Daily Prelims Notes 25 November 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

25 November 2023

Table Of Contents

1. ISRO to conduct PSLV’s 60th flight by end of December
2. WHO confirms sexual spread of mpox in Congo for the first time
3. India EU sign semiconductor pact
4. Why NASA spacecraft fired a laser
5. Sickle cell breakthrough
6. South Africa, Colombia Fighting Drugmakers Over Access to TB, HIV Drugs
7. Need for climate-smart agriculture in India
8. Centre exempts CERT-In from the purview of the RTI act
9. Generic drugs to treat four rare diseases launched
10. Plastic-free planet: India’s polymer problem can be tackled if its street vendors switch to reusables, says study
11. Can the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund make a difference?
12. Tropical cyclones cause more damage than we think — and India among countries facing high social cost of carbon
13. Dachigam National Park at risk as forest cover, natural habitat reduces, reveals study
14. GAIL to build reserves by storing gas in depleted wells
15. India could miss planned divestment targets by more than half this year

1. ISRO to conduct PSLV’s 60th flight by end of December

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Space technology

Context:

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the first sounding rocket launch from Thumba this week, is preparing for another ‘big 60′.

About PSLV

• PSLV stands for Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. It’s an expendable launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to launch satellites into polar orbits.
• It has been used for a wide range of missions, including launching Earth observation satellites, communication satellites, and scientific payloads into polar orbits around the Earth.

Key features about the PSLV:

• Variants: The PSLV comes in various configurations, including the PSLV-G (standard version), PSLV-CA (Core Alone), and PSLV-XL (extended version). Each variant is tailored for specific mission requirements.
• Payload Capacity: The PSLV can carry payloads ranging from a few hundred kilograms to over a ton, depending on the specific variant and mission requirements.
• Versatility: It is known for its adaptability and ability to launch satellites into a variety of orbits, including polar orbits, geostationary transfer orbits (GTO), and sun-synchronous orbits (SSO).
• Reliability: The PSLV has earned a reputation for its reliability and cost-effectiveness, making it a popular choice for satellite launches not only for Indian payloads but also for international customers.
• Notable Missions: The PSLV has conducted several remarkable missions, including the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) in 2013 and the launch of numerous small and large satellites for various purposes.
• Contributions: It has played a crucial role in India’s space program and has been instrumental in Earth observation, remote sensing, navigation, and communication satellite deployments.

Characteristics of PSLV

• Adaptability: PSLV is known for its adaptability and versatility. It can be configured in various ways to accommodate different mission requirements, including launching satellites into different orbits and carrying multiple payloads on a single mission.
• Payload Capacity: While the exact payload capacity depends on the specific PSLV variant and mission profile, it can typically carry payloads ranging from a few hundred kilograms to over a ton. The PSLV-CA variant, for example, can carry payloads of approximately 1,100 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).
• Polar Orbit Capability: As the name suggests, the PSLV is well-suited for launching satellites into polar orbits. This capability is essential for Earth observation, remote sensing, and scientific missions that require global coverage.
• Reliability: The PSLV has a remarkable track record of reliability. It has successfully launched numerous satellites, both for Indian and international customers, making it a trusted choice for satellite deployment.
• Cost-Effectiveness: PSLV is known for its cost-effectiveness in comparison to other launch vehicles with similar capabilities. This cost-efficiency has made it an attractive option for a wide range of missions.
• Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) Capability: PSLV is capable of launching satellites into sun-synchronous orbits, which are often used for Earth observation and remote sensing missions. SSOs provide consistent lighting conditions for imaging and data collection.
• Multi-Orbit and Multi-Payload Capability: PSLV can carry multiple satellites on a single mission, deploying them into different orbits if necessary. This capability is valuable for rideshare missions where multiple payloads share a launch.

What are the Launch vehicles used by ISRO?

Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV):     

• The first rocket developed by ISRO was simply called SLV, or Satellite Launch Vehicle.
• It was followed by the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle or ASLV.

Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV):

• SLV and ASLV both could carry small satellites, weighing up to 150 kg, to lower earth orbits.
• ASLV operated till the early 1990s before PSLV came on the scene.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV):     

• PSLV’s first launch was in 1994, and it has been ISRO’s main rocket ever since. Today’s PSLV, however, is vastly improved and several times more powerful than the ones used in the 1990s.
• It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
• PSLV is the most reliable rocket used by ISRO till date, with 52 of its 54 flights being successful.
• It successfully launched two spacecraft – Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013 – that later traveled to Moon and Mars respectively.
• ISRO currently uses two launch vehicles – PSLV and GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle), but there are lots of different variants of these.

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV):        

• GSLV is a much more powerful rocket, meant to carry heavier satellites much deeper into space. Till date, GSLV rockets have carried out 18 missions, of which four ended in failure.
• It can take 10,000-kg satellites to lower earth orbits.
• The indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), forms the third stage of GSLV Mk II.
• Mk-III versions have made ISRO entirely self-sufficient for launching its satellites.
• Before this, it used to depend on the European Arianne launch vehicle to take its heavier satellites into space.

Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV):     

• SSLV is targeted at rising global demand for the launch of small and micro-satellites.
• SSLV is meant to offer cost-effective launch services for satellites up to 500 kg.
• It is supposed to carry an indigenous earth observation satellite EOS-03 into space.
• Reusable Rockets/ Future Rockets:
• The future rockets are meant to be reusable. Only a small part of the rocket would be destroyed during the mission.
• The bulk of it would re-enter the earth’s atmosphere and land very much like an airplane, and can be used in future missions.
• Reusable rockets would cut down on costs and energy, and also reduce space debris, which is becoming a serious problem because of the large number of launches.
• Fully-reusable rockets are still to be developed, but partially-reusable launch vehicles are already in use.
• ISRO has also developed a reusable rocket, called RLV-TD (Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator) which has had a successful test flight in 2016.

2. WHO confirms sexual spread of mpox in Congo for the first time

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Health

Context:

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it has confirmed sexual transmission of mpox, or monkeypox, in Congo for the first time as the country experiences its biggest­ever outbreak which has infected over 12,500 and killed about 580, a worrying development that scientists warn could make it difficult to stop the disease.

What is Monkeypox?

• Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although with less clinical severity.
• The infection was first discovered in 1958 following two outbreaks of a pox-like disease in colonies of monkeys kept for research — which led to the name ‘monkeypox’.

Symptoms:

• Infected people break out in a rash that looks a lot like chicken pox. But the fever, malaise, and headache from Monkeypox are usually more severe than in chicken pox infection.
• In the early stage of the disease, Monkeypox can be distinguished from smallpox because the lymph gland gets enlarged.

Transmission:

• Primary infection is through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of an infected animal. Eating inadequately cooked meat of infected animals is also a risk factor.
• Human-to-human transmission can result from close contact with infected respiratory tract secretions, skin lesions of an infected person or objects recently contaminated by patient fluids or lesion materials.
• Transmission can also occur by inoculation or via the placenta (congenital monkeypox).

Vulnerability:

• It spreads rapidly and can cause one out of ten deaths if infected.

Treatment and Vaccine:

• There is no specific treatment or vaccine available for Monkeypox infection,
• But the European Union has recommended a Smallpox Vaccine, Imvanex, to treat monkeypox after the WHO declared monkeypox a global health emergency.

3. India EU sign semiconductor pact

Subject : IR

Section: Groupings

Context: India EU sign semiconductor pact

More about the news:

• India and the European Union (EU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the semiconductor ecosystem.
• This agreement aims to facilitate investments, joint ventures, and technology partnerships, including the establishment of manufacturing facilities.
• The signing took place during the second India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting, held virtually.
• This move aligns with India’s strategy to offer incentives amounting to $10 billion for chip manufacturing within the country.
• The TTC meeting also assessed the progress in various areas such as high-performance computing, digital public infrastructure, electric vehicle batteries, waste recycling, resilient supply chains, and foreign direct investment (FDI) screening.
• Co-chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, this meeting strengthens the strategic engagement on trade and technology between India and the EU.
• The TTC mechanism was established in May, making India the second country, after the US, to have such a mechanism with the EU.

What is India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC):

• The establishment of the TTC was announced in 2022 by the Indian Prime Minister and the President of the European Commission.
• Its primary goal is to create a high-level coordination platform addressing strategic challenges at the intersection of trade, trusted technology, and security.
• Ministerial meetings under the TTC  occur annually, ensuring regular high-level engagement between India and the EU.
• These meetings occurr, to promote balanced participation and enhance bilateral cooperation.
• Under TTC three Working Groups has been established:
• WG on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance, and Digital Connectivity:
  • Collaboratively addresses mutual interests such as digital connectivity, Artificial Intelligence, 5G/6G, high-performance and Quantum Computing, Semiconductors, cloud systems, Cybersecurity, digital skills, and digital platforms.
• WG on Green and Clean Energy Technologies:
  • Focuses on green technologies, including investment and standards, with an emphasis on research and innovation.
  • Explores areas like clean energy, Circular Economy, waste management, plastic and ocean litter, waste to hydrogen, and recycling of batteries for e-vehicles.
  • Promotes cooperation between EU and Indian incubators, SMEs, and start-ups.
• WG on Trade, Investment, and Resilient Value Chains:
  • Addresses the resilience of supply chains and access to critical components, energy, and raw materials.
  • Works on resolving identified trade barriers and global trade challenges through cooperation in multilateral forums.
  • Aims to promote international standards and cooperation in addressing global geopolitical challenges.

4. Why NASA spacecraft fired a laser

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Space technology

Context: NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, successfully fired a laser signal at Earth

More about the news:

• NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, positioned over 16 million kilometers away in space, accomplished a significant feat on November 14 by successfully emitting a laser signal directed at Earth.
• This spacecraft is en route to a distinctive metal-rich asteroid situated between Mars and Jupiter, known as Psyche, believed to be the nickel-iron core of an ancient planet.
• Scientists anticipate that studying this asteroid could yield valuable insights into the Earth’s own impenetrable iron core.
• In addition to this primary mission, the Psyche spacecraft will also conduct another task with potential implications for future space exploration.
• The details of this secondary mission, involving ‘space lasers,’ remain to be disclosed.

What is Space communication’s data rate problem:

• Communicating with spacecraft at vast distances presents significant challenges, with data rates being a critical concern.
• The primary method involves encoding data on various electromagnetic frequencies, similar to wireless communications on Earth.
• Currently, radio waves are the predominant choice for space communication due to their desirable propagation properties, stemming from their large wavelengths.
• This enables them to pass through the atmosphere irrespective of weather, navigate through foliage and buildings, and bend around obstructions.
• Despite these advantages, scientists aim to use higher bandwidths for increased data transfer rates, as they carry more data per second.
• However, utilizing shorter wavelengths, associated with higher bandwidths, poses challenges as they tend to scatter upon encountering interference.

