Daily Prelims Notes 7 March 2024

March 7, 2024
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

7 March 2024

Table Of Contents

1. 2023 Was Deadliest Year for Migrants in A Decade: UN

Subject: IR

Section: Int organisation

Context: As per the UN’s International Organization for Migration the 2023 death count represents a tragic increase of 20 percent compared to 2022, highlighting the urgent need for action to prevent further loss of life. At least 8,565 people died on migration routes worldwide in 2023, making it the deadliest year since records began a decade ago

Why increase?

The IOM said that because safe and regular migration pathways remain limited, hundreds of thousands of people attempt to migrate every year via irregular routes in unsafe conditions.

The most unsafe migration route

The Mediterranean Sea, where many migrants try to reach southern Europe from northern Africa, continues to be the deadliest route for migrants, with at least 3,129 deaths and disappearances registered last year.
It is the highest number of deaths on the Mediterranean migration routes since 2017.
In one incident alone an overcrowded trawler, the Adriana, sank off the coast of Greece in on June 14 last year, with the loss of more than 600 lives.
Unprecedented numbers of migrant deaths were recorded last year across Africa (1,866) and Asia (2,138).
In Africa, most of the deaths occurred in the Sahara Desert and the sea route to Spain’s Canary Islands.
In Asia, hundreds of deaths of Afghan and Rohingya refugees were recorded last year.
Slightly more than half of the total migrant deaths in 2023 came as a result of drowning, with nine percent caused by vehicle accidents, and seven percent in violence

International Organization for Migration

IOM is an intergovernmental organization that provides services and advice concerning migration to governments and migrants, including refugees, internally displaced persons and migrant workers.
IOM was established in 1951 as Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) to help resettle people displaced by World War II.
It was granted Permanent Observer status to UN General Assembly in 1992.
Cooperation agreement between IOM and the UN was signed in 1996.
World Migration Report is published every year by International Organization for Migration (IOM) of the UN.
IOM works in four broad areas of migration management:
- Migration and development,
- Facilitating migration,
- Regulating migration and
- Forced migration.
It has 166 member states, a further 8 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries.
India is a member of IOM.

Missing Migrants Project

Missing Migrants Project records since 2014 people who die in the process of migration towards an international destination, regardless of their legal status. As collecting information is challenging, all figures remain undercounts. The locations in most cases are approximate. Each number represents a person, as well as the family and community that they leave behind.

2. Why ASML’s new chip-making machine is a scientific marvel

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Awareness in IT &Computer

Semiconductor lithography:

Computers operate by encoding data into bits, represented by 0s and 1s, through semiconductors. These small devices store data and execute calculations, enabling computing functions.
The widespread availability of powerful computers is largely due to semiconductor lithography, a technique for crafting detailed circuits with high precision.
This process is automated by highly expensive machines, costing between Rs 800 crore and Rs 1,600 crore.

High NA EUV machine:

ASML, a company based in the Netherlands, has a monopoly in this field, producing these machines for a market valued at $125 billion, making it Europe’s most valuable tech company.
In February, ASML introduced its “High NA EUV” machine, priced at $350 million each and comparable in size to a double-decker bus.
This machine, utilizing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography, represents a leap in semiconductor manufacturing technology. It enables the creation of semiconductors by transferring the circuit design of a transistor onto a silicon wafer coated with a light-sensitive substance.
Exposing this to light solidifies the design, allowing for the addition of wiring to complete the transistor. This innovation puts ASML in direct competition with Intel in the race to supply advanced semiconductors for future computers and smartphones.

What is the Rayleigh scattering criterion?

The Rayleigh scattering criterion is a principle in physics that dictates the minimum feature size that can be accurately imprinted onto a silicon wafer during the semiconductor manufacturing process.
This criterion establishes that the size of the feature is directly proportional to the wavelength of the light used and inversely proportional to the lens aperture that directs the light onto the wafer.
The proportionality to the wavelength includes a variable factor ‘k’, which can reach up to 0.25 and is influenced by factors such as the operating temperature and the chemical properties of the photoresist used.
The aperture represents the capacity to collect and focus light on the wafer, meaning a larger aperture allows for smaller features.
To achieve finer details on wafers, engineers have historically focused on utilizing light with shorter wavelengths. For instance, chip manufacturers transitioned from using light with a wavelength of 436 nanometers (nm) about forty years ago to employing extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light with a wavelength of 13.5 nm in modern equipment. Before the adoption of EUV technology, the industry utilized deep ultraviolet (UV) light with a 193 nm wavelength to etch complex patterns onto wafers.

How is EUV light produced?

The production of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, critical for manufacturing advanced semiconductor chips, involves a highly sophisticated process. To fabricate smaller and more powerful chips by cramming more transistors onto them, the semiconductor industry, including ASML, employs a method to generate 13.5-nm wavelength light.
This method starts with propelling a 50-micrometer-wide droplet of liquid tin through the machine at a speed of nearly 300 km/hr.
A laser then strikes the droplet, flattening it into a pancake shape. While still in motion, a second, more intense laser beam hits the tin, ionizing it into a high-temperature gas, 40 times hotter than the Sun’s surface, which emits the desired EUV light.
This complex process, occurring 50,000 times per second, requires shooting 50,000 tin droplets and applying twice as many laser pulses to generate EUV light of adequate intensity for semiconductor lithography. Moreover, the entire operation is conducted in a vacuum to prevent absorption by air or any other substances, which could reduce the efficiency of EUV light production.

