Daily Prelims Notes 13 September 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

13 September 2024

1. Russia Facing Stagflation Threat Amid Slowing Growth and Military Spending

Sub: Eco

Sec: Inflation

• Economic Challenges Due to War Effort:
  • Annual inflation at over 9% in August, leading to surging prices, especially for essentials like bread.
  • Military spending has increased significantly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
  • Billions of dollars have been funneled into supporting the military, soldiers, and weapons production, defying Western sanctions.
• Threat of Stagflation:
  • The Central Bank of Russia has warned of a potential stagflation scenario, where the economy faces low or stagnant growth coupled with high inflation.
  • Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina highlighted concerns that despite efforts to stimulate demand, the shortage of labor may slow economic growth while accelerating inflation.
• Impact on Labor and Technology:
  • An exodus of workers, either mobilized for the military or fleeing Russia, has left millions of jobs vacant.
  • Western sanctions on technology have affected productivity and supply chains, further limiting economic growth.
  • Long-term demographic factors and technological limitations are expected to result in very low economic growth, potentially leading to stagflation by 2025.
• Government Spending and Inflationary Pressures:
  • Government spending has risen by almost 50%, boosting growth and wages.
  • However, unemployment is at a record low, and consumer confidence has reached its highest in 15 years.
  • The Central Bank has already raised interest rates to 18%, with expectations that they could rise to 20% by the end of the year, further hampering growth in sectors outside the military.
• Economic Constraints:
  • High borrowing costs have restricted private businesses, especially those not connected to the military sector.
  • Military Keynesianism is fueling inflation, creating a vicious circle where war-related spending leads to rising prices for the rest of the economy.
• Russia’s Economic Future:
  • President Putin claims that military spending (above 8% of GDP) is driving growth, but many experts are skeptical.
  • Technological stagnation and reliance on outdated Soviet-era models and standards are hampering development.
  • While some analysts believe the system is unsustainable long-term, there is no immediate pressure that could weaken Russia’s military capacity.

Types of Inflation

2. Brazil’s hydropower faces risk from drying river basins

Sub: Geo

Sec: Mapping

Context:

• Soil moisture in Brazil’s main hydropower river basins has hit nearly two-decade lows.
• This drought threatens long-term impacts on Brazil’s energy sector, even after the rains return.

Details:

• Hydropower typically generates about two-thirds of Brazil’s electricity.
• Years of weak rainfall have hurt the sector, leading to higher energy costs and inflation.
• Key Affected Areas:
  • The Paranaiba, Grande and Tocantins hydroelectric basins, stretching across the southeast, centre-west and north Brazil, make up a large part of the sector’s capacity, and they are experiencing the lowest September soil moisture levels since 2005.
  • A decade of below-average rainfall, with only one year above the long-term average.
  • Run-of-river generators are the worst hit, including the partial shutdown of the Santo Antonio plant.
• Mitigating Factors:
  • Growing wind and solar capacity offers some relief, but transmission bottlenecks limit their use.
  • Current reservoir levels (53% capacity) are better than during the 2021 water crisis (16%).
• Economic Impact:
  • Electricity prices are expected to remain high until abundant rains arrive.
  • Power rates are likely to stay at top ‘red flag’ levels through year-end.
  • This could add 14 to 32 basis points to 2024 inflation forecasts.

About Brazil:

Source: Reuters

3. Doctor fights firms peddling ‘sugary’ ORSL as WHO-recommended ORS

Sub: Sci

Sec: Health

Diarrhea: A Serious Threat to Children in India:

• Diarrhea is a major health issue in India, causing 13% of deaths among children under five. It’s the third leading cause of childhood mortality in the country.
• During episodes of diarrhoea and vomiting, it’s crucial to rehydrate properly. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a specific Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) for this purpose. This solution contains the right balance of sodium, potassium, chloride, citrate, and dextrose to effectively rehydrate the body.

The ORSL Confusion:

• A problem arises when people ask for ORS at pharmacies. They’re often given ORSL tetra packs instead, which are not the same as the WHO-recommended ORS. Many people mistakenly believe these are equivalent.
• Difference between ‘WHO-recommended ORS’ and ‘commercially available ORSL’:

1. ORSL is labeled as an electrolyte drink but isn’t suitable for rehydration during diarrhea.
2. High-sugar drinks should be avoided during diarrhea as they can worsen the condition.
3. ORSL has a sugar content similar to packaged soft drinks, with only slightly more sodium.