What is NASA’s revolutionary new technology:

• NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment is at the forefront of advancing space communication by pioneering the use of near-infrared laser signals.
• Similar to how fiber optics transformed traditional telephone lines on Earth, DSOC is poised to deliver data rates at least 10 times higher than current state-of-the-art radio telecommunications systems of comparable size and power.
• This breakthrough technology, housed in the Psyche spacecraft, aims to enhance data transmission during its journey to the main asteroid belt, offering benefits such as higher resolution images, increased scientific data volumes, and the possibility of streaming video.
• The DSOC transceiver, a crucial component, achieved “first light” on November 14 by successfully locking onto a powerful uplink laser beacon transmitted from NASA’s Table Mountain Facility near Wrightwood, California. 
• Overcoming the challenges associated with higher bandwidths, DSOC relies on “extremely precise pointing.”
• Achieving this precision involves isolating the transceiver from the spacecraft’s vibrations and compensating for the constantly changing positions of Earth and the spacecraft.
• The analogy provided by NASA illustrates the precision required as “hitting a dime from a mile away while the dime is moving,” emphasizing the need for accuracy in targeting.
• Furthermore, the vast distance between the spacecraft and Earth necessitates the use of novel signal-processing techniques to extract information from the weak laser signals transmitted through space.

What is NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft:

• Psyche, a space mission under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , was launched in 2023 with the goal of exploring the origin of planetary cores.
• It aims to achieve this by orbiting and studying the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche, commencing its observations in 2029.
• Positioned between Mars and Jupiter, 16 Psyche is recognized as the heaviest M-type asteroid, characterized by elevated concentrations of metal phases such as iron-nickel.
• Scientists speculate that it could be the exposed iron core of a protoplanet or the aftermath of a collision that stripped away its mantle and crust.
• To propel and maneuver in orbit, Psyche utilizes solar-powered hall effect thrusters, marking the first instance of an interplanetary spacecraft employing this technology.
• Furthermore, it stands as the pioneering mission to employ laser optical communications beyond the Earth-Moon system.
• Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the spacecraft is scheduled to orbit 16 Psyche from August 2029 until late 2031. Although it won’t land on the asteroid, the mission holds the potential to provide distinctive insights into Earth’s impenetrable iron core.

5. Sickle cell breakthrough

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Health

Context: The UK drug regulator last week approved a gene therapy for the cure of sickle cell disease and thalassaemia

More about the news:

• The UK drug regulator recently granted approval for a groundbreaking gene therapy named Casgevy, designed to cure sickle cell disease and thalassaemia.
• This marks a historic breakthrough, as Casgevy is the world’s first licensed therapy based on the Crispr-Cas9 gene editing technology, which was honoured with a Nobel Prize in 2020.
• The innovative “genetic scissors” of Crispr-Cas9, introduced in 2012, have revolutionized biotechnology.
• Casgevy operates by editing the faulty gene responsible for these blood disorders, offering the potential for a lifelong cure.
• This approval signifies a significant departure from the previous reliance on bone marrow transplants, which necessitated a closely matched donor for a permanent treatment.
• The advent of Casgevy represents a transformative step in the field of medical science, showcasing the power and potential of gene editing technology in addressing genetic diseases.

How does the therapy work:

• The gene therapy, Casgevy, addresses both sickle cell disease and thalassaemia by targeting errors in the gene for hemoglobin, a crucial protein in red blood cells responsible for oxygen transport.
• Utilizing the Crispr-Cas9 technology, the therapy edits the patient’s own blood stem cells, specifically focusing on the BCL11A gene.
• This gene is vital for the transition from fetal to adult hemoglobin.
• By leveraging the body’s natural mechanisms, the therapy prompts increased production of fetal hemoglobin, which lacks the abnormalities associated with adult hemoglobin.
• This innovative approach aims to alleviate the symptoms of both conditions by promoting the production of healthier hemoglobin variants.

What are sickle cell disease and thalassaemia:

• The genetic anomaly in sickle cell disease causes red blood cells to adopt a crescent shape, hindering their movement in vessels and resulting in blocked blood flow.
• This can lead to severe pain, life-threatening infections, anemia, or stroke.
• In India, an estimated 30,000-40,000 children are born with this disorder annually.
• Symptoms appear in individuals inheriting damaged genes from both parents, whereas those with only one affected gene can lead a normal life.
• Thalassemia, similarly, manifests when both parents pass on affected genes, causing severe anemia.
• India also holds the world’s largest number of children with thalassemia major, approximately 1-1.5 lakh, who require lifelong blood transfusions leading to iron accumulation and necessitating chelation therapy.

What have the trials shown so far

• In the clinical trial for Casgevy, a gene therapy for sickle cell disease, 45 participants were treated, with 29 individuals available for the interim analysis that led to approval.
• Almost all of these 29 patients experienced no severe pain crises for a minimum of 12 months post-treatment.
• For thalassemia, 54 individuals received the therapy, and 42 were part of the trial’s interim analysis.
•  Of these, 39 did not require a transfusion for at least 12 months after treatment, and the need for transfusion decreased by 70% in the remaining three participants.
• These promising results highlight the potential efficacy of Casgevy in addressing both sickle cell disease and thalassemia.

