Daily Prelims Notes 16 July 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

16 July 2024

Table Of Contents

1. SC to consider setting up bench to hear pleas against passage of laws as money bills
2. Rising EPFO and NPS Subscribers Point to Surge in Formal Jobs
3. India Urges Russia to Address Non-Tariff Barriers to Boost Trade
4. ISRO has a problem: many rockets, but too few satellites to launch
5. World’s rarest whale may have washed up on beach in New Zealand
6. Stealth frigates from Russia to be delivered in September 2024, February 2025
7. Environmental body pulls up Odisha government for building violation in forest land
8. ICAR to launch ‘one scientist-one product’ scheme today
9. Inflow of refugees into Chad deepens existing vulnerabilities: World Bank
10. Indian leopard suspected to have decreased by 24.5% over last 3 generations: IUCN
11. AI to the rescue: Cutting-edge tech to help cotton farmers fight pink bollworm
12. 100 years of electroencephalography (EEG) in human medicine

1. SC to consider setting up bench to hear pleas against passage of laws as money bills

Sub: Polity

Sec: Parliament and legislature

Context:

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a submission for setting up a constitution bench to hear pleas challenging the validity of passage of laws like the Aadhaar Act as money bills allegedly to bypass the Rajya Sabha.

Earlier, the top court had said it would constitute a seven-judge bench to consider the issue of validity of passage of laws like the Aadhaar Act as a money bill.

The decision was aimed at addressing the controversy around money bills after the government introduced legislations like the Aadhaar Act and even amendments to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as money bills, apparently to circumvent the Rajya Sabha where it did not have a majority then.

About money bill

A Bill is said to be a Money Bill under Article 110 of the constitution if it only contains provisions related to taxation, borrowing of money by the government, expenditure from or receipt to the Consolidated Fund of India.

Qualification as money bill:

1. Under Article 110(1) of the Constitution, a Bill is deemed to be a Money Bill if it contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the following matters:
   the imposition, abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of any tax
2. regulation of borrowing by the government
3. custody of the Consolidated Fund or Contingency Fund of India, and payments into or withdrawals from these Funds
4. appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India
5. declaring of any expenditure to be expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or the increasing of the amount of any such expenditure
6. receipt of money on account of the Consolidated Fund of India or the public account of India or the custody or issue of such money or the audit of the accounts of the Union or of a State
7. any matter incidental to any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (f).

Power to decide money bill

• The speaker of the Lok Sabha decides if a bill is money bill or not (Art 110 (3)) and his decision in this regard is final.

Power of Rajya Sabha w.r.t Money Bill

• Under Article 109 (1), a Money Bill cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha.
• Once passed by Lok Sabha, it is sent to Rajya Sabha — along with the Speaker’s certificate that it is a Money Bill — for its recommendations.
• However, Rajya Sabha can neither reject nor amend the Bill, and must return it within 14 days, after which Lok Sabha may choose to accept or reject all or any of its recommendations.
• In either case, the Bill is deemed to have been passed by both Houses.
• Under Article 109(5), if Rajya Sabha fails to return the Bill to Lok Sabha within 14 days, it is deemed to have been passed anyway.

What is Finance Bill:

• In a general sense, any Bill that relates to revenue or expenditure is a financial Bill.
• A money Bill is also a specific type of financial Bill, that must deal only with matters specified in Article 110 (1) (a) to (g).
• Financial bills are responsible for fiscal matters such as government spending or revenue.
• It specifies the amount of money to be spent by the government and the way it is to be spent.
• More specifically, Article 117 of the Constitution deals with the special provisions relating to financial Bills.
• Finance Bills are divided into three categories: the Money Bill, Finance Bill Category I, and Finance Bill Category II.

