Daily Prelims Notes 27 December 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

27 December 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Global 2024 staple food supplies to be strained by dry weather, export curbs
2. ICMR initiates steps to provide easy to use non-invasive testing to tackle anaemia in India
3. Indians aboard grounded charter flight return to Mumbai
4. Courts should not stray from the constitutional vision of secularism
5. India and Russia ink ‘key’ pacts related to Kudankulam nuclear power plant
6. Ministry sends social media firms advisory to regulate deepfakes
7. What incentives do scientists have to study rare diseases
8. INS Imphal (Pennant D68)
9. Turkey panel nod takes Sweden closer to NATO Membership
10. A decade-long initiative in Madhya Pradesh to reclaim land overrun by lantana helps residents restart agriculture and restore native biodiversity

1. Global 2024 staple food supplies to be strained by dry weather, export curbs

Subject : Geography

Section: Climatology

Context:

• High food prices in recent years have prompted farmers worldwide to plant more cereals and oilseeds, but consumers are set to face tighter supplies well into 2024, amid adverse El Nino weather, export restrictions and higher biofuel mandates.

Price Trends:

• Wheat, corn, and soybean prices are predicted to decline in 2023 after several years of growth.
• Factors include eased Black Sea bottlenecks and concerns about a potential global recession.
• El Nino forecasts and unexpected large purchases by China contribute to ongoing concerns.

El Nino Impact on Food Production:

• El Nino’s dryness affects rice, wheat, and palm oil supplies.
• Reduced reservoir levels and dry planting conditions may decrease Asian rice production in 2024.
• India’s Wheat Situation:
  • Insufficient moisture threatens India’s next wheat crop, potentially leading to its first wheat imports in six years.
  • India has already imposed restrictions due to decreased rice production.
• Australian Crop Challenges:
  • Dry soil conditions in Australia might impact upcoming wheat planting due to previous intense heat affecting crop yields.
• South American Crop Outlook:
  • Argentina expects favourable conditions for soybeans, corn, and wheat due to abundant rainfall.
  • Brazil anticipates near-record farm output but faces uncertainties in soybean and corn production due to recent dry weather.
• Global Palm Oil Production:
  • El Nino is expected to decrease global palm oil production, impacting cooking oil prices that dropped significantly in 2023.

For details of El-Nino and its impact

Source: Reuters

2. ICMR initiates steps to provide easy to use non-invasive testing to tackle anaemia in India

Subject : Science and tech

Section: Health

Context: 

• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)initiates  testing and treatment of anaemia, with a special focus on pregnant women and on school-going adolescents

Details:

• Anaemia: Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells.
• WHO criteria: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines anaemia as a condition when haemoglobin levels fall below 12 grams per decilitre (g/dL) for women in the reproductive age group and below 11.0 g/dL for children under five.
  • The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) accepted that anaemia continued to be a major public health problem in India despite the comprehensive Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) programme.
  • ICMR will employ digital methods and point-of-care treatment,  focussing on pregnant women and on school-going adolescents.
• Anaemia prevalence in India:
  • As per the National Family Health Survey 5 (2019-21) Anemia prevalence in India is as follows:

About Test and treat strategy:

• Non-invasive hemoglobinometer: For the test and treat method, a non-invasive hemoglobinometer that is user-friendly and simple enough for everyone to use is needed.
• Make in India: ‘ Make in India’ non-invasive hemoglobinometer devices are available over the past few years.
• Validation study: ICMR is carrying out a validation study of such non-invasive hemoglobinometer devices followed by health technology assessment for evaluating its suitability for the AMB programme

About Anemia Mukt Bharat:

• Launch: The Government of India launched the Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy in 2018 to reduce the prevalence of anaemia in women, children and adolescents through a life cycle approach.
• Objective. The  strategy aims at   preventive and curative mechanisms through a 6X6X6 strategy including six target beneficiaries, six interventions and six institutional mechanisms for all stakeholders

About ICMR:

• Establishment: In 1911 as Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA), later in 1949, IRFA was renamed ICMR.
• Body: It is neither a statutory body nor a regulatory body. It is an Autonomous Body registered under the Society Act XXI of 1860.
• Headquarters:  New Delhi.
• Function: It helps in the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, and is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world.

