Daily Prelims Notes 2 April 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

2 April 2024

Table Of Contents

1. India’s parched rivers: At least 13 without water, much lower than same period last year
2. Centre and Congress spar over katchtheevu issue
3. Ladakh’s protest, a hunger for justice
4. Heatwave conditions likely during election seasons, warns IMD
5. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI): A Journey Through Time
6. 125 years of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory: How the Great Drought of 1876 led to its establishment
7. India’s trade reliance on China and EU rising: UN trade body

1. India’s parched rivers: At least 13 without water, much lower than same period last year

Subject: Geography

Sec: Indian  Phy Geo

Context:

• At least 13 rivers between Mahanadi and Pennar currently have no water, as per the Central Water Commission (CWC).
• They include Rushikulya, Bahuda, Vamsadhara, Nagavali, Sarada, Varaha, Tandava, Eluru, Gundlakamma, Tammileru, Musi, Paleru and Munneru.

Details:

• These rivers span Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha across 86,643 sq km, draining into the Bay of Bengal. Approximately 60% of this basin area is agricultural land.
• Key urban areas within the basin include Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, East Godavari, West Godavari, Srikakulam and Kakinada.
• Data shows a continuous decrease in basin storage, reaching zero by March 21, compared to last year’s 32.28% capacity around the same time.
• Andhra Pradesh and Telangana experienced ‘large deficits’ since March 1, with 65 and 67 per cent respectively.
• The water shortage in river basins adversely affects socio-economic conditions, livelihoods, and agriculture in the region.
• While Cauvery, Pennar, and other rivers also face water storage deficiencies, Ganga basin storage is below half its capacity, affecting millions in agricultural regions.
• Narmada, Tapi, Godavari, Mahanadi, and Sabarmati basins have varying levels of storage capacity, with some considered ‘normal’ or ‘better than normal.’
• Significant portions of India are experiencing ‘abnormal’ to ‘exceptional’ drought levels, worsening compared to the previous year.
• India’s major reservoirs are at 36% capacity, with six completely dry and 86 below 40% capacity, predominantly in the southern states, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

Source: DTE

2. Centre and Congress spar over katchtheevu issue

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Where is the island of Katchatheevu?

• Katchatheevu is a 285-acre uninhabited speck in the Palk Strait, between India and Sri Lanka.
• It lies northeast of Rameswaram, about 33 km from the Indian coast. It is about 62 km southwest of Jaffna, at the northern tip of Sri Lanka, and 24 km away from the inhabited Delft Island, belonging to Sri Lanka.
• The only structure on the island is an early 20th-century Catholic shrine – St Anthony’s church. During an annual festival, Christian priests from both India and Sri Lanka conduct the service, with devotees from both India and Sri Lanka making the pilgrimage.
• Katchatheevu is not suited for permanent settlement as there is no source of drinking water on the island.

When did Katchtheevu become a part of Sri Lanka?

• Katchatheevu became a part of Sri Lanka following an agreement signed between the then Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka, Indira Gandhi and Sirima R.D. Bandaranaike, from June 26-28, 1974.
• This agreement demarcated the boundary between the two countries in the waters from the Palk Strait to Adam’s Bridge, based on historical evidence, legal international principles, and precedents.
• A joint statement issued on June 28, 1974, confirmed that the defined boundary placed Katchatheevu one mile off the west coast of its uninhabited land.
• This pact concluded negotiations that had been ongoing since October 1921, initially between the governments of Madras (now Chennai) and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

How important has been Kachatheevu to the fisherfolk?

• Katchatheevu has been of significant importance to the fisherfolk of both India and Sri Lanka, serving as a traditional fishing ground for them.
• While the 1974 agreement between India and Sri Lanka recognized this traditional usage, a supplemental pact in March 1976 specified that fishing vessels and fishermen from the two countries could not fish in the historic waters, territorial seas, exclusive zones, or exclusive economic zones of either country without explicit permission from Sri Lanka or India.
• Additionally, Katchatheevu hosts an annual festival at St. Anthony’s Church, typically in February or March, which attracts devotees from both sides of the Palk Bay, underscoring the islet’s cultural significance beyond its economic importance to the fishing communities.

What triggered the negotiations between India and Sri Lanka?

