Daily Prelims Notes 10 May 2023

May 10, 2023
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Daily Prelims Notes

10 May 2023

Table Of Contents

1. System of Environmental-Economic Accounting

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate change

System of Environmental-Economic Accounting:

System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework has been used to measure the links between environment, economic and societal well-being.
SEEA has two parts, the central framework and ecosystem accounting; the latter includes services provided by ecosystems, tracking changes in ecosystem assets and linking this to human activity.
It contains the internationally agreed standard concepts, definitions, classifications, accounting rules and tables for producing internationally comparable statistics and accounts.
The SEEA framework follows a similar accounting structure as the System of National Accounts (SNA).
The framework uses concepts, definitions and classifications consistent with the SNA in order to facilitate the integration of environmental and economic statistics.
It is a flexible system that can be adapted to countries’ priorities and policy needs while at the same time providing a common framework, concepts, terms and definitions.
While these frameworks have been largely applied to land ecosystems, they are now increasingly being applied to marine ecosystems through ocean accounting.
In fact, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) which has so far been focusing on land accounts, has called for expanding the coverage of the accounts to include ocean accounts in its strategy for the next half decade.

NCAVES (National Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services):

NCAVES (National Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services) project is an important initiative aimed at integrating natural capital and ecosystem services into national accounting frameworks.
The main objective of the NCAVES project is to develop and implement a comprehensive framework for natural capital accounting and valuation of ecosystem services. It seeks to enhance the understanding of the economic value of natural resources and ecosystem services and their contribution to the national economy.
The NCAVES project is implemented by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) in collaboration with various national governments. It provides technical support, capacity building, and guidance to countries in developing natural capital accounting systems and integrating them into their national statistical frameworks.
The project covers a wide range of ecosystem services, including provisioning services (such as food, water, and timber), regulating services (such as climate regulation and water purification), and cultural services (such as recreation and cultural heritage).
The NCAVES project promotes the use of standardized methodologies and frameworks for natural capital accounting. It emphasizes the measurement and valuation of ecosystem services, using both market-based and non-market-based approaches. The project provides guidance on data collection, classification, and accounting techniques to ensure consistency and comparability across countries.
The NCAVES project is part of the broader global movement towards natural capital accounting and valuation of ecosystem services. It aligns with international initiatives, such as the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ocean Account:

Ocean accounts as “integrated records of regularly compiled and comparable dataconcerning ocean environment assets (e.g., extent/condition of mangroves), economic activity (e.g., sale of fish) and social conditions (e.g., coastal employment).”
The objective of ocean accounts is to provide a framework for capturing the economic value of marine resources and the services they provide, as well as the associated environmental impacts.
It aims to promote sustainable management of oceans by incorporating their economic and ecological dimensions into policy and decision-making.

Global Ocean Accounts Partnership:

Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) is an international initiative that aims to promote the implementation of ocean accounts worldwide. It brings together governments, international organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders to collaborate on the development and dissemination of ocean accounting methodologies and tools.
The primary objective of GOAP is to support countries in implementing the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting for the Oceans (SEEA-O), which is a framework for measuring and valuing the economic and environmental aspects of marine resources and activities.
GOAP aims to build capacity, share knowledge and best practices, and facilitate the integration of ocean accounts into national statistical systems.
GOAP is a partnership between multiple organizations, including the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Bank.
It helps countries improve their understanding of the economic significance of marine resources, assess the environmental impacts of ocean-related activities, and make informed decisions for sustainable ocean management.

2. Extended Producer Responsibility improve circularity in India’s waste oil management

Subject: Environment

Section: Environment law

Context: Union Budget 2023-24, presented by Finance Minister has placed emphasis on sustainable development and a circular economy in India.

More on the News:

The country has been pushing on the circularity of the resources for the last two-three- years. The objective is to substitute natural resource consumption with equally valuable waste materials that otherwise would end up in landfills.
Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has introduced a draft notification on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on waste oil. Used oil can act as a contaminant as it contains benzene, zinc, cadmium and other impurities that have the potential to pollute freshwater.