Source: The Hindu

3. Indians aboard grounded charter flight return to Mumbai

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Context: Twenty-five passengers on the flight to Nicaragua were grounded over a human trafficking probe, and have chosen to request asylum in France.

Details: 

• The passengers were heading to Nicaragua but their flight was stopped at the Varty airport (France)  for refuelling on its journey from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to Managua, Nicaragua.
• Twenty-five passengers did not return to India, requesting asylum in France. They were transferred to a special zone in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport for asylum-seekers.

New law: A new, tougher law on immigration was recently cleared by the French parliament.

Benefits offered by France to asylum-seekers:

• Generous system: France had a generous system for asylum-seekers providing them up to 300 euros a month.
• Housing: Can  apply for housing in the hundreds of asylum-seeker housing projects across the country
• Cheap meals: Cheap meals are often easily available at food banks.
• Health: They gets free health insurance while their application is being reviewed
• Social security: Foreign residents get social security benefits, which include assistance in paying rent, childcare, etc.

Key changes in the new law:

UN Convention for Asylum Seekers:

• Article 14: Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 recognizes the right of persons to seek asylum from persecution in other countries.

1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol:

• Principal of Non Refoulement: The foundational principle of international law is non-refoulement, which holds that a refugee must not be returned to a country where they would suffer severe threats to their life or freedom.
• Adoption: The United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees was adopted in 1951, and is the centerpiece of international refugee protection today.
• India perspective: India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, the key legal documents pertaining to refugee protection.

Places in news:

• Varty Airport- France
• Fujairah – United Arab Emirates
• Managua– Nicaragua.

Source: Indian Express

4. Courts should not stray from the constitutional vision of secularism

Subject: Polity

Section: Constitution

Context:

• As an alternate view for the court’s gyanvapi case judgment, there is a thought that Courts should not stray from the constitutional vision of secularism.

Allahabad High Court’s Controversial Ruling

• Legal Challenge Validated: Allahabad High Court permits suits from 1991 to declare part of Gyanvapi Mosque property of Lord Vishweshwar.
• Controversial Interpretation: Court claims the Places of Worship Act is not applicable until the “religious character” is determined.
• Potential for Communal Tension: The ruling may expedite the conversion of a mosque into a temple, fueling societal tension.

Discrepancies in Judicial Treatment

• Divergent Treatment: Contrasts treatment of 2022 suits by women worshippers, focused on worship rights, with 1991 suits seeking mosque conversion.
• Inconsistent Interpretation: Despite explicit mosque-related relief sought in 1991 suits, the court deems them maintainable, raising concerns.
• Survey Controversy: ASI survey ordered for 2022 suits to decide 1991 suits, fostering ambiguity and potential for further disputes.

Constitutional Vision

• Judiciary’s Constitutional Role: The judiciary must prioritize secularism and resist legitimizing attempts to change worship places’ status.
• National Importance Claim: The High Court’s claim of “vital national importance” raises eyebrows; judiciary should focus on impartial adjudication.
• Enforcement of Legal Bar: Upholding the statutory Places of Worship Act is crucial to prevent altering the status of religious sites.

5. India and Russia ink ‘key’ pacts related to Kudankulam nuclear power plant

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Nuclear Technology

Context:

• In a major boost to their time­ tested partnership, India and Russia signed some “very important” agreements related to the construction of the future power­ generating units of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant.

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant:

• India’s largest nuclear power plant is located in Tamil Nadu.
• Construction commenced in March 2002 with technical assistance from Russia.
• The first power unit has been operational since February 2016, operating at a capacity of 1,000 MW.
• Full operational capacity expected by 2027, according to Russian state media.

What is the Status of Nuclear Energy in India?