Regulatory Actions and Challenges:

• In April 2023, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered a stop to ORSL mislabeling.
• However, a July revision allowed companies to keep using the ORS name if they included a disclaimer.
• Some manufacturers added small, easily overlooked disclaimers saying “Do not use during diarrhea.”
• Pharmacists often prefer selling ORSL due to higher profit margins.

Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS):

1. Discovery and Development:
   • ORS was developed in the late 1960s by researchers in Bangladesh and India.
   • The breakthrough came during cholera outbreaks in refugee camps during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
   • Dilip Mahalanabis played a crucial role in demonstrating the effectiveness of ORS during a cholera outbreak in 1971.
   • His work in refugee camps showed that ORS could dramatically reduce mortality rates from cholera-induced dehydration.
2. Composition of ORS:
   • The original ORS formula contained glucose, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium bicarbonate.
   • In 2002, WHO and UNICEF recommended a new, lower osmolarity ORS formula for increased effectiveness.

Source: TH

4. What role does CSTT play in standardising technical terms?

Sub: Sci

Sec: Awareness in IT

Context:

• The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) has also launched a website offering technical terms in all 22 official Indian languages for various educational subjects.

What is CSTT?

• The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), established in 1961, focuses on preparing standardised scientific and technical terminology in Indian languages.
• It regularly publishes a range of bilingual, trilingual, and multilingual glossaries, definitional dictionaries, and monographs, besides publishing quarterly journals named ‘Vigyan Garima Sindhu’ and ‘Gyan Garima Sindhu’.
• It also undertakes the publication of administrative and various departmental glossaries that are widely used by government departments, institutions, research laboratories etc.
• CSTT also organises workshops, seminars, symposiums, conferences, orientation, and training programmes to increase the use and popularise the standard terminology of Hindi and other Indian languages.

New website:

• The CSTT glossary search website, “Shabd,” features all the glossaries of CSTT in digital searchable mode.
• Other institutions or agencies preparing dictionaries can also host their work in digital form on this platform.
• The aim is to showcase a central repository for all the terminologies prepared in or for Indian Languages.
• The entire collection which as of now includes about 322 glossaries has about 21,84,050 headwords and covers more than 60 subjects.

What was the process of collating the words?

• The CSTT prepares the terminologies through the Expert Advisory Committees consisting of subject and language experts, along with linguists, who are focused on finding out the equivalent terms in the specific subject areas and language.

5. Dark patterns pose a growing concern in India’s digital landscape

Subject: Science

Section: Awareness in IT

Context:

• In India’s rapidly expanding e-commerce landscape, dark patterns undermine consumer trust and pose significant risks to the sector.
• Globally, regulatory bodies are acting against such practices.
• India’s initiatives, including the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020, and new guidelines are crucial steps in protecting consumers from unfair practices.

Dark patterns:

• Dark patterns are deceptive design practices are used to manipulate users into making decisions they might not otherwise make, such as signing up for unwanted services or sharing personal information.
• By exploiting human psychology and clever design, dark patterns benefit companies at the expense of consumers.
• As online shopping becomes more prevalent, dark patterns are increasingly used to manipulate user decisions, exploiting the surge in digital activity.

Common dark patterns

• Creating a false sense of urgency to rush users into making purchases
• Hiding subscription cancellations deep within websites
• Using confusing language to mislead users

Government initiatives to curb dark patterns:

• practices fall under ‘unfair trade practices’ category under Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• Department of Consumer Affairs, in 2023, issued ‘Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023’ under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, identifying 13 common dark patterns prevalent in e-com applications and websites.

International efforts:

• In the European Union, regulations such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) address the concerns.
• In the United States, various States have introduced legislation to combat dark patterns, like the California Privacy Rights Act.

