Daily Prelims Notes 16 December 2022

December 16, 2022
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

16 December 2022

Table Of Contents

1. The foreign brokerage held back from upgrading India to ‘Overweight’ because of high-valuation premium and the weakening balance of payments

Subject : Economy

Context:

Credit Suisse’s Global Equities Strategy team has upgraded India from ‘Underweight’ to ‘Benchmark’ for 2023, on the back of the country’s underlying economic strength.

Details:

In 2022, inflows from domestic institutional investors (DIIs) overshadowed foreign portfolio investments and Credit Suisse sees this trend continuing.

Credit Sussie:

It was founded in 1856 to fund the development of Switzerland’s rail system.
It is a global investment bank and financial services firm headquartered in Zürich
Credit Suisse is also the primary dealer and Forex counterparty of the FED.
It releases the Global Wealth Report– provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of information on household wealth worldwide.
Credit Suisse is organised as a joint-stock company
Credit Suisse has two divisions:
- Private Banking & Wealth Management– Credit Suisse Private Banking has wealth management, corporate and institutional businesses.
- Investment Banking-Credit Suisse Investment Banking handles securities, investment research, trading, prime brokerage, and capital procurement.
A Shared Services department provides support functions like risk management, legal, IT, and marketing to all areas.
Credit Suisse Asset Management sells investment classes, alternative investments, real-estate, equities, fixed income products, and other financial products.

What is underweight?

When a market analyst designates a stock or security as an underweight recommendation, he or she is stating their belief that the stock will likely underperform compared to some benchmark stock, security, or index

2. Bharat Bill Payments System

Subject : Economy

Context:

RBI governor bats for expanding scope of Bharat Bill Payment System.

Concept

Bharat Bill Payments System?

BBPS was conceptualised by the Reserve Bank of India in 2013 and is a product of the National Payments Council of India (NPCI).
It is an integrated bill payment system or a platform which acts as a connection between various billers and users.
The Bharat Bill Payment System offers customers the convenience of payment by cataloguing various utility providers under one platform.
It acts as a central reference for a customer who wants to make different payments — whether utility bills, loan repayments, FasTag recharge, and so on.
All recurring payments are part of Bharat BillPay ecosystem.
There are 19 categories of billers and as of November, there are 20,519 live billers (or utility providers) listed in BBPS.
The current live categories part of Bharat BillPay are as follows:
- Electricity, Telecom (Mobile Post-paid, Landline Post-paid and Broadband), DTH, Gas-Pipeline, Water, LPG, Gas Booking, Insurance (Life, General, Health), Loan Repayments, FASTag Recharge, Cable, Education Fees, Housing Society, Municipal Taxes, Municipal Services, Hospital Subscription Fees etc..
- BBPS opened inbound bill payments facility for NRIs.
- Other categories like mutual funds, credit cards, recurring deposits, clubs and association, metro recharge etc. would be covered under Bharat BillPay shortly.

Key Participants

Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit (BBPCU)-National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has been authorized by RBI as the Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit (BBPCU) and is responsible for setting business standards, rules and procedures for technical and business requirements for all participants. The BBPCU undertakes clearing and settlement activities related to transactions routed through Bharat BillPay.
Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU)-Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit aka BBPOU is the entity that is authorized by the Reserve Bank of India. It can be a Bank or a Non-Bank. BBPOU may choose to integrate either with the customers, (COU: Customer OU) or with the billers (Biller OU) or may wish to participate as both – which means such BBPOU will be integrated with customers as well as billers.BBPOUs adhere to the rules set by BBPCU.
Agent Institutions-Eligible Entities who wish to offer or those who are currently in Bill payment, collection and aggregation business, would operate under a COU (Customer BBPOU). Customer BBPOU will on-board Agent institutions which may further on-board agents and/ or set up customer service points in various regions and locations.
Agents- Agents are the customer touch points and service points in the Bharat BillPay ecosystem available in the form of agent outlets, Business Correspondent outlets, Bank branches, collection centres, retail outlets.
Biller/Utility Company-Service providers, who shall receive payments from customers for services rendered. By participating in the Bharat BillPay scheme, the biller will be able to receive payments from third party channels for the services provided to the customer. A biller may tie up with up to two BBPOUs to access the entire universe of its consumers and all payment channels.

