Daily Prelims Notes 18 August 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

18 August 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Sri-Lanka IMF Bailout and IMF review
2. Rupee sinks to new low on strong $, weak yuan
3. India to enter cathode active material (CAM) production
4. As inflation rises & liquidity tightens, bond, T-Bill yields rise sharply
5. To live with ALS and to care for patients extracts a toll
6. Bilkis Bano Case: Supreme Court Questions Selective Application of Remission Policy in Gujarat
7. President Murmu launches stealth frigate INS Vindhyagiri
8. Chandrayaan-3 lander separates from propulsion module
9. India launches ‘FloodWatch’ app for real-time flood updates
10. NDMA starts testing emergency cell broadcast tech
11. Baghjan blowout: NGT directs Assam government to pay aid to affected families
12. Rising methane could be a sign that Earth’s climate is part-way through a ‘termination-level transition’
13. Food transitions in age of climate crisis should focus on diversifying options
14. CAG flags series of overruns in UP’s major irrigation projects

1. Sri-Lanka IMF Bailout and IMF review

Subject: International Relations

Section: International Organisation

Context:

• IMF to conduct the first review of Sri Lanka Bailout in mid September.

More about the Sri Lankan Bailout:

• In September 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Sri Lankan authorities reached a staff-level agreement to support Sri Lanka’s economic policies with a 48-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of about $3 billion.
• The objectives of Sri Lanka’s new Fund-supported program was –
  • To restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability,
  • Stepping up structural reforms to address corruption vulnerabilities and unlock Sri Lanka’s growth potential.

What is the International Monetary Fund:

• The International Monetary Fund is an international organization that was established in 1944 to promote international economic cooperation, exchange rate stability and resources to member countries experiencing economic difficulties.
• It is headquartered in Washington D.C., United States, and currently has 190 member countries.
• It is governed by a Board of Governors, which is composed of one governor from each member country.
• Each member country has a number of votes in the IMF based on its quota system which reflects a member’s relative size in the global economy.

How does the IMF help countries:

• The IMF basically lends money, often in the form of special drawing rights (SDRs), to troubled economies that seek the lender’s assistance.
• SDRs simply represent a basket of five currencies, namely theS. dollar, the euro, the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, and the British pound.
• The IMF carries out its lending to troubled economies through a number of lending programs such as the extended credit facility, the flexible credit line, the stand-by agreement,
• Countries receiving the bailout can use the SDRs for various purposes depending on their individual circumstances.

What are IMF Bailouts:

• Bailout is a general term for extending financial support to a company/country facing a potential bankruptcy threat.
• It can take the form of loans, cash, bonds, or stock purchases.
• A bailout may or may not require reimbursement but is often accompanied by greater oversight and regulations.

What is Extended Fund Facility:

• The Extended Fund Facility (EFF) is a lending facility of the Fund of the IMF and it was established in 1974.
• The EFF provides financial assistance to countries facing serious medium-term balance of payments (BoP) problems because of structural weaknesses that require time to address.
• To help countries implement medium-term structural reforms, the EFF offers longer program engagement and a longer repayment period.
• All member countries of the IMF facing actual or potential external financing needs are eligible.

Has India availed the EFF in the past:

• In 1980, India had borrowed $ 3.9 billion ,a record amount then under an extended fund facility from the IMF.
• However, the then Government did not avail of the full amount as the economy recovered.
• During the 1991 economic crisis, India borrowed $ 2.2 billion from the IMF under two standby arrangements, between 1991 and 1993.
• A little over a decade later, India emerged as a creditor to the Fund as its economy recovered and its balance of payments position improved substantially.