What is the difference between money Bills and financial Bills:

• Classification Distinction: Money Bills encompass tax-related provisions, while Financial Bills cover various subjects, including taxation and expenditure. The Finance Bill, solely dealing with tax proposals, qualifies as a Money Bill. For e.g The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015, which establishes funds and covers other issues, was introduced as a Financial Bill.
• The procedure for the passage:
  • Money Bill: The Rajya Sabha cannot amend or reject Money Bills. It offers non-binding recommendations within 14 days, but if the Lok Sabha declines them, the Bill passes as is.
  • Financial Bill: It must be approved by both houses.
• Origination and President’s Recommendation:
  • Money Bill: Must be introduced only in the Lok Sabha, and only the Presidential recommendation
  • Financial Bill: An ordinary bill can originate in either house, and the President’s recommendation is not required for tax-related amendments.

2. Rising EPFO and NPS Subscribers Point to Surge in Formal Jobs

Sub: Economy

Sec: Unemployment and Inflation

Context: Formal employment in India is increasing, as evidenced by the significant rise in new subscribers to both the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and the National Pension System (NPS).

•   This trend indicates growing formalization of the workforce and highlights the importance of statutory compliance by large employers to maintain an organized and productive workforce.

EPFO Trends

•   Subscriber Growth:
  • New EPFO subscribers increased from 61.1 lakh in 2018-19 to over 1.31 crore in 2023-24.
  • From September 2017 to March 2024, more than 6.2 crore new subscribers were added.
  • Despite a dip in new subscribers for 2023-24 compared to the previous fiscal year, the long-term trend shows substantial growth.
• Mandatory Enrollment:
  • Organizations with 20 or more employees are required to enroll their workers under EPF.
  • EPF registration is mandatory for salaried employees earning at least ₹15,000 per month.
• Workforce Formalization:
  • The number of contributing members to the provident fund has been growing at a CAGR of over 20% since 2018.
  • The overall workforce has grown at about 2%, indicating significant formalization.
• Factors Driving Formalization:
  • Large employers seek to maintain an engaged and productive workforce with low attrition rates.
  • Payment of statutory compliances for social security is seen as a key factor in retaining employees.
  • Industries such as FMCG, healthcare, retail, and industrial manufacturing have prioritized workforce formalization post-pandemic.
• Youth Employment:
  • In April, the EPFO recorded its highest-ever monthly increase of 18.92 lakh net members, marking a 10% year-on-year growth.
  • Over 55% of new subscribers are in the 18-25 age group, indicating a high number of first-time job seekers entering the organized workforce.

NPS Trends

• Subscriber Growth:
  • In 2023-24, the NPS registered more than 75 lakh new subscribers, marking a 30% increase from the previous year.

Economic Implications

• Impact on Low-Income Jobs:
  • EPFO data primarily capture low-income jobs. The declining share of low-income jobs suggests an increase in better-paid job opportunities in the economy.
• Future Prospects:
  • The anticipated implementation of new labour codes could further accelerate the formalization of the workforce.

Conclusion

The significant rise in EPFO and NPS subscribers underscores the increasing formalization of employment in India. This trend is driven by large employers’ need for a stable and compliant workforce, along with government efforts to ensure timely payments and social security benefits for employees. The growth in formal employment, particularly among the youth, is a positive sign for the Indian economy, suggesting better job opportunities and improved workforce management

3. India Urges Russia to Address Non-Tariff Barriers to Boost Trade

Sub: Economy

Sec: External Sector

• India’s Request:
  • India is urging Russia to address non-tariff barriers (NTBs) in sectors such as marine products and pharmaceuticals.
  • The aim is to boost Indian exports and reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries.
• Bilateral Trade Target:
  • Target: Achieve bilateral annual trade of $100 billion by 2030.
  • Current Trade: About $65 billion in 2023-24.
• Leadership Commitment:
  • The trade target was set by PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a recent summit in Moscow.
  • Both leaders agreed to work on increasing Indian exports to reduce the trade deficit.
• Commerce Secretary highlighted the focus on different sectors and the need for Russia to look into NTBs and mentioned plans for another trade delegation visit to Russia to discuss better market access.

