Daily Prelims Notes 9 April 2021

April 9, 2021
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes

9 April 2021

Table Of Contents

1. FERTILIZER PRICING

Subject: Economy

Context: After diesel, fertilizers to take toll on farmers; IFFCO hikes prices by 45-58%

Concept:

Farmers buy fertilisers at MRPs (maximum retail price) below their normal supply-and-demand-based market rates or what it costs to produce/import them.
The difference between the retail price and production cost/domestic price is given as subsidy to manufacturers.

Present regime – Partial DBT (Since April 2018)

The subsidy goes to fertiliser companies, although its ultimate beneficiary is the farmer who pays MRPs less than the market-determined rates.
Manufacturers of fertilizers (urea) receive 100% of subsidy after fertiliser is delivered to the farmer, and the latter’s identity viz. Aadhaar is captured on the point of sale (PoS) machine at the dealer’s shop.
Therefore, the subsidy continues to be routed through manufacturers even though the sale of fertilizer is being verified using Aadhar ecosystem
The manufacturers sell urea at the maximum retail price (MRP) controlled by the Centre, which is kept at a low level. They also get subsidy reimbursement on unit-specific basis under the new pricing scheme (NPS).
The MRPs of non-urea fertilisers are decontrolled or fixed by the companies. The Centre, however, pays a flat per-tonne subsidy on these nutrients to ensure they are priced at “reasonable levels (based on Nutrient based Subsidy scheme)

Recent proposal:

At present, the Centre is following a “no denial” policy. Anybody, non-farmers included, can purchase any quantity of fertilisers through the PoS machines. It leads to bulk purchase of urea that is used for non agri purposes.
Hence , government is considering to put a cap on the maximum amount of fertilisers anybody can buy during kharif/rabi seasons.

2. PRINCIPLE OF NON-REFOULEMENT

Subject : International Relations

Context : SC allows deportation of Rohingyas detained in J&K subject to adherence to procedures prescribed for deportation.

Concept :

Non-refoulement is a fundamental principle of international law that forbids a country receiving asylum seekers from returning them to a country in which they would be in likely danger of persecution based on “race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion”.
Unlike political asylum, which applies to those who can prove a well-grounded fear of persecution based on certain category of persons, non-refoulement refers to the generic repatriation of people, including refugees into war zones and other disaster locales.
It is a principle of customary international law, as it applies even to states that are not partiesto the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol.
It is also a principle of the Trucial law of nations.

3. SAGAR VISION

Subject : International Relations

Context : Seychelles central to India’s SAGAR vision: PM

Concept :

SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region)

SAGAR is a term coined by PM Modi in 2015 during his Mauritius visit with a focus on the blue economy.
It is a maritime initiative which gives priority to the Indian Ocean region for ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of India in the Indian Ocean region.
The goal is to seek a climate of trust and transparency; respect for international maritime rules and norms by all countries; sensitivity to each other`s interests; peaceful resolution of maritime issues; and increase in maritime cooperation.
It is in line with the principles of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.

About IORA:

The Indian Ocean Rim Association was set up with the objective of strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean Region
The IORA is a regional forum, tripartite in nature, bringing together representatives of Government, Business and Academia, for promoting co-operation and closer interaction among them.
It is based on the principles of Open Regionalism for strengthening Economic Cooperation particularly on Trade Facilitation and Investment, Promotion as well as Social Development of the region.
India, Australia, Iran, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, UAE, Yemen, Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros and Oman are among the members of IORA.

4. AD-HOC JUDGES IN SUPREME COURT

Subject : Polity

Context : Ad hoc judges should not be appointed in lieu of regular recommendations, says Supreme Court.

Concept :

Ad hoc judges can be appointed in the Supreme Court by “Chief Justice of India” , if there is no quorum of judges available to hold and continue the session of the court.
He can do so only after consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned and with the previous consent of the president.
Only the persons who are qualified as to be appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court can be appointed as ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court. (Article 127).
Further, as per provisions of the Article 128, Chief Justice of India, with the previous consent of the President, request a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or High Court, who is duly qualified for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court, to sit and act as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
The salary & allowance of such judge are decided by the president.
The retired Judge who sits in such a session of the Supreme Court has all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges of the Judges BUT are NOT deemed to be a Judge.

5. CRYOGENIC ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Subject : Science & tech

Context : Scientists use cryo-electron microscopy to unravel how ‘guardian’ of the genome works.

