Daily Prelims Notes 11 April 2024

April 11, 2024
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes

11 April 2024

Table Of Contents

1. House Sparrow disappearing

Subject: Environment

Sec: Species in news

The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a small bird belonging to the family Passeridae. Distribution: The House Sparrow is a cosmopolitan bird found across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is also found in North America, South America, and Australia, where it was introduced by humans.
Physical characteristics: The House Sparrow is a small bird, about 14 to 16 cm in length, with a wingspan of about 20 to 25 cm. The male has a gray crown, black throat, and white cheeks, while the female has a brown crown and a buff-colored stripe behind the eye.
Habitat: The House Sparrow is a common bird found in urban and rural areas, and is often seen around human habitation, such as houses, buildings, and parks.
Diet: The House Sparrow is an omnivorous bird and feeds on a variety of food, including seeds, insects, and scraps of food from humans.

Breeding: The House Sparrow breeds throughout the year and can lay up to 4 to 5 eggs at a time. The incubation period is about 11 to 14 days, and the chicks fledge after about 14 to 16 days.

Around the start of agriculture, the urban house sparrow split from the wild birds; it has a pair of genes, AMY2A, that helps it digest complex carbohydrates, the reason that it shares our love of starchy wheat and rice.

Conservation status:
- IUCN Status: Least Concern
- The Wildlife Protection Act,1972: Schedule IV
Cultural significance: The House Sparrow has been an important part of human culture for centuries and is mentioned in many folktales, songs, and poems. House Sparrow is the State bird of Bihar and Delhi.
Significance in agriculture: The House Sparrow is considered a pest in some agricultural areas due to its habit of feeding on crops such as wheat and rice.
Threats: Despite its large population size, the House Sparrow has experienced declines in some areas, particularly in urban areas, due to habitat loss, pesticides, and other factors.
Conservation steps: In Odisha, the Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee started a campaign in 2007. They distributed earthen pot bird nests to homes in Odisha. This has led to an increase in the sparrow population.

2. NIIF Invests $200 Million in iBUS Network and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd

Subject: Economy

Section: National Income

The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Ltd. (NIIF) has made a significant investment of $200 million in iBUS Network and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. This investment aims to support the growth of India’s digital infrastructure, particularly in the connectivity technology sector.

Purpose of the Investment:

Scaling Operations: The funds from NIIF will be utilized by iBUS Network to scale its operations. This includes both organic and inorganic growth initiatives to expand its reach and capabilities.
Focus Areas:
- In-Building Solutions: Strengthening its offerings in in-building solutions for improved connectivity within buildings.
- Outdoor Small Cells: Enhancing outdoor small cell networks to bolster connectivity in outdoor environments.
- Managed Wi-Fi Services: Expanding its managed Wi-Fi services for businesses and consumers.
- Emerging Sectors (IoT Solutions): iBUS aims to expand into emerging sectors such as Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, aligning with the evolving technological landscape.

Ownership Structure:

Post the completion of the transaction, NIIF will hold a significant majority stake in iBUS Network and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.

Vision for Connectivity Transformation:

iBUS highlighted the partnership with NIIF as aligned with their goal to transform connectivity in India at scale, speed, and value.

Conclusion:

The investment by NIIF in iBUS Network and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd signifies a strategic move to bolster India’s digital infrastructure. With a focus on expanding connectivity solutions, including in-building, outdoor, and managed services, iBUS aims to meet the evolving demands of the market. This investment not only supports growth initiatives but also aligns with the broader vision of transforming India’s digital landscape.

National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)

Establishment:
- NIIF was established in 2015 as India’s first sovereign wealth fund.
- It is anchored by the Government of India (GoI) and collaborates with leading global and domestic institutional investors.
Purpose and Goals:
- NIIF aims to enhance infrastructure financing in India.
- Optimizing Economic Impact: The primary goal is to optimize the economic impact through investments in:
  - Greenfield (new), brownfield (existing), and stalled infrastructure projects.
  - Strategic investments to support India’s vision of robust infrastructure for economic growth.
Types of NIIF Funds:
- Master Fund:
  - Focuses on investments in sectors such as roads, ports, airports, and power.
  - Also invests in established enterprises operating in regulated environments.
- Fund of Funds:
  - Invests in funds managed by renowned fund managers with excellent track records.
  - Acts as an anchor investor to attract funds from institutional investors.
- Strategic Fund:
  - Registered as Alternative Fund II under SEBI.
  - Focuses on investments in equity and equity-linked instruments for strategic growth.
Regulatory Status:
- All NIIF funds are registered as Alternative Investment Funds (AIF) with SEBI.
- This ensures compliance with investment norms and provides transparency and oversight.