2. Rupee sinks to new low on strong $, weak yuan

Subject: Economy

Section: External Sector

In News: The rupee sank to an all-time closing low owing to a strong dollar

Key Points:

• The rupee sank to an all-time closing low on Thursday, weighed down by a strong dollar index and a weakening Chinese currency even as RBI sold dollars to arrest the fall.
• The rupee closed at 83.1475 per dollar, down about 20 paise against the previous close of 82.95.
• The triggering factors were the emerging real estate crises in China, the People’s Central Bank of China (PBOC)’s rate cut, and the strong sell-off in China’s equity market.
• That coupled with rising dollar post higher than expected US inflation data reignited speculation of a hawkish Fed and added pressure to the rupee. With the likelihood of US yields to remain high emerging markets see weaker interest.
• Weakening of yuan is associated with weakening Rupee, because there is an expectation that due to trade reasons India cannot allow Rupee to appreciate much against Yuan. These expectations add downward pressure on Rupee.

Concept

Increase in supply of rupee relative to foreign currency, say US$.

• Balance of payment deficit
  • Decrease in net export i.e. Export-Import.
  • Net capital outflow i.e. capital outflow- capital inflow.
• Fall in relative rate of interest in India (comparatively higher rate of interest in foreign capital market lead to capital outflow)
• Higher crude oil prices/ higher global price of any imported goods that would  increase import bill.
• Wars/Pandemic leading to global supply chain disruption and uncertainty in consumer-investment expectation. For example-recent Ukraine War.
• Fall in the currencies of emerging market peers.
• Higher foreign denominated external debts- it will increase demand of foreign currency relative to domestic currency.

Impact-

Depreciation in rupee is a double-edged sword for the economy.

Positive: While a weaker currency may support exports as export becomes cheaper for foreign countries against which currency has been depreciated.

Negative: 

• It poses risk of imported inflation, and may make it difficult for the central bank to maintain interest rates at a record low for longer.
• The currency’s weakness makes imports costlier.
• It will be costlier for students studying in overseas universities as this is the time when they purchase dollars towards fees.
• A falling rupee can be a worry for those planning a holiday abroad.
• Importers of capital goods will see shrinkage in margins.
• Repayment of external debt becomes costly.

Losers:

• People Importing from outside.
• People seeking foreign education.
• People traveling abroad.
• People investing abroad.
• People seeking medical treatment abroad etc.

Gainers:

• Exporters of India.
• People receiving remittances from Non Resident Indians (NRI).
• Foreign tourists as travel to India gets cheaper.
• NGOs receiving foreign donations.
• Foreigners investing in India.
• Foreign students studying in India.

3. India to enter cathode active material (CAM) production

Subject: Economy

Section: External Sector

In News: India aims for self-reliance in cathode materials by partnering with Altmin

Key Points:

• India aims for self-reliance in cathode materials by partnering with Altmin to produce Lithium Ferrous Phosphate, a crucial component of Cathode Active Materials used in advanced Lithium-ion cells for EVs.
• ARCI (International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials), which works under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, in collaboration with Altmin has come out with the maiden product – Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (LFP), the key component of CAMs.
• This product is used in the manufacturing of advanced Lithium-ion cells that would help the electric vehicles industry and other industrial applications.
• What is Altmin?
  • It is a non-government private limited company.The company was formed to support the Government of India’s Advanced Chemistry Cell – PLI scheme, targetted to localise the manufacturing of Li-ion cells and batteries in India and will continue to operate in a public-private partnership with ARCI.
  • The company has partnered up with YLB of Bolivia for a consistent and secure supply of battery grade lithium carbonate necessary for the production.

4. As inflation rises & liquidity tightens, bond, T-Bill yields rise sharply

Subject: Economy

Section: External Sector

In News: RBI status quo stance, incremental CRR (ICRR), inflationary pressure and weakening Rupee push yields on 10-year benchmark bonds and Treasury Bills sharply.