Concept :

Cryo-electron microscopy

Cryo-electron microscopy is a specific type of electron microscopy that is based on the principle of forming a 3D image by collection and combination of thousands of projections of bio-molecules.
With the help of this, the researchers can now visualize the processes never seen before by freezing the mid-movement of the bio-molecules.
Cryo-electron microscopy makes it possible to freeze the bio-molecules at the cryogenic temperature ie, at -150°C, preserving their natural shape. By this, the structure of molecules is revealed in exquisite detail.
It is significant for better understanding of basic Chemistry and for the development of pharmaceuticals as it simplifies and improves the imaging of bio-molecules.
It facilitates the study of fine viruses, protein complexes and cellular structures at a molecular resolution as it gives the scientists an opportunity to have a look at the machinery of life in a 3D form.
The earlier forms of electron microscopes made it impossible to study the bio-molecules in 3D form as the powerful beams often destroyed the biological matter.
The resolution now has improved from shapeless blobs to imaging the proteins at atomic resolution. The Cryo-Electron Microscopy has broken several limitations, moving biochemistry into a new Era.

6. APPRECIATION &DEPRECIATION OF RUPEE

Subject : Economics

Context : Indian Rupee fell sharply by 105 paise against the dollar on Wednesday.

Concept :

Appreciation and Depreciation of Currency

In a floating exchange rate system, market forces (based on demand and supply of a currency) determine the value of a currency.
Currency Appreciation: It is an increase in the value of one currency in relation to another currency.
Currencies appreciate against each other for a variety of reasons, including government policy, interest rates, trade balances and business cycles.
Currency appreciation discourages a country’s export activity as its products and services become costlier to buy.
Currency Depreciation: It is a fall in the value of a currency in a floating exchange rate system.
Economic fundamentals, political instability, or risk aversion can cause currency depreciation.
Currency depreciation encourages a country’s export activity as its products and services become cheaper to buy.

7. ADB

Subject: International Organisations

Context : ADB Approves USD 484 Mn Loan To Improve Transport Connectivity At CKIC In Tamil Nadu.

Concept :

ADB is a regional development bank established on 19th December 1966.
ADB now has 68 members, 49 from within Asia.
ADB’s five largest shareholders are Japan and the United States (each with 15.6% of total shares), the People’s Republic of China (6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%).
It aims to promote social and economic development in Asia.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.
ADB is headquartered in Manila, Philippines.

8. AQUEDUCT WATER RISK ATLAS

Subject : International Reports

Context : Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas released by the World Resources Institute (WRI) ranks India at 13th among the world’s 17 extremely water-stressed countries.

Concept :

Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas(AWRA)

The AWRA, developed by the World Resources Institute, is a global water risk mapping tool that assistsfirms, investors, governments, and other users comprehend where and how water risks and opportunities are surfacingglobally.
The Atlas employs a sturdy, peer reviewed methodology and the most accurate available data to create high-resolution, customizable global maps of water risk.
Aqueduct now includes 13 indicators of water risk, including new additions such as groundwater availability and water depletion, and monthly snapshots of water stress and variability.

World Resources Institute (WRI)

It is a global research non-profit organization (based in USA) which focuses on 7 areas: Food, Forests, Water, Energy, Cities, Climate, Ocean.
The mission is to shift human society to live in ways that safeguard Earth’s environment.

9. UNITED BENGAL PLAN

Subject : History

Concept :

United Bengal Plan

British Bengal roughly consisted of modern-day Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
In 1905, Bengal was partitioned to achieve some political returns but people’s growing movement under the auspices of Congress led to the reunion in 1911.
In 1947, along with India and Pakistan, there almost emerged a third sovereign country: United Bengal.
The division of the province was demanded on communal lines.
However, the plan was foiled following concerted and unanimous efforts of the Hindus of Bengal.
Hindu opinion was firmly against a sovereign and united Bengal.

Shyama Prasad Mookerjee and his plan-

Though Mookerjee was a staunch advocate of the integrity of the country, but when the division of India became imminent, he campaigned for the division of Bengal.
In February 1947, the Hindu Mahasabha under Mookerjee put forward the demand for dividing Bengal on religious grounds.
He demanded West Bengal for Hindu Bengalis.
He had opposed a bid to form a united, but independent Bengal in 1947 that was pushed by Sarat Bose, brother of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, former Pakistani prime minister.

Leaders who were in favour and against the Plan

Against: Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel were implacably opposed to a United Bengal.
In favour: Suhrawardy along with few other top Bengal politicians like Sarat Bose and K.S. Roy came up with an alternative for the Partition.

10. DOUBLE MUTANT VARIANT B.1.617

Subject : Science & tech

Context : The “double mutant” virus that scientists had flagged last month as having a bearing on the spread of the pandemic in India, has a formal scientific classification: B.1.617.