How does it work?

Customers have certain utilities such as phone, electricity, gas, and water bills to pay on a monthly basis.
Under BBPS, all these utilities are listed in a single website.
Customers choose the payments to make and that will take them to the vendor website for the processing. Hence, they doesnot have to go to each website separately to make the payment. That’s the convenience it offers.
BBPS is payment mode agnostic and supports IMPS, NEFT, UPI, cheques, wallets and even cash.
- If a gas bill has to be paid in cash, the website provides the nearest BBPS collection point, one can pay cash to the person at the counter and a receipt is generated. Cheques can also be remitted through these agents.
However, if a transaction has a settlement duration of T+1 or T+2, as with UPI or cheque payments, BBPS cannot bypass the time taken for payment processing. It only facilitates making and concluding a payment in a common platform.

3. Five Eyes intelligence alliance

Subject :International Relations

What is Five Eyes intelligence alliance:

The Five Eyes (FVEY) is an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The origins of the FVEY can be traced to informal secret meetings during World War II between British and American code-breakers.
It was started before the US formally entered the war, followed by the Allies’ 1941 Atlantic Charter that established their vision of the post-war world.

4. Iran expelled from UN women’s commission

Subject :International Relations

Context;

Iran has been expelled from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

More about the news;

Iran was ousted from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in the wake of Tehran’s brutal crackdown of women-led protests.
CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
The vote came after intense lobbying by the US following widespread protests in Iran sparked by outrage against the edict compelling women to wear hijabs.
A simple majority was needed to adopt the move, which was opposed by 8 nations including Russia and China.
India along with 15 other nations abstained from the vote as 29 countries stood in favour of the resolution.
Iran’s term, which began this year, was to have run through 2026.

What is UN Commission on Status of Women:

The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council.
It was established by ECOSOC resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946.
It promotes women’s rights, highlights the reality of women’s lives throughout the world and helps in shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
45 member states of the United Nations serve as members of the Commission at any one time
India is serving as a member of the prestigious body for four years from 2021 to 2025.

What is UN Women:

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
It was created In July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly.
It was created by merging the four bodies of the UN system:
- Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW)
- International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW)
- Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI)
- United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
It is headquartered at the United Nations in New York

5. Central Consumer Protection Authority

Subject :Governance

Context:

After the acid attack on a 17-year-old girl in Dwarka, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Thursday issued notice to Flipkart and Amazon.

What is the Central Consumer Protection Authority:

Central Consumer Protection Authority is a regulatory body established in 2020 based on the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
Itis headquartered in New Delhi

What are the Objective of Central Consumer Protection Authority:

To promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class.
To conduct investigations into violation of consumer rights and institute complaints.
To order the recall of unsafe goods and services,discontinuation of unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements.
To impose penalties onmanufacturers,endorsers and publishers of misleading advertisements.

What is the composition of Central Consumer Protection Authority

The Central Consumer Protection Authority consists of following members appointed by the Central Government.
- Chief Commissioner
- Two Commissioners. One commissioner each for goods and services.
- An Investigation Wing headed by a Director General.
District Collectors too, have the power to investigate complaints of violations of consumer rights, unfair trade practices, and false or misleading advertisements.

What are the power and functions of Central Consumer Protection Authority(CCPA)

CCPA can investigate matters relating to violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suo motu,
Section 20 of the Act gives powers to the CCPA to order recall of hazardous goods.
CCPA has the power to impose a penalty up to Rs 10 lakh, with imprisonment up to two years, on the manufacturer or endorser of false and misleading advertisements. The penalty may go up to Rs 50 lakh, with imprisonment up to five years, for every subsequent offence committed by the same manufacturer or endorser.
CCPA has the power to ban the endorser of a false or misleading advertisement from making endorsement of any products or services in the future, for a period that may extend to one year. The ban may extend up to three years in every subsequent violation of the Act.