Draft notification on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on waste oil

EPR is applicable to producers and bulk generators (like industry, railways, transport companies, power transmission companies, etc.), according to the draft notification.
It recommends the registration of stakeholders, including producers, collection agents, recyclers and waste oil importers, on Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) online portal.
The notification also talks about the EPR targets of waste oil recycling for producers and the applicable obligations, starting from 2024-25. The target for the base year is set as 10 per cent, which will increase gradually by 10 per cent every year till 2029. After this, the target will be set based on the quantity of lubrication oil sold or imported annually.
A provision for EPR certificate generation and the computation of the quantity eligible for the EPR certificate is also given.
The notification also talks about an online portal which CPCB will set up for registration, filing of returns, EPR certificate generation and tracing of oil produced or generated by any registered agency.
MoEFCC has provided clear demarcations of the responsibilities of producers, waste oil importers, collection agents, recyclers, bulk generators, CPCB, State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB), states or Union Territories, municipalities, local self-governments etc.
Bureau of Indian Standards is also entrusted with the important responsibility of setting up necessary standards for re-refined oil, which is used by producers of lubricants.
Environmental compensation has been included in the EPR along with prosecution in case of any agency providing false information for obtaining EPR certificates. Also, the prosecution for non-compliance will be in addition to the environmental compensation.
CPCB is the designated agency for verifying and auditing the agencies under the EPR notification.
A steering committee is proposed under the EPR to assess the draft notification’s implementation, monitoring and overall supervision.

3. Who was Samarth Ramdas and what was his relationship with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj?

Subject: History

Section: Personality

Context: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has demanded an “unconditional apology” from Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Foundation for a video in which he is seen making the claim that Saint Samarth Ramdas was Maratha Ruler Chhatrapati Shivaj’s guru.

What do historians say about this?

Most historians agree that the issue of calling Samarth Ramdas the guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji is to do with the maintenance of Brahmanical supremacy and that there is no historical evidence to verify the fact

To take credit for the work of Shivaji Maharaj, the Brahmanical system installed Ramdas as guru of Shivaji Maharaj. But the contemporary important historical texts do not even mention him.

Who was Samarth Ramdas?

Samarth Ramdas (1608 – 1681), also known as Sant Ramdas or Ramdas Swami, was a Hindu saint, philosopher, poet, writer and spiritual master
A devotee of Lord Ram and Hanuman, he toured the entire Indian subcontinent for 12 years, during which he came across various spiritual teachers and diverse religious traditions
Ramdas has influenced Hindu nationalist thinkers across the years. The likes of Lokmanya Tilak, RSS founder KB Hedgewar, and VD Savarkar, all claimed to have been inspired by the 17th century saint
Ramdas had extensive literature written during his lifetime. His literary works include Dasbodh, Karunashtakas, Sunderkand, Yuddhakand, Poorvarambh, Antarbhav, Aatmaaram, Chaturthman, Panchman, Manpanchak, Janaswabhawgosavi, Panchsamasi, Saptsamasi, Sagundhyan, Nirgundhyan, Junatpurush, Shadripunirupan, Panchikaranyog, ManacheShlok and Shreemad
Unlike the saints subscribing to Warkari tradition, Ramdas is not considered to embrace pacifism. His writings include strong expressions encouraging militant means to counter the barbaric Islamic invaders.
Ramdas was a proponent of Dvaita, a philosophy first proposed by the 13th-century Indian philosopher, Madhvacharya. Ramdas was an exponent of Bhakti Yoga or the path of devotion

Additional Information:

Shivaji was born in Shivner near Junnar. He was the son of ShahjiBhonsleby his first wife Shahji was a descendant of the Yadava rulers of Devagiri from his mother’s side and the Sisodias of Mewar on his father’s side
On 6 June 1674, Shivaji was crowned at He assumed the title of “Chhatrapathi” (metaphor for “supreme king ”)
The relentless campaigns affected Shivaji’s health. He died in 1680 at the age of 53. At the time of his death, Shivaji’s kingdom comprised the Western Ghats and the Konkan between Kalyan and Goa. The provinces in the south included western Karnataka extending from Belgaum to the bank of Tungabhadra.
Contemporaries: Tuka Ram was a contemporary of Maratha Shivaji and saints like Eknath was regarded by Shivaji as his guru. He had conflict with the Mughals (1670) at Aurangazeb reign

Administration

Shivaji divided the kingdom into four provinces, each under a viceroy. The provinces were divided into a number of Pranths.
This council of eight ministers was known as Ashta Pradhan. Its functions were advisory. Mukhya Pradhan or Peshwaor prime minister, The Amatya or finance minister, The Walkia-Nawis or Mantri,Summant or Dabiror foreign secretary, Sachiv or ShuruNawis or home secretary,Pandit Rao or Danadhyaksha or Sadar and Muhtasib or ecclesiastical head, Nyayadhish or chief justice, Sari Naubat or commander-in-chief
Shivaji collected two taxes, Chauth and Sardeshmukhi, from the adjoining territories of his empire, the Mughal provinces and the territories of the Sultan of Bijapur. Chauth was one-fourth of the revenue of the district conquered by the Marthas. Sardeshmukhi was an additional 10% of the revenue which Shivaji collected by virtue of his position as Sardeshmukh.
The infantry was divided into regiments, brigades. The smallest unit with nine soldiers was headed by a Naik (corporal). Each unit with 25 horsemen was placed under one havildar (equivalent to the rank of a sergeant). Over five havildars were placed under one jamaladar and over ten jamaladars under one hazari. Sari Naubat was the supreme commander of cavalry.
The cavalry was divided into two classes: the bargirs (soldiers whose horses were given by the state) and the shiledars (mercenary horsemen who had to find their own horses). There were water-carriers and farriers too

4. Rabindranath Tagore

Subject: History

Section: Personality

Concept :

Prime Minister recently paid tributes to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore on his birth anniversary.