Key Points:

• Bond yields have been increasing driven by three major factors: Liquidity squeeze because of ICRR, inflation and weakening Rupee.
• The 10-year is ruling at 7.25 per cent and it does look like that there can be some further upward movement expected as liquidity tightens in the market.The rise in yields is not restricted to India alone.
• Liquidity:
  • Reduction of liquidity in the system is getting reflected in the market as elevated bond yields. As liquidity is tightened and pressure gets mounted on short-term interest rates.
  • The primary reason is the invocation of the incremental CRR (ICRR). The temporary measure will suck out over Rs 1 lakh crore of excess liquidity from the banking system. Surplus liquidity has dried up to just Rs 21,000 crore as of August 14.
  • RBI had, last week, directed banks to maintain an incremental cash reserve ratio (I-CRR) of 10 per cent for banks in order to manage surplus liquidity in the banking system.
• Inflation:
  • Secondly with retail inflation spiking to 7.44 per cent in July, the expectation is for interest rates to stay elevated for the near future.
  • July retail inflation spiked to 7.44 per cent from 4.87 per cent in the previous month as vegetable and cereals prices skyrocketed.
• Weakening of Rupee:
  • The rupee has fallen below the 83 level against the dollar with the dollar strengthening and foreign investors in a nervous mood. This is causing fund outflow seen in FPI selling.
  • The trade deficit caused by falling exports has also adding to the sentiment.
  • To steady the Rupee, RBI is likely to avoid any easing on interest rate front.

5. To live with ALS and to care for patients extracts a toll

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Health

Introduction

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare neurodegenerative disease.
• The gap between symptom onset and diagnosis significantly impacts the experience.

Understanding ALS

• ALS targets Motor Neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
• Motor Neurons control voluntary functions like walking, talking, and more.
• Gradual deterioration of these neurons leads to muscle weakness and atrophy.
• Impaired respiratory muscles due to neuron loss affect breathing.

Survival and Progression

• On average, ALS patients survive for around three years after diagnosis.
• Research by Chio et al. (2009) reveals a range of 20 to 48 months for survival.
• The disease’s progression rate varies from person to person based on factors like genetics and overall health.

Diagnosis Challenges

• The diagnostic journey for ALS takes 8 to 15 months from the emergence of symptoms.
• Definitive biomarkers for ALS remain undiscovered, complicating diagnosis.
• Diagnosis requires motor cell failure in multiple body regions.
• Isolated symptoms, such as limb weakness, are insufficient for a confirmed ALS diagnosis.

Rare Disease Policy and ALS

• India lacks a comprehensive national policy focused on rare diseases like ALS.
• The Union Government’s National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) 2021 offers financial assistance up to Rs. 50 lakhfor patients with rare diseases.
• WHO defines rare diseases as disorders with a prevalence of 1 or less per 1000 population.
• The NPRD includes a prevalence threshold of 1 to 6 in 10,000 people.
• ALS affects six out of one lakh people, meeting the criteria for rare diseases in India.

Rare Diseases: An Overview

• Definition and Scope
  • Rare diseases are a group of disorders with low prevalence in the population.
  • WHO defines rare diseases as disorders with a prevalence of 1 or less per 1000 population.
  • There are 6,000-8,000 classified rare diseases.
  • Less than 5% of these diseases have available therapies.
• Examples of Rare Diseases
  • Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSD), Pompe disease, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, hemophilia, etc.
  • These diseases often have severe and chronic impacts on patients’ lives.

National Rare Disease Policy 2021: Overview

• Emphasize local research and production of medicines.
• Reduce treatment costs for rare diseases.
• Facilitate early detection and prevention of rare diseases.

Key Provisions of the Policy

Categorization

• Group 1: Disorders treatable with one-time curative interventions.
• Group 2: Diseases necessitating long-term or lifelong treatment.
• Group 3: Diseases with available treatment but facing challenges in patient selection, high costs, and lifelong therapy.

Financial Support

• Up to Rs. 50 lakhs financial aid for patients with any category of rare diseases, treated at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) specified in NPRD-2021, outside the RashtriyaArogaya Nidhi umbrella scheme.
• Up to Rs. 20 lakhs assistance under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi for Group 1 rare diseases.
• Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi extends support to patients with critical diseases irrespective of their financial status.
• Utilization of digital crowdfunding platform for individual and corporate contributions.

