Daily Prelims Notes 31 July 2024

Daily Prelims Notes

31 July 2024

Table Of Contents

1. 122 dead as landslides flatten Wayanad villages
2. India’s open ecosystems face an unusual threat: trees
3. No-confidence motion against West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee
4. Israel-Hezbollah conflict is heating up
5. The recommendations for equivalence across India’s 69 school boards
6. Educated mothers of young kids can help strengthen their learning journey
7. Ethiopia Receives IMF Relief After Easing Forex Curbs
8. No Plans to Review Curbs on Chinese FDI by Commerce and Industry Minister

1. 122 dead as landslides flatten Wayanad villages

Sub: Geo

Sec: Physical geo

Context:

• At least 122 people were killed and 197 injured due to multiple landslides in Vythiri taluk, Wayanad district, Kerala, on July 30.
• Affected area: Chooramala Bridge, Chaliyar River.

Worst landslides in India:

Source: TH

2. India’s open ecosystems face an unusual threat: trees

Sub: Env

Sec: Ecosystem

Context:

• A study published in Global Change Biology reported that an increase in tree cover in open ecosystems like savannahs and grasslands has led to a substantial decline in native grassland birds, with the African Savannah experiencing a more than 20% decrease in grassland bird populations.

Woody Encroachment and Its Consequences:

• Grasslands and savannahs are biodiverse habitats in tropical and temperate regions throughout the world.
• The phenomenon of woody encroachment, where open habitats transition to areas with more tree and shrub cover, leads to a homogenized ecosystem, adversely affecting biodiversity.Grasslands and savannahs, which cover nearly 40% of the earth’s landmass and support various endemic species, are under threat from this change.
• Factors such as increased atmospheric CO2, fire suppression, and habitat fragmentation contribute to woody encroachment. This process alters soil conditions and increases predation, particularly affecting specialist species like grassland birds and rodents.
  • Increased atmospheric CO2 is likely to promote trees over grasses because the C3 photosynthetic pathway used by trees is favoured under high CO2 conditions.
• From megaherbivores like elephants, rhinoceroses, and buffaloes in Africa and Asia to grassland birds like the bustards, floricans, and grouse of the Himalayan grasslands and American prairies, open ecosystems have it all. However, we are rapidly losing them.

Woody Encroachment in India and Beyond:

• In India, grasslands face similar threats, with woody encroachment occurring even in protected areas like national parks. Studies have shown significant increases in tree cover and reductions in grassland areas in India and Nepal over the last three decades.
• Colonial conservation policies historically classified grasslands as “wastelands,” promoting their conversion into plantations. This mindset continues, with modern perspectives seeing open ecosystems as less valuable compared to forests for carbon sequestration.

Ecological and Conservation Considerations:

• The spread of invasive species, often due to tree plantation programs, has exacerbated woody encroachment in grasslands, transforming them into woodlands and further threatening native biodiversity.
• Long-term ecological monitoring and research are needed to understand the full impact of woody encroachment on grasslands and to inform conservation policies. There is also a need to reassess and eliminate outdated terminologies like “wastelands” that misclassify and undervalue open ecosystems.

Source: TH

3. No-confidence motion against West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee

Subject: Polity

Sec: Legislature

Context:

West Bengal BJP MLAs moved a no-confidence motion against Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee. Their letter addressed to the Principal Secretary stated, “this House regretfully disapproves of the conduct of Shri Biman Banerjee and resolves that he be removed from the office.”

More on News:

• The no-confidence motion said the Speaker was “arbitrarily disallowing all types of adjournment motions intending to discuss issues of public importance and problems concerning the people of the State.”

No confidence motion:

• In a parliamentary democracy, a government can be in power only if it commands a majority in the directly elected House.
• It is a parliamentary process that allows the opposition to challenge the government’s majority.
• If the no-confidence motion is passed in the Parliament, then the government must resign.
• Article 75(3) of our Constitution embodies this rule by specifying that the Council of Ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
• For testing this collective responsibility, the rules of Lok Sabha provide a particular mechanism – a motion of no-confidence.
• A no confidence motion can only be moved in the Lok Sabha.