3. DGTR recommends anti-dumping duty on sodium cyanide imports

Subject: Economy

Section: External sector

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended the imposition of anti-dumping duty on sodium cyanide (NaCN) imported from China, the European Union, Japan, and Korea.

Reasons for Anti-Dumping Duty Recommendation:

Industry Injury: The DGTR found that the domestic industry had suffered injury despite capacity expansion.
Factors of Injury:
- High volumes of dumped imports
- Suppressed prices
- Production declines
- Financial losses

Impact on Domestic Industry:

The domestic industry was compelled to sell at losses to increase its market share.
Significant investments of about ₹500 crore were made by the domestic industry to bridge the demand-supply gap.
The current situation with dumping had forced domestic players to suspend production due to economic unviability.

Duration of Anti-Dumping Duty:

The recommended anti-dumping duty on sodium cyanide imports from China, the European Union, Japan, and Korea is for a period of five years.

Overview of Sodium Cyanide:

Usage: Sodium cyanide is utilized in various industries:
- Extraction of gold and silver from their ores
- Electroplating and heat treatment of metals
- Manufacturing of insecticides, dyes, pigments, and bulk drugs, among others.

Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR)

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) is the apex national authority under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry responsible for administering all trade remedial measures. These measures include anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties, and safeguard measures.

Functions of DGTR:

Trade Remedial Measures: DGTR administers various trade remedial measures to protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices. This includes:
- Anti-Dumping Duties: Imposed to rectify the situation arising from the dumping of goods, where a country exports goods to another country at prices lower than in its home market.
- Countervailing Duties: Levied on goods that have received government subsidies in the originating or exporting country.
- Safeguard Measures: Put in place to protect domestic industries from sudden and significant increases in imports.
Support to Domestic Industry: DGTR provides trade defense support to domestic industries and exporters facing trade remedy investigations initiated by other countries. This includes legal and technical assistance throughout the investigation process.

Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD):

Objective: The imposition of Anti-Dumping Duty aims to counter the adverse effects of dumping on the domestic industry.
Purpose: It is a protectionist tariff imposed by a domestic government on foreign imports believed to be priced below fair market value.
Long-Term Impact: ADD can reduce international competition for domestic companies producing similar goods, providing them with a level playing field.
WTO Compliance: The use of anti-dumping measures is permitted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure fair competition in international trade.

Differentiation from Countervailing Duties:

ADD: A customs duty imposed on imports to protect against goods being dumped at prices significantly lower than the normal value.
Countervailing Duty: Imposed on goods that have received subsidies in the originating country, countering the unfair advantage conferred by these subsidies.

Legal framework

Sections 9, 9 A, 9 B and 9 C of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 as amended in 1995 and the Customs Tariff (Identification, Assessment and Collection of Anti-dumping Duty on Dumped Articles and for Determination of Injury) Rules, 1995 and Customs Tariff (Identification, Assessment and Collection of Countervailing Duty on Subsidised Articles and for Determination of Injury) Rules, 1995 framed there under form the legal basis for anti-dumping and anti subsidy investigations and for the levy of anti-dumping and countervailing duties. These laws are in consonance with the WTO Agreements on Anti Dumping and Anti Subsidy countervailing measures.

WTO Provisions for Anti-Dumping Duty:

Validity: An anti-dumping duty remains valid for a period of five years from the date of imposition unless revoked earlier.
Sunset Review: The duty can be extended for another five years through a sunset or expiry review investigation.
- Purpose: A sunset review evaluates the need for the continued existence of the duty, assessing its effectiveness and impact on the industry.
- Initiation: Such a review can be initiated suo moto (on its own) or based on a substantiated request from or on behalf of the domestic industry.

4. Physicist Peter Higgs passes away: What is the ‘God particle’, which he theorized in the 1960s?

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Nuclear Sector

Context:

Nobel prize-winning physicist Peter Higgs, who proposed the existence of the so-called “god particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang, has died at age 94.

