Daily Current Affairs UPSC 04 June 2024

World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

• India participates in the ITU's WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The WSIS+20 Forum celebrates 20 years of progress in implementing outcomes from the WSIS held in Geneva and Tunis.
• The WSIS forum is co-organised by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, and co-hosted by ITU and the Swiss Confederation.
• The aim of the WSIS forum is to create a multi-stakeholder platform to address issues related to information and communication technologies at national, regional, and international levels.
• The goal of the WSIS forum is to build a people-centric, inclusive, and development-oriented Information Society that enables universal access, utilization, and sharing of information.

PraVaHa Software

ISRO's PraVaHa Software Development

• PraVaHa is a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software developed by ISRO.
• It can simulate external and internal flows on various aerospace vehicles.
• Developed at ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)

• VSSC is responsible for designing and developing launch vehicle technology.
• Major programs include PSLV, GSLV, and GSLV Mk III.
• Headquarters located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) +

OPEC+ Extends Oil Output Cuts into 2025

• OPEC+ is a group formed by OPEC and 10 other oil-producing countries.
• OPEC was established in 1960 in Vienna, Austria by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
• OPEC's objective is to coordinate and unify petroleum policies among member countries to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers.
• OPEC currently has 12 members, with additional members including Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria, Congo, and UAE.
• In 2016, OPEC signed an agreement with 10 other oil-producing countries to form OPEC+.
• OPEC+ members include Russia, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Oman, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Bahrain, South Sudan, Brunei, and Sudan.

Siang Valley

Discovery of new blue ant species in Siang Valley.

Siang Valley location and significance

• Located primarily in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh is part of the Brahmaputra River.
• Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot.

Key Protected Areas in Siang Valley

• Mouling National Park.
• Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary.

Tribal Groups in Siang Valley

• Nyishi.
• Adi tribes.

Threats to Siang Valley

• Large-scale infrastructure projects like dams, highways, and military installations
• Climate change.

Greedflation

• Greedflation is a term used to describe how corporate greed is contributing to high rates of inflation in Western countries.
• Instead of the traditional wage-price spiral, greedflation is driven by a profit-price spiral where companies increase prices to maximize profit margins.
• The wage-price spiral is when rising wages and prices feed into each other, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.
• Companies are exploiting inflation by raising prices beyond covering increased costs, leading to further inflation.

Phenome India-CSIR Health Cohort Knowledgebase (PI-CheCK) Project

• The PI-CHeCK project was initiated by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2023.
• The project's main goal is to evaluate risk factors for non-communicable diseases, specifically cardio-metabolic diseases, among the Indian population.
• The project aims to promote a healthy and well population in India, aligning with the vision of "Swasthya Bharat Viksit Bharat."
• CSIR is dedicated to advancing precision medicine through Predictive, Personalized, Participatory, and Preventive healthcare, as demonstrated by the PI-CHeCK project.

Successful Conclusion of Phase One

• The first phase of the PI-CHeCK project has been successfully completed.
• This milestone marks progress towards understanding and addressing risk factors for cardio-metabolic diseases in the Indian population.
• The project's success in this phase highlights the commitment of CSIR to improving healthcare through precision medicine.

Abu Musa Island

Iran summons China's envoy over China-UAE statement

• Iran is upset about a statement made by China and the UAE questioning Iran's sovereignty over Abu Musa Island and two other islands.
• Abu Musa Island is the largest of the disputed islands and is rich in offshore oil and natural gas.

Disputes over Islands

• The islands are claimed by both Iran and the UAE, but Iran has controlled them since 1971.
• Iran took control of the islands after the British withdrew.
• The islands are strategically important as they are located near the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant amount of the world's oil consumption passes daily.

Global Soil Partnership (GSP)

• GSP Assembly urges immediate measures to enhance and preserve the health of at least 50% of the world's soils by 2030.
• The Global Soil Partnership (GSP) was created in 2012 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to foster a collaborative partnership among stakeholders.
• The GSP's goals include raising awareness about the importance of soils on the global agenda, advocating for inclusive policies and soil governance, and promoting sustainable soil management practices.

Sukumar Sen (1898-1963)

Biopic announced on the life of Sukumar Sen

• Sukumar Sen was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India, serving from 1950 to 1958.

Contributions:

• Conducted the first two Lok Sabha elections of India in 1952 and 1957 simultaneously with the Legislative Assembly Elections.
• Introduced innovative methods like indelible ink to prevent voter impersonation.
• Served as the Chairman of the International Election Commission.
• Awards and Honour: Padma Bhushan.
• Values: Leadership, Integrity, Impartiality, etc. 