Precision and value of machine:

The precision of the machine is extraordinarily high. The mirrors, produced by Zeiss, are the smoothest surfaces ever made, with imperfections so minor that, when scaled, the largest deviation would be just 1 mm high if the mirror’s surface were as large as Uttar Pradesh.
To maintain this precision in directing light to the silicon wafer, the wafer stage floats on a magnetic field to eliminate friction and is adjusted with extreme accuracy—up to 50 picometers—20,000 times per second.
This level of adjustment is critical for achieving the minuscule feature sizes required on modern chips, and the machine accomplishes this with an acceleration surpassing that of F1 cars or fighter jets.
The “High NA EUV” machine represents a series of technological achievements that significantly advance the field of computing, playing a crucial role in the development of future technologies such as AI, robotics, intelligent vehicles, high-quality digital communication, and space exploration.
Semiconductor chips, which these machines help create, are central to powering these innovations by performing the vast number of calculations they require.
The continuous miniaturization and enhancement of these chips, in line with Moore’s law, have progressed from the first integrated circuit with just four transistors to modern chips with over 19 billion.
Additionally, these lithography machines have strategic importance, exemplified by ASML’s restrictions on selling its advanced machines to certain countries, highlighting the geopolitical implications of semiconductor technology.
These machines not only drive technological progress but also create high-skilled jobs and bolster national technological sovereignty.

Source: TH

3. Trees in Corbett fell prey to greedy nexus, says Supreme Court

Subject: Environment

Section: Protected Areas

Context:

The Supreme Court criticized the illegal cutting down of over 6,000 trees for the construction of buildings under the guise of “eco-tourism” at Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand, highlighting it as an example of the detrimental collaboration between politicians and officials for commercial benefits at the expense of the environment. This act was particularly condemned as it severely impacted the Corbett Tiger Reserve, a critical habitat for tigers.

Details:

The court directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to establish a specialized committee to evaluate and provide recommendations on the allowance of tiger safaris in the buffer zones of tiger reserves.
The court emphasized Uttarakhand’s obligation to restore the forest fully and underscored the intrinsic connection between tigers and their forest habitat, indicating the critical role of tigers in maintaining the ecosystem’s health.
The specialized committee is to include members from the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Wildlife Institute of India, Central Empowered Committee, and a Joint Secretary from the Ministry, focusing on ensuring the protection of tigers and, by extension, the ecosystem surrounding them.

Panel to access damage:

The appointed panel is tasked with evaluating the damage to the green cover of the Corbett Reserve, estimating the restoration costs, and identifying the individuals and officials responsible for the damage.

Guidelines for safaris:

The Supreme Court indicated that if the committee recommends permitting tiger safaris in the peripheral areas of tiger reserves, it should also propose guidelines for their operation, applicable across India.
The court emphasized an eco-centric approach to tiger safaris, criticizing the use of tigers from zoos for these purposes as suggested by the 2019 National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines.
Instead, it referred to the 2016 NTCA guidelines, which advocate for using only injured, conflict, or orphaned tigers unfit for rewilding, sourced from the same landscape as the safari.
The court rejected the idea of selecting safari animals with the Central Zoo Authority’s approval and opposed the creation of a “Master Plan” by the CZA for managing tiger safaris.
It stressed minimizing environmental damage, suggesting that any resorts should be built to blend with the natural environment, noise levels should be controlled, and safaris should be close to animal rescue centres.
Existing safaris, like the Pakhro zone in Corbett, are to remain undisturbed, but the court instructed the Uttarakhand government to set up an animal rescue centre nearby.

Jim Corbett National Park:

Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India and was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park to protect the endangered Bengal tiger.
It is located in Nainital district and Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand and was named after hunter and naturalist Jim Corbett.
The Park was the first to come under the Project Tiger initiative.
The Park encompasses the Patli Dun valley formed by the Ramganga river.
Ramganga, Sonanadi, Mandal, Palain and Kosi are the major rivers flowing through the Corbett National Park.
The national park is a protected area covered by the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature under their Terai Arc Landscape Program.

Source: TH

4. Kerala government declares wildlife attacks a State-specific disaster

Subject: Environment

Section: Env legislation and organisation

Context:

On March 6, the State Cabinet of Kerala declared human-wildlife conflict a State-specific disaster, acknowledging the rising incidents of deaths, injuries, and property losses due to wildlife encroachments from forests.

Details:

The declaration enables Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) to actively engage in mitigating such conflicts.
A high-level committee chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been established to address the wildlife threat, particularly towards plantation workers and tribal communities. This committee includes Forest, Revenue, Local Self-Governments, and SC/ST Welfare Ministers, along with their department secretaries.
District-level committees, led by the Minister in charge of the district and including District Collectors and heads of various departments like KSDMA, will also be formed.
An inter-state coordination committee with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu officials will oversee forest areas adjoining the three states, aiming for a unified approach to managing human-wildlife conflicts.

Community Involvement:

Neighbourhood watch groups will be created to enhance vigilance and provide early warnings of wildlife presence and movement.
Volunteer groups, wildlife enthusiasts, and environmentalists have been enlisted to assist in containing human-wildlife conflicts.

Operational and Surveillance Enhancements:

The Chief Wildlife Warden has been appointed as the nodal officer for conflict prevention, overseeing a 24/7 control room.
Recruitment of additional forest watchers to improve wildlife monitoring.
Plantation managers are instructed to clear undergrowth for better visibility and tracking of wild animals.
The Forest Department is directed to form more rapid response teams equipped with firearms, surveillance devices, tranquiliser guns, etc.
Initiatives to provide sufficient fodder and water within protected reserves to deter wildlife from encroaching on human habitats.

