Daily Prelims Notes 24 December 2024

December 24, 2024
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes

24 December 2024

Table Of Contents

1. Why has the MHA reimposed restrictions in three NE States?

Sub: Polity

Sec: Msc

Context:

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has reintroduced the Protected Area Regime (PAR) in the states of Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram.
This move restricts and monitors the movement of foreigners within these regions. Foreigners visiting these states are now required to obtain prior permission and Protected Area Permits (PAP) from the government.
The relaxation previously granted to these states under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 has been withdrawn with immediate effect.

Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958:

The order mandates that no foreigner can enter or remain in a protected area without a permit issued by the Central government or any office authorised by the Central government.
Foreigners must obtain a permit specifying entry points, residence, and stay duration.
This order applies to areas located between the inner line and the international border of specific states and union territories, which are designated as Protected Areas.
These include regions in: Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, entire states of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and partly Sikkim.
Additionally, a 1963 order declared the entire Andaman & Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim as “restricted areas.”

Relaxation of PAR:

In 2010, the Protected Area Regime was relaxed for Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland due to improved security conditions and the desire to promote tourism.
Initially, the relaxation was for one year and subsequently for 1-2 years. In 2022, the relaxation was further extended for an additional five years, lasting until December 31, 2027.
However, on December 17, 2024, the relaxation was withdrawn for these states.

Reason for Withdrawal of Relaxation:

The relaxation was withdrawn due to growing security concerns in these border areas, particularly in Manipur, which has faced ethnic violence since May 2023.
Additionally, the influx of refugees from Myanmar, following the military coup in 2021, has added to tensions in the region. India shares a 1,643 km long border with Myanmar which passes through the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
The Free Movement Regime (FMR) between the two countries, allowing movement of people living within 16 kms of the international border, was suspended by MHA in January.

Procedure to obtain a PAP:

The Protected Area Permit (PAP) can be obtained from Indian missions (embassies and consulates), Ministry of Home Affairs, District Magistrates, Resident Commissioners of a state, Home Commissioners and Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
Additionally, foreign nationals from countries such as Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan, or those of foreign origin from these nations, requires prior approval from the MHA.

Registration requirements:

Foreigners visiting Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram are now required to mandatorily register with the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) within 24 hours of their arrival in any state or district they visit.
Myanmar nationals who previously did not require a PAP (if holding an e-tourist visa or any other visa) must now also register with the FRRO within 24 hours of arrival.

Inner line:

The colonial concept of Inner Line separates the tribal-majority hills of the Northeast from the plains. ILP was introduced in India to protect the indigenous tribes from exploitation.
To enter and stay in these areas, an Inner Line Permit (ILP) is needed.

2. Somalia, Ethiopia forces face off in deadly clash days after peace accord

Sub :IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

Somalia accused Ethiopian forces of launching a deadly attack on its troops stationed at an airstrip in the border town of Doolow in Somalia’s Jubaland state.
This attack threatens to undermine a recent agreement brokered by Turkey in early December 2024, aimed at resolving a year-long dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia.

Somalia:

Somalia is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the east.
Somalia is a federation of semi-autonomous member states including Puntland, Jubaland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle and South West, that have often clashed with the central government in Mogadishu.
Capital: Mogadishu

Jubaland:

Jubaland is an autonomous state in southern Somalia, bordering Kenya and Ethiopia.
Parts of the region are under conflict between Kenya and Somalia.
Somalia’s federal government has been clashing in recent weeks with forces of Jubaland over control of key areas in the state.

Ethiopia:

Ethiopia, in the Horn of Africa, is a landlocked country split by the Great Rift Valley.
It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west, and Sudan to the northwest.

3. Philippines set to acquire U.S. Typhon missile system

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

The Philippines has announced plans to acquire the U.S. Typhon missile system to enhance its maritime defence, particularly in securing its sovereignty over disputed waters.
China labelled the move as provocative and dangerous, warning that it could escalate tensions in the region.