More on news:

It required nearly 50 years, and the world’s biggest and most complex machine, to detect the Higgs boson in 2012.
An elementary particle like electrons, quark, photons or neutrinos, the Higgs boson, is known to impart mass to every other particle.
Its existence was predicted in the 1960s, but it was found only in 2012 through elaborate experiments carried out at the Large Hadron Collider, located on the border of France and Switzerland, the world’s biggest and most expensive machine till then.
The discovery of the Higgs boson completed the Standard Model of Particle Physics, which describes all the fundamental particles, like electrons and protons, and the forces, like electromagnetism, gravitation or nuclear forces, that build up the material part of the world.

God Particle:

Much of the hype surrounding the Higgs boson amongst the common people comes from the fact that it got dubbed as the ‘God particle’.
The expression was first used by Nobel Prize winning physicist Leon Lederman who wrote a book by that title in the 1990s about the continuing search for the Higgs boson.
Many scientists detest that expression, mainly because the particle acquired religious connotations in some circles because of that name.

Boson is the name given to a family of elementary particles that are known to be carriers of fundamental forces like electromagnetism.
Photon, which carries the electromagnetic force, is a boson.
On the other hand, the matter particles, like electrons or protons, belong to the class called fermions.
The big significance of the Higgs boson is that it is the particle that is supposed to account for the mass of every other fundamental particle.
A photon, which is a light particle, does not interact with electric and magnetic fields at all, and is thus massless.
There are other particles that are massless as well.
Particles like electrons and protons, do interact, and have masses.
The Higgs boson itself interacts with this field, and thus has mass.
The concepts of the Higgs field and Higgs particle are not very intuitive, but these are fundamental to our current understanding of the way nature works.
The main fame for the Higgs boson came from its elusive nature.
Scientists kept frantically searching for it for more than four decades but could not find it.
One of the main science objectives of the LHC, which is the world’s biggest particle accelerator and cost about US$ 9 billion to build, was to find the Higgs boson.

5. How and why US wants to establish a time standard for the Moon

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Space sector

Context:

Last week, the US White House officially directed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to create a time standard for the Moon.

More on news:

This time standard will help different international bodies and private companies to coordinate their activities on the lunar surface.

How does Earth’s time standard work?

Most of the clocks and time zones — a geographical region which uses the same standard time — of the world are based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is set by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris, France.
UTC is essentially an internationally agreed upon standard for world time.
It is tracked by a weighted average of more than 400 atomic clocks placed in different parts of the globe.
Atomic clocks measure time in terms of the resonant frequencies — the natural frequency of an object where it tends to vibrate at a higher amplitude — of atoms such as cesium-133.
In atomic time, a second is defined as the period in which a caesium atom vibrates 9,192,631,770 times.
As the vibration rates at which atoms absorb energy are highly stable and ultra-accurate, atomic clocks make for an excellent device for gauging the passage of time.
To obtain their local time, countries need to subtract or add a certain number of hours from UTC depending on how many time zones they are away from 0 degree longitude meridian, also known as the Greenwich meridian.
If a country lies on the west of the Greenwich meridian, it has to be subtracted from the UTC, and if a country is located on the east of the meridian.

Why do we need a time standard for the Moon?

A fundamental aspect of nature in the Universe is that time is not absolute.
But if you travel to the Moon, the clock would be ticking slightly faster than if you had stayed on the Earth.
This is a consequence of Albert Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity which tells us that gravity bends space and time.
The discrepancy may seem small but it can create problems for situations such as a spacecraft seeking to dock on the Moon, data transferring at a specific time, communication, and navigation.
Currently, handlers of each lunar mission use their own timescale that is linked to UTC.
This approach can work for a handful of independent lunar missions, but issues will arise once there are multiple spacecraft working together at the same time — a situation which is bound to become a reality in the near future.

How will a lunar time standard be established?

The specifics for creating a time standard for the Moon are not clear yet.
Like on the Earth, atomic clocks can be deployed on the lunar surface to set a time standard.
There will be a need to place at least three atomic clocks on the lunar surface that will tick at the Moon’s natural pace, and whose output will be combined by an algorithm to generate a more accurate virtual timepiece.
Mascons or mass concentrations are so dense that they alter the Moon’s local gravity field.
These effects are minor but the output from these clocks can be synthesized to give the Moon its own independent time, which can be tied back to UTC for seamless operations from Earth as well.
Even on Earth, atomic clocks have been placed at different locations or rather latitudes.
These clocks tick at different rates due to changes in Earth’s rotational speed varying from the Equator to the poles, which also affects time.
The planet rotates faster at the Equator than it does at the poles as it is wider at the Equator.