Ethical design:

• Businesses need to adopt a user-first approach by regularly reviewing and improving interfaces to remove the patterns.
• Educating designers and developers on ethical design practices is essential for responsible innovation.
• Regulators are essential in safeguarding consumers by establishing and enforcing guidelines that promote ethical design such as mandatory disclosures, penalties for non-compliance, and regular audits.

6. Panic in the time of cholera: addressing issues critical to managing a resurgence

Sub: Sci

Sec: Health

Context:

• Cholera, a disease that is preventable and easily treatable, killed 4,000 people last year, WHO director general said.
• The global cholera crisis has caused a severe shortage of cholera vaccines.

WHO Data:

• According to the data, the number of reported deaths from cholera increased by 17% in 2023 compared to 2022. The number of cases increased by 13%.
• Some studies suggest that warmer surface waters can favour the emergence of the bacterium.

Reasons for surge in cases:

• Conflict, climate change, unsafe water and sanitation, poverty and displacement all contributed to the rise in cholera outbreaks last year.

About Cholera:

• Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by the ingestion of water or food contaminated with vibrio cholerae bacteria.
• Cholera causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration.
• Other symptoms include vomiting, leg cramps, weakness
• It is transmitted by eating food cooked by infected people, drinking contaminated water, and shaking hands with infected people.
• People with low immunity such as malnourished children and people living with HIV/AIDS are at greater risk of death if infected.
• It can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water.
• Currently, there are three WHO pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines (OCV), Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol-Plus. All three vaccines require two doses for full protection.

International efforts against Cholera:

• The Global Task Force for Cholera Control (GTFCC) by WHO developed a ‘Global Roadmap for Ending Cholera by 2030’.

7. Five States Demand Fair Share of Taxes and Cap on Cesses

Sub: Polity

Sec: federalism

Why in News

A conclave of Finance Ministers from five states ruled by parties opposing the BJP was held on Thursday. This meeting, organized by the Kerala government, coincided with the initiation of the 16th Finance Commission’s work. The conclave highlighted the growing concerns about fiscal imbalances between the Centre and States, emphasizing the need for a more equitable distribution of resources.

Key Concerns Raised by the States

Fair Division of Resources: The Finance Ministers from these states expressed concern over the increasing imbalance in fiscal relations between the Centre and States. A significant demand was to increase the States’ share in the divisible pool of taxes from 41% to 50%.

Cap on Cesses and Surcharges: The Ministers called for capping the collection of cesses and surcharges by the Centre.

Reducing Centrally Sponsored Schemes: The conclave also raised concerns about “one-size-fits-all” Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

About 16^th Finance Commission:

It was constituted on December 31, 2023, with Dr. Arvind Panagariya as its Chairman.

Objective: It recommends the distribution of taxes between the Union and states, and provides guidance on grants-in-aid to the states.

Key Functions:

Grants and Assistance: It recommend grants to states under Article 275 of the Constitution, though these are limited to specific needs and short durations.

Other Transfers: The Union also transfers funds to states through centrally sponsored schemes under Article 282, though these come with specific conditions.

FINANCE COMMISSION

The Role of Article 275

The conclave stressed the need for the Finance Commission to effectively utilize the provisions of Article 275 of the Constitution, which allows for the provision of grants to States-in-need.

Article 275 Grants from the Union to certain States: Parliament may provide funds from the Consolidated Fund of India as grants-in-aid to States deemed in need of assistance. Different amounts may be allocated to different States. Additionally, grants will be provided to cover costs of development schemes aimed at promoting the welfare of Scheduled Tribes or improving the administration of Scheduled Areas to match the rest of the State, subject to the approval of the Government of India.

What is Cess?

A cess is a tax on tax imposed by the central government for a specific purpose. It is levied until the required funds for that specific purpose are collected.

For example, the education cess is used only for financing primary education.

Cess is an additional tax on the existing tax (e.g., 3% education cess on 30% personal income tax raises the total tax to 30.9%).

Some cess, like the Swachh Bharat Cess, is imposed as a percentage of the total value (e.g., 0.5% on services).

The revenue collected from cess is credited to the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) and used only for the specified purpose (e.g., fuel cess is used for the Central Road Fund).

Cess is not shared with state governments.

Common cess examples: education cess, road/fuel cess, infrastructure cess, clean energy cess, Swachh Bharat cess, Krishi Kalyan cess.