• The negotiations between India and Sri Lanka over Kachatheevu were triggered by conflicting sovereignty claims.
  • Sri Lanka claimed sovereignty based on the historical jurisdiction exercised by the Portuguese during their occupation of the island from 1505 to 1658 CE.
  • On the other hand, India argued that Kachatheevu was part of the zamin (estate) of the erstwhile Raja of Ramnad (Ramanathapuram), indicating long-standing possession and administration as part of his territory.
• This claim was supported by an interview published by The Hindu on March 6, 1968, with the erstwhile Raja Ramanatha Sethupathi, who stated that Kachatheevu had been under the zamin’s jurisdiction “from time immemorial” and had been a tax-collecting point for the estate until 1947, when it was taken over by the State government following the Zamindari Abolition Act.
• The matter was discussed in the Lok Sabha in July 1974, where the then External Affairs Minister Swaran Singh stated that the decision regarding the islet had been made after “exhaustive research of historical and other records.”

What has been the stand of the Union government on the issue?

• As of August 2013, the Union government’s stance conveyed to the Supreme Court was that the retrieval of Kachchatheevu from Sri Lanka was not considered feasible, arguing that no Indian territory had been ceded to Sri Lanka.
• The government presented the islet as a historical dispute between British India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), with no established boundary prior to the dispute.
• This issue was reportedly resolved through the agreements made in 1974 and 1976. Further, in December 2022, the Union government reiterated its position in the Rajya Sabha, referencing the two agreements to affirm that Katchatheevu falls on the Sri Lankan side of the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line.

Source: TH

3. Ladakh’s protest, a hunger for justice

Subject: Geography

Section: Indian Phy geo

Climate Change threat to Ladakh region:

• Climate change poses several threats to Ladakh, significantly impacting its environment and communities over the last two decades. The region has experienced numerous catastrophic events, such as floods, landslides, and extreme rainfall.
• Notable incidents include the deadly flash floods in Leh in August 2010, resulting in 255 deaths, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in August 2014 and August 2021, which caused substantial damage to infrastructure.
• Research indicates an increase in the number and size of glacial lakes in the Himalayas due to global warming, leading to glacier shrinkage and heightened GLOF risks in Ladakh.
• This situation is exacerbated by permafrost degradation, triggering mudflows, and an observed slight increase in the region’s minimum temperature over recent years, indicating a warming trend.
• The challenges posed by climate change are further compounded by human activities. The burgeoning interest in mining and renewable energy development, along with a rise in tourism, introduces additional environmental pressures.
• Increased vehicular pollution accelerates snow and ice melting, while mining activities risk enhancing slope instability and making areas more prone to landslides.
• Furthermore, dust from mining activities settling on glaciers is likely to hasten their melting, presenting a multifaceted threat to the region’s ecological balance and the well-being of its inhabitants.

Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)

• A glacial lake outburst flood is a type of catastrophic flood that occurs when the dam containing a glacial lake fails, releasing a large volume of water.
• This type of flood is typically caused by the rapid melting of glaciers or the buildup of water in the lake due to heavy precipitation or the inflow of meltwater.
• In February 2021, Chamoli district in Uttarakhand witnessed flash floods which are suspected to have been caused by GLOFs.
• Causes:
  • These floods can be triggered by a number of factors, including changes in the volume of the glacier, changes in the water level of the lake, and earthquakes.
  • According to NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority), glacial retreat due to climate change occurring in most parts of the Hindu Kush Himalayas has given rise to the formation of numerous new glacial lakes, which are the major cause of GLOFs.

Some important glaciers in the Ladakh region:

Source: TH

4. Heatwave conditions likely during election seasons, warns IMD

Subject: Geography

Section: Climatology

Context:

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts a harsh and dry summer across most regions of India for April-June, with prolonged heatwave episodes lasting 10 to 20 days.

What are Heat Waves?

• A heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western and South Central parts of India.
  • It is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to the human body when exposed.
• The IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature crosses a certain threshold — 40°C in the plains, 37°C along the coast, and 30°C in hilly regions.
• Alternatively, a heatwave is declared if the maximum temperature rises by between 5°C and 6.4°C above normal.
• A severe heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature rises more than 6.4°C above normal.
• A third condition for a heatwave arises when an area records a maximum temperature of more than 45°C and up to 47°C on any given day.

Cause of heatwave:

• The ongoing El Niño conditions, characterized by the abnormal warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean’s surface, have been contributing to global temperature increases and are expected to suppress rainfall and elevate temperatures in India.
• Global climate models predict that El Niño conditions will transition to ENSO-neutral conditions by June, coinciding with the onset of India’s southwest monsoon.