6. Why Supreme Court’s curative petition relief for Delhi Metro is significant

Subject: Polity

Section: Judiciary

Context:

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will not have to pay nearly Rs 8,000 crore to the Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAMEPL).

More on news:

The ruling overturned the Supreme Court’s September 2021 judgment that upheld the arbitral award.
The court has now exercised its “extraordinary powers” in a curative writ petition to correct a “fundamental error” in its judgment.

History of the case

In 2008, the DMRC entered into a public-private partnership with DAMEPL, a consortium led by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Delhi Airport Metro Express.
While DMRC acquired the land and bore the cost of construction, the consortium was to design, install, and commission the railway systems in two years.
Until 2038, DAMEPL was to maintain the line and manage its operations, while paying a “concession fee” to DMRC.
Before operations were finally handed over to DMRC in June 2013, DAMEPL and DMRC made a joint application before the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety for reopening the line.
While the line started functioning again, the government and Reliance began a battle before an arbitration tribunal for losses due to cancellation of the agreement.

Curative jurisdiction:

Curative, an extraordinary special jurisdiction carved out by the Supreme Court under its inherent power vide Article 129 and 142 of the Constitution of India.
A curative writ petition as a layer of appeal against a Supreme Court decision is not prescribed in the Constitution.
It is a judicial innovation, designed for correcting “grave injustices” in a ruling of the country’s top court.
The SC first articulated the concept of a curative writ in Rupa Ashok Hurra vs Ashok Hurra (2002).
If there was a significant miscarriage of justice due to a final decision of the Supreme Court, could the court still correct it.
However, curative writs are sparingly used.
There are narrow, mostly procedural grounds that permit the filing of a curative writ.
A claim must be made that principles of natural justice were not followed — for example, that a party was not heard, or that a judge was biased, or had a conflict of interest. These petitions need to be approved by a senior advocate designated by the court.

Curative writs are filed mostly in death penalty cases:

The SC in the Yakub Memon case (2015) and the Delhi gang rape convicts case (2020) dismissed curative writs challenging death sentences.
In 2023, in the Bhopal gas tragedy case, the SC refused to exercise its curative powers to enhance the compensation provided to victims that was deemed grossly inadequate.

Key takeaways from the judgment:

The restoration of the 2019 position means that DMRC does not have to pay the arbitral award. About Rs 2,600 crore that DMRC had deposited with the High Court in an escrow account will be restored.

7. India to send new Defence Attachés in multiple missions in Africa

Subject: IR

Section: Msc

Context:

India is expanding its military diplomacy by appointing Defence Attachés (DAs) to its missions in Africa for the first time, reflecting a broader adjustment of its DAs worldwide amidst evolving strategic needs, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, Red Sea-Indian Ocean, and Eurasia.

Details:

Four new DAs are expected in Africa, with placements in Francophone Western Africa and countries in Eastern and Southeastern Africa, including possibly Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.
Additionally, the Indian embassy in Poland will receive a new DA, differentiating from the current arrangement where the DA in the Czech Republic also covers Warsaw.
This realignment is in response to defence cooperation needs, crisis management, and the protection of Indian interests, highlighted by recent maritime security incidents.
Further adjustments include new or revised DA postings in the UK, Russia, Philippines, and Armenia, with a reduction in the number of DAs in Russia as part of a “rationalisation” following the completion of several India-Russia defence projects.

Who is a ‘Defence Attache’?

A defence attaché is a member of the military serving in an overseas embassy, representing their country’s defence abroad.
The term ‘defence attaché’ covers personnel from all branches of the military, and those in the role have diplomatic immunity and status.
It is the defence attaché’s job to protect, develop and promote the defence interests of their country in the nation they are assigned, as well as in bilateral military and defence relations.