About Rabindranath Tagore:

He was a world-renowned poet, litterateur, philosopher and Asia’s first Nobel laureate.
He was born in Kolkata on May 7, 1861.
He was the son of Debendranath Tagore, a prominent philosopher and religious reformer.
He was popularly known as Bard of Bengal, and people used to call him Gurudev.
He introduced new prose and verse forms and the use of colloquial language into Bengali literature, thereby freeing it from traditional models based on classical Sanskrit.
He was highly influential in introducing Indian culture to the West and vice versa.
In 1913 he became the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.
He was also an influential artist and musician. He wrote around 2230 songs and painted 3000 paintings. His songs are known as Rabindra Sangeet.
Rabindranath Tagore wrote India’s national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. He also wrote Amar Sonar Bangla, the national anthem for Bangla The Sri Lankan national anthem was inspired by his work.
He was awarded a knighthood in 1915, but he repudiated it in 1919 as a protest against the Amritsar (Jallianwalla Bagh) Massacre.
Viswa Bharti University, which was known as Shantiniketan founded by Rabindranath Tagore.

Major Works:

Tagore’s most notable work of poetry is Gitanjali: Song Offerings, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.
Other notable poetry publications include Sonar Tari and Manasi.
He wrote novels, plays, and short stories in both languages, including the plays Chitra and The Post Office.
He is credited with pioneering the short story form in Bengali literature, with some of his best work collected in The Hungry Stones and Other Stories and The Glimpses of Bengal Life.

5. Minimising the threat from IEDs

Subject : Science

Section: Defence

Concept :

On the 26th of April 2023, an improvised explosive device (IED) blast led to the death of about 10 security personnel in the Dantewada region in Chhattisgarh while they were on an anti-Maoist mission.
Again on the 5th of May, five soldiers were killed in a gunfight with militants in the Rajouri-Poonch sector of the Jammu division and before the gunfight broke out an explosive device was triggered.

About Improvised Explosive Device (IED):

IED is a type of unconventional explosive weapon that can take any form and be activated in a variety of ways.
IEDs are used by criminals, vandals, terrorists, suicide bombers, and insurgents.
Because they are improvised, IEDs can come in many forms, ranging from a small pipe bomb to a sophisticated device capable of causing massive damage and loss of life.
IEDs can be carried or delivered in a vehicle; carried, placed, or thrown by a person; delivered in a package; or concealed on the roadside.
The extent of damage caused by an IED depends on its size, construction, and placement and whether it incorporates a high explosive or propellant.
The term IED came into common usage during the Iraq War that began in 2003.

Elements of an IED:

It consists of a variety of components that include an initiator, switch, main charge, power source, and container.
IEDs may be surrounded by or packed with additional materials or “enhancements” such as nails, glass, or metal fragments designed to increase the amount of shrapnel propelled by the explosion.
An IED can be initiated by a variety of methods depending on the intended target.

Materials Used as Explosives in IEDs:

Many commonly available materials, such as fertilizer, gunpowder, and hydrogen peroxide, are used as explosive materials in IEDs.
Explosives contain fuel and an oxidizer, which provides the oxygen needed to sustain the reaction.

6. Persona non grata

Subject : International Relations

Section: International conventions

Concept :

A day after Canada announced it would expel a Chinese diplomat over allegations of involvement in a campaign to intimidate a Canadian politician, China on Tuesday (May 9) declared a Canadian diplomat in Shanghai as persona non grata.

Persona non grata

In literal terms, the phrase is Latin for “an unwelcome person.”
The term in a diplomatic sense refers to a foreign person whose entering or remaining in a certain country is prohibited by that country.
The designation received diplomatic meaning at the 1961 Vienna Convention for Diplomatic Relations.
Under Article 9 of the treaty, a country can declare any member of a diplomatic staff persona non grata “at any time and without having to explain its decision.”
The persona non grata declaration is the most damning form of censure a country can bestow on foreign diplomats considering they are protected from arrests and other forms of prosecution under diplomatic immunity.
A person declared as such can be recalled from a diplomatic mission or have their functions with the mission terminated. If the declared person is not recalled, the country can refuse to recognize the person as part of the mission.
Persona non grata can also apply to people who have yet to enter a country.