6. Artemis Accord

Subject :Science and Technology

Context-

US-Africa Leadership Summit: Nigeria & Rwanda become first African signatories of Artemis Accords on space collaboration

Artemis Accord on space collaboration:

Announced by NASA and the US Department of State in 2020.
They are a set of principles to guide the next phase in space exploration and promote the beneficial use of space for all of humanity.
- This accord ensures that space exploration is conducted in a safe, sustainable and transparent manner and in full compliance with international law.
A total of 23 nations have signed on to the Artemis Accords.
Nigeria and Rwanda are the first from Africa to sign the accord.
The other signatories to the accords are the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Ukraine. Brazil is planning to sign the accord.
India has not signed the Artemis accord yet.

US-Africa Leadership Summit:

Held on Dec 13, in Washington D.C., USA.
to advance space exploration and address issues such as climate change and the global food crisis.
Commercial space cooperation engaging the private sector was also discussed between US and Africa.
The World Bank-supported drought risk protection programme known as ‘DRIVE’ is in collaboration with the governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

7. Fast breeder reactor

Subject :Science and Technology

Context:

Kalpakkam fast breeder reactor nearly complete: says minister

What is a breeder reactor?

A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that generates more fissile material than it consumes.
Breeder reactors achieve this because their neutron economy is high enough to create more fissile fuel than they use, by irradiation of fertile material, such as uranium-238 or thorium-232, that is loaded into the reactor along with fissile fuel.
A fast breeder reactor (FBR) uses fast (i.e. unmoderated) neutrons to breed fissile plutonium and possibly higher transuranics from fertile uranium-238.
The fast spectrum is flexible enough that it can also breed fissile uranium-233 from thorium, if desired.

About the Prototype Fast Breeder reactor (PFBR):

The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is a 500 MWefast breeder nuclear reactor presently being constructed at the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) in Kalpakkam, India.
The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is responsible for the design of this reactor.
The facility builds on the decades of experience gained from operating the lower-power Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR).
The Kalpakkam PFBR is designed to use uranium-238 to breed plutonium in a sodium-cooled fast reactor design.
The surplus plutonium (or uranium-233 for thorium reactors) from each fast reactor can be used to set up more such reactors and grow the nuclear capacity in tune with India’s needs for power.

India’s three-stage nuclear power program:

It was formulated by Homi Bhabha in the 1950s to secure the country’s long-term energy independence, through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of South India.
India has huge deposits of Thorium in the monazite sands. But it can’t be used at the present stage.
However, if we follow the three-stage plan, in future the Thorium can be used in producing Nuclear energy.
The first stage would see the creation of a fleet of ‘pressurised heavy water reactors’, which use scarce Uranium to produce some Plutonium.
The second stage would see the setting up of several ‘fast breeder reactors’ (FBRs).
- These FBRs would use a mixture of Plutonium and the reprocessed ‘spent Uranium from the first stage, to produce energy and more Plutonium (hence ‘breeder’), because the Uranium would transmute into Plutonium.
- Alongside, the reactors would convert some of the Thorium into Uranium-233, which can also be used to produce energy.
- After 3-4 decades of operation, the FBRs would have produced enough Plutonium for use in the ‘third stage’.

In the third stage, Thorium-based reactors would be established, and Uranium-233 would be used in specially-designed reactors to produce energy and convert more Thorium into Uranium-233—one can keep adding Thorium endlessly.
The PFBR is part of the three-stage nuclear power program.

8. Agni-5 ballistic missile

Subject :Science and Technology

Context Agni-5 ballistic missile test fire successfully

Agni V Missile:

It is the most advanced surface-to-surface indigenously built fire and forgets ballistic missiles.
- Fire and forgets means: once fired cannot be stopped, except by an interceptor missile.
It was successfully launched from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
The three-stage solid-fuelled engine missile is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 km.
- With a very high degree of accuracy and can reach most parts of China.
- It has already been canisterised which improves the ease of handling and operation.
The Agni series constitutes the backbone of the nuclear weapons delivery
- It also includes the Prithvi short-range ballistic missiles and fighter aircraft.
- It has the capability of carrying a nuclear warhead of about 5 tonnes.
India has also completed its nuclear triad and operationalised its second-strike capability, with ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant undertaking deterrence patrols.
It has been developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
Very few countries, including the US, China, Russia, France and North Korea, have InterContinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM).
About IGMDP:
- It was conceived by Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
- Its aim was to enable India to attain self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology.
- The 5 missiles developed under this program
- Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Nag, and Akash.
Agni Class of Missiles:
- Agni missiles are long-range, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear bombs.
- They are the mainstay of India’s nuclear launch capability.
- Range:
  - Agni I: Range of 700-800 km.
  - Agni II: Range more than 2000 km.
  - Agni III: Range of more than 2,500 Km
  - Agni IV: Range is more than 3,500 km and can fire from a road-mobile launcher.
  - Agni-V: The longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km.
  - Agni-P (Prime): It is a canisterised missile with a range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 km. It will replace the Agni I missile.