Procedure for passing a NCM:

• Support – Any Lok Sabha MP who can garner the support of 50 colleagues can introduce a motion of no-confidence against the Council of Ministers.
• It is moved in writing and must be signed by the member moving it, the motion is submitted to the Speaker of Lok Sabha on any day on which the House is sitting.
• Power of Speaker – He will decide whether to admit the motion for discussion and debate.
• If the motion is admitted, the Speaker will decide on the date and time for discussion.
• Date – This date for discussion should be within 10 days from the date the motion was accepted in the House.
• Time for discussion – The Speaker may grant time for discussion of the motion under Rule 198 of Lok Sabha.
• Debate – The motion will be debated in the Lok Sabha and it will be moved by the member who submitted it.
• Government will respond to the motion, the opposition parties will then have the opportunity to speak on the motion.
• Vote – After the debate, the Lok Sabha will vote on the NCM, it will be passed if it is supported by the majority of the members of the House.
• If NCM is passed –The Government must resign.
• If Government wins the vote – The motion is defeated and the Government remains. 

History of no confidence motion (NCM):

• Since Independence 27 NCMs have been moved in the Lok Sabha.
• First NCM – It was during the 3^rdLok Sabha in 1963 that the first motion of no confidence was moved by Acharya J B Kripalani against the government headed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Highest number of instances:

• Indira Gandhi- Faced NCMs 15 times.
• Lal Bahadur Shasthri- Faced 3 times.
• PV Narashima Rao- Faced three times.
• In 1979, Prime Minister Morarji Desai realised that he did not have the support of the majority of MPs, and therefore resigned before the House voted on the motion.
• Governments fallen due to NCM
• V P Singh government in 1990
• H D Deve Gowda government in 1997
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1999
• Most recent NCM was moved in 2018 by Telugu Desam Party against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

4. Israel-Hezbollah conflict is heating up

Subject: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

A deadly rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights has added to concerns that Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah could be sucked into a full-scale war – something they have both previously indicated they want to avoid but for which they have also said they are ready.

Why are they fighting?

• Hezbollah began trading fire with Israel, a day after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked communities in southern Israel and sparked the Gaza war.
• Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, says its attacks aim to support Palestinians who are under Israeli bombardment in Gaza.
• The Gaza war has drawn in Iran-backed militants across the region. Hezbollah is widely deemed the most powerful member of the Iran-backed network, known as the Axis of Resistance.
• Hezbollah’s ideology is largely defined by conflict with Israel. It was founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982 to fight Israeli forces that had invaded Lebanon that year, and waged years of guerrilla war that led Israel to withdraw from south Lebanon in 2000.
• Hezbollah deems Israel an illegitimate state established on occupied Palestinian lands and wants to see it gone.

Impact:

• Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes on both sides of the border. Israeli airstrikes have pounded areas where Hezbollah operates in southern Lebanon and struck the Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border.
• Israel has also occasionally hit elsewhere, notably killing a senior Hamas commander in

Is escalation avoidable?

• A ceasefire there could help bring about a rapid de-escalation of tensions in southern Lebanon.
• Israel has also said it would prefer a diplomatic settlement that would restore security in the north.

