Daily Prelims Notes 2 September 2020

September 2, 2020
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Table Of Contents

Subject: Science and tech

Context:

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had signed contracts with three Indian companies for supply of six regiments of the Pinaka Rocket System to be deployed along borders with Pakistan and China.

Concept:

The Pinaka, which is primarily a multi-barrel rocket system (MBRL) system, can fire a salvo of 12 rockets over a period of 44 seconds.
In the battlefield, long range artillery systems like Pinaka are used for attacking the adversary targets prior to the close quarter battles which involve smaller range artillery, armoured elements and the infantry
The development of the Pinaka was started by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in the late 1980s, as an alternative to the multi-barrel rocket launching systems of Russian make, called like the ‘Grad’, which are still in use.
After successful tests of Pinaka Mark-1 in the late 1990, it was first used in the battlefield during the Kargil War of 1999, quite successfully. Subsequently multiple regiments of the system came up over the 2000s.
The Mark-I version of Pinaka has a range of around 40 kilometres and the Mark-II version can fire up to 75 kilometres.
The rocket system can operate various modes and can carry different types of warheads.

2. Sree Narayana guru

Subject: History

Context:

Home minister pays tributes to Swami Sree Narayana Guru ji on Jayanti

Concept:

Shree Narayana Guru (1856–1928), also known as Shree Narayana Guru Swami, was a saint & social reformer of India.
The Guru was born into an Ezhava family, in an era when people from backward communities like the Ezhavas faced social injustice in the caste-ridden Kerala society.
Gurudevan, as he was known among his followers, led Reform movement in Kerala, revolted against caste system and worked on propagating new values of freedom in spirituality and social equality which transformed the Kerala society.
He also gave the universal message, “One caste, one religion, one God.”
Aravipuram Movement was launched by Sri Narayana Guru on Shivaratri day of 1888. On that day, Sri Narayana Guru defied the religious restrictions traditionally placed on the Ezhava community, and consecrated an idol of Shiva at Aravipuram. This drew the famous poet KumaranAsan as a disciple of Narayana Guru.
In 1913, he founded the Advaita Ashram at Aluva. This was an important event in his spiritual quest. This Ashram was dedicated to a great principle – OmSahodaryamSarvatra (all men are equal in the eyes of God).

3. AstroSat

Subject: Science and tech

Context:

The galaxy called AUDFs01 was discovered by a team of Astronomers from the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics(IUCAA) Pune using AstroSat

Concept:

ASTROSAT is India’s first dedicated multi wavelength space observatory.
This scientific satellite mission endeavours for a more detailed understanding of our universe.
One of the unique features of ASTROSAT mission is that enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite.
ASTROSAT observes universe in the optical, Ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, whereas most other scientific satellites are capable of observing a narrow range of wavelength band.
The scientific objectives of ASTROSAT mission are:
- To understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes
- Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars
- Study star birth regions and high energy processes in star systems lying beyond our galaxy
- Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in the sky
- Perform a limited deep field survey of the Universe in the Ultraviolet region

4. Green Term Ahead Market

Subject: Schemes

Context:

As a first step towards Greening the Indian short term power Market, Indian government has launched pan-India Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) in electricity through video conference

Concept:

The introduction of GTAM platform would lessen the burden on Renewable Energy (RE) -rich States and incentivize them to develop RE capacity beyond their own RPO.
This would promote RE merchant capacity addition and help in achieving RE capacity addition targets of the country.
GTAM platform will lead to increase in number of participants in renewable energy sector.
It will benefit buyers of RE through competitive prices and transparent and flexible procurement. It will also benefit RE sellers by providing access to pan- India market
The Government of India’s target of 175 GW RE Capacity by 2022 is driving accelerated renewable penetration pan-India.
Green Term Ahead Market contracts will allow additional avenues to the RE generators for sale of renewable energy; enable Obligated entities to procure renewable power at competitive prices to meet their Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO); and provide a platform to environmentally conscious open access consumers and utilities to buy green power.

5. Precision medicine

Subject: Science and tech

Context:

Precision medicine gains important at the time of COVID pandemic.

Concept:

Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person.
Precision medicine, also known as personalized medicine, is a new frontier for healthcare combining genomics, big data analytics, and population health.
This approach will allow doctors and researchers to predict more accurately which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in which groups of people
It is in contrast to a one-size-fits-all approach, in which disease treatment and prevention strategies are developed for the average person, with less consideration for the differences between individuals.