Cruise missiles vs Ballistic missiles

Cruise Missile

Ballistic missile

A cruise missile either locates its target or has a preset target.
It navigates using a guidance system — such as inertial or beyond visual range satellite GPS guidance — and comprises a payload and aircraft propulsion system.
Cruise missiles can be launched from land, sea or air for land attacks and anti-shipping purposes, and can travel at subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic speeds.
Since they stay relatively close to the surface of the earth, they cannot be detected easily by anti-missile systems, and are designed to carry large payloads with high precision.

Ballistic missiles are launched directly into the upper layers of the earth’s atmosphere.
They travel outside the atmosphere, where the warhead detaches from the missile and falls towards a predetermined target.
They are rocket-propelled self-guided weapons systems which can carry conventional or nuclear munitions.
They can be launched from aircraft, ships and submarines, and land.
Relative to cruise missiles, they can be detected easily via radars.

9. Anti-cancer CAR-T therapy reengineers T cells to kill tumours — and researchers are expanding the limited types of cancer it can target

Subject: Science and Technology

Context-

Researchers have been developing a novel type of therapy that directly gives patients a new set of T cells engineered to attack tumours: chimeric antigen receptor T cells, or CAR-T cells for short.

What are T cells?

T cells are a type of white blood cell.
Also called T lymphocyte and thymocyte.
T cells are part of the immune system and develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. They help protect the body from infection and may help fight cancer.

What is CAR-T cell therapy and how does it work?

CAR-T cell therapy is a treatment to cure several types of cancer including lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
It starts with isolating a patient’s T cells from a sample of their blood.
These T cells are genetically engineered to produce a chimeric antigen receptor or CAR.
- CARs are synthetic receptors specifically designed to redirect T cells from their usual targets to recognize and kill the tumour cells.
On the outside of a CAR is a binder that allows the T cell to stick to tumour cells.
Binding to a tumour cell activates the engineered T cell to kill and produce inflammatory cytokines proteins that support T cell growth and function and boost their cancer-killing abilities.
These CAR-T cells are then stimulated to divide into large numbers over seven to 10 days, and then given back to the patient via infusion.

For which type of cancers the therapy is effective?

It’s already being used to treat lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
However, it is not effective against solid tumours.
- Unlike cancers that begin in the blood, these types of cancers grow into a solid mass (For e.g.KIdney or Pancreas) that produces a microenvironment of molecules, cells and structures that prevent T cells from entering into the tumour and triggering an immune response.
- Here, even CAR-T cells engineered to specifically target a patient’s unique tumour are unable to access it, suppressing their ability to kill tumour cells.

Synthetic Notch Receptor (SynNotch):

Researchers have developed a new synthetic receptor that could complement the first CAR design.
This receptor, called synthetic Notch receptor, or synNotch, is based on the natural form of Notch in the body, which plays an important role in organ development across many species.
Similar to CARs, the outside of synNotch has a binder that allows T cells to stick to tumour cells.
Unlike CARs, the inside of synNotch has a protein that is released when a T cell binds to the tumour.
This protein, or transcription factor, allows researchers to better control the T cell by inducing it to produce a specific protein.

Use of synNotch in cancer treatment:

One of the most useful applications of synNotch thus far has been to use it to ensure that engineered T cells are only activated when bound to a tumour cell and not healthy cells.
If successful, the T cells will now require both CAR and synNotch receptors to recognize tumours, this increases the precision of T cell killing.
Then it could be used to improve CAR-T cell therapy against solid tumours by inducing them to produce more of the inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-2, that enable them to kill tumour cells.
So researchers have designed CAR-T cells to produce IL-2 using synNotch.
Now, when a CAR-T cell encounters a tumour, it produces IL-2 within the tumour instead of outside it, avoiding causing harm to surround healthy cells.
Because synNotch is able to bypass the barriers tumours put up, it is able to help T cells amp up and maintain the amount of IL-2 they can make, allowing the T cells to keep functioning even in a hostile microenvironment.