Compensation and Funding:

Expedited compensation for wildlife attack victims, exempting payments from treasury restrictions.
Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIFFB) is tasked with raising ₹210 crore for protective measures like fences, moats, and early warning systems near forest boundaries.

Source: TH

5. Resorts near tiger reserves have turned choice wedding destinations: Supreme Court

Subject: Environment

Section: Env legislation and organisation

Context:

The Supreme Court criticized the rapid growth of resorts around tiger reserves, which are increasingly being used as venues for weddings, causing disturbances with loud music that disrupts the forest habitat.

Details:

Justice B.R. Gavai, in a judgment regarding the illegal tree felling in the protected Jim Corbett National Park, highlighted this issue as part of a broader concern about commercial activities undermining the ecological balance of protected forest areas.
The Supreme Court has ordered the formation of an expert committee by the Ministry of Environment to recommend regulations on the establishment of resorts near protected areas. This committee is tasked with determining the acceptable number and types of resorts and specifying restrictions on noise levels within a certain distance from protected forests.
Highlighting the government’s role as a trustee of natural resources, the court emphasized that these resources should not be converted into private ownership or used for commercial purposes in a way that compromises their aesthetic value and ecological integrity.
The Supreme Court stated that any encroachment on natural resources for private, commercial, or any other use should only be permitted if deemed necessary for the public good and in the public interest, maintaining a firm stance on protecting the environment and ecosystems of the country.

Laws related to tree felling in India:

In India, aspects related to trees are covered under the Indian Forest Act, 1927
It is broadly under this Act that each state has laid down rules and regulations against tree felling.

Along with that various states have come up their own laws for the same purpose like-

Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation of Trees Act 1975
Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (1994)
Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act 1976
West Bengal Trees (Protection and Conservation in Non-Forest Areas) Act, 2006
Also, various cities like Gurugram, Chennai etc. come up with their own notifications regarding felling of trees

Cutting OF RESERVED TREES and FORESTS:

Under Indian Forest Act, 1927, Section 30– The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette,

declare any trees or class of trees in a protected forest to be reserved from a date fixed by, the notification;
declare that any portion of such forest specified in the notification shall be closed for such term, not exceeding thirty years, as the State Government thinks fit, and that the rights of private persons, if any, over such portion shall be suspended during such terms

Section 33 Indian Forest Act:

Penalties for acts in contravention of notification under section 30
Any person who-
- fells any tree reserved under section 30, or strips off the bark or leaves from, or otherwise damages, any such tree;
- permits cattle to damage any such tree;
- shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with a fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
Is it punishable to cut trees even on my own premises?
- Yes, according to the Indian Forest Act, the penalty for cutting down a tree is Rs.10,000 or 3 months imprisonment.
- This punishment may extend up to one year under various state acts.
- But in some cases like where a tree is blocking your way, whose branches are spreading to your house or blocking hoardings, you need to take a clearance from the Forest department, before cutting that tree.

Source: TH

6. Why is ISRO building a second rocket launchport in Tamil Nadu’s Kulasekarapattinam?

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Space tech

Context:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the second rocket launchport of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at Kulasekarapattinam on February 28.

More on news:

Situated at a geographically advantageous location in coastal Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, the facility costs Rs 986 crore.
It will be extensively and exclusively used for commercial, on-demand, and small satellite launches in the future.

Why does India need a new launchport?

With the Union government’s recent policy announcing the opening of the space sector to private players, a sharp rise in the number of commercial launches is certain.
To ensure that ISRO’s first launchport, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota, is not overburdened with a high number of launches, the space agency has decided to build another facility.
While SHAR will be only used for launching bigger and heavy-lift-off missions, the Kulasekarapattinam launchport will be used to launch smaller payloads.
SHAR will also be available for India’s big ticket missions to the Moon, Venus, and much touted human-flight mission, the Gaganyaan.
Private players could develop space-qualified sub-systems, build satellites, and even launch vehicles using the new launchport.
It will also facilitate dedicated launch infrastructure for all the on-demand commercial launches.

Why is the new ISRO launchport located in Tamil Nadu?

Geographically, scientifically, and strategically, the Kulasekarapattinam launchport provides a natural advantage to ISRO’s future launches pertaining to the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).
Allowing a direct southward and smaller launch trajectory for the light weight SSLVs carrying less fuel, the Kulasekarapattinam facility will boost ISRO’s attempts to enhance payload capacities.
Currently, the trajectory followed by all launches from SHAR are longer as they follow a path which requires the vehicle to skirt eastwards around Sri Lanka before taking the actual southward flight.
This consumes additional fuel.
However, the same would not be required for future launches from Kulasekarapattinam, which is geographically located several kilometers to the west of Colombo, thereby allowing a straight southward flight and simultaneously saving the already limited fuel available onboard SSLV.
Notably, both the launch ports are located in Southern India, near the equator.
For a launch site close to equator the magnitude of the velocity imparted due to Earth’s rotation is about 450 m/s, which can lead to substantial increase in the payload for a given launch vehicle.
Geostationary satellites must necessarily be in the equatorial plane.
So, for such satellites, the closer the launch site is to the equator the better it is.

What are SSLVs and what are they used for?