6. Coral reefs

Subject: Environment

Context:

More life can be supported by ‘dead’ coral rubble than live coral, according to a recent study
A recent study has identified new causes for coral bleaching, namely excessive nutrients from fertilisers and storm-water runoff.

Concept:

Coral reefs are among the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They provide shelter and nourishment to fish and other marine organisms.
Vibrant and healthy reefs form when a coral and an algae — zooxanthellae — start a symbiotic relationship.
The coral provides protection and compounds zooxanthellae’s need for photosynthesis. The algae produces carbohydrates and helps remove the coral’s waste.
But when the corals are stressed due to change in temperature, light and nutrients, they expel the algae and turn white. Corals will die if such bleaching extends.
Dead’ coral reefs supported ‘cryptic’ animalse hidden sea creatures, including fishes, snails, tiny crabs and worms — who hide under this rubble to save themselves from predation.
The general perception of life supported by ‘live’ coral reefs included larger invertebrates like starfish, giant clams and sea cucumbers.

7. AGR

Subject: Economy

Context:

The Supreme Court Tuesday held that telecom firms will get 10 years to clear their adjusted gross revenue or AGR dues

Concept:

All the telecom companies that operate in India pay a part of their revenues as licence fee and spectrum charges to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for using the spectrum owned by the government.
In its definition of AGR, the DoT had said that telcos must cover all the revenue earned by them, including from non-telecom sources such as deposit interests and sale of assets.
The telecom companies were opposed to this and had challenged this definition of AGR in several forums, including the Supreme Court.
On October 24, 2019, the SC had upheld the DoT’s definition of AGR and said since the licensee had agreed to the migration packages, they were liable to pay the dues, the penalty on dues, and the interest on penalty due to delay in payments.

8. NSA

Subject: Polity

Context:

The Allahabad High Court revoked the charges under the National Security Act against Gorakhpur doctor Kafeel Khan, and asked the state government to release him immediately.

Concept:

History

Preventive detention laws in India date back to early days of the colonial era when the Bengal Regulation III of 1818 was enacted to empower the government to arrest anyone for defence or maintenance of public order without giving the person recourse to judicial proceedings.
A century later, the British government enacted the Rowlatt Acts of 1919 that allowed confinement of a suspect without trial.
Post-independence India got its first preventive detention rule when the government of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru enacted the Preventive Detention Act of 1950.
The NSA is a close iteration of the 1950 Act. After the Preventive Detention Act expired on December 31, 1969, the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, brought in the controversial Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in 1971 giving similar powers to the government.
Though the MISA was repealed in 1977 after the Janata Party came to power, the successive government, brought in the NSA.

NSA

The National Security Act (NSA) is an act that empowers the government to detain a person if the authorities are satisfied that he/she is a threat to national security or to prevent him/her from disrupting public order.
Under the law, the maximum span for which a person can be detained is 12 months. However, the government can extend it, if it feels so.
In the normal course, if a person is arrested, he or she is guaranteed certain basic rights. These include the right to be informed of the reason for the arrest. Section 50 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) mandates that the person arrested has to be informed of the grounds of arrest, and the right to bail. Sections 56 and 76 of the Cr. PC also provides that a person has to be produced before a court within 24 hours of arrest. Additionally, Article 22(1) of the Constitution says an arrested person cannot be denied the right to consult, and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his choice.
But none of these rights are available to a person detained under the NSA. A person could be kept in the dark about the reasons for his arrest for up to five days, and in exceptional circumstances not later than 10 days. Even when providing the grounds for arrest, the government can withhold information which it considers to be against public interest to disclose. The arrested person is also not entitled to the aid of any legal practitioner in any matter connected with the proceedings before an advisory board, which is constituted by the government for dealing with NSA cases.

9. Moratorium and restructuring

Subject: Economy

Context:

The Centre informed the Supreme Court that moratorium on repayment of loans allowed during the Covid-19 crisis can be extended by up to two years.

Concept:

On 27th March, 2020, the RBI announced a three-month moratorium (1st March to 31st May) on loan and card repayments. Again extended for three months till 31^st
During moratorium the customer does not have to pay EMIs and no penal interest is charged. It is not a concession, but a deferment of payment to provide some relief to borrowers facing liquidity issues.
RBI is looking to rebalance the debt burden of borrowers and has therefore announced the loan restructuring scheme.
Restructuring is a practice that allows banks to modify the terms of the loan when the borrower is facing financial stress.
Banks do that to avoid the borrower being declared a defaulter and the loan having to be classified as a non-performing asset.
It could be through a change in the repayment period / repayable amount / number of installments / rate of interest/ additional loans.