New development:

France’s significant role as a military hardware supplier to India strengthens bilateral relations, bolstered by high-level political, military, and strategic collaboration.
Additionally, the appointment of a Defence Attaché in the Indian embassy in the Philippines is significant due to Manila’s interest in Indian military hardware amid tensions with Beijing over the South China Sea.
- In January, the Philippines inked a deal worth $375 million with Brahmos Aerospace Pvt Ltd for the purchase of shore-based anti-ship variant of the Brahmos missile systems.
Similarly, Armenia’s procurement of Indian military equipment, including multi-barrel rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles, signifies India’s growing presence in the region, particularly in light of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
- Armenia has purchased the PINAKA multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRLs), anti-tank missiles, rockets and anti-drone systems from India.

Source: TH

8. EU adopts sweeping overhaul of asylum and migration rules

Subject: IR

Section: Int grouping

Context:

The European Parliament has passed a significant overhaul of the EU’s asylum and migration rules, a reform that has been nearly ten years in the making.

Details:

This pact encompasses regulations and policies aimed at addressing responsibility for migrants and asylum seekers upon their arrival and the obligation of EU countries to assist.
Critics argue that the pact fails to solve the issues it aims to address and undermines the individual’s right to seek asylum in Europe.

The EU Migration and Asylum Pact:

It first came in 2015.
The main issue to be resolved through this pact is how to manage the entry of thousands of people without authorisation, as it hardens border procedures and forces all the bloc’s 27 nations to share responsibility.
- The pact will speed up the asylum process and return of irregular migrants to their home countries.
Under the pact, the 27 EU member states are expected to take in thousands of migrants from “frontline” countries like Italy, Spain and Greece.
If they fail to do that they are obligated to help their EU partners by offering to house people eligible for asylum or, failing that, to pay the costs of lodging them elsewhere.
The new rules include controversial measures: facial images and fingerprints could be taken from children aged six and people may be detained during screening.
Fast-track deportation could be used on those not permitted to stay. Another contentious measure is sending asylum seekers to countries outside the EU that are deemed “safe” if a person has some ties to that country.
The reforms also propose faster processing at the borders with new procedures to establish status swiftly on arrival. Migrants would find out within five days whether they could stay in Europe or have to leave with the help of a “screening” procedure on entry. This includes identity, security and health checks and fingerprinting.
The new rules aim to deal with asylum requests within 12 weeks and in case of rejection, asylum seekers would have to be returned forcibly to their home country within the same period

Source: TH

9. The advent of a holistic approach to ‘one health’

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

What is One Health?

One Health is a concept that promotes collaboration across various sectors to address health, productivity, and conservation challenges, particularly relevant to India due to its diverse wildlife, large livestock populations, and dense human population.
This approach is critical in managing the risks of disease spread among these groups. Examples such as the Covid pandemic, Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle, and Avian Influenza illustrate the need for a holistic approach that encompasses human, livestock, and wildlife health.
The aim is to leverage the strengths and complementarities of each sector to develop integrated, robust, and agile response systems for health challenges.

National One Health Mission:

In July 2022, the initiative received endorsement from the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), leading to collaboration among 13 Ministries and Departments, including the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Department of Pharmaceuticals, and AYUSH, the Ministries of Health, Animal Husbandry and Environment as well as Defence.
It recognises the interdependence of humans, animals, and the environment, especially in the context of pandemics like COVID-19 and livestock diseases such as lumpy skin disease.
This collaboration aims to adopt a comprehensive approach towards health and pandemic preparedness. A significant step in this mission was the laying of the foundation stone for the National Institute for One Health in Nagpur by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11, 2022, which will serve as the central coordinating body for national and international one health activities.

Exercises to strengthen the existing programs and enable their integration into the One Health Mission:

Disease gap prioritization exercise
Mapping of existing surveillance programs
Mapping of laboratory capabilities of existing and upcoming BSL-2, 3 and 4 levels
Mapping institutional capabilities

Federated model for data:

A Federated model will be followed where data will be held in different distributed places and it will be integrated by APIs and other technical means by harmonizing the input and following the data standards.
The data platform will host data related to, but not limited to-
- Integrating surveillance and routine care data within sectors and across sectors like integrating across human health sectors (efforts on linking vector born and NCDC data). Integrating information across sectors, such as between IDSP/NDLM/NRC-W and beyond.
- Disease incidences and outbreaks across sectors
- R&D and preparedness efforts
- Various analytics such as disease modelling, epidemiology capabilities etc. for better decision-making

Source: GOI