Centres of Excellence

• Designation of eight health institutions as ‘Centres of Excellence’.
• Allocation of one-time financial aid of up to Rs. 5 crore for enhancing diagnostic facilities.

National Registry

• Establishment of a nationwide hospital-based registry for rare diseases.
• Ensuring comprehensive data and standardized definitions to support research and development initiatives.

6. Bilkis Bano Case: Supreme Court Questions Selective Application of Remission Policy in Gujarat

Subject: Polity

Section: Judiciary

Context:

• The Supreme Court raised concerns over the Gujarat government’s alleged selective application of its premature release policy for prisoners.
• During the hearing, Justice B.V. Nagarathna directed probing questions at Additional Solicitor-General S.V. Raju, who was representing Gujarat.

Release of Convicts in Bilkis Bano Case

• The Gujarat government released 11 convicts involved in the Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder case, citing its remission policy.
• The release was prompted by Radheshyam Shah’s appeal, who had served 15 years and 4 months of his sentence.

Gujarat’s Remission Policy and Its Applicability

• The 1992 remission policy allowed prisoners who had served a minimum of 14 years to apply for early release.
• The policy empowered the state to consider the remaining sentence based on conduct, subject to verification.
• The Supreme Court invalidated the 1992 policy in 2012
  • The court ruled that remission under Section 432 of the CrPC requires obtaining the judge’s opinion and reasons from the convicting or confirming court, allowing only case-specific, not wholesale, decisions.
• In response, Gujarat crafted a new policy in 2014, introducing exclusions for specific types of crimes.
• Radheshyam Shah sought remission under the 1992 policy, which did not have post-2014 exclusions.

Legal Aspects of Remission and Release

• Articles 72 and 161 of the Indian Constitution confer pardon and remission powers on the President and Governors, respectively.
• Chapter XXXII of the CrPC (Sections 432 to 435) outlines the procedures for remission, suspension, and commutation of sentences.
• Remission aims to address aspects not fully covered during court proceedings.
• Convicts can be released with or without conditions based on remission.
• Convicts serving life sentences become eligible for remission after completing 14 years of imprisonment.
• Section 433A of the CrPC restricts the power of the President and Governors to commute death sentences to less than 14 years of life imprisonment.
• The remission process involves consultation between the state and the court, followed by an executive decision.
• The power of remission must be exercised fairly and without arbitrariness.
• The Supreme Court, in ‘State of Haryana v. Mahender Singh and Others’ (2007), underscored that remission should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering relevant factors.
  • Remission, a product of good behavior, should not be viewed as an act of compassion but as a legal duty.
  • Remission contributes to reformation while respecting constitutional principles.

• In the landmark case ‘Laxman Naskar v. Union of India’ (2000), the Supreme Court laid down five criteria for granting remission:

1. Whether the offense is an individual act of crime that does not affect society;
2. Whether there is a chance of the crime being repeated in the future;
3. Whether the convict has lost the potentiality to commit a crime;
4. Whether any purpose is being served in keeping the convict in prison; and
5. Socio-economic conditions of the convict’s family.

7. President Murmu launches stealth frigate INS Vindhyagiri

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Defence

Context

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday launched INS Vindhyagiri, the last in the series of three Project 17A (Alpha) frigates built by the Indian Navy at Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers ( GRSE).

INS Vindhyagiri and Project 17A Details

• INS Vindhyagiriwill join sister ships INS Himgiriand INS Dunagiriat the Outfitting Jetty at GRSE for remaining activities and equipment trials.
• The Nilgiri-class frigates have a length of 149 meters and a displacement of over 6,670 tonnes.
• The propulsion system allows speeds of over 28 knots.
• Project 17A Frigates represent advancements over the Project 17 (Shivalik Class) Frigates, with improved stealth features, advanced weapons, sensors, and platform management systems.
• Seven Project 17A Frigates are under construction at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and GRSE.
  • INS Nilgiri(MDL)
  • INS Taragiri(MDL)
  • INS Mahendragiri(MDL)
  • INS Udaygiri(MDL)
  • INS Himgiri(GRSE)
  • INS Dunagiri(GRSE)
  • INS Vindhyagiri(GRSE)
• Over 75% of the orders for Project 17A were placed on indigenous firms, in line with the vision of ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’.