Focus Areas for Increased Market Access

• Engineering Products
• Electronics

Impact of Economic Sanctions on Russia

• Following Western sanctions on Russia after its attack on Ukraine in February 2022, India’s imports of discounted crude oil from Moscow have increased significantly.
  • Imports from Russia (2023-24): $61 billion.
  • India’s Exports to Russia (2023-24): Approximately $4 billion.

Conclusion

India is pushing for Russia to address non-tariff barriers to help boost its exports and achieve the ambitious bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030. Increased market access for Indian products, particularly in sectors like engineering and electronics, is crucial for reducing the trade deficit and enhancing economic cooperation between the two nations.

Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)

Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) are restrictions that countries use to control the amount of trade across their borders, which are not in the form of a tariff. These barriers can be in the form of regulations, standards, testing, certification, and other requirements that products must meet before they are allowed to enter a country or be sold.

Types of Non-Tariff Barriers

• Import Quotas:
  • Limits on the quantity of goods that can be imported.
  • Example: A country may limit the import of a specific agricultural product to protect domestic farmers.
• Subsidies:
  • Financial support from the government to local businesses.
  • Example: Subsidies for local farmers reduce their costs, making them more competitive than imported products.
• Standards and Regulations:
  • Requirements related to product quality, safety, and health standards.
  • Example: Stringent health standards for food products that foreign suppliers must meet.
• Customs Procedures:
  • Complex and lengthy customs procedures can act as barriers.
  • Example: Extensive documentation and slow processing times for imports.
• Licenses:
  • Requirements for importers to obtain licenses before importing goods.
  • Example: Import licensing for pharmaceuticals to ensure quality control.
• Voluntary Export Restraints (VERs):
  • Self-imposed export limits by exporting countries.
  • Example: A country voluntarily limiting its export of steel to another country.
• Embargoes:
  • Official bans on trade with specific countries or products.
  • Example: Trade embargoes imposed on countries due to political reasons.
• Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures:
  • Measures to protect humans, animals, and plants from diseases, pests, or contaminants.
  • Example: Restrictions on imports of livestock due to disease outbreaks.
• Anti-Dumping Measures:
  • Actions taken to protect domestic industries from foreign companies dumping products at below-market prices.
  • Example: Imposing duties on imported steel sold at unfairly low prices.
• Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT):
  • Regulations, standards, testing, and certification procedures.
  • Example: Specific packaging requirements for imported goods.

Impact on Trade

• Increased Costs:
  • Compliance with NTBs can increase the cost of goods for exporters.
• Reduced Competitiveness:
  • NTBs can make foreign products less competitive compared to domestic products.
• Market Access:
  • NTBs can restrict or limit market access for foreign suppliers.

4. ISRO has a problem: many rockets, but too few satellites to launch

Subject: Science and tech

Sec: Space sector

Context:

Indian space programme used to follow a supply-driven model: ISRO would launch satellites and then look for customers for services provided by the satellites. This changed to a demand-driven model in 2019-2020, in which a satellite is built and launched only if there is already demand for it.

More about News:

• ISRO’s launch vehicle capability was three-times the demand. Strong demand was needed for launch vehicles from the domestic Indian market.

India currently has four launch vehicles:

• Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)
• 3 stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid propulsion based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage.
• Cost per launch: ₹35 crore (US$4.2 million) (expected)
• Diameter: 2 m (6 ft 7 in)
• Height: 34 m (112 ft)
• Last flight: 10 February 2023, EOS-07
• Features
  • Low cost
  • Low turn-around time
  • Flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites
  • Launch on demand feasibility
  • Minimal launch infrastructure requirements
• Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
  • Manufacturer: ISRO
  • Rocket Function: Artificial satellite
• Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)
  • Developed: India
  • To launch communication satellites in geo transfer orbit using cryogenic third stage.
  • Initially Russian GK supplied cryogenic stages were used.
• Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-3)
• Cost per launch: ₹500 crore (US$60 million)
• First flight: 18 December 2014 (suborbital); 5 June 2017 (orbital)
• Function: Medium-lift launch vehicle
• Height: 43 m (142.5 ft)
• Last flight: 14 July 2023

India also relies on foreign launch vehicles

• Europe’s Ariane V
  • Manufacturer: European space agency
• SpaceX’s Falcon 9
  • Manufacturer: SpaceX

At present, the country operates a fleet of satellites with applications in

• Communications,
• Remote sensing,
• Positioning,
• Navigation and timing (PNT),
• Meteorology,
• Disaster management,
• Space-based internet,
• Scientific missions
• Experimental missions.