7. Same sex couple, live in partners not included on surrogacy laws

Subject :Polity

Section :Constitution

Concept :

Centre on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that live-in partners and same-sex couples cannot be allowed to avail of services under the surrogacy law.
The Court has decriminalized same-sex relations and live-in relations however neither any special provisions have been introduced with respect to same-sex/live-in couples nor have they been granted any additional rights, Centre informed the Supreme Court.

Surrogacy Act 2021

The Act sought to regulate the surrogacy part of a rather flourishing infertility industry in the country.
It is defined as a practice where a woman undertakes to give birth to a child for another couple and agrees to hand over the child to them after birth.
Altruistic surrogacy:
The Act allows ‘altruistic surrogacy’ — wherein only the medical expenses and insurance coverage is provided by the couple to the surrogate mother during pregnancy.
No other monetary consideration will be permitted.
The intending couple:
- Any couple that has ‘proven infertility’ is a candidate.
- The ‘intending couple’ as the Act calls them, will be eligible if they have a ‘certificate of essentiality’ and a ‘certificate of eligibility’ issued by the appropriate authority.
- The former will be issued if the couple fulfills three conditions:
- A certificate of infertility of one or both from a district medical board;
- An order of parentage and custody of the surrogate child passed by a Magistrate’s court;
- Insurance cover for the surrogate mother.
Eligibility Certificate:
- An eligibility certificate mandates that the couple fulfil the following conditions:
- They should be Indian citizens who have been married for at least five years;
- the female must be between 23 to 50 years and the male, 26 to 55 years;
- they cannot have any surviving children (biological, adopted or surrogate);
- However, this would not include a ‘child who is mentally or physically challenged or suffers from life threatening disorder or fatal illness.’
Surrogate mother:
- Only a close relative of the couple can be a surrogate mother, one who is able to provide a medical fitness certificate.
- She should have been married,
- with a child of her own, and
- must be between 25 and 35 years,
- but can be a surrogate mother only once.
Regulating Body:
- The Centre and State governments are expected to constitute a National Surrogacy Board (NSB) and State Surrogacy Boards (SSB) respectively.
- This body is tasked with enforcing standards for surrogacy clinics, investigating breaches and recommending modifications.
- Further, surrogacy clinics need to apply for registration within 60 days of the appointment of the appropriate authority.
Offences:
Offences under the Act include commercial surrogacy, selling of embryos, exploiting, abandoning a surrogate child etc.
These may invite up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs. 10 lakh.

8. EU in Israel cancels Europe Day event over Ben-Gvir: What is this day?

Subject: History

Section: World History

Context: The European Union’s delegation in Israel Monday (May 8) cancelled its Europe Day diplomatic reception over the planned participation of far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir

Details:

On the continent, the Russia-Ukraine conflict casts a long shadow on Europe Day celebrations this year. Russia has cancelled events in many regions, fearing Ukrainian shelling. On the other hand, in an attempt to break from its Soviet past, Ukraine has decided to observe Europe Day on May 8 (like Western Europe) rather than May 9 (like Russia).
Europe Day:
Europe Day held on 9 May every year celebrates peace and unity in Europe. The date marks the anniversary of the historic ‘Schuman declaration’ that set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe
The Schuman Declaration was presented by French foreign minister Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950.
Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day or simply, Europe Day) is one of the most important days in the history of Europe. It was on May 8, 1945 (May 9 in Eastern Europe) that the surrender of the German armed forces was formally accepted, bringing an end to a war that had killed millions on battlefields, across bombarded cities and in brutal concentration camp
World War II officially began in 1939, with Germany’s invasion of Poland drawing Britain into the War. While Germany enjoyed initial success, conquering much of Western Europe and making inroads in the East, the Luftwaffe’s failure in the Battle of Britain, Hitler’s doomed invasion of Soviet Russia, and the entry of the US into the conflict in 1941 would soon turn the tide
By 1945, Germany faced inevitable defeat. On the East, the Red Army marched towards Berlin with its enormous manpower and resource base. On the West, British, American and other allied troops hastened towards the German capital, after the successful D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.
Germany’s biggest European ally Italy had collapsed and the Japanese were preparing for a lengthy campaign to defend their home islands, having lost most of the territory they had gained in the early years of the War.
Thus, on April 30, 1945, as the Battle of Berlin raged on with both Soviets and Western Allies competing with each other to capture the city, German Fuhrer and Nazi Party supremo Adolf Hitler died by suicide.
Karl Donitz succeeded Hitler and immediately started negotiating a full surrender. The German Instrument of Surrender was signed on May 8, 1945 in Karlshorst, Berlin.