8. Chandrayaan-3 lander separates from propulsion module

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Space technology

Context

After 34 days on board the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, the propulsion module and the lander module parted ways on August 17, and have now embarked on their respective journeys.

Separation of Modules and Soft Landing Plans

• Propulsion module and lander module separation on August 17, 2023.
• Complex braking maneuvers for a soft landing in the south polar region of the moon.
• Lander is expected to touch down on the moon’s surface at 5.47 p.m. on August 23, 2023.

Chandrayaan-3 Components

• The Lander module, propulsion module, and rover constitute Chandrayaan-3.
• Propulsion module’s role: Transport lander to 100-km moon orbit after launch.
• Lander’s capabilities: Soft landing, rover deployment, in-situ chemical analysis.
• Scientific Missions on the Lunar Surface:

Scientific Payloads and Mission Duration

• Rover payloads: Study lunar surface composition, and elements analysis.
• Lander payloads: Study lunar quakes, thermal properties, plasma changes, and Earth-moon distance.
• The propulsion module carries a SHAPE payload for Earth’s atmospheric study.
• Lander and rover mission life: One lunar day (14 Earth days).
• The propulsion module payload will be operational for 3-6 months.

SHAPE Payload: Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth

• Developed by U.R. Rao Satellite Centre, ISRO, Bengaluru.
• Part of Chandrayaan-3’s propulsion module.
• Studies Earth’s atmosphere from the moon’s viewpoint.
• Analyzesspectral signatures and polarization patterns.
• Identifies potential life markers for exoplanets.
• Gathers data for exoplanet habitability.

9. India launches ‘FloodWatch’ app for real-time flood updates

Subject: Geography

Section: Physical geography

Context:

• The Central Water Commission launched an app, called ‘Floodwatch’, which can forecast the chances of floods a day in advance.

Features of the App- Floodwatch:

• It also provides a seven-day advisory on the chances of floods at various stations in the country where the CWC maintains its measurement gauges.
• The app has a map of India with coloured circles at water stations across the country indicating the current risk of flooding.
  • A ‘green’ circle indicates ‘normal’; yellow, above normal; orange, ‘severe’ and red, ‘extreme’.
  • Clicking on a circle shows the current water level at the station, the highest level historically attained, the danger level and warning level. The warnings are in English or Hindi with an option for a voice-enabled prompt.
• The app will also provide State-wise/basin-wide flood forecast up to 24 hours or flood advisory, up to seven days, that can be accessed via selecting specific stations.
• Floodwatch uses advanced technologies such as satellite data analysis, mathematical modelling and real-time monitoring to deliver accurate and timely flood forecasts.
• With this app, users can access essential information regarding flood situations.

Central Water Commission (CWC):

• Central Water Commission is an attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• The Commission is entrusted with the general responsibilities of initiating, coordinating and furthering in consultation of the State Governments concerned, schemes for control, conservation and utilization of water resources throughout the country, for purpose of Flood Control, Irrigation, Navigation, Drinking Water Supply and Water Power Development.
• It also undertakes the investigations, construction and execution of any such schemes as required.
• CWC is headed by a chairman, with the status of Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India.
• The work of the Commission is divided among 3 wings namely:
  • Designs and Research (D&R) Wing,
  • River Management (RM) Wing and
  • Water Planning and Projects (WP&P) Wing.
• A separate Human Resources Management Unit headed by a Chief Engineer, deals with Human Resources Management or Development, Financial Management, Training and Administrative matters of the CWC.
• National Water Academy located at Pune is responsible for training of Central and State in-service engineers and it functions directly under the guidance of Chairman.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.

