Daily Prelims Notes 22 June 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

22 June 2023

Table Of Contents

1. At SPIEF, Putin seeks alternative partnerships
2. Cough syrup linked deaths: need for revised production norms
3. RBI seeks easier write-off norms after ED notice to exporters
4. Rupee volatility declines to multi-decade low
5. India climbs eight places to 127 in global gender index: WEF report
6. Industry eyes access to Gati Shakti portal to boost capex in connectivity
7. Chinese carrier passes through Taiwan Strait
8. Senate Caucus to push for ‘NATO plus five’ status for India
9. Remembering Alex Müller for reshaping superconductors
10. COAI urges government to free up entire 6 GHz to enhance 5G services
11. Why jeera prices are shooting up in wholesale markets
12. Why the draft livestock and livestock products Bill was withdrawn
13. ‘Deletion’ of Darwin theory from textbooks: Union education minister says nothing of this sort has happened
14. Lightning activity in the European Eastern Alps doubled in 40 years. What does this indicate?
15. Why jet engine is a big deal
16. SC denies relief to ED in T.N. Minister’s case, leaves it to HC
17. An ancient Mayan empire city was found in the Mexican jungle
18. Emergency

1. At SPIEF, Putin seeks alternative partnerships

Subject : International Relations

Section: Groupings

Concept :

• The 26th edition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) was recently held.

St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF)

• The Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) has been held since 1997, and it has been held under the ambit of the President of the Russian Federation since 2006.
• The SPIEF is regarded as one of the unique events in the world of business and economics.
• The Forum brings together the chief executives of major Russian and international companies, heads of state, political leaders, prime ministers, deputy prime ministers, departmental ministers, and governors.
• The SPIEF has become a leading global platform for members of the business community to meet and discuss the key economic issues facing Russia, emerging markets, and the world as a whole.
• The SPIEF was known as “Russian Davos” since it was the only such elite gathering of global business community leaders in this part of the world.
• The main objective of the Forum is to provide practical solutions for businesses and governments, helping to overcome the geographic and information barriers between Russia and other countries.

2. Cough syrup linked deaths: need for revised production norms

Subject : Schemes

Key points:

• Pharma industry is demanding that global level production norms may urgently be brought into practice. The specific demand is for Schedule M norms to be aligned with:
  • PIC/S (Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention and Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme)
    • Pharma MSME’s, will be required to adopt global standards, specifically focusing on good manufacturing practices (GMP).
    • Will facilitate market access in advanced economies. By aligning with international norms, India’s medical product quality will be enhanced, providing assurance to consumers and regulators.
  • ICH (International Council for Harmonisation of technical requirements for pharmaceuticals)
• Significance:
  • India is a leading supplier of drugs all over the world.Even US has significant generic and biosimilar drug supply from India.
  • UAE, Gulf Cooperation Council, and other advanced economies, employ reference prices from developed markets to set their own prices. Because of this Indian medicine are left out even if of superior quality.
  • By becoming a member of PIC/S, India’s prices will also be considered for referencing, allowing the country to overcome these market barriers and gain better access to these regions.
  • PIC/S will be a platform for harmonizing, educating, and updating aspects related to Good Manufacturing Practice among member countries. It also helps in coordination between regulatory authorities and governments.

3. RBI seeks easier write-off norms after ED notice to exporters

Subject : Economy

Section: Monetary policy

In News: Exporters receiving Enforcement Directorate (ED) notices for alleged violation of foreign exchange norms in reference to their unpaid receivables.

Key Points:

• RBI has recommended that the central government relax write-off norms related to unpaid receivables of exporters. (eg. A jewellery company exported the items, but never got paid)
• RBI’s master directions on the export of goods specify how such dues are to be written off.
  • As per the rules, any dues up to 5% of the total export proceeds of a company can be written off by the company itself.
  • If the dues exceed this threshold, then it would have to be written off by the authorized dealer (AD) bank.
  • In both scenarios, the exporter is required to submit supporting evidence to AD bank, which indicates that the company has tried all recovery options.
• For some companies the amount due was so small that companies did not write it off. In a few other cases, while the exporter wrote off the dues, it did not provide any supporting documents to the AD bank.
• Reason for concern is that even if the amount of write-off is small it can be used for money laundering. (as if the receivable money is not paid, it is a one way transfer of money to the other party)