About Typhon missile system:

Typhon, also commonly referred to as the “Strategic Mid-range Fires System” (SMRF), is a United States Army transporter erector launcher
The Typhon missile system is a land-based, mid-range missile defence system developed by US firm Lockheed Martin for the US Army, has a range of 300 miles (480 kilometres), though a longer-range version is in development.
It is designed to offer enhanced aerial defence capabilities against threats such as aircraft, missiles, and other aerial targets.

About Philippines:

The Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia.
It is situated in the western Pacific Ocean, and consists of more than 7,000 islands.
The islands are broadly categorized under three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
It is bordered by the Philippine Sea to the east, the South China Sea to the west, and the Celebes Sea to the south.

4. Modi’s silence on 13A due to lack of pressure from T.N., Sri Lankan Tamil parties

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the 13th Amendment during a press conference with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is seen as a result of insufficient pressure from both Sri Lankan Tamil parties and Tamil Nadu political forces.

About 13^th Amendment:

The 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution was the outcome Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987, which aimed to address the concerns of the Tamil population in Sri Lanka.
The amendment was introduced to grant a degree of autonomy to Sri Lanka’s provinces, particularly the Tamil-majority Northern and Eastern provinces.
The 13th Amendment carries considerable baggage from the country’s civil war years. It was opposed vociferously by both Sinhala nationalist parties and the LTTE and has not been fully implemented yet.

Key Provisions of the 13th Amendment:

The 13th Amendment created provincial councils for the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, allowing for local governance and autonomy in several areas.
The amendment devolved certain powers to the provincial councils, including education, health, local government, and housing.
It affirmed the use of Tamil as an official language in the Tamil-majority provinces, alongside Sinhala as the national language of Sri Lanka, ensuring linguistic rights for Tamil speakers.

5. How does Google’s GenCast AI, which predicts the weather, work?

Sub: Sci

Sec: Awareness in IT

Context:

Google DeepMind introduced GenCast, an advanced AI model designed to improve weather forecasting. According to a paper published in the journal Nature, GenCast outperforms existing models in predicting the weather, offering more accurate forecasts, especially for extreme weather events.

How Does the Weather Forecasting Work?

Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP):
- Weather forecasts are traditionally made by running multiple simulations of the atmosphere using supercomputers.
- These simulations are based on equations that model the physical laws of nature, but they can only predict the weather accurately for about a week.
- Ensemble forecasting was introduced in the 1990s, where several predictions are made using different starting conditions to account for uncertainty.

How GenCast Performs?

AI-Driven Ensemble Forecasting:
- Unlike traditional models, GenCast generates forecasts using AI instead of NWP simulations.
- Trained on 40 years of reanalysis data (1979–2019), GenCast provides predictions with greater accuracy than the ECMWF’s ensemble (ENS) model, which is regarded as one of the best in NWP.
- Key Performance Metrics:
  - Outperforms ENS on 97.2% of 1,320 targets.
  - More accurate than ENS on 99.8% of the targets when predicting weather more than 36 hours in advance.
  - Better predictions for extreme weather, tropical cyclones, and wind power production.

How GenCast Works?

AI Model Structure:
- GenCast uses a neural network with 41,162 nodes and 240,000 edges to process data.
- The model “de-noises” input data through a series of 30 refinements to generate accurate weather predictions.
- This process is similar to how diffusion models work in AI (e.g., generating images or videos).
- The model generates 50+ forecasts simultaneously, each covering 15 days with a 12-hour temporal resolution and spatial resolution of 0.25° x 0.25°.
Speed:
- GenCast can produce forecasts in 8 minutes using a single TPU v5 unit, a significant improvement over the hours required by supercomputers for traditional NWP.

Will GenCast Replace NWP?

Probabilistic Forecasts:
- Unlike deterministic NWP models, GenCast provides probabilistic forecasts, such as the chance of rain rather than exact measurements.
- Experts believe probabilistic forecasts are more useful for predicting extreme weather events, offering better preparation time.
Complementary, Not Replacing NWP:
- While GenCast’s performance shows promise, traditional NWP models remain essential. They provide critical initial weather data and training data for AI models like GenCast.
- Both NWP and GenCast rely on fundamental weather data governed by the laws of physics.