Reasons for the Iran-Israel Conflict:

• Historical Context: Iran and Israel have had a tumultuous relationship since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which transformed Iran from a close ally of Israel under the rule of the Shah to an Islamic Republic openly hostile towards Israel.
• Religious and Ideological Differences: Iran is an Islamic republic governed by Shia Islam, while Israel  is a predominantly Jewish state.
  • The religious and ideological differences between the two countries have contributed to mutual suspicion and animosity.
• Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Iran has been a staunch supporter of Palestinian causes, including backing militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are considered terrorist organisations by Israel.
  • Iran’s support for these groups and its calls for the destruction of Israel have heightened tensions.
• Geopolitical Rivalry: Iran and Israel are regional rivals vying for influence in the Middle East. They have conflicting interests in various regional conflicts, including the civil wars in Syria and Yemen.
  • Where Iran supports the Assad regime and Houthi rebels, respectively, while Israel opposes Iranian influence in these countries.

5. The recommendations for equivalence across India’s 69 school boards

Subject: Schemes

Sec: Education

Context:

In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, PARAKH, a standard-setting body under the NCERT, has submitted to the Ministry of Education an ‘equivalence’ report.

More on News:

• The NEP provides for the formation of a body like PARAKH, and states that PARAKH “will also become an instrument for the sharing of best practices among school boards, and for ensuring equivalence of academic standards among learners across all school boards.”

Equivalence across boards mean:

• There are 69 school boards in the country, including the State boards – some are secondary boards only, some are for higher secondary, and some are common for both – and CBSE, ICSE, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and other open school boards, technical and vocational boards, Sanskrit boards, and madrasa boards.
• The ‘equivalence’ report sets standards for the boards across five categories – administration, curriculum, assessment, inclusiveness, and infrastructure.
• The intention behind pursuing equivalence is not to establish “uniformity” across boards, but ensure that “every learner who enrolls in a school affiliated in any board should get certain standardised, benchmarked facilities for performance.”

Recommendations has PARAKH made:

• In terms of assessment – a student’s performance in Class 9, 10, and 11 will count towards the final assessment for Class 12.
• The Class 12 report card is envisaged as a ‘cumulative’ one, and a weight of 15% for Class 9, 20% for Class 10, 25% for Class 11, and 40% for Class 12 will go into the final Class 12 results.
• These assessments be in terms of credits in each grade, with the student earning a certain number of credits for each subject, for pursuing online courses, and for activities that are part of the holistic progress card.
• PARAKH has suggested that boards develop a cadre of ‘professional paper setters’ –teachers who will be trained to prepare question papers, to ensure standardisation in the assessments in classes 9, 10, 11 and 12.
• For standardisation of question papers, for classes 9 and 11, boards develop a question bank for all subjects offered.
• In terms of administration, PARAKH has suggested that the guidelines for school affiliation specified by the boards be finalised according to its recommendations.
• Boards develop a mechanism to prevent cheating in examinations, implement protocol for handling exam papers, and conduct digital assessments where applicable.
• In terms of curriculum, the boards are to incorporate digital literacy in affiliated schools, including training in coding and cybersecurity, and adhere to the National Curriculum Framework for School Education.
• In terms of infrastructure of the schools affiliated with them, the boards are to ensure availability of basic infrastructure – toilets for girls and boys, internet, library, strong room for question papers, labs, ramps, or elevators.

PARAKH:

• PARAKH has been launched as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) – 2020 that envisaged a standard-setting body to advise school boards regarding new assessment patterns and latest research, and promote collaborations between them.
• It will act as a constituent unit of the NCERT.
• It will also be tasked withholding periodic learning outcome tests like the National Achievement Survey (NAS) and State Achievement Surveys.
• It will work on three major assessment areas: large-scale assessments, school-based assessment, and examination reforms.
• Objective:
  • Uniform Norms & Guidelines: Setting norms, standards and guidelines for student assessment and evaluation for all recognized school boards of India.
  • Enhance Assessment Pattern: It will encourage and help school boards to shift their assessment patterns towards meeting the skill requirements of the 21st century.
  • Reduce Disparity in Evaluation: It will bring uniformity across the state and central boards which currently follow different standards of evaluation, leading to wide disparities in scores.
  • Benchmark Assessment: The benchmark assessment framework will seek to put an end to the emphasis on rote learning, as envisaged by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