Launch vehicles for space missions:

• Chandrayaan 3
  • Start date: 14 July 2023
  • Location: Satish Dhawan Space Centre
  • Launch site:  Satish Dhawan Space Centre
  • Distance driven: 4 m (333 ft)
  • Launch mass: 3900 kg (8600 lb)
  • Manufacturer: ISRO
  • Orbital insertion: 5 August 2023
• Aditya L1
  • Launch date: 2 September 2023
  • Cost: 5 crores USD (2018)
  • Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre
  • Manufacturers: ISRO, Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • COSPAR ID: 2023-132A
  • Mission duration: 2 years (planned); 10 months and 9 days (elapsed)

Where is the issue?

Demand-driven model:

The Indian space programme used to follow a supply-driven model: ISRO would build and launch satellites and then look for customers who needed the services provided by the satellites.

When the Indian government reformed the space sector in 2019-2020, it changed this to a demand-driven model. Here, a satellite needs to be built and launched only if there is already demand for it.

The customer of the services provided by the satellite needs to be educated about the need for the service. The customer will then create a demand for a service that will need a satellite to be launched. This will provide the demand.

Who will educate the customer, ISRO or the industry?

Without such educated customers, demand at the scale ISRO expects will not be created. The customers here are not only consumers of space-based internet.

Demand:

• Companies, government institutions, defence enterprises, and ordinary people including farmers, bankers,
• Human space flight
• Space tourism

Launch capability limitations

• India’s launch vehicles are also not powerful enough to undertake certain missions, like Chandrayaan 4. China used its Long March 5 launch vehicle to launch its Chang’e 4 and Chang’e 5 missions in a single launch.
• India’s LVM-3 has less than one-third of Long March 5’s capability (28% to be more precise) and will need two LVM-3 launches to launch all the components of Chandrayaan 4.
• ISRO will be upgrading the LVM-3 with a semi-cryogenic engine to boost its payload capacity to six tonnes to the geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
• The organisation will also need a new launch vehicle — already dubbed the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), a.k.a. Project Soorya — to carry 10 tonnes to GTO.

Launch vehicle economics:

• The heavier vehicles can full fill some national goals like lunar exploration and a space station while ISRO can use the smaller satellites for technology and capability
• Satellites have a defined mission life. As they get old, they will need to be replaced with newer This will also create a demand for launch vehicles.
• Mission operators have been improving their lifetimes with software and hardware This complicates estimates of the number and frequency of launch vehicles that will be needed.
• In a single launch, the PSLV can deliver multiple satellites in multiple orbits.
• Rocket stages are becoming reusable, which reduces the cost of building the rocket and increases profitability.
• ISRO has been building its Reusable Launch Vehicle and vertical landing technologies to make reusable landing stages. It is also making an effort to replace toxic fuels for rocket engines with green alternatives.

Private sector vs government

• Ecosystem that creates demand for various services, leading to a demand for data, culminating in a demand for launch vehicles.
• The Indian government wants the private sector to create demand among customers and to build and launch satellites. It wants them to look for services to offer customers in India and abroad. It also wants revenue by providing launch services of its own.
• Government wants to upskill workers and give them jobs.
• Private companies don’t want the government to be in the launch business. Instead, they want the government to be their customer and to provide rule of law and reliable regulations. This is because private players desire a reliable source of revenue, which the Indian government can be over a long period of time.
• Indian government will absorb the cost of the transition from supply-driven to demand-driven building of satellites and launch vehicles. But it isn’t yet educating its own Ministries and creating the demand for satellites and launch vehicles.