SSLV is the new small satellite launch vehicle developed by ISRO to cater for the launch of small satellites.
It has a three-stage launch vehicle, having a lift-off weight of about 120 tonnes and is 34 meters in length and 2 meters in diameter.
SSLV is designed with a three-stage solid propulsion and a liquid propulsion stage, which is the terminal stage.
The SSLV missions are useful to launch small-sized satellites weighing anywhere between 10 to 500kg into the Low Earth Orbit.
Going by their size and weight, these are typically referred to as mini, micro or nano satellites.
They are low on cost and intended satellite insertion into orbits takes a shorter flight time.
SSLV are best suited for commercial and on-demand launches.
Previously, satellite projects built by college students and private players involved in the space sector have benefitted from SSLV missions.

How has India’s SSLV journey been so far?

SSLV is a relatively new development by ISRO, which is expanding its launch capabilities.
The first SSLV mission SSLV-D1 i.e. carrying two satellites, including EOS-02 and AzaadiSat, in August 2022, was a failure.
Despite a text-book launch, perfect lift-off and smooth transitioning into subsequent stages, the insertion of the two satellites after their separation took place into a 356 km circular orbit instead of the intended elliptical orbit.
Six months later, in its second attempt with the SSLV-D2 in February 2023, ISRO tasted success. The rocket inserted three satellites onboard into the intended 450 km circular orbit following a 15 minute flight.
Both these launches were from SHAR.

What are the features of SHAR?

SHAR is situated along the east coast of Andhra Pradesh and is located 80 km off Chennai.
It currently provides launch infrastructure to all ISRO missions.
It is equipped with a solid propellant processing setup, static testing, and launch vehicle integration facilities, telemetry services — tracking and command network to oversee the launch — and a mission control center.
SHAR has two launch complexes that are routinely used to launch the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Geosynchronous Space Launch Vehicles (GSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III, now renamed as LVM3.
The maiden launch from the First Launch Pad, built in the early 1990s, was in September 1993. Operational since 2005, the Second Launch Pad saw its maiden launch in May 2005.

7. Why Anthropic calls the new Claude 3 its ‘most intelligent’ AI model yet

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Awareness in IT & Computer

Context:

Anthropic was founded by former members of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. It says its new family of AI models is capable of advanced performance, beating the likes of GPT-4 on some parameters.

More on news:

The family includes three state-of-the-art AI models in the ascending order of capabilities – Claude 3 Haiku, Claude 3 Sonnet, and Claude 3 Opus.
The company claims that each model offers an increasingly powerful performance, offering a balance between intelligence, speed, and cost based on their specific use case.

What is Claude 3?

Claude is a group of large language models (LLMs) developed by Anthropic.
The chatbot is capable of handling text, voice messages, and documents.
The chatbot is capable of generating faster, contextual responses compared to its peers.
Claude 3 Opus is the most powerful model, Claude 3 Sonnet is the middle model that is capable and price competitive, and Claude 3 Haiku is relevant for any use case that requires instant responses.
Claude Sonnet powers the Claude.ai chatbot for free at present and users only need an email sign-in.
Opus is only available through Anthropic’s web chat interface and if a user is subscribed to the Claude Pro service on the Anthropic website. It is available for $20 a month.
All new models come with a 2,00,000-token window, signifying possibly better performance, accuracy and the capacity to input more information in a user prompt.

How did Claude 3 perform?

Based on the comparison of Claude 3 with its peers, it seems the Anthropic may have caught up with OpenAI.
It had surpassed many AI models with the launch of its GPT-4 Turbo.
Claude 3 reportedly demonstrates advanced performance across cognitive tasks such as reasoning, expert knowledge, mathematics, and language fluency.
Despite the lack of consensus over whether LLMs can really “know” or “reason,” the AI research community commonly uses these terms.
The company says that the Opus model exhibits “near-human levels of comprehension and fluency on complex tasks”.
While this is a big claim, the scores show that Claude 3 Opus has shown some near-human performance on specific benchmarks. However, this doesn’t mean that Opus possesses general intelligence like humans.

Claude 3 vs GPT-4

Claude 3 Opus has surpassed GPT-4 on as many as 10 AI benchmarks, which include MMLU (undergraduate level knowledge), HumanEval (Coding), HellaSwag (common knowledge), and GSM8K (grade school math).
On the benchmark scores, Claude 3 beats its peers narrowly. For example, in the five-shot MMLU trial, Claude 3 secured 86.8 percent while GPT-4 obtained 86.4 percent.

Benchmark scores.

Claude 3 has also shown improvements in terms of analysis, forecasting, content creation, multilingual conversations, code generation, etc.
Anthropic claimed that the new model family also comes with enhanced vision capabilities, allowing Claude 3 to process photos, charts, and diagrams, much like GPT-4V.

Limitations of Claude 3

According to those who had early access to the model, Claude 3 performs well in tasks such as answering factual questions and optical character recognition (OCR), meaning the ability to extract text from images.
However, it struggles with complex reasoning and mathematical problems at times.
It also exhibited biases in its responses, such as favoring a certain racial group over others.
In the past too, other AI models have faced similar problems.
Google’s AI chatbot Gemini was criticized after it showed racial bias and historical inaccuracies. It refused to generate images of white individuals and depicted those individuals as people of color.
Anthropic has emphasized the safety features of Claude 3, especially its refusal to generate harmful or illegal content.
The company was also among the first to bring about Constitutional AI. Developers laid down a set of values that the system must follow so that it undertakes politically and socially responsible actions.
As of now the Claude 3 is the most expensive model on the market, but Anthropic has plans to release affordable versions soon.
Based on the early reports, benchmarks, and confidence from the AI community, Claude 3 seems to be a significant step forward in the development of LLMs.