• Nuclear energy is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India, contributing about 2% of the country’s total electricity generation.
• India currently has over 22 nuclear reactors in 7 power plants across the country, which together produce 6,780 MW of nuclear power.
• Of these reactors, 18 are Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and 4 are Light Water Reactors (LWRs).
• In January 2021, the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3), India’s first 700 MWe unit and the biggest indigenously developed variant of the PHWR, was connected to the grid.
• The Indian government has allowed joint ventures between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and public sector undertakings (PSUs) to enhance India’s nuclear program.
• NPCIL is now in joint ventures with the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) and the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL).
• The government is promoting the expansion of nuclear installations to other parts of the country. For example, an upcoming nuclear power plant in Gorakhpur town in Haryana will become operational in the near future.
• India is also working on an entirely indigenous thorium-based nuclear plant, “Bhavni,” which will be the first of its kind using Uranium-233. The experimental thorium plant “Kamini” already exists in Kalpakkam.

6. Ministry sends social media firms advisory to regulate deepfakes

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Defence

Context:

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that it had sent another advisory to social media firms to comply with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

What are Deepfakes?

• Deepfakes are highly realistic and often convincing digital forgeries of videos, images, or audio recordings.
• They are generated using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning techniques, particularly deep learning, from which the term “deepfake” is derived.
• Deepfakes are made using algorithms called generative adversarial networks (GANs), among other techniques.
• A GAN consists of two parts: the generator, which creates images or videos, and the discriminator, which evaluates their authenticity. They work in tandem to improve the quality of the forgeries.
• With deepfake technology, creators can make people appear to say or do things they never did.
• This includes facial expressions, lip movements, voice, and even body language if full-body deepfakes are made.

Government’s Action Against Deepfakes

• Issuing Notices: The IT Ministry has sent notices to social media intermediaries (like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) reminding them that online impersonation, including the creation and dissemination of deepfakes, is illegal under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
• Content Takedown: The IT Ministry has instructed these platforms to remove content that qualifies as deepfakes within 36 hours, as required by the IT Rules, 2021.
• Due Diligence and Reasonable Efforts: The IT Ministry has told social media companies that they need to exercise due diligence and make reasonable efforts to identify and flag misinformation and deepfakes.
• Prohibition of Impersonating Content: The IT Rules, 2021, as cited in the article, specifically prohibit hosting any content that impersonates another person. This includes deepfakes where someone’s appearance and voice can be manipulated to appear as someone else.
• Requirement for Prompt Action: Social media firms are required to quickly take down artificially morphed images or videos of an individual when they are alerted to such content.

Laws Against Deepfakes in India

• India does not have any specific laws that exclusively address deepfakes. However, various provisions of existing laws can be applied to tackle issues arising from deepfakes.
• Section 66E of the IT Act of 2000:
  • This section applies in cases of deepfake offenses that entail recording, publishing, or sending a person’s photographs in mass media, infringing on their privacy.
  • Offenders face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to two lakh rupees.
• Section 66D of the IT Act of 2000:
  • It allows for the prosecution of those who utilize communication devices or computer resources with the criminal goal of cheating or impersonating someone.
  • It is punishable by up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to one lakh rupees.
• Copyright Protection:
  • The Indian Copyright Act of 1957 protects works such as films, music, and other creative content.
  • Copyright holders can sue persons who construct deepfakes utilizing copyrighted works without permission.
  • Penalties for copyright infringement are set out in Section 51 of the Copyright Act.
• Government Advisory:
  • On January 9, 2023, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a warning to media outlets to be cautious when airing content that could be modified or tampered with.
  • The Ministry also suggested that manipulated content be labeled as “manipulated” or “modified” to alert viewers that the content has been altered.

7. What incentives do scientists have to study rare diseases

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Defence

Context:

• The 2024 Breakthrough Prizes laureates demonstrate the cutting­ edge ways scientists are making use of basic science to improve the quality of human lives.
• But they also highlight systemic, non-­scientific factors that influence what scientists choose to study and who gets to access the fruits of their labour .

About Breakthrough Prizes:

• Created in 2010 by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs: Milner, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan (Facebook), and Sergey Brin (Google).
• Acknowledges top scientists globally in fundamental sciences.
• Categories include mathematics, fundamental physics, and life sciences.
• First awarded in 2012; inaugural ceremony hosted by Morgan Freeman.
• The Breakthrough Prizes, often dubbed the “Oscars of Science,”
• Awardees receive $3 million each, surpassing the Nobel laureates’ $1 million prize.
• Includes additional prizes like New Horizons in Physics and Mathematics and the Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize for early-career researchers.