What is Surcharge?

A surcharge is an additional charge on any tax, applied to the tax already paid. It is imposed on higher income slabs (super-rich) or on corporate income tax.

Surcharges contribute significantly to government revenue (35% of all cess and surcharge revenue comes from direct tax surcharges).

A surcharge raises the effective tax rate, e.g., a 10% surcharge on 30% income tax increases the total tax to 33%.

Like cess, surcharge revenue is not shared with states but can be spent for any purpose by the central government.

Difference Between Cess and Surcharge

8. From Ashoka’s Time to Modern Europe: The Journey of the Great Stupa of Sanchi

Sub: History

Sec: Art and culture

 Why in News

On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited a replica of the East Gate of Sanchi’s Great Stupa, displayed in front of the Humboldt Forum Museum in Berlin. This replica, a 1:1 reproduction of the original structure, was unveiled in December 2022, standing almost 10 meters tall and weighing about 150 tonnes.

The Great Stupa of Sanchi

A stupa is a Buddhist commemorative monument that typically contains sacred relics of the Buddha or other revered saints. Its structure is a hemispherical mound, with its origins traced to pre-Buddhist burial mounds in India.

Time Period: Commissioned in the 3rd century BCE by Emperor Ashoka.

Location: It is the largest and oldest structure within a complex of Buddhist monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh.

Additional Structures: The Sanchi complex includes stupas, temples, and monasteries. Some constructions date as late as the 12th century CE.

Supervision: Ashoka’s wife, Devi, from Vidisha, supervised the construction.

Support: The Sanchi complex received patronage from the mercantile community of Vidisha.

Hemispherical Structure: The original stupa is a plain, hemispherical structure crowned by a chhatra (parasol). Its simplicity is enhanced by its symbolic significance and the ornamental gateways or toranas.

The Four Toranas (Gateways): The four toranas are oriented in the four cardinal directions.

Time Period: Constructed in the 1st century BCE during the reign of the Satavahana dynasty.

Two square pillars support a superstructure of three curved architraves (beams) with spiral ends.

The pillars and architraves are adorned with bas-relief sculptures, including scenes from the Buddha’s life and the Jataka Tales.

The East Gate and Its Journey to Europe

Famous Replica: The East Gate of the Great Stupa is the most renowned of the Sanchi toranas.

Historical Discovery: Sanchi was in ruins until rediscovered by British officer Henry Taylor in 1818.

Restoration Efforts: The site was later restored in the 1910s by ASI Director-General John Marshall, with financial help from the Begums of Bhopal.

Attempts to Transport to Europe: Although treasure hunters and amateur archaeologists tried to move the gates to Europe, they only succeeded in making plaster casts.

Berlin’s Replica of the East Gate: The first plaster cast of the East Gate was made by Lieutenant Henry Hardy Cole in the late 1860s for the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Exhibition in Europe: Multiple copies of this cast were displayed across Europe. The Humboldt Forum’s replica is based on a 1970 artificial stone cast, created using 3D scanning, robotic assistance, and skilled craftsmanship from German and Indian sculptors.

Cultural Symbolism: The upper architrave of the East Gate depicts the seven Manushi Buddhas (past Buddhas).

The middle architrave illustrates Prince Siddhartha’s Great Departure in search of enlightenment.

The lower architrave shows Emperor Ashoka visiting the Bodhi tree, where the Buddha attained enlightenment.

Decorative Elements: Additional artistic features include representations of shalabhanjika (a yakshi grasping a tree), elephants, winged lions, and peacocks, all adding to the symbolic richness of the structure.

About Humboldt Forum:

Location: Berlin, Germany.

Inauguration: Opened to the public in 2020.

Purpose: A major cultural and museum complex in the heart of Berlin, located in the reconstructed Berlin Palace (Berliner Schloss).

Named After: The German scholars Alexander von Humboldt and Wilhelm von Humboldt, who were pioneers in natural sciences and humanities.

Significance of Humboldt Forum

Cultural Exchange: It serves as a space for global cultural dialogue, showcasing artifacts and exhibits from non-European civilizations, emphasizing cross-cultural understanding and historical connections.