8. Sort out differences on financial issues, SC tells Kerala and Centre

Subject: Polity

Section: Federalism

Context:

The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the Centre and Kerala government, which have been sparring over the state’s borrowing limit, to hold further discussions to sort out their differences.

More on news:

A two-judge bench presided by Justice Surya Kant stated that the fiscal management of the states is an issue with which the Union must be concerned because ultimately it has its own impact on the nation’s economy.
Justice Surya Kant said the Centre is free to impose every other condition that it may feel appropriate to give sanction to borrow an additional Rs 13,608 crore “except the condition to withdraw the suit …”.

Article in news:

Article 293 of the Constitution: The executive power of a State extends to borrowing within the territory of India upon the security of the Consolidated Fund of the State.
Article 293(3) of the Constitution: State cannot raise a loan without the consent of the Government of India if any part of a previous loan from the central government remains outstanding.
Article 131 of the Constitution: The Supreme Court has exclusive and original jurisdiction in matters of law between states or between states and the Union.

9. Ensure Pakistan does not divert loans to foot defence bills: India to IMF

Subject: IR

Section: Int organisation

Context: India stresses the need for stringent monitoring during a recent review of the IMF’s ₹3 billion loan to Pakistan; new PM Shehbaz Sharif seeking additional funding support from the IMF.

The Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) provides short-term financial assistance to countries facing balance of payments problems. Historically, it has been the IMF lending instrument most used by advanced and emerging market countries. Through the years, the SBA has been upgraded to be more flexible and responsive to countries’ needs.

Concept –

The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, promotes international financial stability and monetary cooperation.
It also facilitates international trade, promotes employment and sustainable economic growth, and helps to reduce global poverty.
The IMF is governed by and accountable to its 190 member countries.

Primary aims:

Promote international monetary cooperation;
Facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade;
Promote exchange stability;
Assist in the establishment of a multilateral system of payments; and
Make resources available (with adequate safeguards) to members experiencing balance-of-payments difficulties.

Financial assistance: Providing loans to member countries that are experiencing actual or potential balance-of-payments problems is a core responsibility of the IMF.
Surveillance: In order to maintain stability and prevent crises in the international monetary system, the IMF monitors member country policies as well as national, regional, and global economic and financial developments through a formal system known as surveillance.
SDRs: The IMF issues an international reserve asset known as Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, that can supplement the official reserves of member countries participating in the SDR Department (currently all members of the IMF).
Resources: Member quotas are the primary source of IMF financial resources. A member’s quota broadly reflects its size and position in the world economy. The IMF regularly conducts general reviews of quotas.
IMF Members: Any other state, whether or not a member of the UN, may become a member of the IMF in accordance with IMF Articles of Agreement and terms prescribed by the Board of Governors.
- Membership in the IMF is a prerequisite to membership in the IBRD.

Governance and organization:

The IMF is accountable to its member country governments.
At the top of its organizational structure is the Board of Governors, consisting of one governor and one alternate governor from each member country, usually the top officials from the central bank or finance ministry.
- The Board of Governors meets once a year at the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings.
- Twenty-four of the governors serve on the International Monetary and Financial Committee, or IMFC, which advises the IMF’s Executive Board on the supervision and management of the international monetary and financial system.
The day-to-day work of the IMF is overseen by its 24-member Executive Board, which represents the entire membership and supported by IMF staff.
The Managing Director is the head of the IMF staff and Chair of the Executive Board and is assisted by four Deputy Managing Directors.
- First Deputy Managing Director is the second top post in IMF next to the Managing Director.
- The First Deputy Managing Director in the IMF takes lead on conducting surveillance, flagship publications and oversee researches

The IMF’s various lending instruments are tailored to different types of balance of payments need as well as the specific circumstances of its diverse membership

General Resources Account-All IMF members are eligible to access the Fund’s resources in the General Resources Account (GRA) on non-concessional terms.

Funds for PRGT lending are obtained through bilateral loan agreements at market interest rates. Subsidy resources make up the difference between the market rates received by lenders and the concessional rates paid by LIC borrowers.

Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust-concessional financial support (currently at zero interest rates) available through the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust
Stand-By Arrangements (SBAs)- in case of emerging and advanced market economies in crises, the bulk of IMF assistance has been provided through Stand-By Arrangements to address short-term or potential balance of payments problems.
Standby Credit Facility (SCF) -Financing for LICs with actual or potential short-term balance of payments and adjustment needs caused by domestic or external shocks, or policy slippages—can also be used on a precautionary basis during times of increased risk and uncertainty.
The Extended Fund Facility (EFF) -Fund’s main tool for medium-term support to emerging and advanced countries facing protracted balance of payments problems
Extended Credit Facility (ECF) for low-income countries are the Fund’s main tools for medium-term support to countries facing protracted balance of payments problems
Flexible Credit Line (FCL) or the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL)-To help prevent or mitigate crises and boost market confidence during periods of heightened risks, members with already strong policies can use the Flexible Credit Line (FCL) or the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL).
The Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) –for emerging and advanced countries provide rapid assistance to countries with urgent balance of payments needs, including from commodity price shocks, natural disasters, and domestic fragilities.
Rapid Credit Facility (RCF)-Rapid financial support as a single up-front payout for low-income countries facing urgent balance of payments needs—possible repeated disbursements over a (limited) period in case of recurring or ongoing balance of payments needs.
Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust-In February 2015, the IMF repurposed the Post-Catastrophe Debt Relief Trust, into the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust. Under the new trust the IMF can join international debt relief efforts for poor countries hit by the most catastrophic of natural disasters. It can also assist countries battling public health disasters—such as infectious disease epidemics—with grants for debt service relief.

10. Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) Advisory on Endorsing Illegal Betting

Subject: Polity

Section: Legislation in news

Advisory to Celebrities and Social Media Influencers:

CCPA has asked celebrities and social media influencers to refrain from endorsing or promoting illegal betting and gambling activities.
Stringent action will be taken against those found promoting such activities.

Concern Over Betting Platforms’ Use of Celebrities:

The advisory notes that betting platforms are employing celebrities and influencers to endorse and promote betting activities.

Legal Implications for Promotion:

Engaging in promoting or advertising online gambling and betting, being illegal in most states, makes one equally liable for participating in illegal activities.
Celebrities and influencers are advised to refrain from endorsing and promoting illegal betting and gambling activities.

Past Advisories by Information & Broadcasting Ministry:

The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has issued advisories in the past cautioning publishers and digital platforms against carrying ads promoting betting or gambling.

Prohibition of Betting and Gambling:

Betting and gambling are prohibited under the Public Gaming Act 1867 and are considered illegal in most regions of India.
Advertisement or promotion of online betting platforms and apps promotes an activity predominantly banned.

Persistence of Online Betting Platforms:

Despite legal prohibitions, online betting platforms and apps continue to advertise betting and gambling, sometimes under the guise of gaming.

Financial and Socio-economic Implications:

Endorsements of such activities have significant financial and socio-economic implications, especially for the youth.

Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements:

The CCPA mentions the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022.
These guidelines categorically prohibit advertisements of products or services prohibited under any prevailing law.

Stringent Measures for Violations:

Any violation of the guidelines will lead to stringent measures as per the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Measures will be initiated against manufacturers, advertisers, publishers, intermediaries, social media platforms, endorsers, and other relevant stakeholders involved in promoting illegal betting and gambling.

Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA):

Establishment:

Established in 2020 based on the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

Composition:

The CCPA is headed by a Chief Commissioner.
It consists of two other Commissioners as members:
- One Commissioner deals with matters relating to goods.
- The other Commissioner handles cases related to services.
Additionally, the CCPA has an Investigation Wing headed by a Director General.

Powers and Responsibilities:

Objective: The primary objective is to promote, protect, and enforce the rights of consumers as a class.
Empowered:
- Conduct Investigations: Into violations of consumer rights and institute complaints/prosecutions.
- Order Recall: Of unsafe goods and services from the market.
- Discontinue Unfair Practices: Such as misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.
- Impose Penalties: On manufacturers, endorsers, publishers, or entities involved in misleading advertisements.

District Collectors’ Powers:

District Collectors also have the power to investigate complaints of:
- Violations of consumer rights.
- Unfair trade practices.
- False or misleading advertisements.

Objective:

The main objective of the CCPA is to promote, protect, and enforce the rights of consumers as a class.

Enforcement Actions:

The CCPA is empowered to:
- Conduct investigations into violations of consumer rights.
- Institute complaints or prosecutions against offenders.
- Order the recall of unsafe goods and services.
- Discontinue unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements.
- Impose penalties on manufacturers, endorsers, publishers, or entities involved in misleading advertisements.

Consumer Protection Focus:

The primary focus of the CCPA is on ensuring consumer protection and upholding their rights.
It aims to create a fair and transparent marketplace for consumers.

Regulatory Body:

The CCPA acts as a regulatory body overseeing consumer protection laws and regulations.
It plays a vital role in enforcing consumer rights and ensuring compliance by businesses.
By enforcing consumer rights, ensuring market integrity, and fostering consumer awareness, the CCPA contributes significantly to a fair and transparent consumer environment in India.

11. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Directive on Card Networks

Subject: Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

Directive to Card Issuers:
- RBI has directed card issuers, including authorised payment system providers, banks, and non-banks.
- They are instructed not to enter into agreements or arrangements with card networks that restrict them from using services of other card networks.
Options for Customers:
- Card issuers must provide eligible customers with the option to choose from multiple card networks at the time of card issuance.
- For existing cardholders, this choice must be offered at the time of the next card renewal.
Effective Date:
- These directives will come into effect six months from the date of issue of the circular.
Authorised Card Networks in India:
- The currently authorised card networks in India include:
  - American Express Banking Corp.
  - Diners Club International Ltd.
  - MasterCard Asia/Pacific Pte. Ltd.
  - National Payments Corporation of India–Rupay
  - Visa Worldwide Pte. Ltd.

Current Practice:
- Typically, authorised card networks form tie-ups with banks/non-banks for issuing credit cards.
- The choice of network for a customer’s card is decided by the card issuer (bank/non-bank) based on their bilateral agreements with card networks.
RBI’s Observation:
- Upon review, RBI observed that some existing arrangements between card networks and issuers limit customer choice.
- These arrangements do not promote availability of options for customers.
Fresh Agreements:
- The RBI has asked card issuers and card networks to execute fresh agreements to align with these changes.
- The directive aims to enhance customer choice and promote competition in the payment system.
Purpose of the Directive:
- Issued with the interest of the payment system and public interest in mind.
- Aims to ensure customers have the flexibility to choose card networks that best suit their needs.
- Promotes a competitive and consumer-friendly environment in the card issuance process.

This directive from the RBI seeks to empower customers with more choices in selecting card networks, thereby enhancing competition and efficiency in the payment system.