Rare Diseases

• Rare diseases, also known as orphan diseases, pose unique challenges due to their low prevalence in the population. 

Characteristics Of Rare Diseases:

• Rare diseases are debilitating lifelong conditions occurring infrequently in the human population.
• WHO defines rare diseases with a prevalence of 1 or less per 1000 population.
• In India, a prevalence of less than 100 patients per 100,000 people is considered as a rare disease.

Examples Of Rare Diseases:

• Tyrosinemia-Type 1:
  • A rare autosomal recessive genetic metabolic disorder.
  • Characterized by a deficiency of the enzyme fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH).
  • Results in the abnormal accumulation of tyrosine, potentially causing severe liver disease.
• Gaucher’s Disease:
  • Characterized by the accumulation of glucocerebroside in organs.
  • Organs, particularly the spleen, liver, and bone marrow, enlarge and may suffer impaired function.
• Wilson’s Disease:
  • A rare genetic disorder leading to the accumulation of copper in organs.
  • Affects the liver, brain, and cornea.
• Dravet-Lennox Gastaut Syndrome:
  • Two distinct types of epileptic syndromes.
  • Dravet syndrome: A severe form of epilepsy beginning in infancy.
  • Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: Childhood-onset epilepsy with multiple seizure types and cognitive impairment.

RARE DISEASES IN INDIA:

• Approximately 450 rare diseases identified, with 80% of patients affected by around 350 rare diseases.
• Estimated burden of 80 to 96 million cases annually in India.
• 70-80% of rare diseases are genetic, and the majority remain asymptomatic until later in life.
• Less than 5% of rare diseases in India have available therapies.

GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS:

• National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021:
  • Aims to lower the incidence and prevalence of rare diseases through an integrated preventive strategy.
  • Encompasses awareness generation, screening, and counseling programs.
• Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 for Pharmaceuticals:
  • An INR 15,000 Crore initiative supporting orphan drugs development.
  • Targets Category 1 pharmaceutical goods in the Production Linked Incentive Scheme.
• Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO):
  • Provisions for fast-track processing of applications for rare disease drugs in drug trials and experimental therapies.
  • Exemption of application fees for potential drug candidates.
• Genomics for Understanding Rare Diseases: India Alliance Network (GUaRDIAN):
  • A non-profit clinical genomics research network.
  • Establishes a network of clinicians and scientists for extensive clinical genomics research in India.
• Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR):
  • Establishes the Indian Genetic Disease Database (IGDD).
  • Tracks mutations in causal genes for genetic diseases common in India, providing insights to physicians and researchers.

8. INS Imphal (Pennant D68)

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Defence

Context: INS Imphal commissioned in the Indian Navy.

Some facts about INS Imphal

• INS Imphal (Pennant D68) is the third of four warships of Project 15B that together form the Visakhapatnam class stealth-guided missile destroyers.
• It is built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL)
• The ship measures 163m in length, and 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and is amongst the most potent warships built in India.
• The ship has a ‘combined gas and gas’ (COGAG) configuration integrating four gas turbines.
• The propulsion system allows the ship to reach a maximum speed of 30 knots and a maximum range of 4000 nautical miles
• These ships are equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and long-range Surface-to-Air Missiles .
• The ship has several indigenous weapons systems like medium range Surface-to-Air Missile , indigenous torpedo tube launchers, anti-submarine indigenous rocket launchers and 76-mm super rapid gun mount.
• The class also has a total atmospheric control system (TACS) that offers protection to the crew from chemical, biological and nuclear threats.
• It can operate two multi-role helicopters, including Sea King or HAL Dhruv.
• INS Imphal Is the first warship to have been named after a city from the northeast.