Other AI Models in Development:

DeepMind is also working on GraphCast for medium-range deterministic forecasts.
Google Research is developing NeuralGCM to combine AI with NWP for deterministic predictions.
Other companies, like Huawei and Nvidia, are developing AI models that outperform traditional NWP models in speed and extreme weather prediction.

Source: TH

6. India’s Dependence on China for Critical Minerals

Sub : Geo

Sec: Eco geo

Why in News

India’s increasing dependence on China for critical minerals has come under scrutiny due to its implications for economic development and national security. A recent report by the Ministry of Mines (2023) identified 30 critical minerals essential for India’s progress, highlighting a heavy reliance on imports, particularly from China.

India’s Dependency on China:

India’s import data (2019–2024) reveals acute vulnerability in six critical minerals:
- Bismuth, Lithium, Silicon, Titanium, Tellurium and Graphite.
Bismuth: China dominates global bismuth production. India has negligible bismuth production and relies heavily on imports.

Used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, alloys, and as a lead substitute in free-machining steels.

Lithium: Australia leads in lithium production, followed by Chile and China. India currently has no commercial lithium production but has identified reserves in Jammu and Kashmir.

Essential for rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles, smartphones, and laptops; also used in glass and ceramics.

Silicon: China is the top producer of silicon, particularly in the form of silicon metal. India produces silicon, mainly for the steel industry, but lacks significant production of high-purity silicon for electronics.

Crucial for semiconductors, solar panels, and as an alloying agent in aluminium production.

Titanium: China leads in titanium (ilmenite) production, followed by Australia and Canada. India is among the top producers of ilmenite, a primary source of titanium.

Used in aerospace for aircraft components, medical implants, and as pigments in paints (titanium dioxide).

Tellurium: China is the leading producer of tellurium. India does not have significant tellurium production.

Utilized in solar panels (cadmium telluride), thermoelectric devices, and as an alloying additive to improve machinability.

Graphite: China dominates both natural and synthetic graphite production. India is among the top producers of natural graphite.

Essential for batteries (especially in electric vehicles), lubricants, refractory materials, and as a moderator in nuclear reactors.

Copper: Chile is the world’s leading copper producer. India has modest copper production and relies on imports to meet demand.

Widely used in electrical wiring, electronics, construction, and plumbing.

Lead: China leads in lead production. India is a significant producer of lead, with substantial reserves and production capacity.

Used in lead-acid batteries, radiation shielding, and as an additive in some types of glass and paint.

Zinc: China is the top producer of zinc. India ranks among the top zinc-producing countries.

Primarily used for galvanizing steel to prevent rusting; also, in alloys such as brass and in die-casting.

Nickel: Indonesia has emerged as the leading producer of nickel. India has limited nickel production and depends on imports.

Key component in stainless steel, batteries for electric vehicles, and various alloys.

Cobalt: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the largest producer of cobalt. India does not produce cobalt domestically and relies entirely on imports.

Used in batteries, especially for electric vehicles, superalloys for jet engines, and as a catalyst in chemical reactions.

Gallium: China is the leading producer of gallium. India does not have significant gallium production.

Used in semiconductors, LEDs, solar panels, and as an alloying agent in thermometers.

Germanium: China dominates germanium production. India does not produce germanium.

Utilized in Fiber-optic systems, infrared optics, solar cell applications, and as a polymerization catalyst.

Crystalline Graphite: China is the predominant producer of crystalline graphite. India produces graphite but lacks significant high-purity crystalline graphite production.

Used in batteries, especially for electric vehicles, lubricants, and high-temperature applications.

India’s Ministry of Mines – 30 Critical Minerals:

India’s Ministry of Mines has identified the following 30 critical minerals essential for the country’s economic development and national security:
Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cadmium, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, Platinum Group Elements (PGE), Phosphorus, Potash, Rare Earth Elements (REE), Rhenium, Selenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium.

Overseas Partnerships:

KABIL Initiative: A joint venture by three state-owned firms to secure mineral assets abroad.
International Alliances: India has joined:
- The Minerals Security Partnership
- The Critical Raw Materials Club

7. Centre Scraps ‘No-Detention’ Policy for Classes 5 and 8

Sub : Polity

Sec :legislation in news

Why in News

The Ministry of Education has notified amendments to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Rules, 2024, officially scrapping the “no-detention” policy for Classes 5 and 8. This move allows schools to hold back students who fail to meet promotion criteria in year-end examinations.