5. World’s rarest whale may have washed up on beach in New Zealand

Subject: Environment

Sec:  species in news

Context:

The spade-toothed whales are the world’s rarest, with no live sightings ever recorded. No one knows how many there are, what they eat, or even where they live in the vast expanse of the southern Pacific Ocean.

Why in news:

• The five-meter-long creature, a type of beaked whale, was identified after it washed ashore on Otago Beach by its colour patterns and the shape of its skull, beak, and
• If the cetacean is confirmed to be the elusive spade-toothed whale, it would be the first specimen found in a state that would permit scientists to dissect it.
• Only six other spade-toothed whales have ever been pinpointed, and those found intact on New Zealand’s North Island beaches had been buried before DNA testing could verify their identification.
• The beached whale was quickly transported to cold storage, and researchers will work with local Maori iwi (tribes) to plan how it will be examined.
• New Zealand’s Indigenous people consider whales a taonga – a sacred treasure of cultural significance.
• In April, Pacific Indigenous leaders signed a treaty recognising whales as “legal persons,” although such a declaration is not reflected in the laws of participating nations.
• Southern Pacific Ocean, home to some of the world’s deepest ocean trenches.

Spade-toothed Whale:

• Conservation status: Data deficient
• CITES: Appendix II
• Found: New Zealand and Chilie
• Discovered: Pitt Island, New Zealand in 1872
• Scientific name:Mesoplodon traversii
• Family:Ziphiidae

Cetacean

• Cetacea is an infraorder of aquatic mammals belonging to the order Artiodactyla that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Maori iwi (tribes):

• Location: New Zealand
• Language: Te Reo Maori
• Art: Maori art
• Indigenous tribe
• Rich and vibrant culture
• Kaitiaki (guardians) of the natural resources and strive to maintain a harmonious relationship with the

Pacific Indigenous leaders signed a treaty:

• Whales and dolphins have been officially recognised as “legal persons” in a new treaty formed by Pacific Indigenous leaders from the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Tonga.
• A treaty that translates as the ocean declaration of Māori, promotes the protection and survival of these animals in a holistic way.

6. Stealth frigates from Russia to be delivered in September 2024, February 2025

Subject: Science and tech

Sec: Defence

Context:

In October 2016, India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for the four stealth frigates, two directly imported and two to be manufactured by Goa Shipyard Limited.

More about News:

• After a series of delays, two stealth frigates (Krivak or Talwar-class stealth frigates) under construction in Russia for the Indian Navy are set to be delivered soon beginning Construction and deliveries were delayed due to COVID, war in Ukraine and western sanctions.
• First ship Tushil is ready for acceptance by the Indian Navy and is scheduled to be delivered by September. 
• The second ship Tamal is expected to be delivered by February 2025.
• A $1-billion deal was subsequently signed for the two frigates under direct purchase. In November 2018, the GSL signed a $500 mn deal with Rosoboronexport of Russia for material, design and specialist assistance to locally manufacture the two frigates, and in January 2019, the contract was signed between the Indian Defence Ministry and GSL. All the four ships are powered by engines from Zorya-Mashproekt of Ukraine.
• As per schedule, GSL is scheduled to deliver the first ship in 2026 and the second one six months later.
• The basic structures of two frigates were lying at Yantar shipyard in Russia which were punched by India. They are now being finished. The Indian Navy already operates six of these frigates weighing around 4,000 tonnes each.

Frigates:

• A frigate is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and manoeuvrability, intended to be used in scouting, escort and patrol roles.