"First Meeting of National Coordination Committee for Grain Storage Plan"

Implementation Status of World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector

• Committee reviewed the progress of the World's Largest Grain Storage Plan.
• Initiated by Ministry of Cooperation in 2023 across 11 states.
• Implemented by various organizations including NCDC, NABARD, FCI, CWC, NABARD Consultancy Services, NBCC.

Benefits of the Plan

• Ensures food security.
• Reduces post-harvest losses for farmers.
• Lowers transportation costs between procurement centers, warehouses, and FPS.
• Prevents distress sales by farmers at low rates.

Other Steps to Improve Grain Storage Capacity

• Private Entrepreneur Guarantee scheme for private participation in food storage capacity.
• Negotiable Warehouse Receipts issued by WDRA allow farmers to seek loans against NWRs to avoid distress sales of produce.

Grain Storage System

• FCI responsible for procurement, storage, and movement of food grains
  • FCI is the nodal agency for public distribution and maintenance of buffer stocks.
  • FCI operates under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
• CWC established for warehousing of agricultural produce and other commodities
  • CWC operates under the Warehousing Corporations Act, 1962.

"Importance of Nuclear Technologies in Food Safety: FAO"

Role of Nuclear Technologies in Food Safety and Control Symposium

• The importance of nuclear technologies in addressing food safety and control was emphasized at the International Symposium in Vienna, Austria.
• The event was jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Applications of Nuclear Technologies in Food Systems

• Animal Health: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, a nuclear molecular technique, can quickly detect diseases in animals.
• Soil and Water Management: Radioactive nuclides from nuclear events can help assess soil health and erosion rates.
• Insect Pest Management: The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) uses nuclear radiation to sterilize insects and manage pest populations.
• Food Safety and Control: Food irradiation, which involves applying ionizing radiation to food, improves safety and extends shelf life by reducing microorganisms and insects.
• Plant Breeding and Genetics: Nuclear technologies can induce desired genetic changes through irradiation.

Key Initiatives

Global Initiatives:

• Atoms4Food Initiative, a collaboration between FAO and IAEA, aims to promote the use of nuclear techniques in food and agriculture.
• The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture works towards advancing the use of nuclear technology in food production globally.

Initiatives in India:

• Technology demonstration plants have been established for irradiation in India.
• The KRUSHAK plant in Lasalgaon, Nashik focuses on low dose radiation treatment.
• The Radiation Processing Plant (RPP) in Navi Mumbai specializes in high dose radiation treatment.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) introduced the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Sixth Amendment Regulations, 2016 to align food irradiation rules in India with international standards.

"Sundhnukagigar Volcano Erupts Again in Iceland"

Iceland as a Volcanically Active Region

• Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the North Atlantic Ocean, where the Eurasian and North American plates are moving apart.
• The region is part of hotspots, which leads to increased volcanic activity.

Global Distribution of Volcanoes

• Hotspots are areas in Earth's mantle where hot plumes rise upward, creating volcanoes on the crust above.
• The Circum-Pacific Belt, also known as the Ring of Fire, contains more than two-thirds of the world's volcanoes.
• Divergent plate margins occur when one tectonic plate moves away from another, such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

About Volcanoes

• Volcanoes are vents in the Earth's crust through which gases, ashes, and molten lava escape to the ground.
• They can be found on both land and the ocean floor.
• Volcanic eruptions release gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide.

Impact of Volcanoes

Positive

• Volcanic materials can form fertile soils through weathering, such as black soil.
• They are a rich source of minerals like iron and magnesium.

Negative

• Volcanic ash and gases can increase Earth's albedo, leading to cooling of the planet.
• Volcanic eruptions can cause infectious diseases like conjunctivitis and chronic respiratory diseases.

Types of Volcanoes Based on Eruption Frequency

• Active Volcanoes: These are volcanoes that have erupted recently or are currently erupting. An example is Barren Island in the Nicobar Islands, which is the only active volcano in India.
• Dormant Volcanoes: These are volcanoes that have not erupted in a long time but could potentially erupt again in the future.
• Extinct Volcanoes: These are volcanoes that are unlikely to erupt again as they have been inactive for a long period of time.

Types of Volcanoes Based on Type of Eruption

• Shield or Dome Volcanoes: These volcanoes are made up of basalt and have gentle slopes. An example is the Hawaiian volcanoes.
• Composite Volcanoes (Strato Volcanoes): These volcanoes have steeper sides compared to shield volcanoes. An example is Mount Fuji in Japan.
• Caldera Volcanoes: These are the most explosive volcanoes and are characterized by a large crater formed by a massive eruption. An example is the Yellowstone supervolcano in the USA.