4. Rupee volatility declines to multi-decade low

Subject : Economy

Section: External Sector

Key Points:

• The volatility of the rupee has touched multi-decade lows in June. (volatility is a measure of the variation in the value of any variable/parameter, here it is the forex rate)
• The stability of the Rupee within the 81-83 band indicates two things:
  • The monetary policy environment and economic outlook support the exchange rate determination.
  • RBI has been effective in keeping Rupee within the range, even as it builds its forex buffers.
• On the economic outlook front, a positive bias for the rupee can also be attributed to improved growth prospects, healthy capital inflows, and lower oil prices.
• On the monetary side, while the Monetary Policy Committee has chosen a pause on rates, the Fed has indicated chances of another rate hike. Together these expectations are holding the pricing of the currency pair in stable range.
• FPI flows too have remained robust during this period.
• If China’s renminbi/yuan is considered, Rupee has appreciated against it as China has recently cut its rate against the Fed move of holding the rate. This may pose a risk for India on the trade front, as a stronger rupee vis-a-vis Yuan will drive Chinese imports into India.

5. India climbs eight places to 127 in global gender index: WEF report

Subject : International Relations

Section: International Reports

Concept :

• India has been ranked 127 out of 146 countries in gender parity as per the Gender Gap Report, 2023 published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
• India was ranked 135 in 2022.
• As per the Gender Gap Report, 2023, India’s immediate neighbours such as Pakistan have been ranked at 142, Bangladesh at 59, China at 107, Nepal at 116, Sri Lanka at 115 and Bhutan at 103.
• Iceland has remained the most gender-equal country for the 14th consecutive year as per the index.
• India has improved by 1.4% points from 2022, marking a partial recovery towards its 2020 parity level.
• The report also noted that India had closed 64.3% of the overall gender gap, but the country reached only 36.7% parity in economic participation and opportunity.

About Gender Gap Report

• It benchmarks countries on their progress towards gender parity in four Key dimensions with Sub Metrices.
• Economic Participation and Opportunity
• Educational Attainment
• Health and Survival
• Political Empowerment
• On each of the four sub-indices as well as on the overall index the GGG index provides scores between 0 and 1, where 1 shows full gender parity and 0 is complete imparity.
• It is the longest-standing index, which tracks progress towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.
• Objectives:
• To serve as a compass to track progress on relative gaps between women and men on health, education, economy and politics.
• Through this annual yardstick, the stakeholders within each country are able to set priorities relevant in each specific economic, political and cultural context.

6. Industry eyes access to Gati Shakti portal to boost capex in connectivity

Subject : Schemes

Concept :

• Industry is hopeful that the government may soon agree to open up access to the PM Gati Shakti portal developed for planning multi-modal infrastructure projects, thus helping facilitate greater private capital investments especially in connectivity projects that are seen as critical to sustain the economy’s momentum.

About PM Gate Sakthi Scheme

• Aim: To ensure integrated planning and implementation of infrastructure projects in the next four years, with focus on expediting works on the ground, saving costs and creating jobs.
• The Gati Shakti scheme will subsume the Rs 110 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline that was launched in 2019.
• Besides cutting logistics costs, the scheme is also aimed at increasing cargo handling capacity and reducing the turnaround time at ports to boost trade.
• It also aims to have 11 industrial corridors and two new defence corridors – one in Tamil Nadu and other in Uttar Pradesh. Extending 4G connectivity to all villages is another aim. Adding 17,000 kms to the gas pipeline network is being planned.
• It will help in fulfilling the ambitious targets set by the government for 2024-25, including expanding the length of the national highway network to 2 lakh kms, creation of more than 200 new airports, heliports and water aerodromes.
• Integrated Approach: It intends to bring together 16 infrastructure related Ministries.
• This will help in removing long-standing issues such as disjointed planning, lack of standardisation, problems with clearances, and timely creation and utilisation of infrastructure capacities.
• Gati Shakti Digital Platform: It involves the creation of a common umbrella platform through which infrastructure projects can be planned and implemented in an efficacious manner by way of coordination between various ministries/departments on a real-time basis.