INS Tushil:

• It is the first Krivak-III frigate to be acquired under Project 11356M.
• Project 11356M:
  • India in October, 2016 signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with Russia to purchase/construct four additional Admiral Grigorovich-class (Project 11356M) frigates through a partnership between Russian and Indian shipyards. 
  • Russia will supply two of the frigates (INS Tushil and INS Tamala), while the other two will be constructed in India.
  • The Talwar-class frigates, or Project 11356, are a class of stealth-guided missile frigates.
  • Under the IGA, Russia would provide technical assistance in setting up production of 11356 project frigates in India.
  • The construction of the ships is based on the Indian Navy’s specific requirements to meet the entire spectrum of naval warfare in all three dimensions of air, surface, and sub-surface.
• Features:
  • These ships feature “stealth technology” in terms of low radar and underwater noise signatures.
  • These ships are being equipped with major Indian-supplied equipment such as surface-to-surface missiles, sonar systems, surface surveillance radar, communication suites, and anti-submarine warfare systems, along with Russian surface-to-air missiles and gun mounts.
  • The frigates are designed to fight submarines and warships in brown and blue waters and repel air attacks both independently and within formations.
  • The displacement is 3620 tons, the length is 124.8 meters. The full speed is 30 knots, and the cruising range is 4850 miles.

7. Environmental body pulls up Odisha government for building violation in forest land

Sub: Env

Sec: Env legislation

Context:

• The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Union Environment Ministry reprimanded the Odisha government for building walls on forest land without approval for the proposed Shree Jagannath International Airport in Puri.

Details:

• The FAC also requested the State’s Wildlife Warden to assess the impact of the proposed airport on Olive Ridley turtles, which breed near the coast.
• The proposed Puri airport will use 27.887 hectares of forest land and involve felling 13,504 trees, encompassing a total of 471 hectares, including non-forest land.
• The Airports Authority of India identified the site in 2021, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued the site clearance certificate in September 2023.
• The airport’s total projected cost is ₹2,023 crore and will be built by a public-private consortium.

Forest Advisory Committee (FAC)’s Role:

• FAC is a statutory body, established under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.
• FAC evaluates industrial projects requiring forest land.
  • The FAC considers questions on the diversion of forest land for non-forest uses such as mining, industrial projects, and townships and advises the state government on the issue of granting forest clearances.
• The committee can approve, reject, or impose conditions on projects diverting forest land.
• Satellite images revealed unauthorised wall construction by an unspecified agency without FAC and Union Environment Ministry approval.

Source: TH

8. ICAR to launch ‘one scientist-one product’ scheme today

Sub: Schemes

Sec: Agri

‘One Scientist-One Product’ Programme:

• Launched by: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• Aim: To enhance research in agriculture and animal husbandry.
• The programme will be inaugurated by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
• Details:
  • Each of the 5,521 scientists at ICAR will be tasked with developing a product, technology, model, concept, or publication.
  • Progress will be monitored every three months at the institute level and every six months at the headquarters level, with a five-year plan in place.
  • This year, seed hubs for high-yielding oilseeds and pulses are a priority.
• Additional Initiatives:
  • ICAR aims to develop 100 new seed varieties and 100 farm technologies within 100 days as part of the Centre’s action plan.

Release of Crop Varieties:

• ICAR will formally announce the release of 323 varieties of 56 crops, including cereals, oilseeds, forage crops, and sugarcane, on its 96th foundation day (16 July).
• These include 289 climate-resilient varieties and 27 bio-fortified varieties.

Impact and Achievements

• ICAR reported that 16 million hectares are under bio-fortified varieties of crops, including wheat, rice, pearl millet, lentil, and mustard during 2023-24.
• From 2014-15 to 2023-24, ICAR released 2,593 high-yielding varieties, including 2,177 climate-resilient and 150 bio-fortified crop varieties.

About ICAR:

• Established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
• HQ- New Delhi. 
  • 102 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.

Source: TH

9. Inflow of refugees into Chad deepens existing vulnerabilities: World Bank

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

• A World Bank report highlights that the influx of refugees into Chad, especially from Sudan, has exacerbated the nation’s existing vulnerabilities.

Details:

• As of December 11, 2023, Chad hosted 1.1 million refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Sudan, Central African Republic, Cameroon (mostly settled in two camps around N’Djamena and on the banks of the Logone River), and Nigeria (mainly distributed in the Dar es Salaam camp and host villages in the Lake region).
• Continued conflict in 2024 could bring an additional 600,000 Sudanese refugees.