Regions that will be affected by heatwaves:

• April’s temperatures are expected to be significantly high in regions including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
• Pre-monsoon rainfall is anticipated to be below average, continuing the dry trend since February, particularly over coastal and southern peninsular India.
• The summer season is set to see above-normal maximum temperatures in most parts of the country, with normal or below-normal temperatures expected in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, northern Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, and eastern India.
• Regions like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, north Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha are forecasted to experience extremely high temperatures and heat waves.

What is the Impact of these Heat Waves?

• Crop Damage:
  • The concurrence of heat and drought events is causing crop production losses and tree mortality.
  • India has already suffered the hottest March in 122 years of weather data, and parts of the country are seeing wheat yields drop 10-15 per cent partly due to the unseasonal heat.
• Less Food Production and High Prices:
  • The risks to health and food production will be made more severe by the sudden food production losses exacerbated by heat-induced labour productivity losses.
  • These interacting impacts will increase food prices, reduce household incomes, and lead to malnutrition and climate-related deaths, especially in tropical regions.
• Mortality and Morbidity:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the Second Part of the AR6 Report flagged that heat extremes are causing human deaths and morbidity.
  • The increased heat will lead to an increase in diseases like diabetes, circulatory and respiratory conditions, as well as mental health challenges.
• Labour Productivity Loss:
  • A higher urban population also implies heat-induced labour productivity loss, resulting in economic impacts.
• Wildfires and Droughts:
  • The Lancet report showed that populations of 134 countries experienced an increase in exposure to wildfires with droughts becoming more widespread than ever before.

Source: TH

5. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI): A Journey Through Time

Subject: Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

Establishment and Early Years:

• The Reserve Bank of India is the central bank of the country.
• The Reserve Bank of India was set up on the basis of the recommendations of the Hilton Young Commission. The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (II of 1934) provides the statutory basis of the functioning of the Bank, which commenced operations on April 1, 1935.
• The Bank was constituted to
  * Regulate the issue of banknotes
  * Maintain reserves with a view to securing monetary stability and
  * To operate the credit and currency system of the country to its advantage.
• The Bank began its operations by taking over from the Government the functions so far being performed by the Controller of Currency and from the Imperial Bank of India, the management of Government accounts and public debt. The existing currency offices at Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Rangoon, Karachi, Lahore and Cawnpore (Kanpur) became branches of the Issue Department. Offices of the Banking Department were established in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Delhi and Rangoon.
• Burma (Myanmar) seceded from the Indian Union in 1937 but the Reserve Bank continued to act as the Central Bank for Burma till Japanese Occupation of Burma and later upto April, 1947. After the partition of India, the Reserve Bank served as the central bank of Pakistan upto June 1948 when the State Bank of Pakistan commenced operations. The Bank, which was originally set up as a shareholder’s bank, was nationalised in 1949.
• The first Governor was Sir Osborne Arkell Smith, followed by the first Indian Governor, Sir C.D. Deshmukh.
• An interesting feature of the Reserve Bank of India was that at its very inception, the Bank was seen as playing a special role in the context of development, especially Agriculture.
• The Bank was also instrumental in institutional development and helped set up institutions like the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation of India, the Unit Trust of India, the Industrial Development Bank of India, the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Discount and Finance House of India to build the financial infrastructure of the country.
• With liberalisation, the Bank’s focus has shifted back to core central banking functions like Monetary Policy, Bank Supervision and Regulation, and Overseeing the Payments System and onto developing the financial markets.

Being Central bank of India, following functions are performed by RBI

1. Issue of Bank Notes: The Reserve Bank of India has the sole right to issue currency notes except one rupee notes which are issued by the Ministry of Finance. Currency notes issued by the Reserve Bank are declared unlimited legal tender throughout the country
2. Banker to Government: As banker to the government the Reserve Bank manages the banking needs of the government. It has to-maintain and operate the government’s deposit accounts. It collects receipts of funds and makes payments on behalf of the government. It represents the Government of India as the member of the IMF and the World Bank.
3. Custodian of Cash Reserves of Commercial Banks: The commercial banks hold deposits in the Reserve Bank and the latter has the custody of the cash reserves of the commercial banks.
4. Custodian of Country’s Foreign Currency Reserves: The Reserve Bank has the custody of the country’s reserves of international currency, and this enables the Reserve Bank to deal with crisis connected with adverse balance of payments position.
5. Lender of Last Resort: The commercial banks approach the Reserve Bank in times of emergency to tide over financial difficulties, and the Reserve bank comes to their rescue though it might charge a higher rate of interest.
6. Controller of Credit: Since credit money forms the most important part of supply of money, and since the supply of money has important implications for economic stability, the importance of control of credit becomes obvious. Credit is controlled by the Reserve Bank in accordance with the economic priorities of the government through Repo rate, reverse repo rate.