10. What is the Geminids meteor shower?

Subject: Science and Technology

Context:

This year, the Geminids peaked around December 13-14.

About Geminids meteor shower:

The meteor shower is coined ‘Geminid’ because according to NASA, the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini.
The Geminids first began appearing in the mid-1800s.
The Geminids meteor shower peaks during mid-December each year,

Features:

They are considered to be one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers.
They are bright and fast meteors and tend to be yellow in colour.
They are unique because, unlike most meteor showers, they originate not from a comet, but from an asteroid, the 3200 Phaethon.
- The 3200 Phaethon was discovered on October 11, 1983.
- It is named after the Greek mythology character Phaethon, son of the Sun God Helios.
- It takes 1.4 years to complete one round of the Sun.

About Meteors:

Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from asteroids.
When these objects come around the Sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them.
Every year Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colourful streaks in the sky.

11. Curbing Air Pollution

Subject: Environment

According to a report by the World Bank, curbing air pollution in India needs efforts across South Asia.
According to the report, existing measures by the government can reduce particulate matter, significant reduction is possible only if the territories spanning the airsheds implement coordinated policies.

Highlights of the report:

Currently over 60% of South Asians are exposed to an average 35 g/m3 of PM2.5 annually.
In some parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) it spiked to as much as 100 g/m3 – nearly 20 times the upper limit of 5 g/m3 recommended by the World Health Organisation.
According to the report, India has six large airsheds, some of them shared with Pakistan, between which air pollutants move.
The six major airsheds in South Asia where air quality in one affected the other were:
West/Central IGP: Punjab (Pakistan), Punjab (India), Haryana, part of Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh;
Central/Eastern IGP: Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bangladesh;
Middle India: Odisha/Chhattisgarh;
Middle India: Eastern Gujarat/Western Maharashtra;
Northern/Central Indus River Plain: Pakistan, part of Afghanistan; and
Southern Indus Plain and further west: South Pakistan, Western Afghanistan extending into Eastern Iran.
When the wind direction was predominantly northwest to the southeast, 30% of the air pollution in Indian Punjab came from the Punjab Province in Pakistan and, on average, 30% of the air pollution in the largest cities of Bangladesh (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Khulna) originated in India.
In some years, substantial pollution flowed in the other direction across borders.
If Delhi National Capital Territory were to fully implement all air pollution control measures by 2030 while other parts of South Asia continued to follow current policies, it wouldn’t keep pollution exposure below 35 g/m3.
However if other parts of South Asia also adopted all feasible measures it would bring pollution below that number.
Hence, environmental experts suggest a airshed approach to curb air pollution in the south asian region.
The Centre in 2019 launched a programme called the National Clean Air Campaign (NCAP) that aims to reduce air pollution in 131 of India’s most polluted cities.
The target was initially to cut pollution by 20%-30% by 2024 over 2017 levels but has now been revised to cutting it by 40% by 2025-26.

About NCAP

It was launched by the MoEFCC in January 2019.
It is the first-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target.
It seeks to cut the concentration of coarse (particulate matter of diameter 10 micrometer or less, or PM10) and fine particles (particulate matter of diameter 2.5 micrometer or less, or PM2.5) by at least 20% in the next five years, with 2017 as the base year for comparison.
The plan includes 102 non-attainment cities, across 23 states and Union territories, which were identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the basis of their ambient air quality data between 2011 and 2015.
Non-attainment cities: These are those that have fallen short of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for over five years.

12. Corrupt Public Servant can be convicted even if proof circumstantial: SC

Subject: Governance

Observing that courts should not show leniency towards corrupt public servants, the Supreme Court ruled that direct evidence of demand and acceptance of bribe is not necessary to prove guilt under the Prevention of Corruption Act and a person can be convicted on the basis of circumstantial evidence.