Concept :

The variant is common in India and has a couple of defining mutations, E484Q and L425R, that enable it to become more infectious and evade antibodies.
Though these mutations have individually been found in several other coronavirus variants, the presence of both mutations together were first found in some coronavirus genomes from India.
Certain variants of the coronavirus, for instance, B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 — have been termed the “United Kingdom” and “South Africa” variant, respectively, because they have mutations associated with large spikes in these countries or reduce the efficacy of vaccines and are termed “variants of concern (VOC)”.
So far, only three global VOCs have been identified: the U.K. variant, the South African and the Brazilian (P.1) lineage.

11. MUON G-2

Subject : Science & tech

Context : Newly published results of an international experiment hint at the possibility of new physics governing the laws of nature.

Concept :

The results of the experiment, which studied a subatomic particle called the muon, do not match the predictions of the Standard Model, on which all particle physics is based, and instead reconfirm a discrepancy that had been detected in an experiment 20 years previously.
The experiment, called Muon g–2 (g minus two), was conducted at the US Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab).

What is the Standard Model?

The Standard Model is a rigorous theory that predicts the behaviour of the building blocks of the universe.
It lays out the rules for six types of quarks, six leptons, the Higgs boson, three fundamental forces, and how the subatomic particles behave under the influence of electromagnetic forces.
The muon is one of the leptons. It is similar to the electron, but 200 times larger, and much more unstable, surviving for a fraction of a second.

Muon g–2 experiment

It measured a quantity relating to the muon, following up a previous experiment at Brookhaven National Laboratory, under the US Department of Energy.
Concluded in 2001, the Brookhaven experiment came up with results that did not identically match predictions by the Standard Model.
The Muon g–2 experiment measured this quantity with greater accuracy.

What quantity was measured?

It is called the g–factor, a measure that derives from the magnetic properties of the muon.
The rate at which the muon wobbles is described by the g-factor, the quantity that was measured.
This value is known to be close to 2, so scientists measure the deviation from 2. Hence the name g–2.
The new experimental results (combined from the Brookhaven and Fermilab results) announced are:

g-factor: 00233184122

anomalous magnetic moment: 00116592061.

12. GURU TEJ BAHADUR

Subject : History

Context : SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal today requested that a world-class museum be established in Delhi to showcase the life of Guru Teg Bahadur on the occasion of his 400th birth anniversary.

Concept :

Guru Teg Bahadur (1621-1675)

Guru Teg Bahadur was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion.
One hundred and fifteen of his hymns are in Guru Granth Sahib.
He stood up for the rights of Kashmiri Pandits who approached him against the imposition jizya tax.
He was publicly killed in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi for refusing to convert.
In the words of Noel King of the University of California, “Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom was the first-ever martyrdom for human rights in the world.
He is fondly remembered as ‘Hind di Chaadar’.

13. AEFI

Subject : Science & tech

Context : 180 people died after vaccination in India till March 29, over 6 crore inoculated by then. However, the data does not reflect if the deaths were caused due to the vaccine.

Concept :

Adverse events following immunization (AEFI)

As vaccine-preventable infectious diseases continue to Adecline, people have become increasingly concerned about the risks associated with vaccines.
Furthermore, technological advances and continuously increased knowledge about vaccines have led to investigations focused on the safety of existing vaccines which have sometimes created a climate of concern.
Adverse event following immunization is any untoward medical occurrence which follows immunization and which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine.
If not rapidly and effectively dealt with, can undermine confidence in a vaccine and ultimately have dramatic consequences for immunization coverage and disease incidence.
Alternatively, vaccine-associated adverse events may affect healthy individuals and should be promptly identified to allow additional research and appropriate action to take place.
In order to respond promptly, efficiently, and with scientific rigour to vaccine safety issues, WHO has established a Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety.

14. ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUNDS

Subject : Economics

Context : Markets regulator Sebirationalised the reporting requirements for alternative investment fundsÂ in order to provide ease of compliance for such entities.

Concept :

AIFs

As defined in Securities and Exchange Board of India (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012, AIFs refer to any privately pooled investment fund, (whether from Indian or foreign sources), in the form of a trust or a company or a body corporate or a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP).
AIF does not include funds covered under the SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996, SEBI (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations, 1999 or any other regulations of the Board to regulate fund management activities.
Hence, in India, AIFs are private funds which are otherwise not coming under the jurisdiction of any regulatory agency in India.

Categories:

As per SEBI (AIF) Regulations, 2012, AIFs shall seek registration in one of the three categories:
Category I: Mainly invests in start- ups, SME’s or any other sector which Govt. considers economically and socially viable.
Category II: These include Alternative Investment Funds such as private equity funds or debt funds for which no specific incentives or concessions are given by the government or any other Regulator
Category III : Alternative Investment Funds such as hedge funds or funds which trade with a view to make short term returns or such other funds which are open ended and for which no specific incentives or concessions are given by the government or any other Regulator.