Expected Outcomes

• The scheme will help mapping the existing and proposed connectivity projects.
• Also, there will be immense clarity on how different regions and industrial hubs in the country are linked, particularly for last mile connectivity.
• A holistic and integrated transport connectivity strategy will greatly support Make in India and integrate different modes of transport.
• It will help India become the business capital of the world.

7. Chinese carrier passes through Taiwan Strait

Subject : International Relations

Section: Places in news

Concept :

• China’s Shandong aircraft carrier led a group of warships through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, Taipei’s defence ministry said.
• Beijing has ramped up sea and air incursions in recent years around self-ruled Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory, but the deployment of the Shandong through the waterway separating the island from mainland China is a rarity.

About Taiwan Strait

• The Taiwan Strait is a 180-kilometer (110 mi)-wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia.
• The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea.
• Former names of the Taiwan Strait include the Formosa Strait or Strait of Formosa, from a dated name for Taiwan; the Strait of Fokien or Fujian, from the Chinese province forming the strait’s western shore; and the Black Ditch, a calque of the strait’s name in Hokkien and Hakka.

Geographical Features

• The entire strait is on Asia’s continental shelf.
• The Taiwan Strait is relatively shallow. It has an average depth of about 490ft.

Rivers draining into it

• Several rivers including the Jiulong and Min rivers from China’s Fujian Province drain into the Taiwan Strait.

Islands on the Taiwan Strait

• Several islands are located in the strait. Kinmen and Matsu are two of the largest and most significant islands in the strait located off the Fujian coast of China.
• The biggest islands along the Taiwan side include Penghu (or Pescadores), Xiamen, and Pingtan.
• The Xiamen and Pingtan Islands are administered by the People’s Republic of China, while the other three islands: Penghu (or Pescadores), Kinmen, and Matsu are under the administration of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
• The Penghu (or Pescadores) Island is the largest and most populous island in the Taiwan Strait.

8. Senate Caucus to push for ‘NATO plus five’ status for India

Subject : International Relations

Section: Groupings

Concept :

• As Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Washington, the US Senate is set to introduce legislation that aims to grant India ‘NATO plus five’ defence status.
• However, India’s External Affairs Minister has already rejected this framework for India.

NATO Plus five

• NATO Plus is a coalition consisting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and five countries, namely Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, and South Korea.
• The primary objective of this group is to enhance global defense cooperation.
• Membership in NATO Plus would offer several advantages to India, including seamless intelligence sharing among member countries, access to cutting-edge military technology without delays, and a strengthened defense partnership with the United States.

9. Remembering Alex Müller for reshaping superconductors

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Awareness in IT  and computers

Concept :

• Karl Alexander (Alex) Müller (1927–2023) was a Swiss physicist and Nobel Prize laureate.
• He was widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of superconductivity, and his discovery of high-temperature superconductors has had a profound impact on the field of solid-state physics and beyond.

Defining Superconductors

• A superconductor is a material that attains superconductivity, a state of matter with no electrical resistance. In a superconductor, an electric current can persist indefinitely.
• Superconductors are different from ordinary conductors, such as copper.
• Unlike regular conductors whose resistance gradually reduces, the superconductor’s resistance drops to zero below a fixed temperature, which is the critical temperature.
• At this temperature, a superconductor can conduct electricity with no resistance, which means no heat, sound, or other forms of energy would be discharged from the material when it reaches the “critical temperature” (Tc).
• To become superconductive, most materials must be in an incredibly low energy state (very cold). Presently, excessive energy must be used in the cooling process, making superconductors uneconomical and inefficient.
• Some of the popular examples of superconductors are aluminium, magnesium diboride, niobium, copper oxide, yttrium barium and iron pnictides.

Superconductor Types

• Superconductors come in two distinct types: type I and type II.
• Type I Superconductors :
• A type I superconductor consists of fundamental conductive elements that are used in everything from electrical wiring to computer microchips.
• Type II Superconductors :
• A type II superconductor comprises metallic compounds such as lead or copper. They achieve a superconductive state at much higher temperatures compared to type I superconductors. Type II superconductors can be penetrated by a magnetic field, whereas type I cannot.

Superconductivity-Indian Scenario

• India has a long history of research in superconductivity, with notable contributions from institutions such as the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
• The National Superconductivity Mission (NSM) is an initiative launched by the Government of India in 2017 to promote research and development in the field of superconductivity.
• The mission aims to develop indigenous technology for superconductors and their applications in various industries, including healthcare, energy, and transportation.