Exhibits: The forum houses collections from the Ethnological Museum of Berlin, Museum of Asian Art, and temporary exhibits related to history, science, art, and cultural studies.

Key Architectural Features

Historical Reconstruction: The building is a modern reconstruction of the Berlin Palace, destroyed during World War II.

Architectural Style: Combines Baroque elements of the original palace with contemporary designs to reflect both historical significance and modern functionality.

Sustainability: The Humboldt Forum integrates sustainable architectural practices, including energy efficiency and environmentally friendly construction methods.

9. Does the Polaris Dawn Mission Violate the Outer Space Treaty of 1967

Sub: Sci

Sec: Space

Why is in News:

SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission, led by Jared Isaacman, conducted the first-ever private spacewalk on September 12, raising questions about whether this private space venture violates the Outer Space Treaty (OST) signed in 1967. The lack of oversight and regulation by U.S. authorities has prompted legal experts to debate whether the mission violates the treaty’s clauses.

About Outer Space Treaty (OST):

The “Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies”, commonly known as the Outer Space Treaty (OST).

Year of Signing: The OST was opened for signature on January 27, 1967, and came into force on October 10, 1967.

The Outer Space Treaty (OST), is the cornerstone of international space law. With private space ventures like SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission growing rapidly, concerns have emerged over whether such missions adhere to the treaty’s stipulations. The treaty has been in force for over 50 years and provides guidelines on the peaceful use of outer space, governing both governmental and private space activities.

Key Points of the Outer Space Treaty: Signed during the Cold War, the OST regulates the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. It prohibits the militarization of space and stresses the importance of space being used for the benefit of all humankind.

Key Provisions of the OST:

Benefit for All Countries: Space activities must benefit all nations and be the province of all humankind.

Freedom of Exploration: Outer space should remain free for exploration by all countries.

Prohibition on Sovereignty Claims: No nation can claim sovereignty over celestial bodies or outer space by any means.

Ban on Weapons: The treaty prohibits placing nuclear or mass destruction weapons in space.

Peaceful Use of the Moon and Celestial Bodies: They should only be used for peaceful purposes.

Astronauts as Envoys: Astronauts are to be regarded as envoys of humankind.

Responsibility for National Space Activities: Countries are responsible for all space activities originating from their territory, whether governmental or private entities.

Liability for Damage: States are liable for damage caused by their space objects.

Harmful Contamination: Countries must avoid contaminating outer space or celestial bodies.

Controversy Over Private Space Missions:

Polaris Dawn Mission’s Spacewalk: Recently, the Polaris Dawn crew conducted a private spacewalk without regulatory oversight from NASA or the U.S. government. This raises questions about compliance with the OST, especially regarding the treaty’s Article VI, which mandates supervision and responsibility for private space activities by the appropriate state party.

Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty (OST):

State Responsibility: States are responsible for space activities conducted by both governmental and non-governmental entities.

Authorization and Supervision: Non-governmental space activities must have state authorization and be under continuous supervision.

Legal Liability: States are liable for damage caused by space activities originating from their territory, including those by private companies.

Private Companies: Private space missions must adhere to national oversight, making governments responsible for their legality and safety.

Ambiguity: Article VI lacks detailed guidelines for enforcement, leading to debates on how states should regulate private space activities.

Global Governance: Ensures states remain accountable for peaceful and lawful space exploration, preventing conflicts and ensuring international cooperation.

Polaris Dawn Mission

Objective: It is a five-day space expedition focused on testing new technology at unprecedented altitudes.

First Private Spacewalk: Polaris Dawn will conduct the first-ever private spacewalk, testing SpaceX’s new spacesuits and vehicle modifications.

Elliptical Orbit: The mission will orbit between 190 km to 1,400 km above Earth, the farthest human space travel since NASA’s Apollo program.

High Radiation Exposure: The crew will travel through the Van Allen belt, exposing them to higher radiation levels than typical low-Earth orbit missions.

Crew Composition: The mission crew includes billionaire Jared Isaacman, mission pilot Scott Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

Privately Funded: The mission is privately funded by Jared Isaacman, with an estimated cost exceeding $100 million.