For details of Himachal floods: https://optimizeias.com/himachal-floods-a-man-made-disaster/

For details on flash floods: https://optimizeias.com/16-killed-as-heavy-rain-triggers-landslips-and-floods-in-north-india/

10. NDMA starts testing emergency cell broadcast tech

Subject: Geography

Section: Physical geography

Context:

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has started testing the emergency cell broadcast technology developed by C-DOT that will alert people at the time of natural disaster.

About the Emergency cell broadcast technology:

• It aims to enhance public safety and provide timely alerts during emergencies.
• The messages were sent in both Hindi and English languages.
• The technology is currently available only with a foreign vendor and hence C-DOT is developing it in house.
• The cell broadcast technology is under development. It will be implemented by NDMA for sending out alerts at the time of disaster directly on the mobile phone screens. It is currently being tested on the Jio and BSNL network.
• The sample test message with the title, ‘Emergency alert: Severe’, was sent to subscribers on Jio and BSNL networks.

C-DOT:

• Headquarters: New Delhi, India.
• Ministry: Department of telecommunications (DOT), Ministry of communication.
• The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is an Indian Government owned telecommunications technology development centre.
• It was established in 1984 with the initial mandate of designing and developing digital exchanges.
• Sam Pitroda started the C-DOT as an autonomous telecom R&D organisation.
• C-DOT has expanded to develop intelligent computer software applications.
• It has offices in Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata.
• It is one of the few government organisations in India which have been appraised at Maturity Level 5 of CMMI-DEV v1.3.

NDMA:

• Parent body: Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Primary Objective: To coordinate response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response.
• Origin: NDMA was established through the Disaster Management Act enacted by the Government of India in 2005.
• Organisation setup:
  • The Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairperson of the NDMA, who chairs a 9-member board.
  • The remainder of the board consists of members nominated based on their expertise in areas such as, planning, infrastructure management, communications, meteorology etc.
  • The day-to-day management of the agency is overseen by the office of the Vice Chair.

11. Baghjan blowout: NGT directs Assam government to pay aid to affected families

Subject: Environment

Section: Places in news

Context:

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT)’s principal bench ordered the Assam government to disburse interim compensation to the victims of Baghjan oil and gas leak that displaced close to 9,000 people in 2020 in Tinsukia district of Assam.

Baghjan oil and gas leak- 2020:

• The 2020 Assam gas and oil leak, also referred as the Baghjan gas leak, is a natural gas blowout that happened in Oil India Limited’s Baghjan Oilfield in Tinsukia district, Assam, India on 27 May 2020.
• It also impacted the fragile ecology of the villages situated close to DibruSaikhowa National Park and  Maguri-Motapung Wetland.
• NGT appointed a committee led by Justice (retired) BP Katakey to investigate the leak, which revealed many violations of environmental laws deeming the entire Baghjan oil and gas field as illegal in November 2020.

Dibru- Saikhowa National Park:

• Located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, Assam, India.
• It was designated a Biosphere Reserve in July 1997.
• It is located at about 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Tinsukia town at an average elevation of 118 m (387 ft), ranging from 110 to 126 m (361 to 413 ft).
• The park is bounded by the Brahmaputra and Lohit rivers in the north and Dibru River in the south.
• It mainly consists of moist mixed semi-evergreen forests, moist mixed deciduous forests, canebrakes and grasslands.
• It is the largest salix swamp forest in north-eastern India, with a tropical monsoon climate with a hot and wet summer and cool and usually dry winter.
• Annual rainfall ranges from 2,300 to 3,800 mm (91 to 150 in).
• It is a haven for many endangered species and rich in fish diversity.
• In December 2020, Gauhatihighcourt stayed a permission given to Oil India Limited for hydrocarbon exploration at seven locations inside the protected area.
• Species in the park:
  • Species include Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, clouded leopard, jungle cat, sloth bear, dhole, small Indian civet, Malayan giant squirrel, Chinese pangolin, Ganges dolphin, slow loris, pig tailed macaque, Assamese macaque, rhesus macaque, capped langur, Hoolock gibbon, Asian elephant, wild boar, Sambar deer, hog deer, barking deer, Asiatic water buffalo, and feral horse.
  • The park is one of the few places in the world which is home to feral horses.