How is the therapy prepared and given:

• Casgevy, a one-time gene therapy, involves a multi-step process.
•  Initially, the doctor collects blood stem cells from the bone marrow through apheresis, a method used to filter out blood components.
• The harvested cells are then sent to a manufacturing site where editing and testing take approximately six months.
• Prior to the transplant with edited cells, the patient receives a conditioning medicine for a few days to clear the bone marrow of other cells, which will be replaced by the modified cells.
• For about a month, the patient stays in the hospital to facilitate the integration of edited cells into the bone marrow, enabling the production of red blood cells with normal hemoglobin.
• The side effects of this treatment resemble those associated with autologous stem cell transplants and may include nausea, fatigue, fever, and an increased risk of infection.
• Despite potential side effects, Casgevy offers a promising one-time solution for addressing genetic blood disorders.

What are the challenges of this treatment

• The newly approved gene therapy, Casgevy, faces potential challenges due to its anticipated high cost, which could reach up to $2 million per patient, consistent with the pricing of other gene therapies.
• The absence of local manufacturing facilities poses an additional hurdle, necessitating the shipment of blood stem cells across countries. 
• While the approval of this Crispr-based therapy is seen as a significant advancement, the high pricing poses a major obstacle, particularly for individuals in poorer countries where a significant portion of those affected reside.

6. South Africa, Colombia Fighting Drugmakers Over Access to TB, HIV Drugs

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Health

Context:

• South Africa, Colombia and other countries are taking a more combative approach toward drugmakers and pushing back on policies that deny cheap treatment to millions of people with tuberculosis and HIV.

Details:

• During the COVID-19 pandemic, rich countries bought most of the world’s vaccines early, leaving few shots for poor countries and creating a disparity the World Health Organization called “a catastrophic moral failure.” and is termed as “Vaccine inequality”.
• Now, poorer countries are trying to become more self-reliant.
• When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Africa produced fewer than 1% of all vaccines made globally but used more than half of the world’s supply.
• President Nelson Mandela’s government in South Africa eventually suspended patents to allow wider access to AIDS drugs. That prompted more than 30 drugmakers to take it to court in 1998, in a case dubbed “Mandela vs. Big Pharma.”
• While many other developing countries allow legal challenges to a patent or a patent extension, South Africa has no clear law that allows it to do that.
• In its annual report on tuberculosis, the World Health Organization said there were more than 10 million people sickened by the disease last year and 1.3 million deaths. After COVID-19, tuberculosis is the world’s deadliest infectious disease, and it is now the top killer of people with HIV.

Bedaquiline:

• It is used for treating people with drug-resistant versions of tuberculosis.
• It was developed by Johnson and Johnson. In July 2023, Johnson & Johnson’s patent on the drug expired in South Africa, but the company had it extended until 2027.
• The South African government then began investigating the company’s pricing policies.
  • In South Africa Tuberculosis (TB) killed more than 50,000 people in 2021, making it the country’s leading cause of death.
• In March 2023, India broke the patent of Johnson and Johnson over Bedaquiline, thus giving a way to develop generic medicines for TB.

HIV drug in Colombia:

• In Colombia, the government declared that it would issue a compulsory license for the HIV drug dolutegravir without permission from the drug’s patent-holder, Viiv Health Care.
• It is done to ensure affordable AIDS treatment for its people.

Doctors without Border (or Médecins Sans Frontières):

• It was founded in 1971, in the aftermath of the Biafran famine of the Nigerian Civil War.
• It is a charity that provides humanitarian medical care.
• It is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) of French origin known for its projects in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases.
• The organisation provides care for diabetes, drug-resistant infections, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, tropical and neglected diseases, tuberculosis, vaccines and COVID-19.

7. Need for climate-smart agriculture in India

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate change

Context:

• Climate-smart agriculture has the potential to assure food security, empower farmers, and protect our delicate ecosystems.

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA):

• According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)-
  • Climate-smart agriculture is an approach for transforming food and agriculture systems to support sustainable development and safeguard food security under climate change.
  • CSA comprises three pillars or objectives: (1) sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes; (2) adapt and build resilience to climate change; and (3) reduce/remove GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions, where possible.”
  • Dimensions of climate-smart practices include water-smart, weather-smart, energy-smart, and carbon-smart practices.
  • They improve productivity, deal with land degradation, and improve soil health.
  • CSA promotes crop diversification, increases water efficiency, and integrates drought-resistant crop types.
• Significance of CSA:
  • The National Action Plan on Climate Change emphasises the role of climate-resilient agriculture in India’s adaptation measures.
  • The importance of CSA lies in its ability to increase agricultural output while maintaining ecological stability.
  • CSA helps to safeguard native plant species, keep pollinator populations stable, store carbon in farmlands, and mitigate the effects of habitat degradation.

