies, some States which were traditionally having high poverty have made remarkable progress in helping people escape poverty, thus reducing inter-state disparities in multidimensional poverty. With this, the fundamental problems in accessing basic services are getting resolved fast so that the country can look towards becoming a developed nation i.e. Viksit Bharat @2047.

National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI):

• The MPI has been used by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its flagship Human Development Report since 2010.
• In this context, NITI Aayog had published the first edition of national Multidimensional Poverty Index for India in 2021.
• Purpose –
• A national MPI statistic for a country is tailored to the national priorities and therefore, countries choose their own set of dimensions, indicators, weights, and cut-offs, according to their plans and contexts.
• The report presents an in-depth analysis of the headcount ratio and intensity of multidimensional poverty at the national, State/UT, and district levels.
• The first report was based on the reference period of 2015-16 of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)- 4.
• MPI Parameters & Methodology:
• The Index is based on the Alkire-Foster methodology developed by its technical partners — the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and has three equally weighted dimensions –
  • Health
  • Education
  • Standard of Living
• These three dimensions are represented by 12 indicators–
• The index is calculated by first setting the deprivation cut-offs for each indicator, i.e., the level of achievement considered normatively sufficient for an individual to be considered not deprived in an indicator.
• For example, the individual has completed at least six years of schooling. Such a cut off would be applied to determine whether the individual is deprived in each indicator.
• Weights are added to each indicator and a composite metric is then used to calculate the index.

2. Crisis can impact India as 80% of exports to Europe takes place via Red Sea: Official

Subject: Economy

Section: External Sector

Details

According to the commerce and industry ministry, the Red Sea shipping crisis could impact India’s exports to Europe the most as about 80 per cent of the outbound shipments to Europe takes place through the Red Sea region. The EU contributes to over 15 per cent of India’s total goods exports.

Other reasons for slowdown in exports to Europe

• Russia-Ukraine war
• Environmental related trade measures such as the carbon border adjustment mechanism and EU’s deforestation law are feared to hit India’s exports going forward.

Impact of Red Sea disruption

• The cost is increasing due to the Red Sea disruption. But ultimately it will depend on demand. The US exports are also through the Suez route. Transport charges are surging. An additional congestion surcharge is also being charged. But if the demand is robust the shipments will go.
• The ministry said that the Red Sea region is vital for 30 per cent of global container traffic and 12 per cent of global trade and about 95 per cent of vessels have rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 4000 to 6000 nautical miles and 14 to 20 days to journeys.

Measures

• The union government is also mulling on using alternate trade routes and has asked Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) not to raise insurance premiums amid rising cost of shipping to Europe.

3. New butterfly species endemic to Western Ghats discovered in Karnataka

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Cigaritis conjuncta or the Conjoined Silverline butterfly:

• Researchers from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS-TIFR) in Bengaluru, in collaboration with the Indian Foundation for Butterflies Trust, have identified a new species of silverline butterfly in India’s Western Ghats biodiversity hotspots.
• Named Cigaritis conjuncta or the “conjoined silverline,” the butterfly was initially spotted in 2008 at the Honey valley, Kodagu district of Karnataka.
• The discovery includes distinctive features such as a black upper wing with shiny blue on the lower wings, an orange patch with two black spots, and unique patterns on the underside, including fused bands and silver lines.
• The conjoined silverline is the second endemic species discovered in the Western Ghats and prefers dense mid-elevation evergreen forests.
• The researchers identified 30 individuals during their field research, highlighting its specialized habitat preferences.
• In India, there are 16 species of silverline butterflies, with 11 of them found in both peninsular India and Sri Lanka.

Source: DTE

4. AI-led robotic lab develops enzyme to withstand higher temperatures without human intervention. How it works

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Awareness in IT

Context:

• Scientists from the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a metabolic protein that can withstand higher temperatures using an autonomous robotics lab driven by artificial intelligence (AI).

About SAMPLE (self-driving autonomous machines for protein landscape exploration):

• The platform, named SAMPLE, operates as a fully autonomous system, learning protein sequence-function relationships through AI.
• It designs new proteins on paper, instructs robotic instruments to create them, and tests their functionality.
• In an experiment focused on glycoside hydrolase proteins, SAMPLE produced versions that could function at temperatures 12 degrees Celsius higher than the starting proteins, a task that would take a human about a year.
• While SAMPLE enhances efficiency in protein engineering, human expertise remains crucial in designing hypotheses and interpreting findings.

Protein engineering:

• Protein engineering is a field with vast potential, touching diverse areas such as medicine, energy and chemistry
• However, traditional methods of creating proteins with new or improved functions are notoriously slow, demanding and inefficient.
• The process typically involves generating hypotheses, designing and conducting experiments, and interpreting results — a cycle that is both labour-intensive and time-consuming.

Source: DTE

5. India’s Shipping Min developing river pilgrimage cruises including along Ayodhya – Varanasi – Mathura

Subject: Geography

Section: Indian Physical Geography

Context:

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) in India is actively promoting river pilgrimage circuits as cruises gain popularity.

Details:

• A circuit covering seven temples in Assam along National Waterways 2 has been developed, and plans are underway for tours along the Ayodhya – Mathura – Varanasi circuit.
• New cruise vessels and electric Catamarans have been ordered for these circuits, with the Inland Waterways Authority of India procuring Catamarans for Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura, and Guwahati.
• MoUs were signed last year to establish riverine-based religious tourism circuits through special purpose vehicles.
• Currently, four cruise vessels for pilgrimage river cruises are operational in Varanasi, and in Assam, services are provided on a ‘Hop-on & Hop-off’ basis covering temples like Kamakhya, Pandunath, Ashwaklanta, Doul Govida, Umananda, Chakreshwar, and Auniati Satra.

Ayodhya river cruise:

• One vessel, MV Guh, is en route to Ayodhya, while the second is expected to be deployed in the coming months.
• There is a particular emphasis on promoting pilgrimage tourism in the region. Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government is actively promoting river cruises in Mathura and Ayodhya.

Existing Cruises:

• Currently, there are a total of 14 cruise vessels operating on National Waterways 1, covering the river Ganges.
• Four cruises of ‘Nordic Cruise Line’ are operate around Varanasi; and two cruise vessels of Assam Bengal Navigation Company operate along Kolkata, Farakka, Patna, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Sarnath, Chunar, and Raj Ghat routes.
• Three cruise vessels of Heritage River Journeys operate between Kolkata, Maitiari, Murshidabad, Chandernagore and Kolkata.
• Vivada Inland Waterways has four cruise vessels plying between Sunderban, Ganga Sagar, Kolkata, Farakka, Bhagalpur, Mungher, and Semaria
• Four cruise vessels operate on National Waterways 2 across circuits like Jogighopa, Saulkhuchi, Guwahati, Silghat Kaziranga National Park, Biswanath Ghat, Majuli and Neamati.

Sarayu river:

• The Sarju also known as Sarayu, is a major river draining Central Kumaon region in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
• Originating from Sarmul, Sarju flows through the cities of Kapkot, Bageshwar and Seraghat before joining Mahakali at Pancheshwar.
• The Sarju is the largest tributary of the Sharda River.
• The river forms the South-eastern border between the districts of Pithoragarh and Almora.
• Temperate and sub-Tropical forests cover the entire Catchment area of the River.
• Tributaries:
  • Left– Ramganga, Punger
  • Right- Gomati, Panar, Lahor

Source: TH BL