Maguri-Motapung Wetland:

• MaguriMotapung Beel is a wetland and lake located near to Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Motapung Village of Tinsukia district in Assam.
• MaguriMotapung Beel serve as a natural home to wildlife and provides a source of livelihood to the local communities.

12. Rising methane could be a sign that Earth’s climate is part-way through a ‘termination-level transition’

Subject: Environment

Section: International conventions

Context:

• Since 2006, the amount of heat-trapping methane in Earth’s atmosphere has been rising fast.

Methane emission:

• Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO₂ but it lasts slightly less than a
• decade in the atmosphere compared with centuries for CO₂.
• Methane emissions threaten humanity’s ability to limit warming to relatively safe levels.
• Sudden surges in methane marked the transitions from cold ice ages to warm interglacial climates.
• Methane was about 0.7 parts per million (ppm) of the air before humans began burning fossil fuels. Now it is over 1.9 ppm and rising fast.
• Unlike the rise in carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane’s recent increase seems to be driven by biological emissions, not the burning of fossil fuels.
  • Roughly three-fifths of emissions come from fossil fuel use, farming, landfills and waste.
  • The remainder is from natural sources, especially vegetation rotting in tropical and northern wetlands.

The methane record: 2006 to present:

• In late 2006,atmospheric methane unexpectedly began rising.
• Methane had risen fast in the 19th and 20th centuries but plateaued by the end of the 1990s. This rise was driven by fossil fuel emissions, especially from gasfields and coal mines.
• During the 2020s the growth rate has become yet faster, faster even than during the peak of gas industry leaks in the 1980s.
• Regions of high methane emission:
  • Today’s growth seems to be driven by new emissions from wetlands, especially near the equator but perhaps also from Canada(beavers are methane factories which pull huge amounts of plant matter into ponds they’ve made) and Siberia.
• Causes of emission:
  • Increasing rainfall has made wetlands wetter and bigger while rising temperatures have boosted plant growth, providing more decomposing matter and so more methane.
  • Emissions from huge cattle lots in tropical Africa, India and Brazil may also be rising and rotting waste in landfills near megacities like Delhi are important sources too.

Climate termination:

• Methane is trapped in glaciers of polar regions. Global warming led glacier melting is causing sharp rises in atmospheric methane.
• In the past few million years, Earth’s climate has flipped repeatedly between long, cold glacial periods, with ice sheets covering northern Europe and Canada and shorter warm interglacials.
• These great climate flips that ended each ice age are known as terminations.
• Around 131,000 years ago during Termination II, the British climate suddenly flipped from glaciers in the Cotswolds to hippopotami wallowing in what is now Trafalgar Square.
• Full terminations take several thousands of years to complete, but many include a creeping onset of warming, then a very abrupt phase of extremely rapid climate change that can take a century or less, followed by a longer, slower period during which the great ice caps finally melt.

Is something dramatic underway?

• Methane fluctuated widely in pre-industrial times. But its increasingly rapid growth since 2006 is comparable with records of methane from the early years of abrupt phases of past termination events, like the one that warmed Greenland so dramatically less than 12,000 years ago.
• There is already lots of evidence that the climate is shifting:
  • Atlantic ocean currents are slowing,
  • Tropical weather regions are expanding,
  • The far north and south are warming fast,
  • Ocean heat is breaking records and
  • Extreme weather is becoming routine.
• In glacial terminations, the entire climate system reorganizes.
• In the past, this took Earth out of stable ice age climates and into warm inter-glacials. But we are already in a warm interglacial.