Impact on Host Communities:

• Border areas hosting refugees face structural vulnerabilities, including poverty, gender inequality, and precarious livelihoods.
• 80% of refugees and host community residents struggle to meet basic needs, compared to 42% of Chad’s general population.
• Refugees often have better access to education, healthcare, and essential services through humanitarian aid, leading to better living conditions than host populations.

Food Insecurity and Resource Strain:

• Chad has experienced severe food insecurity for four consecutive years, affecting 2.1 million people in 2023.
• Food insecurity and environmental degradation due to refugee influx have intensified pressures on natural resources, leading to conflict between host populations and refugees.

Chad:

• A landlocked country located at the crossroads of North and Central Africa.
• It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon to the southwest, Nigeria to the southwest (at Lake Chad), and Niger to the west. 
• Chad has a population of 16 million, of which 1.6 million live in the capital and largest city of N’Djamena.
• Chad is the fifth-largest country in Africa and the twentieth-largest nation by area in the world.
• Chad has several regions: the Sahara desert in the north, an arid zone in the centre known as the Sahel and a more fertile Sudanian Savanna zone in the south. 
• Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the second-largest wetland in Africa.
• Chad’s official languages are Arabic and French.

Source: DTE

10. Indian leopard suspected to have decreased by 24.5% over last 3 generations: IUCN

Sub: Env

Sec: Species in news

Decline of the Indian Leopard:

• The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) population has potentially declined by 24.5% over the last three generations, according to the IUCN.

Details:

• The decline is attributed to range loss and exploitation, though some areas show positive population trends.
• Despite an increase in the known range, this may be due to more intensive surveys in previously unstudied areas.
• Data on the population size and trends of the Indian leopard remain poor.

Threats to the Indian Leopard:

• Poaching remains a significant threat, with an estimated four leopards poached weekly over the past decade for illegal wildlife trade.
• Human-leopard conflict and a decline in prey base are other major threats.
• In some regions, decreases in wild prey are negatively impacting leopard populations.
• Leopard population trends in India’s non-tiger states and non-forested habitats are not well known and may be declining.

Global Leopard Population Trends:

• Other leopard subspecies are also showing declining trends, with a global decline of over 30% in the last three generations.
• Factors contributing to the decline include habitat fragmentation, forest clearing, prey reductions from bushmeat trade, illegal harvest for skins, and human-wildlife conflict.
• Leopards have disappeared from North Africa and are critically endangered in regions such as Indochina, Arabia, and North China.

Conservation Efforts and Assessments:

• Some regions, like the Caucasus, Russian Far East, and North East China, have seen increases in leopard populations due to improved survey methods, expanded ranges, or intensive conservation efforts.
• The Indochinese leopard (Panthera pardus delacouri), Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) and North China Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis- though not individually assessed) have been assessed to be Critically Endangered.
• The Persian and Javan leopards are considered endangered, while the African and Sri Lankan leopards are assessed as vulnerable.

Source: DTE

11. AI to the rescue: Cutting-edge tech to help cotton farmers fight pink bollworm

Sub: Geography

Sec: Eco geo

Context:

• Pink bollworm (PBW) infestations affect and damage cotton crops severely.

AI-Powered “Pheromone Traps” Project:

• The Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is conducting a pilot project using AI for real-time pest monitoring.
• AI-powered pheromone traps are being used to help farmers make timely pest management decisions, a first in India for any crop.

Project Focus and Expansion:

• The pilot focuses on three major cotton-growing districts in Punjab: Muktsar, Bhatinda, and Mansa, with six fields from each district.
• If successful, the project will be implemented in Rajasthan and Haryana.