Supreme Court’s Judgement

Even if the direct evidence of the complainant is not available, owing to death or other reasons, there can be conviction of the public servant under the PCA, if the demand for illegal gratification is proved through circumstantial evidence.
The Bench held that a court can convict a corrupt official for demanding and accepting bribe even in a case in which witnesses, including the complainant, turn hostile and backtrack from their earlier statements that bribe was demanded.
The Bench said the court can rely on statement of other witnesses to prove guilt.

Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988:

The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (henceforth referred to as PCA) came into force on 9th September, 1988.
It was aimed at making anti-corruption laws more effective by widening their coverage and by strengthening the provisions to make the overall statute more effective.

Salient Features of the Act:

It incorporates the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952, and Sec. 161 to 165-A of the Indian Penal Code with certain tweaks in the original provisions.
It has enlarged the scope of the definition such as Public Duty and Public Servant.
It has shifted the burden of proof from the prosecution as mentioned in the CrPC to the accused who is charged with the offense.
The provisions of the Act clearly state that the investigation is to be made by an officer, not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The Act covers corrupt acts as bribe, misappropriation, obtaining a pecuniary advantage, possessing assets disproportionate to income and the like.

Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018:

As the PCA saw limited success, an amendment was enacted and brought into force on 26 July 2018.
The Amendment Act attempted to bring the PCA in line with United Nations Convention against Corruption 2005, which was ratified by India in 2011.

Highlights of the Amendment Act –

Definition of ‘Undue Advantage’
The Amendment Act has defined ‘undue advantage’ to mean any gratification other than legal remuneration that a public servant is permitted to receive.
Persons liable for offering a bribe to public servants
Previously, the PCA did not contain a separate provision for a person who gives or promises to give an undue advantage.
However, the Amendment Act makes giving an undue advantage by a person to a public servant, a specific punishable offence.
Offering of bribes by commercial organisations
It provides that if a commercial organisation commits any of the offences listed out in the PCA with the intention to obtain or retain business or obtain or retain an advantage in the conduct of its business, then such commercial organisation shall be punishable.
Prior sanction for investigation and prosecution
The PCA required prior sanction of the appropriate government for prosecution of serving public officials.
The Amendment Act extends this protection of requirement of prior approval to investigation prior to prosecution.
Attachment of Property
The Amendment Act has provided for application of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 and Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance 1944 for attachment and administration of property procured by means of an offence under the PCA.
Enhancement of Punishment
Punishment has been increased from a minimum imprisonment term of 6 (six) months to 3 (three) years, and from a maximum of 5 (five) years to 7 (seven) years.

13. Uniform Civil Code

Subject: Polity

Union Law Minister informed the Rajya Sabha that States can enact laws on a uniform civil code..

About the news

The Union Government told Parliament that States are empowered to enact personal laws that decide issues such as succession, marriage and divorce to secure a uniform civil code (UCC).
In a written reply, the law minister said that “Article 44 of the Constitution provides that the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.”
Personal laws such as intestacy and succession, wills, joint family and partition, marriage and divorce come under Entry 5 of List-III-Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, and hence, the States are also empowered to legislate upon them.
The Jose Paulo Coutinho judgment of the court in 2019, in fact, found Goa a “shining example of an Indian State which has a UCC”.

Background:

Several States including Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have recently announced their intention to implement the UCC.
A private member bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha on December 09, 2022, for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across the country.
The Bill proposes to set up the National Inspection and Investigation Committee for the preparation of UCC and its implementation throughout the country.

Uniform Civil Code:

UCC is one that would provide for one law for the entire country, applicable to all religious communities in their personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption etc.
Article 44 of the Constitution lays down that the state shall endeavour to secure a UCC for the citizens throughout the territory of India.
Article 44 is one of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).
DPSP as defined in Article 37, are not justiciable (not enforceable by any court) but the principles laid down therein are fundamental in governance.
Status of Uniform Codes in India:
Indian laws do follow a uniform code in most civil matters such as Indian Contract Act 1872, Civil Procedure Code, Transfer of Property Act 1882, Partnership Act 1932, Evidence Act, 1872 etc.