Card Issuer Companies:

What are Card Issuer Companies?

Card Issuer Companies are financial institutions or entities responsible for issuing payment cards to consumers, including credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards.

Why Do Card Issuer Companies Exist?

They exist to provide consumers with convenient and secure payment options for transactions, both online and offline.
Card issuer companies facilitate the use of credit facilities, offer access to banking services, and enable financial transactions globally.

Who are the Stakeholders Involved?

Consumers: Individuals who use payment cards issued by these companies for purchases, payments, and withdrawals.
Banks and Financial Institutions: Often the entities behind card issuer companies, providing the financial backing and infrastructure.
Card Networks (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc.): Companies that provide the network for transactions and card acceptance worldwide.
Regulatory Authorities: Governments and financial regulatory bodies overseeing card issuer operations, ensuring consumer protection and market stability.
Merchants and Businesses: Accepting payments made through cards issued by these companies.

Functions and Roles of Card Issuer Companies:

Issuance of Payment Cards:
- Providing consumers with various types of payment cards, including credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards.
Setting Credit Limits:
- Determining the maximum amount of credit a cardholder can borrow for credit cards.
Account Management:
- Managing cardholder accounts, processing transactions, monitoring balances, and generating statements.
Transaction Authorization:
- Approving or declining transactions based on available funds, credit limits, and security checks.
Customer Service and Support:
- Offering assistance for lost or stolen cards, transaction disputes, billing inquiries, and general customer inquiries.
Security Measures:
- Implementing fraud prevention measures, encryption technologies, and security protocols to protect cardholder data.
Fee Structures and Interest Rates:
- Establishing fees, charges, annual fees, interest rates, and penalties associated with card usage.
Compliance with Regulations:
- Adhering to financial regulations, data protection laws, and consumer protection statutes.
Partnerships with Card Networks:
- Collaborating with card networks to enable card acceptance, processing, and interoperability.

Types of Cards Issued by Card Issuer Companies:

Credit Cards:
- Offer a revolving line of credit, allowing cardholders to borrow money up to a certain limit. Payments are made monthly, and interest may apply on unpaid balances.
Debit Cards:
- Linked directly to the cardholder’s bank account, debiting funds immediately for purchases or withdrawals.
Prepaid Cards:
- Loaded with a specific amount of funds by the cardholder, used until the balance is depleted.
Co-branded Cards:
- Issued in partnership with a retail brand, airline, or other organizations, offering rewards, discounts, or benefits specific to that brand.
Secured Cards:
- Backed by a security deposit, often used by individuals looking to build or rebuild credit.
Contactless Cards:
- Utilize near-field communication (NFC) technology for quick and secure tap-and-go payments.
Corporate Cards:
- Issued to employees of companies for business-related expenses, with features for expense tracking and reporting.

12. About India’s First Under-River Metro Tunnel

Subject: Geography

Section: Mapping

It is a part of Kolkata Metro’s East-West Corridor.
It passes under the Hooghly River and forms part of section from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade.
The stretch also has the deepest metro station in the country, the Howrah Maidan station, at 32 metres below ground level.

River Hooghly:

The Hooghly River, also known as the Bhagirathi-Hoogly and Kati-Ganga Rivers.
It is a distributary or arm of the Ganges River.
It is formed in Murshidabad, where the Ganga splits into two parts, while the part flowing through Bangladesh is called the Padma.
The Hooghly River is silted up above Kolkata, and the river flows to the west and south to the estuary of Rupnarayan and then south and southwest to enter the Bay of Bengal through a 32-kilometer-wide estuary.
Haldi, Ajay, Damodar and Rupnarayan are the rivers that feed the lower reaches of the Hooghly.
The important cities near the Hoogli River are Jiaganj, Azimganj, Murshidabad, and Baharampur

13. Star dunes

Subject: Geography

Section: Geomorphology

Context: Scientist unveiled the first in depth study of star dune, revealing the internal structure of these geological features and showing how long it took for one of them to form

What are star dunes?

Star dunes – or pyramid dunes – are named after their distinctive shapes and reach hundreds of metres in height.
Star dunes make up just under 10% of the dunes in Earth’s deserts. These are the tallest ones, surpassing other types such as crescent-shaped barchan dunes and straight and lengthy linear dunes.
These are formed in areas with complex wind regimes, where winds blowing from different directions and net sand accumulation, points within the desert where big piles of sand can be blown around to form giant dunes.

Geographical distribution:

They are found in Africa, Asia and North America and also have been spotted on Mars and on Saturn’s large moon Titan.
Earth’s largest star dunes are found in the Badain Jaran desert in western China.
Namib Sand Sea in Namibia, large sand seas in Algeria such as the Grand Erg Oriental and Grand Erg Occidental, and Rub’ al Khali in Saudi Arabia.
In North America, Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado contains a series of them.

Recent study about Star dunes

The research team from the UK have estimated the age of star dune of Lala Lallia in Morocco, for the first time.
The scientists used a technique called luminescence dating to work out the age of the star dune. The method calculates when the grains of sand were last exposed to daylight.

Types of dunes

Barchans: – crescent-shaped sand dune produced by the action of wind predominately from one direction.

One of the most common types of dunes, it occurs in sandy deserts all over the world.

Barchans are convex facing the wind, with the horns of the crescent pointing downwind and marking the lateral advancement of the sand.

These dunes are markedly asymmetrical in cross section, with a gentle slope facing toward the wind and a much steeper slope, known as the slip face, facing away from the wind.