Chronology of Events

Reforms of 1991:

• In response to the economic crisis of 1990, the RBI took significant measures.
• It transferred gold reserves to manage liquidity and devalued the rupee twice.
• Full convertibility of the rupee on trade account was allowed.
• Banking reforms, deregulation of interest rates, and issuing new private bank licenses were key steps.

Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee Era:

• Manmohan Singh, as Governor, strengthened monetary policy actions and initiated banking reforms.
• Singh had differences with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, notably over licensing foreign banks like Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI)

Subbarao and Urjit Patel vs. Government:

• Subbarao, during his tenure as Governor, had disagreements with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.
• Urjit Patel faced a feud with the Finance Ministry over surplus dividend income from the RBI.
• Patel resigned after serving two years as Governor.

Handling the 2008 Crisis:

• Under Y.V. Reddy’s leadership, the RBI’s policies against capital inflows pre-crisis were praised.
• Post-crisis, the RBI managed the situation well under D. Subbarao’s liberal accommodative policy.
• Raghuram Rajan introduced plans to internationalize the rupee and boost exports.

Demonetization of 2016:

• The sudden demonetization of high-value currency notes in 2016 led to significant challenges.
• The RBI faced the task of managing liquidity shortages and economic disruptions.
• The pace of remonetization was slow, affecting businesses and GDP growth.

Monetary Policy Committee and Asset Quality Review:

• Patel chaired the first meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
• Despite calls to ease the asset quality review initiated by Rajan, Patel continued the exercise.
• The RBI utilized the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to address the debt pile of major defaulters.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response:

• Shaktikanta Das, the current Governor, adopted an accommodative monetary policy during the pandemic.
• The repo rate was reduced to 4% to stimulate growth.
• The pandemic accelerated the RBI’s push for digital payments, with the launch of UPI revolutionizing the banking system.

The RBI’s journey over the last 90 years has seen it navigate through various economic challenges, implement crucial reforms, and adapt to evolving financial landscapes, solidifying its role as India’s central bank and a key player in the country’s economic development.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) – Overview

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is a statutory body constituted by the Government of India under the amended Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934. Its primary objective is to determine the policy rate needed to achieve the inflation target set by the government.

Purpose:

• The MPC is responsible for fixing the benchmark interest rate, also known as the repo rate, which is used to guide other interest rates in the economy.
• It aims to maintain price stability while supporting the objective of economic growth.

Composition:

• Members: The MPC consists of six members:
  • RBI Governor (Chairperson)
  • Deputy Governor of RBI in charge of monetary policy
  • One officer nominated by the RBI Board
  • Three members appointed by the Central Government
• Criteria for Appointment:
  • Members are appointed based on their expertise and experience in economics, banking, finance, or monetary policy.
  • They are expected to have the ability, integrity, and standing in their fields.

Decision Making:

• Voting: The MPC takes decisions on monetary policy by a majority vote.
• Quorum: A minimum of four members must be present, including the Governor or the Deputy Governor.
• Binding Decision: The decision of the MPC is binding on the RBI.

Functions and Instruments of Monetary Policy:

• Repo Rate:
  • The rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks.
  • It influences borrowing and lending rates in the economy.
• Reverse Repo Rate:
  • The rate at which the RBI borrows money from commercial banks.
  • It affects the liquidity in the banking system.
• Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF):
  • Consists of repo and reverse repo auctions to manage short-term liquidity.
• Marginal Standing Facility (MSF):
  • Banks can borrow overnight funds from the RBI against government securities.
• Bank Rate:
  • Rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks for longer durations.
• Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR):
  • Specifies the percentage of deposits that banks must keep with the RBI.
  • Affects the liquidity available to banks for lending.
• Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR):
  • Mandates banks to maintain a certain percentage of their deposits in specified liquid assets.
  • Influences credit availability and liquidity.
• Open Market Operations (OMOs):
  • Buying and selling of government securities to manage liquidity.
  • Affects money supply and interest rates.
• Market Stabilization Scheme (MSS):
  • Used to absorb excess liquidity from the market.