10. COAI urges government to free up entire 6 GHz to enhance 5G services

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Awareness in IT  and computers

Context:

• Opening the complete 6 GHz band for international mobile telecommunications (IMT) for 5G communications can help improve the quality of coverage, enhancing the experience of users, said Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

Details:

• 6 GHz band can enable better spectrum efficiency and allows the broadband service providers to provide more service to customers while reducing their operating costs.
  The insufficient spectrum in mid-bands will imply extreme densification to meet mobile broadband demand.
• Extreme densification imposes unsustainably high costs (ultimately borne by users), increased carbon footprint, and may not even be feasible due to interference or site availability challenges.
• Reasons for their demand includes:
  • Mobile data is a key source of internet access in India. So, WiFi is not required much for Indian population.
  • The wireline broadband penetration is only 3 per cent of the subscriptions.
  • For satellite communications also, the industry is recommending promotion of the use of Ku (12 GHz to 18 Ghz)/ Ka (26.5 GHz to 40 GHz) and other higher frequency band.
  • 6 GHz band is crucial for enhancing the performance of 5G networks, enabling higher data speeds, increased capacity, and improved connectivity.

International Mobile Telecommunications- Advanced (ITM-A):

• International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced (IMT-Advanced Standard) are the requirements (standerds) issued by the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2008 for what is marketed as 4G mobile phone and Internet access service.
• International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced (IMT-Advanced) systems are mobile systems that include the new capabilities of IMT that go beyond those of IMT-2000.
  • Such systems provide access to a wide range of telecommunication services including advanced mobile services, supported by mobile and fixed networks, which are increasingly packet-based.
  • IMT-Advanced systems support low to high mobility applications and a wide range of data rates in accordance with user and service demands in multiple user environments.
  • IMT Advanced also has capabilities for high quality multimedia applications within a wide range of services and platforms, providing a significant improvement in performance and quality of service.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI):

• Founder in 1995.
• The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) is an Indian non-governmental trade association and advocacy group focused mainly on telecommunications industry.
• COAI was constituted in 1995 as a registered, non-governmental society.
• As of 2017, COAI has been (jointly) organizing the India Mobile Congress with the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India.
• Headquarters: New Delhi

11. Why jeera prices are shooting up in wholesale markets

Subject :Geography

Section: Economic geography

Context:

• The price of Cumin, commonly known as jeera, the aromatic seed that adds an extra punch of taste to Indian dishes, has crossed the 50,000 per quintal mark at the APMC mandi of Unjha in Gujrat’s Mehsana district. The next day it crossed Rs.54,000 mark.

What explains this unprecedented price spike?

• The increase in price is due to supply-demand imbalance.
  • The market season for jeera begins from mid-February and peaks in May. The arrival of jeera in the market this year have been half of the demand.

• As per the government estimates the Jeera production in India has fallen from 9.12 lakh tonnes (lt) in 2019-20 to 7.95 lt in 2020-21 and 7.25 lt in 2021-22. For 2022-23 it is estimated to be marginally lower mainly due to unseasonal rains.
• The opening stock or carry-forward is also very low.
  • According to the Federation of Indian Spice Stakeholders (FISS) – an Unjha-based body of spice seed processors, traders and exporters – these stood at about 35 lakh bags (of 55 kg each) in February 2022, before the beginning of the last crop marketing season.
• This time’s carry-forward from the 2021-22 crop has been just 3-4 lakh bags.
• The low inventory with traders, coupled with a dip in production, is what has resulted in prices being pushed up.

• Other factors include:
  • China has been importing Indian cumin aggressively. Over the past three months alone, China has imported 25,000-30,000 tonnes of cumin from India, as crop there is not sufficient to meet the demand.
  • Demand has gone up this year as hotels and restaurants are reopening after long-drawn Covid-19 restrictions.
  • There is demand from Bangladesh and Pakistan also, because of the Bakrid festival towards the end of this month.

Which are the major producers of jeera?