Initiatives that are focused upon CSA:

National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC):

• Established in August 2015 to meet the cost of adaptation to climate change for the State and Union Territories of India that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
• The projects under NAFCC prioritize the needs that build climate resilience in the areas identified under the SAPCC (State Action Plan on Climate Change) and the relevant Missions under NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change).
• Nationwide implementing agency- NABARD

National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA):

• NICRA was launched in February 2011 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) with funding from the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.
• The mega project has three major objectives- strategic research, technology demonstrations and capacity building.
• Assessment of the impact of climate change simultaneous with the formulation of adaptive strategies is the prime approach under strategic research across all sectors of agriculture, dairying and fisheries.
• Objectives:
  • To enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture covering crops, livestock and fisheries to climatic variability and climate change through the development and application of improved production and risk management technologies.
  • To demonstrate site-specific technology packages on farmers’ fields for adapting to current climate risks.
  • To enhance the capacity of scientists and other stakeholders in climate-resilient agricultural research and its application.

Soil Health Card (SHC):

• Launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) in 2015.
• A soil health card provides information on the nutrient status of soil, along with recommendations on the dosage of nutrients to be utilised for improving its fertility and health.
• 19 February is celebrated as Soil Health Day.
• SHC is a printed report which contains the nutrient status of soil with respect to 12 nutrients:
  • pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu) of farm holdings.
• SHC will be provided to all farmers in the country at an interval of 3 years to enable the farmers to apply recommended doses of nutrients based on soil test values to realize improved and sustainable soil health and fertility, low costs and higher profits.
• Objectives:
  • To improve soil quality and profitability of farmers.
  • Employment generation for rural youth.
  • To update information on soil analysis.
  • To provide soil testing facilities to farmers at their doorstep.

Biotech-Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech KISAN) Scheme:

• It is a farmer-centric scheme for farmers, launched in 2017, and developed under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
• It is a pan-India program, following a hub-and-spoke model and stimulates entrepreneurship and innovation in farmers and empowers women farmers.
  • Biotech-KISAN Hubs have been established covering all 15 agroclimatic zones and Aspirational Districts in the country.
• Aim: The programme links available science and technology to the farm by first understanding the problem of the local farmer and then providing scientific solutions to those problems.

Climate Smart Villages (CSV):

• Implemented by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) through its Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).
• It was launched in 2011 with 15 climate-smart villages in West Africa, East Africa and South Asia.
• In India, the villages are adopted from Haryana, Bihar, Punjab, Andra Pradesh and Karnataka.
• How it works?
  • After potential sites are selected, a steering group of community representatives and researchers together identify appropriate climate-smart options for that village.
  • These might include climate-smart technologies, climate information services, local development and adaptation plans and supportive institutions and policies, all tailored to that community’s needs.
  • The community chooses its preferred options in a process that aims to be as participatory and inclusive as possible, encouraging women and more vulnerable groups to participate.

Source: The Hindu

8. Centre exempts CERT-In from the purview of the RTI act

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Awareness in IT

In the news:

• THE CENTRE has exempted the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the national nodal agency to deal with cyber security threats like hacking and phishing, from the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
• The Right to Information Act, 2005 is administered by the Department of Personnel and Training.

Center’s power to exempt CERT-In from RTI ACT 2005:

• The Centre has used its powers given under sub-section (2) of Section 24 of the RTI Act to exempt CERT-In from the purview of the transparency law.
• Using those powers, the Centre has included CERT-In at serial number 27 in the Second Schedule of the RTI Act.
• The 26 other intelligence and security organisations that are exempted from the purview of RTI Act 2005 are the Intelligence Bureau; Research and Analysis Wing including its technical wing namely, the Aviation Research Centre of the Cabinet Secretariat; Directorate of Revenue Intelligence; Central Economic Intelligence Bureau; Directorate of Enforcement; Narcotics Control Bureau; Special Frontier Force; Border Security Force; Central Reserve Police Force; Indo-Tibetan Border Police; Central Industrial Security Force; National Security Guards; Assam Rifles; Sashtra Seema Bal; Directorate General of Income-tax (Investigation); National Technical Research Organisation; Financial Intelligence Unit, India; Special Protection Group; Defence Research and Development Organisation; Border Road Development Board; National Security Council Secretariat; Central Bureau of Investigation; National Investigation Agency; National Intelligence Grid; and Strategic Forces Command.

CERT-in:

• It is an office within the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) established in 2004 under the IT Act 2000.
• It is the nodal agency to
  • Deal with cyber security threats.
  • Strengthen the security-related defence of the Indian Internet domain.
  • Coordinate with public and private organisations in India when cyber incidents like data breaches and ransomware attacks are reported.
  • Issue advisories for software vulnerabilities as guidance for organisations.
• CERT-IN has overlapping responsibilities with other agencies such as:
  • National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) which is under the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), that comes under the Prime Minister’s Office.
  • The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Source: Indian Express

9. Generic drugs to treat four rare diseases launched

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Health

Context:

• The Union Health Ministry has made available generic drugs to support the care and treatment of four rare disease: Tyrosinemia-Type 1, Gauchers Disease, Wilson’s Disease, and the Dravet-Lennox Gastaut Syndrome.
• The cost of these drugs will be slashed by anywhere between 60 and 100 times of their current market value.

Details:

• The ministry is also considering release of generic drugs for two more rare diseases: Phenylketonuria and Hyperammonemia.
• Focus is on sickle cell disease, and on the syrup for children under five who can’t be administered tablets.

Rare Disease:

• A rare disease is a health condition of particularly low prevalence that affects a small number of people.
• It collectively afflicts 6-8% of the population in any country at any given time, so India could have 8.4 crore to 10 crore such cases.
• Nearly 80% percent of these diseases are genetic in nature.