Steps to curb the rise of methane emission:

• Plugging leaks in the oil and gas industry,
• Covering landfills with soil,
• Reducing crop-waste burning.
• Shooting the methane messenger won’t stop climate change, which is primarily driven by CO₂ emissions, but it will help.

13. Food transitions in age of climate crisis should focus on diversifying options

Subject: IR

Section: International conventions

Context:

• Despite increased food production aided by technology, global hunger persists, affecting 828 million in 2021 — up by 150 million since 2019.

Details:

• A 52 per cent increase in food production is needed by 2050 to meet the requirements of the projected population of 9.9 billion.

Food regimes:

• Food regimes explored shifts in power dynamics, from nation-states to global markets and the dominance of neoliberalism.
• The first regime (1870-1914) involved colonialism, markets and British hegemony, while the post-war regime (1947-1973) was centred on nation-states, market interventions and the dominance of the United States.
• The corporate food regime (1980s-present) led to the emergence of neoliberalism, agro-food corporations and food sovereignty.

A graph showing the global food scenario in terms of the difference in the actual and potential number of people fed.

Scientific study of crops:

• The scientific study of food crops started with Linnaeus in the 16th century.
• Alphonse de Candoli highlighted key crop origins in Southwest Asia, the Americas and China.
• Vavlov’s expeditions (1916-1934) identified primary centres of origin based on gene spread and selection.
• Crops are spread from primary to secondary centres, where most diversity is found. Vavlov proposed eight primary centres in the Old World, which was further extended to 12 mega gene centres by Zhukovsky.

Vegetative propagation:

• Vegetative reproduction (also known as vegetative propagation, vegetative multiplication or cloning) is any form of asexual reproduction occurring in plants in which a new plant grows from a fragment or cutting of the parent plant or specialized reproductive structures, which are sometimes called vegetative propagules.
• Many plants have become seedless and depend on vegetative propagation, altering their reproductive patterns and threatening pollinators.
• Vegetative propagation techniques have been used to overcome male sterility in plants like onion.
• Regional concentrations of food production create food islands and distribution pathways, as depicted in the figure below.

Nyeleni Declaration on food sovereignty:

• It ensures that the rights to use and manage our lands, territories, waters, seeds, livestock and biodiversity are in the hands of those of us who produce food.
  • Food sovereignty implies new social relations free of oppression and inequality between men and women, peoples, racial groups, social classes and generations.
• It emphasized people’s rights over domestic production, trade and self-reliance on food.
• It views power as relational, advocating pluralistic approaches to decision-making for combating hunger and malnutrition.

14. CAG flags series of overruns in UP’s major irrigation projects

Subject: Geography

Section: Places in map

Context:

• Canal irrigation is provided in only 17 per cent of Uttar Pradesh’s net irrigated area despite the government pumping huge amounts of money into its major irrigation projects, found a performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

Details:

• The findings are critical as the economy of Uttar Pradesh is primarily agrarian, with about 65 per cent of the total population dependent on agriculture.
• Of a total24.09 million hectare area of the state,18.77 million hectares is agricultural land, of which 77 per cent is the net irrigated area.
• The two major canal irrigation projects:

1. Bansagar Canal Project and
2. The modernisation of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Lahchura Dam Project (also include Pahari Dam).

Bansagar Canal Project:

• Joint project between: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
• Located on: Son river
• The project aimed to increase the irrigation intensity of the nine existing canal systems from 85-150 per cent in the Culturable Command Area (CCA) of 0.23 million hectares in Prayagraj and Mirzapur districts.

Chaudhary Charan Singh Lahchura Dam Project:

• It provides water to Dhasan Canal System, with a CCA of 97,169-hectare area in Mahoba and Hamirpur districts.
• Lahchura Dam, apart from its own storage, receives water from Pahari Dam.

Issues with the canal projects:

• Insufficient water storage capacity.
• Unable to provide canal irrigation in the entire command area
• Current unavailability of water in the canal systems
• Low irrigation intensity
• Huge cost overruns due to delay in the project execution.
• Inadequate quality control