UCC in States:

UCC is one that would provide for one law for the entire country, applicable to all religious communities in their personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption etc.
Goa’s Portuguese Civil Code of 1867 is an example of a common family law prevalent in a State.
The promulgation of the UCC emerges as a positive obligation and not duty of the State under Article 44 of the Constitution in the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).
Article 44 says “the State shall endeavour to secure a UCC for the citizens throughout the territory of India”.

UCC and Implications

Protection to Vulnerable Section of Society: The UCC aims to provide protection to vulnerable sections as envisaged by Ambedkar including women and religious minorities, while also promoting nationalistic fervour through unity.
Simplification of Laws: The code will simplify the complex laws around marriage ceremonies, inheritance, succession, adoptions making them one for all. The same civil law will then be applicable to all citizens irrespective of their faith.
When enacted the code will work to simplify laws that are segregated at present on the basis of religious beliefs like the Hindu code bill, Sharia law, and others.
Adhering to Ideal of Secularism: Secularism is the objective enshrined in the Preamble, a secular republic needs a common law for all citizens rather than differentiated rules based on religious practices.
Gender Justice: India has separate sets of personal laws for each religion governing marriages, divorce, succession, adoption and maintenance.
However, the rights of women are usually limited under religious law, be it Hindu or Muslim. The practice of triple talaq is a classic example.
If a uniform civil code is enacted, all personal laws will cease to exist.
It will do away with gender biases in Muslim law, Hindu law and Christian law that have been often challenged by women on the ground that they violate the right to equality.

14. Central Bureau of Communication

Subject: Governance

Government has spent a total of Rs 3,723.38 crore on advertisement of its policies and programmes over the past five years through the Central Bureau of Communication, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

About:

The Central Bureau of Communication is the nodal agency of the Government of India for advertising by various Ministries and organisations of Government of India, including public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies.
It works under the administrative control of Information and broadcasting ministry.
HQ: New Delhi.
It was set up on 8th December, 2017 by integration of three erstwhile media units of Ministry of I&B, viz namely Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (DAVP), Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP) and Song & Drama Division(S&DD), all involved in interpersonal communication.
It undertakes campaigns to inform and educate rural and urban people about the Government’s policies and programmes through available vehicles of communication viz. Print, Audio Visual, Outdoor, Digital and New Media.

Structure:

The CBC is headed by a Director General (DG) with its headquarters at Soochana Bhawan, New Delhi.
CBC operating from Delhi, ROBs from regions and FOBs at the field level are manned by officers of Indian Information Service and Ex-cadre personnel of erstwhile DAVP (Directorate of Advertisement Visual Publicity), Directorate of Field Publicity and Song & Drama Division.

15. Broadcasting to be brought under Prasar Bharati route

Subject: Governance

Information and Broadcasting Minister said that the entry of Central/State/UT Government into the business of broadcast for educational purposes should be done through the Prasar Bharati route through suitable agreements between Prasar Bharati and the government concerned.
The advisory had been issued after examination of the recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on the extant matter and stakeholder consultations on the issue.
Before finalising, the TRAI’s views were sought on giving dispensation to State and Central Governments for running channels for non-commercial educational purposes.
The TRAI had responded that the requirements of Central/State Governments regarding dissemination of educational content on a non-commercial basis should be met through the Prasar Bharati route, said the Minister.
Such entities distributing the broadcasting content have been asked to “extract themselves” from it by December 31, 2023.

TRAI’s Recommendations

In 2012, the TRAI had suggested that the Central and State governments, their companies, undertakings, joint ventures with the private sector and the entities funded by the governments should not be allowed to enter the business of broadcasting and, or, distribution of TV channels.
It relied upon the Sarkaria Commission’s recommendation and the Cricket Association case verdict.
The importance of Prasar Bharati should also not be lost sight of.
The body should fulfil the legitimate aspirations of government entities as regards broadcasting activities, while at the same time recommending the ‘arm’s length’ relationship between Prasar Bharati and the government be further strengthened to enhance its autonomy and functional independence.

Prasar Bharti

Prasar Bharati is a statutory autonomous body. It is the Public Service Broadcaster of the country.
It was established under the Prasar Bharati Act in 1997.
The Prasar Bharati Corporation’s main objective is to provide autonomy to Doordarshan and Akashvani in order to “educate and entertain the public.