Source: The Hindu

10. Plastic-free planet: India’s polymer problem can be tackled if its street vendors switch to reusables, says study

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context:

• Plastic waste would be reduced substantially and several new jobs would be created if Indian street food vendors transition to reusable materials, a new study released on the sidelines of the just-concluded third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) in Nairobi has noted.

Details of the study:

• Study title: Economics of Reuse for street vendors in India
• Study done by: Three different groups namely Zero Waste Europe, Searious Business and National Hawkers Federation (NHF).
  • Zero Waste Europe and the NHF represent Break Free From Plastic, a global movement against plastic pollution.
  • Searious Business is a Netherlands-based company working towards the goal of zero plastics entering our ocean.
  • NHF — championing the rights of street vendors— had played a key role in the passage of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
• NHF also demanded a just transition for street vendors from single-use plastics to reuse systems.

Key findings:

• The use of reusable steel instead of reusable plastic can be profitable.
• Single-use plastic consumption exploded in recent years, leading to a global crisis impacting nature, people, and the climate.
• If the plastic industry was a country, it would have ranked to be the fifth largest greenhouse gas emitter worldwide.
• If 80,000 street food vendors in Kolkata were to transition to reusables, plastic waste would reduce by more than 86 per cent and over 2,250 jobs would be created.
• The switch will also give a return on investment of 21 per cent and a payback period of 2.3 years.

Extended producers’ Responsibilities (EPR):

• It is a globally recognized policy used as an effective tool to put the onus on the producers for efficient end of life waste management of the plastic, electronic and electrical equipment.
• The concept of EPR responsibility is based on three foundation principles:
  • Pollution prevention approach
  • Life cycle thinking,
  • Polluter pay principle
• EPR responsibility makes it the responsibility of the producers not only to take back products for recycling but also to design better and longer life products to minimize the amount of waste generated.

EPR in India:

• EPR responsibility Certificate is authorized by Central Pollution Control Board which is mandatory for Producers/Importers of the Electronic products.
• Under these rules, the producers have a responsibility to delegate this responsibility to the third party or specialized organizations which manufacturers can financially aid for proper waste management.
• E-Waste (management and handling) Rules, 2016 adopted Extended Producers Responsibility for the first time in India.
• EPR responsibility under E-Waste (management) Rules, 2016 stipulates collection targets of E–Waste for producers.
• The producers are responsible for setting up collection centres for e-waste and financing and organizing a system for environmentally sound management of e-waste.
• The producers are required to have an arrangement with dismantlers and recyclers through either the Producers responsibility organization or the E-Waste exchange system.
• Marketing or selling any electronic equipment without EPR responsibility Authorization is considered a violation of the rules.

Extended Producer’s Responsibility (EPR) for Plastic producers:

• EPR for plastic packaging was introduced in India in 2022.
• It covers businesses that introduce plastic packaging in the Indian market like producers of plastic packaging, importers of plastic packaging and products packaged in plastics, and the brand owners.

Source: Down To Earth

11. Can the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund make a difference?

Subject: Environment

Section: International conventions

Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF):

• On August 27, 2023, countries established the GBFF with a promise to resolve this long-standing money crunch.
• The fund was established at the 7th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility in Vancouver, Canada.
• It will help countries achieve the 23 targets set under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
  • The framework was adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022.

Finance for Biodiversity conservation:

• The world requires at least US $200 billion a year until 2030 to fund biodiversity protection programmes, as assessed during COP15.
• The GEF has a cumulative budget of $5.25 billion for 2022-26, of which 36 per cent is earmarked for biodiversity.
  • The GEF Assembly has decided to earmark as much as 20 per cent of the donor funds for the indigenous communities.
• In 2019, spending on biodiversity conservation was estimated to be between $124 and $143 billion per year against a total estimated need of $722 to $967 billion per year.
• The world is on track to see a financing gap of $4.1-trillion for biodiversity by 2050, according to the “State of Finance for Nature”, released by the UN Environment Programme in May 2021.
• The target 19 of KMGBF suggests a host of nature- based solutions such as payment for ecosystem services, green bonds and benefit-sharing mechanisms.
• The target 18 of KMGBF that calls to eliminate, phase out or reform incentives including subsi-dies that are harmful for biodiversity, in a proportionate, just, fair, effective and equitable way, while substantially and progressively reducing them by at least $500 billion per year by 2030.
• Governments world over provide $700 billion in subsidies for farming, which is responsible for 14 per cent of global deforestation.

Climate finance in India:

• India (MoEFCC) has reduced the budget for its four centrally sponsored schemes for environmental protection by 38% between 2018 and 2024.
• The schemes are the National Mission for a Green India, the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems and the National River Conservation Programme.
• In December 2022, when COP15 took place, India already had 998 protected areas, amounting to around 5.28 per cent of the country’s area.

Protected areas in India:

• The Union environment minister told that the country already has 27 per cent of its area under conservation, including reserve forests, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, mangroves, Ramsar sites and eco-sensitive zones.
• The country will depend on OECMs to achieve the remaining 3 percentage points to achieve the target of 30×30.
• There are 106 national parks and 567 wildlife sanctuaries in India. Assam and Andaman & Nicobar accounts for 22.6% of parks. Andaman & Nicobar, Maharashtra and Karnataka accounts for 31.9% of the sanctuaries.
• India has so far carried out three country-level biodiversity assessments. In October 2018, the country released the “Biodiversity Expenditure Review” (BER) report followed by “Financial Needs Assessment” (FNA) report in November 2018 and finally the Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP) in May 2019.