Policy Stances:

• Accommodative:
  • Central bank aims to boost economic growth.
  • Willingness to cut interest rates and expand money supply.
• Neutral:
  • Balanced stance when equal priority is on inflation and growth.
  • No bias towards rate hikes or cuts.
• Hawkish:
  • Focus on controlling inflation.
  • Willingness to raise interest rates to curb inflationary pressures.
• Calibrated Tightening:
  • Gradual increase in interest rates over time.
  • Indicates a cautious approach towards monetary tightening.

Asset Quality Review (AQR)

An Asset Quality Review (AQR) is a detailed examination or review conducted by a regulatory authority, often a central bank viz. Reserve Bank of India (RBI), to assess the true quality of a bank’s assets, particularly loans. The primary objective of an AQR is to identify and recognize the actual level of bad loans or non-performing assets (NPAs) within the banking system.

Purpose:

• Assessment of Bad Loans: The main aim of an AQR is to evaluate the extent of bad loans or NPAs held by banks.

Criteria for NPAs:

• 90-Day Rule: In India, a loan is classified as a non-performing asset (NPA) if the borrower fails to pay interest or repay the principal for a period of 90 days or more.

Need for AQR:

• Prevention of Crisis: Banks sometimes use technical adjustments to mask or delay the classification of stressed loans as NPAs. This can create a false picture of the bank’s health and lead to a potential crisis.
• Enhanced Transparency: AQRs aim to enhance transparency in the banking system by ensuring that the true state of asset quality is reflected in the books.

Process:

• Thorough Examination: The RBI conducts a thorough and detailed review of the bank’s loan portfolio, scrutinizing each loan account.
• Identification of NPAs: During the AQR, the RBI identifies loans that are not being serviced as per the stipulated criteria.
• Forcing Recognition: Banks are required to recognize these identified NPAs on their balance sheets, reflecting the true state of their asset quality.

Impact:

• Clear Picture: AQRs provide a clear and accurate picture of a bank’s financial health by identifying and recognizing troubled assets.
• Provisioning: Banks are then required to set aside provisions to cover potential losses from these NPAs, affecting their profitability and capital adequacy.
• Market Confidence: A transparent assessment through an AQR can improve investor and market confidence in the banking sector.

Significance:

• Financial Stability: AQRs are crucial for maintaining financial stability by addressing potential risks and vulnerabilities in the banking system.
• Regulatory Vigilance: It reflects the regulator’s vigilance in ensuring that banks adhere to prudential norms and maintain asset quality standards.

6. 125 years of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory: How the Great Drought of 1876 led to its establishment

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Space tech

History of Observatories  in India:

• In 1792, the British East India Company established the Madras Observatory, a first of its kind in this part of the world.
• Astronomical observations of the Sun, the Moon, bright stars and planets recorded during 1812-1825 were preserved in two large data volumes.
• The first dedicated solar observations were recorded later in 1878 from the Trigonometrical Survey Office in Dehradun.
• The spectroscopic observations taken during the August 18, 1868, total solar eclipse from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh led to the discovery of helium, the Universe’s second-most abundant element after hydrogen.
• For the first time, celestial and solar photography were attempted from the Madras Observatory during the total annual solar eclipse on December 12, 1871.

Links to the Great Drought:

• India, along with China, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia, southern Africa, Brazil, Columbia and Venezuela, suffered concurrent multi-year droughts during 1876-1878, later named the Great Drought, and an associated global famine that killed nearly 50 million.
• Based on the evidence that solar activity was linked to the seasonal rainfall distribution over India, the specially constituted Famine Commission of the British Raj recommended that the Government of India take regular solar observations.

Why study the Sun?

• Being the primary source of energy, life on Earth is supported by the Sun. 
• Any change on the solar surface or its periphery could significantly affect the Earth’s atmosphere. 
• Powerful solar storms and solar flares can be potentially harmful to Earth’s satellite-based operations, power grids and navigational networks.
• The KoSO (Kodaikanal Solar Observatory), which has been imaging the Sun for over a century now, has a rich repository of data.