Parabolic

Parabolic dunes – also called U-shaped, blowout, or hairpin dunes – tend to form where vegetation covers the sand. Winds may erode a section, pushing the sediment leeward. The vegetation will hold back the arms of the dune, so that the dune points in the leeward direction. The animation below gives a basic overview of how they form. They are most common in coastal deserts. Sometimes, parabolic dunes can come from transverse or barchan dunes, given that the dunes stay static enough for vegetation to grow on them.

Star

Star dunes are a rare, interesting dune structure, that pepper landscapes in sandy deserts. They form when alternating and multiple wind directions pile sand in a location, and forms a peak, with many arms extending from the center (Fun Facts…). Star dunes make up 8.5% of all the dunes on the planet, and they often form in large groups in a dune field (Star Dunes). Many of these fascinating dunes can be seen in the Sahara desert, especially in the Grand Erg Oriental, a “sand sea” of dunes.

Barchan

Barchan dunes are crescent or half-moon shaped, and are thus also called crescentic dunes. They form where conditions are ideal. They require a flat landscape, winds from only one direction, and limited sand. However, these exact conditions are rare, and so is this type of dune, although they are found in all types of deserts. Barchan dunes point against the wind. Their faces are steep, but their trailing sides are not. They will often join up with other barchans to form barchanoid ridges.

Longitudinal

Also called linear dunes, longitudinal dunes look like large, parallel needle-esque features on the landscape. They are straight, and long, unlike the typical dune that people imagine. This dune type forms when sand is not in excess, and when wind blows in one constant direction. Over an extended period of time the dunes will migrate in the direction the wind is blowing.

14. 2023-24 El Nino among five strongest on record, will continue fuelling heat in 2024: WMO

Subject: Geography

Section: Climatology

Context: The prevailing El Nino conditions fuelled record temperatures and extreme events the world over, with 2023 being the warmest on record

Details:

As per World Meteorological Organisation 2023-24 El Nino has peaked as one of the five strongest on record and will continue to impact global climate in the coming months despite a weakening trend.
The UN agency also said above-normal temperatures are predicted over almost all land areas between March and May.
The prevailing El Nino conditions fuelled record temperatures and extreme events the world over, with 2023 being the warmest on record.
According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global mean temperature breached the 5-degree Celsius threshold for an entire year for the first time in January.
A permanent breach of the 1.5-degree Celsius limit, specified in the Paris Agreement, however, refers to long-term warming over many years.
In its latest update, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said there is about a 60% chance of El Nino persisting during March-May and an 80% likelihood of neutral conditions (neither El Nino nor La Nina) during April to June.
There is a chance of La Nina developing later in the year but those odds are currently uncertain, it said.
Scientists closely tracking the development in India have said La Nina conditions setting in by June-August could mean monsoon rains would be better this year than in 2023.
Every month since June 2023 has set a new monthly temperature record — and 2023 was, by far, the warmest year on record.
El Nino has contributed to these record temperatures but heat-trapping greenhouse gases are unequivocally the main culprit.
“Ocean surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific clearly reflect El Nino. But sea-surface temperatures in other parts of the globe have been persistently and unusually high for the past 10 months. The January 2024 sea-surface temperature was by far the highest on record for January. This is worrying and cannot be explained by El Nino alone.
The current El Nino event, which developed in June 2023, was at its strongest between November and January. It displayed a peak value of about 2.0 degrees Celsius above the 1991 to 2020 average sea-surface temperature for the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean. This made it one of the five strongest El Nino events ever, though it was weaker than the 1997-98 and 2015-2016 events.
El Nino is mainly a seasonal climate phenomenon with climate impacts on seasonal climate averages but can make extreme weather and climate-events more likely in certain regions.
The WMO said the seasonal forecasts are found to be more accurate during El Nino and La Nina events, particularly in the tropics, and this emphasises the pivotal role of early warnings to support decision-making and enhance preparedness and anticipatory action.
El Nino events have a major impact on societies and economies. Accurate seasonal forecasts from the WMO community helped countries prepare in advance to try to limit the damage in climate sensitive sectors like agriculture, water resources and health.

What is El Nino?

It is a periodic warming of the ocean surface in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean — occurs every two to seven years on an average, and typically lasts nine to 12 months.
It is associated with increased rainfall in the Horn of Africa and the southern US, and unusually dry and warm conditions in Southeast Asia, Australia and southern Africa.

15. Sudanese seek alternatives as civil war hits fuel supply

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Sudan has been rocketing by a brutal civil war that has killed thousands — including up to 15,000 in a single Darfur town, according to UN experts — and displaced millions since last April.

Details: Covered before

16. Haitian crisis

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Context: Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced Wednesday it was boosting its presence in the Haitian capital following a surge in casualties linked to the worsening violence engulfing Port-au-Prince.

Armed groups have mounted a coordinated effort to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry — who was supposed to step down last month — with Port-au-Prince’s airport, prisons, police stations and other strategic targets coming under attack.

The gang leader behind the violence blighting the Haitian capital has warned there will be a “civil war” if Haiti’s prime minister, Ariel Henry, does not step down.

Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier made the threat as members of his gang tried to seize the capital’s airport to stop Mr Henry from returning from abroad.

Haiti:

Population: 11.5 million (estimate)
Area: 27,800 sq km (slightly smaller than Belgium, about the same size as the state of Maryland in the US)
Location: Caribbean country sharing a border with the Dominican Republic
Languages: French, Haitian Creole