Biodiversity credits, or Biocredits:

• Mentioned in Target 19 of the KMGBF.
• It is similar to carbon credits used to control greenhouse gas emissions.
• They are not designed to offset negative impacts on biodiversity.
• The UK and French governments are leading the way in creating this roadmap for a high-integrity bio-diversity credits market.

Protecting biodiversity under the Target 30×30:

• Under target 3 of KMGBF, countries now have to protect at least 30 per cent of their “terrestrial and inland water areas, and of marine and coastal areas” by 2030. This is popularly called the 30×30 target.
• The targets include biodiversity-rich areas under indigenous people and local communities, private lands and “other effective area- based conservation measures” or OECMs, which were first defined in 2018 as areas other than protected areas that help in-situ conservation of biodiversity.
• Currently, the world has 16.05 per cent of its land and inland waters and 8.17 per cent of its oceans under protected areas and when existing OECMs are considered, the share of protected area increases to 17.23 per cent of land and inland water and 8.28 of marine areas.

Reducing Invasive Alien Species:

• Target 6 of the KMGBF is on invasive alien species.
• Recognising invasive alien species as a key driver of biodiversity loss, the target says the world must “prevent” and “reduce” the rate of introduction and establishment of invasive alien species by at least 50 per cent by 2030.

Climate finance: Timeline-

• The world is set to see a $4.1-trillion financing gap in biodiversity conservation by 2050, as per UN Environment Programme.
• 1990: Global Environment Facility (GEF) launched as a pilot project with about US$1 billion for three years. The facility presented its first tranche of projects in 1991. Around 46 per cent of the funds were for biodiversity
• 2010: COP10 held in Japan. Aichi targets set for 2011-20.
• 2019: IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services shows that 1 million species threatened with extinction
• 2023: GBFF ratified at 7th GEF Assembly with a seed capital of $200 million. A total of $1.92 billion allocated to biodiversity under GEF’s 8th replenishment cycle

Financing for Biodiversity:

• 1992: The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) opened for signing at the Earth Summit and entered into force in 1993. The first Conference of the Parties (COP1) to the Convention held in Bahamas
• 1998: The first GEF Assembly held in New Delhi. It is announced that GEF was allocated $418 million for biodiversity projects over the previous three years
• 2012: COP11 held in India. Newly established Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) asked to assess the status of biodiversity
• 2022: Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at COP15 in Montreal. Indicated the world needs $200 billion per year to meet framework targets. Decision to form a special fund, Global Biodiversity Framework Fund taken.

Source: Down To Earth

12. Tropical cyclones cause more damage than we think — and India among countries facing high social cost of carbon

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate change

Context:

• Extreme weather events also have long-term impacts on economies and can hinder economic development, increasing the ‘social cost’ of carbon.

Details:

• India’s long-term economic damages from tropical cyclones are expected to range from $43-47 per tonne of carbon dioxide.
• Globally, the long-term impacts of these storms raise the global social cost of carbon by more than 20 percent.
• Driving this increase mainly are India, the United States, China, Taiwan, and Japan.
• India’s social costs represent 11.3 per cent of global median economic damages from tropical cyclones.
• The current policies do not consider the long-term effects of extreme events.

Social Cost of Carbon:

• The social cost of carbon (SCC) is the marginal cost of the impacts caused by emitting carbon emissions at any point in time.
• The social cost of carbon estimates the future costs of societies from the emission of one additional tonne of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and is a key metric informing climate policies.
• The purpose of putting a price on a tonne of emitted carbon or CO2 is to aid people in evaluating whether adjustments to curb climate change are justified.
• The social cost of carbon is a calculation focused on taking corrective measures to a “State of Nature”, where there is evidence of market failure.

Source: Down To Earth

13. Dachigam National Park at risk as forest cover, natural habitat reduces, reveals study

Subject: Environment

Section: Protected Area 

Context:

• The Dachigam National Park is currently under significant threat, as the forest cover decreased by 7 percent, and there was a notable reduction in natural habitat, indicating habitat fragmentation.
• Experts say the significant changes and infrastructure development in and around the park have a huge influence on Dal Lake.
• The Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh is currently grappling with the exotic brown trout invasion.
• CSIR – Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) is situated in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh.

About the Dachigam National Park:

• The Dachigam National Park in Kashmir is surrounded by the lush Zabarwan mountains.
• It is an important conservation reserve serving as habitat for some endemic and endangered species in the valley.
• The park is home to rare medicinal plants, conifers, oak trees, shrublands, and meadows.
• Fauna- Critically endangered hangul (Kashmir stag), Asiatic black bears, leopards, langurs and a variety of endemic bird species.
• This conservation reserve plays a crucial role in supporting Dal Lake, the second largest lake in Jammu and Kashmir. The water from Dachigam National Park flows into Dal Lake making it an important catchment area and source of water for Srinagar city.
• A decrease in forest cover of the park can lead to more silt in the water which will eventually flow into Dal Lake and cause ecological disruptions.

Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary in North Kashmir:

• 364 species of plant species were recorded from the sanctuary.
• Out of these plant species, 161 species are native to the Himalayan region and the remaining 203 species are non-natives.
• Out of the total 161 native plant species, 82 were endemic to the Himalayan region. Further, 22 plant species are threatened.
• The major threats to biodiversity within the sanctuary include “changing phenology, over-exploitation, overgrazing, land-use change, invasive species, human settlements, huge tourism influx and pollution”.
  • Phenology is the study of seasonal or periodic cycles in ecosystems.

14. GAIL to build reserves by storing gas in depleted wells

Subject : Geography

Section : Economic geography

Context:

• India is looking at building its first strategic natural gas reserves by using old, depleted hydrocarbon wells to store the fuel and hedge against global supply disruption.
• The strategic facilities would be built in phases in India’s western and northeastern regions with an initial capacity to store three to four billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas.
• India has five million tonnes of strategic petroleum reserves but no storage facilities for natural gas. Indian companies together currently hold two bcm of gas in pipelines and liquefied natural gas tanks for commercial use.
• India aims to raise the share of natural gas in its energy mix to 15% by 2030 from about 6.2% The nation consumes around 60 bcm gas annually.

About Strategic oil reserves –

• Strategic petroleum reserves are huge stockpiles of crude oil to deal with any crude oil-related crisis like the risk of supply disruption from natural disasters, war or other calamities.
• According to the agreement on an International Energy Programme (I.E.P.), each International Energy Agency (IEA) country has an obligation to hold emergency oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net oil imports.
• In case of a severe oil supply disruption, IEA members may decide to release these stocks to the market as part of a collective action.
• India’s strategic crude oil storages are currently located at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Mangaluru (Karnataka), and Padur (Karnataka).
• The government has also given approval for setting up of two additional facilities at Chandikhol (Odisha) and Padur (Karnataka).
• The concept of dedicated strategic reserves was first mooted in 1973 in the US, after the OPEC oil crisis.
• Underground storage is, by far the most economic method of storing petroleum products because the underground facility rules out the requirement of large swathes of land, ensures less evaporation and, since the caverns are built much below the sea level, it is easy to discharge crude into them from ships.
• The construction of the Strategic Crude Oil Storage facilities in India is being managed by Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL).
  • ISPRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
• After the new facilities get functional a total of 22 days (10+12) of oil consumption will be made available.
• With the strategic facilities Indian refiners also maintain crude oil storage (industrial stock) of 65 days.
• Thus, approximately a total of 87 days (22 by strategic reserves + 65 by Indian refiners) of oil consumption will be made available in India after completion of Phase II of the SPR programme. This will be very close to the 90 days mandate by the IEA.

15. India could miss planned divestment targets by more than half this year

Subject :Economy

Section: Fiscal Policy

Context:

India will struggle to raise even half the proceeds it had targeted from planned sales of state-run firms this year and will miss divestment targets for the fifth straight year, sources said, as elections shift government priorities.

The government may fall short of its divestment goal by Rs 30,000 crore ($3.60 billion) in 2023/24, two government sources told Reuters. New Delhi had targeted Rs 51,000 crore from divestment proceeds for the current fiscal year that ends March, 2024.

In 2023/24, about Rs 30,000 crore of the Rs 51,000 crore target was expected through stake sales in IDBI Bank and the privatisation of state-owned NMDC Steel.

Disinvestment

• Disinvestment or divestment refers to the selling of the assets or a subsidiary such as a Central or State public sector enterprise by the government.

There are three key approaches to disinvestment which include:

• Minority disinvestment: The government despite restoring to disinvestment still retains majority shares in the company usually greater than 51%.
• With respect to minority disinvestment, the government still holds management control.
• Majority disinvestment: In the case of majority disinvestment, the government transfers the control to the acquiring entity and retains only some stake.
• Complete privatisation: With respect to complete privatisation, 100% of the control of a public entity is transferred to the acquiring entity.
• The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) is a separate department working under the Union Finance Ministry which looks after disinvestment-related procedures.

Evolution of Disinvestment in India

• Disinvestment in India began in 1991-92 when 31 selected PSUs were disinvested for Rs. 3,038 crores.
• The term ‘disinvestment’ was used first time in Interim Budget 1991.
• Later, Rangarajan committee, in 1993, emphasised the need for substantial disinvestment.
• The policy on disinvestment gathered steam, when a new Department of Disinvestment was created in 1999, which became a full Ministry in 2001.
• But in 2004, the ministry was shut down and was merged in the Finance ministry as an independent department.
• Later, the Department of Disinvestments was renamed as Department of Investments and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) in 2016.
• Now, DIPAM acts as a nodal department for disinvestment.

Current Disinvestment Policy

• The new policy clearly highlights the distinction between privatization and disinvestment.
• While sales of equity greater than 50%, maybe even 100%, is privatization, any tinkering here and there constitutes disinvestment.
• Previous efforts at large scale sale of shares have been frequently mired in controversies and as a result, bureaucrats have developed a sort of an aversion to strategic sales.
• In a course correction, the new disinvestment policy provides for land to be valued at market price for inclusion in sales. This will help prevent any scope for rent-seeking and reduces discretionary powers and thus enables bureaucrats to do away with the status quo.
• NITI Aayog has been entrusted to come up with new recommendations about loss-making units that can be sold, their assets valued and disposed of, and to carry out possible strategic sales.
• Financial parameters of public sector companies, such as borrowings and operating profits, are being closely monitored to identify possibilities of share buybacks, a new kind of disinvestment the government has recently come up with.