Assam Floods: 13 Districts Hit by Cyclone Remal

Factors contributing to frequent floods in Assam

• Monsoon Rainfall: The majority of annual rainfall in the Brahmaputra basin occurs during the monsoon months, leading to floods.
• High discharge: The Brahmaputra and Barak Rivers are fed by over 50 tributaries, resulting in high discharge and annual flooding.
• Bank erosion: The high discharge and velocity of the Brahmaputra River lead to a high rate of bank erosion, causing the river to shift course and flood.
• Seismic Active Zone: Earthquakes and landslides push sediments and debris into rivers, raising riverbeds and increasing the risk of floods.
• Other factors: Man-made activities such as deforestation, hill cutting, encroachments, and destruction of wetlands have worsened the flood situation.

Impacts of Floods

• Loss of life, property, and farmland due to riverbank erosion.
• Disruption of transportation routes and commercial supplies, as well as pollution of drinking water systems.
• Damage to vegetation and impact on wildlife habitat, flora, and fauna.

Initiatives for Flood Prevention

• Implementation of Flood Early Warning Systems to provide information and issue timely alerts to the public.
• Flood Management programs to prevent erosion and improve drainage in flood-prone areas.
• Adherence to National Disaster Management Authority guidelines on flood management.

Way Forward

1. Non-structural measures for flood management

• Implementing flood forecasting and warning systems to alert communities of potential flooding.
• Conducting flood profiling to better understand flood patterns and risks.
• Regulating reservoirs to control water levels and prevent overflow during heavy rainfall.

2. Rejuvenation of wetlands and local water bodies

• Restoring wetlands and local water bodies to improve drainage systems and provide natural outlets for excess water.
• Preventing waterlogging by creating pathways for water to flow out of urban areas.

3. Establishment of National Integrated Flood Management Group

• Creating a centralized group under the Ministry of Jal Shakti to coordinate and oversee flood management efforts.
• Following recommendations from the Standing Committee on Water Resources to improve flood response and preparedness at a national level.

"Updates to International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005"

Amendments to the IHR, 2005 at the 77th WHA Meeting

• The 77th annual World Health Assembly recently concluded with an agreement on a crucial set of amendments to the IHR, 2005.
• The Intergovernmental Negotiating Body's mandate was extended to negotiate a Pandemic Agreement within a year.
• The IHR is the successor of the International Sanitary Regulations (1951) and aims to provide a legally binding framework for handling public health events and emergencies that can cross borders.
• The IHR includes all 194 WHO Member States plus Liechtenstein and the Holy See.
• The need for amendments was highlighted by experiences with epidemics and pandemics like Ebola and COVID-19.

Key Amendments

• The amendments define a pandemic emergency as a communicable disease with a wide geographical spread or high risk of one, exceeding national health systems' response capabilities.
• A Coordinating Financial Mechanism was established to address the needs of developing countries.
• A States Parties Committee was created for effective IHR implementation.
• National IHR Authorities were established to improve coordination among countries.

Purpose of the World Health Assembly (WHA)

The WHA is responsible for making decisions for the World Health Organisation (WHO).

• Functions of the World Health Assembly (WHA)

The WHA determines policies for the WHO, appoints the Director-General, supervises financial policies, and reviews and approves the proposed programme budget. 

2021 Global PPP Data Released

Data from the International Comparison Program (ICP)

• The ICP released data covering 176 economies.
• Key findings from the data.

China, US, and India's economies

• China was the largest economy in 2021 at $28.8 trillion.
• The US followed China in terms of PPP.
• India's economy was the third largest at $11.0 trillion, accounting for 7.2% of Global GDP.
• India is currently the 5th largest economy based on GDP ranking.

Income disparities and global GDP

• High-income economies with 16.4% of the world's population accounted for 46% of global GDP.
• Low-income economies with 8.4% of the world's population accounted for just 1% of global GDP.

About Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)

• PPP is the exchange rate used to convert one nation's currency into another to purchase the same amount of goods.
• It determines the relative value of different currencies.
• Significance of PPP: provides a more accurate measure of living standards across countries compared to Market Exchange Rate (MER) estimates.
• MER can inflate the buying power of high-income countries and underestimate that of low-income countries.
• PPP exchange rates are more stable over time than MER rates.

ICP Overview

• The International Comparison Program (ICP) is a global effort to gather data on comparative prices and GDP expenditures in order to calculate Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) for different countries.
• The program is managed by the World Bank with the support of the United Nations Statistical Commission.
• The ICP was established in 1968 and has been a consistent part of the global statistical program since 2016.

Price Level Index (PLI)

• In addition to calculating PPPs, the ICP also measures Price Level Index (PLI).
• The PLI is the ratio of a country's PPP to its corresponding exchange rate, providing insight into the relative price levels between countries.