• India accounts for some 70% of the world’s production of this seed spice.
• Other countries such as Syria, Turkey, UAE and Iran make up the balance 30%.
• Many of them, unlike India, have been facing production disruptions from civil war and natural disasters.
• Jeera is grown on about 8 lakh hectares area in India. Out of the total 7.25 lt production in 2021-22, two states – Gujarat (4.20 lt) and Rajasthan (3.03 lt) – had a combined 99.7% share.
• India’s jeera production is meant for both its domestic market as well as for export.
• During 2022-23 (April-March), exports of cumin seeds amounted to 1.87 lt (valued at Rs 4,193.60 crore), as against 2.17 lt (Rs 3,343.67 crore) in the previous fiscal.
• The top export destinations include China, Bangladesh, US, UAE, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Why do others not cultivate cumin?

• Jeera crop is sown in October-November and harvested in February-March.
• Jeera is an extremely weather-sensitive crop. It requires a moderately cool and dry climate sans any humidity, which is conducive for fungal infestation during the crop’s flowering and seed development stages.
• That naturally limits the area of cultivation to Saurashtra, Kutch and the northern parts of Gujarat and adjoining districts of western Rajasthan such as Jalore, Barmer, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Pali and Nagaur. Unjha, enjoying the strategic advantage of being in the centre of the country’s jeera cultivation belt, has become the price-setting market for the crop.

How much have farmers benefited from high prices?

• Unjha APMC is the World’s largest wholesale market for the spice.
• An estimated 80% of this year’s jeera harvest has already been marketed.
• It’s only the remaining 20% crop that will command prices of Rs 50,000-plus per quintal.

What do the high prices mean for consumers?

• Jeera isn’t an essential food, but a premium seed spice that imparts aroma to everything from curries to rice to soft drinks.
• But the overall quantities for such applications is generally very low. Unlike in the case of onions and potatoes, which have a bearing on the consumer price index, the government may not be inclined to intervene much in the market to control its prices.

12. Why the draft livestock and livestock products Bill was withdrawn

Subject :Polity

Section: Legislation in news

Context:

• The Bill is meant to replace the Live-stock Importation Act, 1898, and the Live-stock (Amendment) Act, 2001. It frames guidelines for the import and export of live animals, which has raised concerns among animal lovers.

Details:

• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), which comes under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, prepared the draft of the Live-stock and Live-stock Products (Importation and Exportation) Bill-2023.
• The 4-page Bill has 10 sections.
• It is different from the existing law in three key aspects:

1. It allows export of live animals,
2. It widens the scope of animal import-export (including cats and dogs among ‘live-stock’), and
3. Takes away some powers of state governments to regulate this area.

• Need for a new law:
• The present law that regulates import of live-stock is 125 years old.
• The Live-stock Importation Act, 1898, being the pre-constitutional/pre-independence Central Act, a need has been felt to align it with the contemporary requirements and prevailing circumstances related to sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, and its extant Allocation of Business Rules, 1961.
• The 1898 law was amended once in 2001. The changes introduced was the inclusion of the import of livestock products. The earlier law dealt with only the import of live-stock.
• The 2001 amendment also empowered the Centre to “regulate, restrict or prohibit” the trade of any live-stock product that may be liable to affect human or animal health.

Key provisions of the proposed draft:

Criticism include:

• As per the some animal rights activists and organisations, the bill will lead to exploitation and cruelty to animals.
• According to 2021 figures released by the United Nations, almost 2 billion of the 80 billion land animals raised for food around the world are exported alive to different countries.
• Facing the widespread criticism, the Centre has withdrawn the draft Live-stock and Live-stock Products [Importation and Exportation] Bill, 2023.

13. ‘Deletion’ of Darwin theory from textbooks: Union education minister says nothing of this sort has happened

Subject :Science and Technology

Section: Basic science

Context:

• A controversy is going on these days that Darwin’s theory of evolution has been removed from science books by the NCERT and the periodic table has been left out.

Details:

• Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Education Minister, spoke to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which is an autonomous body, and sought details.
• According to them, experts had advised that during COVID-19, some repetitive parts could be reduced and later brought back. So the content in Classes 8 and 9 is unchanged. In the book of Class 10, some portion related to the theory of evolution was omitted last year, and it is unchanged in Classes 11 and 12.
• There is a view that students who would not study science after Class 10 would miss out on some specific subjects related to Darwin’s theory of evolution.