Few of Indian Navy Warships Projects

• Project 17 – Shivalik class Frigate.
  • The Shivalik class or Project 17 class is a class of multi-role frigates in service with the Indian Navy.
• Project 15 – Delhi Class destroyers.
  • Delhi-class destroyers are guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy
• Project 15A – Kolkata Class Destroyer
  • The Kolkata class (Project 15A) are a class of stealth guided missile destroyers
• Project 15B – Visakhapatnam Class Destroyer
  • The Visakhapatnam class (Project 15B) is a class of stealth guided missile destroyers currently being built for the Indian Navy.
• Project 17A
  • The Project 17A-class frigate is follow-on of the Project 17 Shivalik-class frigate for the Indian Navy.
• Project 75
  • Project 75 (P75) involves the acquisition of six ships of the Kalvari-class diesel-electric attack submarines.
• Project 75I
  • 6 Diesel submarines with Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP) technology for the Indian Navy.

Some facts about Project 15B

• The Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, also classified as the P-15 Bravo class, or simply P-15B, is a class of guided-missile destroyers currently being built for the Indian Navy.
• The Visakhapatnam class is an upgraded derivative of its predecessor, the Kolkata class, with improved features of stealth, automation and ordnance.
• A total of four ships are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), under the Make in India
• These four ships are Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal, Surat.
• The first vessel of the class, INS Visakhapatnam was commissioned in November 2021. The second ship INS Mormugao in December 2022.

9. Turkey panel nod takes Sweden closer to NATO Membership

Subject :IR

Section: Grouping

Context: Turkey panel nod takes Sweden closer to NATO Membership

More about the news;

• The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs commission has approved Sweden’s NATO membership application after a 19-month delay due to security concessions demanded by Turkey.
• The panel, controlled by President Erdogan’s ruling party, supported Sweden’s petition in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• The next step involves a vote by the entire parliament, expected to pass as the ruling party and its allies control it.
•  If approved, the bill will be sent to Erdogan for signing, concluding a nearly two-year process.
• However, Commission Chairman Fuat Oktay downplayed expectations for a quick vote, stating that the speaker will decide the timing.
• Despite Turkey confirming Finland’s petition in April, it held Sweden hostage until further action against local PKK members.
•  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom welcomed the decision, while Turkey remains a potential obstacle to Sweden’s NATO membership.

What is the NATO membership — Process

• NATO has what it calls an “open door policy” on new members — any European country can request to join, so long as they meet certain criteria and all existing members agree.
• A country does not technically “apply” to join;
• Article 10 of its founding treaty states that, once a nation has expressed interest, the existing member states “may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty … to accede.”
• Ratification of new members could take a year, as the legislatures of all 30 current members must approve new applicants.
• Requirements for membership, which include
  • having a functioning democratic political system based on a market economy;
  • treating minority populations fairly;
  • committing to resolve conflicts peacefully;
  • the ability and willingness to make a military contribution to NATO operations;
  • Committing to democratic civil-military relations and institutions.

What does NATO membership entail?

• The reason most countries join NATO is because of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which stipulates that all signatories consider an attack on one an attack against all.
• Article 5 guarantees that the resources of the whole alliance — including the massive US military — can be used to protect any single member nation, such as smaller countries who would be defenseless without their allies. Iceland, for example, has no standing army.

10. A decade-long initiative in Madhya Pradesh to reclaim land overrun by lantana helps residents restart agriculture and restore native biodiversity

Subject : Environment

Section: Biodiversity

• Lantana is one of the world’s ten worst invasive species and a species of high concern for India.
• Lantana is not native to India.
• It is native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region, South and North-eastern part of India.
• It was introduced in the country as an ornamental plant by the British in the 1800s, and has since spread over 574,186 sq km, covering 50 per cent of the country’s “natural areas”, according to an October 2023 study in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
• A 2020 estimate by researchers, published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation, shows that the plant occupies 40 per cent of forests (over 154,800 sq km), including tiger reserves. A 2019 review paper published in Botanical Reviewstates that lantana has also invaded most pasture lands (132,000 sq km) in the country.
• Eradicating lantana is difficultbecause of its rapid spread, intensity of infestation, allelopathy [chemicals released to discourage growth of native plants], opportunistic growth behaviour, reproductivity biology traits, and tenaious resistance to cutting and burning.
• It competes with native plants for space and resources and also alters the nutrient cycle in the soil.
• This invasion has resulted in the scarcity of native forage plants for wild herbivores. If eaten, the leaves can induce allergies on the muzzles of animals. In some cases, extensive feeding on lantana has led to diarrhoea, liver failure and even the animal’s death.