Pheromone Traps and AI Technology:

• Traditional pheromone traps use gossyplure to attract male moths, but regular monitoring by farmers is challenging.
• The new digital approach provides hourly crop updates via mobile phones using a camera in the trap that transmits images to a remote server for analysis.
• A machine learning algorithm identifies and counts PBWs, providing real-time pest alert information to ICAR scientists, farmers, and agriculture extension officers.
• Benefits and Efficiency:
  • The AI system enables timely pest management advice, ensuring efficient control and keeping damage below economic threshold levels.
  • Farmers receive scientific data-based advisories and can monitor crops remotely.
• Broader Impact and Campaigns:
  • Data from the AI system will be shared with agriculture state department officials, taluka officials, and village-level extension functionaries.
  • This information will be used to create mass campaigns and distribute advisories to the farmer database.

About Pink Bollworm:

• The pink bollworm (PBW), or Pectinophora gossypiella, is a moth that is a major pest to cotton in many regions of the world.
• It is known as “Pinky” because the larvae develop pink bands as they mature.
• The larvae are small white caterpillars with eight pairs of legs and pink bands along their backs.
• The PBW lays eggs on cotton bolls, which hatch into larvae that burrow into the bolls and squares, destroying the seeds and staining the lint.
• PBW Infestation:
  • PBW destroys parts of the developing cotton fruit, significantly threatening cotton crops and farmers’ livelihoods.
  • In recent years, severe PBW attacks have affected the cotton crop in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, even impacting genetically modified Bt Cotton (Bollgard II seed).

Cotton crop:

• Cotton is a Kharif crop that requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
• Temperature: Between 21-30°C (Requires a hot, sunny climate with a long frost-free period of 210 days)
• Rainfall: Around 50-100 cm (Most productive in warm and humid conditions).
• Soil Requirements: Cotton can be planted in a wide range of soils, from medium to heavy, but black cotton soil is the most ideal for cotton cultivation.
• It can tolerate a pH range of 5.5 to 8.5 but is sensitive to waterlogging.

Source: DTE

12. 100 years of electroencephalography (EEG) in human medicine

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Context:

• Electroencephalography(EEG) has completed 100 years of its discovery and  still remains a crucial tool for understanding the brain.

What is EEG?

• EEG stands for electroencephalography.
• It is a test performed to detect abnormalities in your brain waves, or in the electrical activity of your brain.
• Neurons in the brain perform various functions by moving electrically charged particles such as ions.
• The movement of these particles gives rise to electrical activity that a health worker can use an EEG test to visualize.

How does an EEG test work?

• During an EEG, electrodes are pasted onto the  scalp of the patient.
• These are small metal disks with thin wires and detect tiny electrical charges that result from the activity of brain cells.
• These charges are amplified and appear as a graph on a computer screen or as a recording that may be printed out on paper.
• Health workers are typically interested in two types of data in the graph:
  • The voltage (measured in millionths of a volt).
  • The frequency of the variations (measured in hertz).
• The EEG procedure is usually carried out by a highly trained specialist, called a clinical neurophysiologist.
• Volume conduction refers to the movement of electrical activity through this three-dimensional volume. It also stands for the fact that the electrical activity is produced in one place whereas the detectors that detect it are located at some distance.
• EEG is better than other diagnostic devices at tracking relatively rapid electrical activity in the brain, in the order of milliseconds.

What is the significance of EEG?

• An EEG can be used to help diagnose and monitor a number of conditions affecting the brain.
• The main use of an EEG is to detect and investigate epilepsy, a condition that causes repeated seizures.
• In research, scientists use EEG for neuroscience, cognitive psychology, neurolinguistics, and neuromarketing studies and to develop brain-computer interfaces.
• An EEG might also be helpful for diagnosing or treating the following disorders:
• Brain tumor
• Brain damage from head injury
• Brain dysfunction that can have a variety of causes (encephalopathy)
• Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis)
• Stroke
• Sleep disorders

Shortcomings of EEG:

• EEG is biased towards electrical signals generated closer to the surface of the cortex, and significantly so towards currents generated by neurons’ dendrites and against those generated by the axons. 
• To overcome these and other challenges, researchers have used EEG together with other tests, like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and have developed sophisticated data acquisition, processing, and reconstruction methods.