About the Theory of Evolution:

• The Theory of Evolution by natural selection was first formulated in Charles Darwin’s book “Origin of Species” published in 1859.
• In his book, Darwin describes how organisms evolve over generations through the inheritance of physical or behavioural traits.
• The theory starts with the premise that within a population, there is variation in traits, such as beak shape in one of the Galapagos finches Darwin studied.
• According to the theory, individuals with traits that enable them to adapt to their environments will help them survive and have more offspring, which will inherit those traits.
• Individuals with less adaptive traits will less frequently survive to pass them on.
• Over time, the traits that enable species to survive and reproduce will become more frequent in the population and the population will change, or evolve.
• Through natural selection, Darwin suggested, genetically diverse species could arise from a common ancestor.
  • A species is a population of organisms that interbreeds and has fertile offspring.
  • Living organisms have descended with modifications from species that lived before them.
  • Natural selection explains how this evolution has happened:
  • More organisms are produced than can survive because of limited resources.
  • Organisms struggle for the necessities of life; there is competition for resources.
  • Individuals within a population vary in their traits; some of these traits are heritable — passed on to offspring.
  • Some variants are better adapted to survive and reproduce under local conditions than others.
  • Better-adapted individuals (the “fit enough”) are more likely to survive (Survival of the fittest) and reproduce, thereby passing on copies of their genes to the next generation.
  • Species whose individuals are best adapted survive; others become extinct.

14. Lightning activity in the European Eastern Alps doubled in 40 years. What does this indicate?

Subject :Geography

Section: Physical geography ( Climatology)

Context:

• Lightning activity in the higher European Eastern Alps doubled in the 2010s compared to the 1980s, according to a new study.

Details of the study:

• Warming in the European Eastern Alps and surrounding regions is more pronounced than in the rest of Europe. Some scientific models have predicted that climate change can be a factor behind the increase in lightning activity, making it a good indicator of the climate crisis.
• During the day, the peak is up to 50 per cent stronger, with more lightning in the afternoon and evening. Similar signals along the southern and northern edges of the Alps are present but weaker. The flat areas around the Alps show no significant trend.
• The rising temperatures due to climate change are causing the frequency of thunderstorms and thus lightning to increase even further.
• Thunderstorms always come with lightning and, like extreme weather events, have been made more frequent and intense across the world by climate change.
• The topography of mountainous areas already makes them more prone to thunderstorms. Moreover, the melting of ice that covers these terrains has exposed larger areas to heating.
• Harmful effects of Cloud-to-ground lightning:
  • Cause power outages by damaging electricity supply infrastructure.
  • Can spark fires at the sites they strike.
  • People may get injured and even be fatally struck by lightning.
  • Lightning also injects air pollutants like NOx and ozone into the atmosphere and threatens permafrost.

What is lightning?

• Lightning is an electrical discharge that occurs when there is an imbalance between the storm clouds and the earth or even within the clouds.
• Clouds are where lightning typically occurs.

Types of lightning

• Intercloud or intra-cloud (IC):  Harmless
• Cloud to Ground (CG) lightning: Harmful as the ‘high electric voltage and electric current’ can lead to electrocution.

What causes lightning?

• The rising temperature causes water vapour to condense as it rises in the cloud. The water droplets become minute ice crystals as their temperature falls below zero degrees Celsius.
• They keep expanding until they are so heavy that they start to tumble to the ground. This results in a system where smaller ice crystals are travelling up and larger crystals are coming down simultaneously.
• After a collision, electrons are released and triggered in a manner akin to the creation of electric sparks. A chain reaction happens as more collisions and electrons are produced as a result of the free electrons’ movement.
• The upper layer of the cloud becomes positively charged as a result of this process, whilst the middle layer becomes negatively charged. Between one billion and ten billion volts separate the two layers’ electric potentials, which is a very significant difference.
• A massive current, between 100,000 and one million amperes, starts to flow between the layers in a matter of seconds.
• Earth is electrically neutral and a good conductor of electricity. It becomes positively charged in contrast to the cloud’s centre layer, though. Because of this, 15% to 20% of the current is also directed toward the Earth.

15. Why jet engine is a big deal

Subject :Science and technology

Section: Defence

Context:

• India-USA may announce the agreement to facilitate the transfer of at least 11 critical jet engine technologies.