6. Educated mothers of young kids can help strengthen their learning journey

Subject: Schemes

Sec: Education

Context:

The new National Education Policy (NEP 2020) was launched on July 29, four years ago. One of NEP 2020’s key recommendations was to ensure that by the time children reach Grade 3, they have acquired foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

More on News:

• The Centre launched the NIPUN (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) Bharat Mission on July 5, 2021.
• The mission has seen energetic implementation in many states, with a new framework for the foundational stage of education developed and released well before frameworks for other stages.
• This framework includes teacher training oriented towards the new goals, specially designed teaching-learning materials for use by children and teachers in early grade classrooms, etc.

Two demographic trends

• School enrollment levels (between ages 6-14) have shown a remarkable rise in the last few decades. With the launch of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in 2001, school enrollment levels reached well above 90% in rural India by the early 2000s.
• The data on education levels of mothers with children between ages 4 and 8 — the target age of the NIPUN mission — show a steep rise over the last decade.
• In states like Uttarakhand, Maharastra, Punjab, and Haryana, 30-40% of mothers of young children have had schooling beyond Grade 10.
• In Tamil Nadu this figure is close to 43%, while in Himachal, it is higher than 54%. Kerala tops this list with almost 72% of these mothers receiving high school education.
• Due to the push towards universal elementary education, India today is in a unique position to leverage young mothers’ schooling levels as a resource in their children’s journey to acquire foundational literacy and numeracy.

NIPUN (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) Bharat Mission:

• Aims to cover the learning needs of children in the age group of 3 to 9 years.
• Part of NEP 2020:
  • This initiative is being launched as a part of NEP (National Education Policy) 2020.
  • This policy aims to pave the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems in the country. This policy replaced the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.
• Objective:
  • To create an enabling environment to ensure universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy, so that every child achieves the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.
• Focus Areas:
  • It will focus on providing access and retaining children in foundational years of schooling; teacher capacity building; development of high quality and diversified Student and Teacher Resources/Learning Materials; and tracking the progress of each child in achieving learning outcomes.
• Implementation:
  • NIPUN Bharat will be implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy.
  • A five-tier implementation mechanism will be set up at the National- State- District- Block- School level in all States and UTs, under the aegis of the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha.
    • ‘Samagra Shiksha’ programme was launched subsuming three existing schemes: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
    • The aim of the scheme isto treat school education holistically, from pre-school to Class XII.
  • A special package for foundational literacy and Numeracy (FLN) under NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement) is being developed by NCERT.
    • Around 25 lakh teachers teaching at pre-primary to primary grade will be trained this year on FLN.
    • NISHTHA is a capacity building programme for “Improving Quality of School Education through Integrated Teacher Training”.
  • Stage-wise targets are being set in a continuum from the pre-primary or balvatika classes.

7. Ethiopia Receives IMF Relief After Easing Forex Curbs

Sub: IR

Sec: Int org

Background:

• Ethiopia has recently eased foreign exchange curbs as part of a broad economic reform package.
• This move coincides with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) approval of a loan to Ethiopia, which is seeking a multibillion-dollar bailout.

Key Developments:

• Currency Devaluation:
  • The value of the Ethiopian currency, the birr, dropped by approximately 30% following the easing of forex curbs by the country’s central bank.
• Economic Reforms:
  • The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) announced a shift towards a competitive market-based determination of the exchange rate. This reform aims to correct a long-standing economic distortion in Ethiopia.
  • Under the new system, banks can now buy and sell foreign currencies at freely negotiated rates, with limited central bank intervention.
• IMF Support:
  • The IMF board approved a four-year loan program worth around $3.4 billion to support Ethiopia’s economic reforms, with $1 billion immediately disbursed.
  • IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva highlighted this as a landmark moment for Ethiopia, noting the country’s commitment to transformative reforms.
• Challenges:
  • Ethiopia faces multiple economic challenges, including $28 billion of external debt, 20% inflation, and a shortage of foreign currency reserves.
  • The country has been battered by armed conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate shocks.
• Future Plans:
  • The NBE hinted at opening Ethiopia’s securities market to foreign investors, with further details to be announced soon.
  • Other measures include allowing exporters and commercial banks to retain foreign exchange, increasing supply to the private sector, and introducing non-bank foreign exchange bureaus.
• Government Support:
  • The government plans to temporarily subsidize essential imports like fuel, fertilizers, medicines, and edible oils.
  • Financial support will be provided to low-income families and public service salaries will be bolstered.