Solar Physics Observatory in Palani Hills:

• The Indian solar observatory was established for carrying out systematic examinations and the study of changes in progress in the Sun and their co-relations with the larger features of Indian meteorology.
• The hills of Leh, Mussoorie and Shimla were rejected for being dusty and cloudy and the atmosphere around them being unstable.
• Hill stations located over 2,000 meters above the mean sea level in Tamil Nadu i.e. Kodaikanal in the Palani hills and Kotagiri in the Nilgiris were surveyed.
• The survey of rainfall, cloud cover and sky transparency, haze, atmospheric stability, humidity, fog and mist was completed and Kodaikanal was chosen as the ideal location for the observatory.
• In August 1893, the Government of India sanctioned a Solar Physics Observatory under the meteorological budget.
• In 1895, Lord Wenlock, the then Governor of Madras, laid its foundation stone.
• Supervised by Smith, who went on to become the first director of the renamed Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO), the ongoing civil construction picked pace.
• The Madras Observatory  was merged with the KoSO following the reorganization of all Indian observatories implemented by the Government of India on April 1, 1899. 
• The Bhavnagar Telescope, named after Maharaja of Bhavnagar, operated during KoSO’s nascent years. 
  • This 16-inch Newtonian (later Cassegrain) mobile telescope remained India’s largest from 1888-1968. It was imported from Dublin, Ireland, and was first established at the Maharaja Takhat Singh Ji Observatory in Poona (now Pune) around 1888.
• The radial motion of sunspots, better known as the Evershed Effect, was discovered from the sunspot observations made at KSO by John Evershed.
• The continuous recording of the solar radio noise flux commenced in 1952 is considered the earliest solar radio observations in the country.
• The contemporaries – Maharaja Takhat Singh Ji Observatory, Lucknow Observatory, and Calcutta Observatory – did not stand the test of time.

KoSO @125:

• The Government of India separated Astrophysics from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in April 1971. 
• The KoSO was brought under the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru on April 1, 1971.
• KoSO is the only observatory offering high-resolution digitized images for such a long period (with coverage of more than 75 per cent).
• It houses a spectrum of advanced instruments like the H-alpha telescope to perform full disc imaging, a White light Active Region Monitor (WARM) with calcium and sodium filters to make full disc simultaneous observations of the photosphere and chromosphere layers of the Sun, a solar tunnel telescope and more.

What is Evershed Effect:

• The Evershed Effect is an observational effect in the penumbra of SUNSPOTS consisting in displacements of the spectral line profiles towards either shorter wavelengths (that is, blueshifts) in the zones closest to the Sun’s disk center or larger wavelengths (that is, redshifts) in those zones closest to the solar limb.
• The Evershed effect was first detected at Kodaikanal observatory in January 1909.

About Kodaikanal Hills:

• Kodaikanal is a town and hill station in Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. 
• It is situated at an altitude of 2,225 m (7,300 ft) in the Palani hills of the Western Ghats. 
• The earliest references to Kodaikanal and the Palani hills are found in Tamil Sangam literature.
• Kodaikanal Lake  also known as Kodai Lake, is a manmade lake located in the Kodaikanal city in Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, India.

7. India’s trade reliance on China and EU rising: UN trade body

Subject: Geography

Section: Indian Phy geo

Context:

• According to report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD),
• India’s trade reliance on China and the European Union is rising as global trade is witnessing a marked shift along geopolitical lines.

More on news:

• The UNCTAD estimates, based on national statistics, showed that India’s dependence on China and the European Union (EU) grew by 1.2 per cent while its reliance on Saudi Arabia slid by 0.6 per cent.
• This comes in the backdrop of major supply chain reset following the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war that had sent food and fuel prices to record highs.
• This came despite India’s efforts to cut reliance on China by implementing its flagship Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and Quality Control Orders (QCOs) largely to limit entry of cheap Chinese products.
• UNCTAD’s estimates showed a major shift in trade due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
• While Russia’s trade dependence on China surged by a record 7.1 per cent, its reliance on the EU slid by 5.3 per cent.
• The US managed to cut reliance on China by 1.2 per cent in 2023 and increase its trade dependence on the EU and Mexico.

Trends seen in  trade:

• During the last two years, the geographical proximity of international trade has remained relatively constant, showing minimal nearshoring or far-shoring trends.
• The report showed that global trade declined in most sectors, except for pharmaceuticals, transportation equipment, and road vehicles, particularly, electric cars.
• Among the sectors where the value of trade declined by more than 10 per cent during 2023 are apparel, chemicals, energy metals, office equipment, and textiles.

Dependance of an economy:

• The dependence of an economy on another is calculated as the ratio of their bilateral trade over the total trade of the dependent economy. 
• Change is computed as a four quarter average of this ratio relative to the same period in the previous year.