Details:

• The is between America’s General Electric (GE) and India’s HAL for the manufacture under licence in India of GE’s F414 engine for the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk2.

The GE-414 engine:

• The turbo engine has been in use by the US Navy for more than 30 years.
• The engines are in the thrust class of 22,000 lb or 98 kN and feature advanced technology such as Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC)– the latest aircraft ignition and engine control system that controls engine performance digitally- according to GE.
• The use of advanced material and cooling techniques improves performance and extends component life.

F414-powered jets:

• Eight nations have F414-powered aircraft in operation.
• F414-GE-400 engines power the US Navy’s Boeing F/A- 18E/F Super Hornet and EA18G Growler electric attack aircraft.
• Saab’s Gripen E/F fighters use the F414G, the single-engine variant of the F414-GE-400.
• As per the company, it can also power emerging platforms like Korean KF-X.

For Indian aircraft:

• The India-specific version of the engine F414-INS6 was selected by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the DRDO for the LCA Tejas Mk2.
• The LCA-Tejas is powered by a single GE-404-IN20 engine. The GE-404 engine, the basic design of which has been replicated in the F414, was developed in the 1970s.
• F414 engines may also power the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s futuristic fifth-generation fighter aircraft for its airforce.
• Safran and HAL have co-developed the Shakti engine for indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and LCH Prachand.

Significance of the deal:

• Only US, Russia, the UK and France have mastered the technology of this engine.
• It is a major push for self-reliance in manufacturing several critical technologies, including cryogenic rockets engine.
• Earlier the DRDO developed the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), which developed the GTX-37 engine for the LCA. Later the Kaveri engine project was sanctioned in late 1989 but found unsuitable for fighter aircraft.

16. SC denies relief to ED in T.N. Minister’s case, leaves it to HC

Subject : Polity

Section: Constitution

Concept :

• In a setback to Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Madras high court order entertaining a habeas corpus petition against the arrest of Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji in ‘cash for job scam’ and permitting his treatment and surgery at a private hospital.

Habeas Corpus

• Habeas corpus is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court.
• He/she can request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, to bring the prisoner to court, to determine whether the detention is lawful.
• In India the power to issue a writ of habeas corpus is vested only in the Supreme Court and the High Court.
• Habeas corpus is the writ which was visualized as an effective means to provide a quick remedy to a person who has lost his personal liberty without any legal justification.

Article 32

• Article 32 deals with the ‘Right to Constitutional Remedies’, or affirms the right to move the Supreme Court by appropriate proceedings for the enforcement of the rights conferred in Part III of the Constitution.
• It is one of the fundamental rights listed in the Constitution that each citizen is entitled.
• It states that the Supreme Court “shall have the power to issue directions or orders or writs for the enforcement of any of the rights conferred by this Part”.
• The right guaranteed by this Article “shall not be suspended except as otherwise provided for by this Constitution”.
• Dr B R Ambedkar has called it the very soul and heart of the Constitution. It cannot be suspended except during the period of Emergency.

Types of Writs under it

• Both the High Courts and the Supreme Court can be approached for violation or enactment of fundamental rights through five kinds of writs:
• Habeas corpus (related to personal liberty in cases of illegal detentions and wrongful arrests)
• Mandamus — directing public officials, governments, courts to perform a statutory duty;
• Quo Warranto — to show by what warrant is a person holding public office;
• Prohibition — directing judicial or quasi-judicial authorities to stop proceedings which it has no jurisdiction for; and
• Certiorari — re-examination of an order given by judicial, quasi-judicial or administrative authorities.
• When it comes to violation of fundamental rights, an individual can approach the High Court under Article 226 or the Supreme Court directly under Article 32.

17. An ancient Mayan empire city was found in the Mexican jungle

Subject : History

Section: Ancient India

Concept :

• A previously unknown ancient Maya city has been discovered in the jungles of southern Mexico, the country’s anthropology institute INAH, adding it was likely an important center more than a thousand years ago.

Details

• INAH said the city, which it has named Ocomtún — meaning “stone column” in the Yucatec Maya language — would have been an important center for the peninsula’s central lowland region between 250 and 1000 AD.
• It is located in the Balamku ecological reserve on the country’s Yucatán Peninsula and was discovered during a search of a largely unexplored stretch of jungle larger than Luxembourg.
• The search took place between March and June using aerial laser mapping (LiDAR) technology.