Background of the No-Detention Policy:

Introduced under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. Aimed to reduce dropout rates and promote inclusive education.
Allowed automatic promotion of students up to Class 8 regardless of academic performance.
The delay in notification was attributed to the development of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), finalized in 2023.

Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Rules, 2024:

The Amendment introduces significant changes in India’s educational framework, focusing on assessment and progression in Classes 5 and 8.
Abolition of the No-Detention Policy: Students in Classes 5 and 8 can now be detained if they do not meet the required academic standards, replacing the earlier policy of automatic promotion up to Class 8.
Remedial Measures and Re-Examinations: Students failing year-end exams will receive remedial instruction to address learning gaps. A re-examination will be conducted within two months. If failed again, the student may be detained.
Prohibition of Expulsion: No child can be expelled from school until the completion of Class 8.
State Discretion: States and Union Territories have the flexibility to implement regular exams and the detention policy based on their assessments.
Parental Involvement: Schools must engage with parents to collaboratively address the child’s learning needs, especially if detention is a possibility.

8. Riyadh Design Law Treaty

Sub : Sci

Sec :IPR

Why in News

The Design Law Treaty (DLT) is a significant development in global intellectual property (IP) law. It aims to harmonize and streamline administrative procedures for industrial designs, providing a uniform framework for protection across member states. With India’s growing emphasis on innovation and design, the DLT holds substantial relevance.

About the Design Law Treaty (DLT):

Establishes a predictable, accessible, and simplified system to protect industrial designs worldwide.
Eliminates bureaucratic hurdles and facilitates the filing and management of industrial design rights.
Streamlining Design Application Procedures:
- Standardizes guidelines for submitting design applications.
- Accepts drawings, photos, videos, and other formats for submission.
- Allows inclusion of multiple designs under a single application, maintaining the original filing date for accepted designs.
Filing Process Improvements:
- Essential details can be filed initially, with the rest of the application completed later.
- Offers a 6 to 12-month grace period after public disclosure of a design to file for protection.
Post-Registration Procedures:
- Applicants can delay publication of designs for six months post-filing.
- Provides measures to protect rights in case of missed deadlines.
- Streamlines processes like transfers, licensing, and enforcement of registered designs.

What is Industrial Design?

An industrial design is a unique, aesthetic creation that enhances the appearance of a product.
May include features like shape, configuration, lines, texture, colour, or material.
Includes two-dimensional (patterns) and three-dimensional (shapes) designs.
Applications: Commonly used in packaging, furniture, jewellery, clothing, electronic devices, medical equipment, and handicrafts.
Importance: Industrial designs increase product market value, attract consumers, and provide a competitive edge.
Protection Scope: Design rights are territorial, meaning protection is limited to the country or region where it is registered. Designers must follow the procedures set by the local IP office.

Industrial Design in India:

Design registrations have tripled between 2014–2024. Domestic filings increased by 120% in two years; design applications rose by 25% in 2023.
Governed by the Designs Act, 2000.
Administered by the Design Registry.

Eligibility for Protection:

Aesthetic Nature: Protection applies to appearance, not function.
Novelty and Originality: Design must be new and distinctive.
Non-Disclosure: The design must not have been publicly disclosed before registration.
Non-Functionality: Functional designs are excluded from protection.
Not Offensive: Designs must align with public morals and security.

Duration of Protection:

Initially granted for 10 years under the TRIPS Agreement, extendable for an additional 5 years upon renewal.

Excluded Designs:

Certain items like stamps, calendars, flags, books, and circuit layouts are not eligible for protection.

Infringement and Enforcement:

Registered owners can take legal action to prevent unauthorized use, reproduction, or import of their designs.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):

A specialized UN agency established in 1967.
Focuses on promoting the protection of intellectual property (IP) globally.

Functions:

Provides services for IP registration and protection.
Offers a platform for discussions on global IP issues.
Supplies data and guidance for policymaking.

Membership: Comprises 193 member states; India joined in 1975.