Economic Impact and Outlook:

• Mixed Reactions:
  • Economist expressed concerns that the forex reforms might exacerbate the economic crisis by increasing inflation and noted that ensuring peace and security is crucial for attracting foreign investment.
  • In contrast, business analyst was optimistic, suggesting that the financial cushion from international lenders could help stabilize the country’s currency and narrow the gap between official and black-market rates, potentially benefiting exports, including mining.

8. No Plans to Review Curbs on Chinese FDI by Commerce and Industry Minister

Sub: Eco

Sec: External sector

Statement on Chinese FDI Curbs:

• Ministry of Commerce and Industry, clarified that there are no plans to review the restrictions on Chinese investments in India via Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
• The Economic Survey’s recommendations to reconsider these curbs are not binding on the government.
•   Economic Survey Context:
• The Chief Economic Adviser’s report offers new ideas and perspectives, but it does not dictate government policy.
• Goyal emphasized that there is no rethinking on supporting Chinese investments in the country at this point.

European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM):

• The EU has suggested that India could consider levying a domestic tax instead of paying the CBAM levy directly to the EU.
• Ministry indicated that the Indian government is in dialogue with the EU on this matter.

Concerns About CBAM:

• Goyal expressed that CBAM might negatively impact the EU’s economy, increasing costs for infrastructure, living, and consumer products.
• Despite these concerns, the EU is keen on implementing CBAM.

Decision on Domestic Mechanism:

• A decision on whether India will adopt a domestic tax mechanism in place of the CBAM levy will be based on what benefits the Indian industry and the people of India.
• The government will prioritize the interests of India’s economy and its citizens in making this decision.

About Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

The European Union (EU) has announced the introduction of its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in its transitional phase from October 2023. This mechanism will impose a carbon tax on imports of products made from processes that are not environmentally sustainable or non-Green. The CBAM will translate into a 20-35% tax on select imports into the EU starting 1st January 2026.

CBAM is part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package”, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, in line with the European Climate Law. The CBAM ensures that imported goods are subject to the same carbon costs as products produced within the EU, thereby promoting fair competition and reducing carbon emissions globally.

Implementation:

• Importers must declare the quantity of goods imported into the EU and their embedded Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions annually.
• To offset these emissions, importers will need to surrender a corresponding number of CBAM certificates, priced based on the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) allowances.

Objectives:

• The CBAM aims to prevent carbon leakage, encourage global adoption of stricter environmental regulations, and support cleaner production practices worldwide.

 Significance:

• CBAM can incentivize non-EU countries to adopt more stringent environmental standards, thereby reducing global carbon emissions.
• It helps prevent carbon leakage by discouraging companies from relocating to countries with weaker environmental regulations.
• The revenue from CBAM will support EU climate policies, offering a model that other countries could adopt to promote Green Energy.

Impact on India’s Exports:

• CBAM is likely to affect India’s exports of metals such as iron, steel, and aluminum products to the EU, which will face additional scrutiny and potentially higher costs under the mechanism.
• From 1st January 2026, the EU will start collecting the carbon tax on each consignment of steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, hydrogen, and electricity.

Indian products have a higher carbon intensity due to the dominant use of coal, with approximately 75% of India’s energy coming from coal. This is much higher than the EU’s 15%