About Mayan Civilization

• The Maya are an indigenous people of Mexico and Central America who have continuously inhabited the lands comprising modern-day Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, and Chiapas in Mexico and southward through Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras.
• The Maya civilization originated in the Yucatan Peninsula. Known for its monumental architecture and an advanced understanding of mathematics and astronomy.
• The rise of the Maya began about 250 CE, and what is known to archaeologists as the Classic Period of Mayan culture lasted until about 900 CE. At its height, Mayan civilization consisted of more than 40 cities, each with a population between 5,000 and 50,000.
• But then, suddenly, between 800 and 950 CE, many of the southern cities were abandoned. This period is called the collapse of the Classic Maya civilisations, puzzling modern-day scientists.

Special Features:

• As early as 1500 BCE the Maya had settled in villages and had developed an agriculture based on the cultivation of corn (maize), beans, and squash; by 600 CE cassava (sweet manioc) was also grown.
• They began to build ceremonial centres, and by 200 CE these had developed into cities containing temples, pyramids, palaces, courts for playing ball, and plazas.
• The ancient Maya quarried immense quantities of building stone (usually limestone), which they cut by using harder stones such as chert. They practiced mainly slash-and-burn agriculture, but they used advanced techniques of irrigation and terracing. They also developed a system of hieroglyphic writing and highly sophisticated calendrical and astronomical systems.
• The Maya made paper from the inner bark of wild fig trees and wrote their hieroglyphs on books made from this paper. Those books are called codices.
• The Maya also developed an elaborate and beautiful tradition of sculpture and relief carving.
• Architectural works and stone inscriptions and reliefs are the chief sources of knowledge about the early Maya.

18. Emergency

Subject :Polity

Section: Constitution

• This can be declared due to war / external aggression [external emergency] or armed rebellion [internal emergency]. A proclamation can be issued by the president for different grounds. It can be issued when an already existing proclamation is in force too.
• It can apply to entire country or a part.
• It can be declared even before an actual occurrence if president is satisfied of imminent threat.
• The president can declare this only after written recommendation of the entire cabinet.
• A proclamation can be subject to judicial review.
• A proclamation must be approved by both houses within one month by a special majority. This extends the life of emergency by six months at a time. This can be done infinite times.
• If Lok Sabha is dissolved then the approval of proclamation or extension of its life can be done by Rajya Sabha. The proclamation survives till 30 days after first sitting of the newly reconstituted Lok Sabha.
• A proclamation can be revoked by president anytime [this doesn’t need parliament ratification]. Also Lok Sabha can force a revocation by disapproving it with a simple majority. Thus Rajya Sabha has no role in revocation.

Effects of national emergency:

• Centre can issue executive directions to states on any matters. However state governments aren’t suspended.
• Parliament can make laws on matters in the state list. If parliament isn’t in session president can pass ordinances on state list matters.
• Parliament can also confer powers and duties on center and its authorities to carry out tasks under its extended jurisdiction.
• Such legislative actions become inoperative within 6 months of the emergency ceasing to operate. Such laws apply even to states where the emergency isn’t imposed.
• President can modify distribution of revenues between centre and states till the end of financial year when emergency is over. Such orders have to be laid before parliament.
• Parliament by law can extend term of Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly by 1 year at a time [any number of times]. This becomes inoperable by the end of 6 months of emergency ending.
• Under article 358, all fundamental rights under Article 19 i.e. Right to Freedom, are automatically suspended when a proclamation of national emergency on external grounds [not armed rebellion] is declared. This action applies to whole country not a part.
• Any law can be passed that violates these rights but not any other, such a law can’t be invalidated till the emergency is operative. Any action as per laws also remains above judicial remedy even after emergency is revoked.
• Under article 359 a presidential order can be passed disallowing people from seeking judicial remedy to enforce other fundamental rights i.e. article 14-32 that are specified in that order [ except article 20&21: right to life and liberty] for a specific period only.
• The rights remain in force but right to seek remedy is suspended. The state can make laws abridging the fundamental rights mentioned in the order such laws can’t be challenged in court.
• Any executive action under such laws is also protected. Presidential order has to be approved by both houses. Article 359 is available even during national emergency on armed rebellion. The presidential order can apply to whole country or a part.