Daily Current Affairs UPSC 23 May 2024

Inverted Duty Structure (IDS)

• Ministry of Commerce and Industry shares items with Ministry of Finance to address Inverted Duty Structure (IDS).
• Import duties on input goods are higher than on finished goods.
• GST rate paid on purchases is higher than the GST rate payable on sales.

Impact of IDS

• Affects domestic industry as manufacturers pay high prices for raw materials.
• Products become costly and cannot compete in export market.
• Taxpayers facing IDS will always have Input Tax Credit (ITC) in their GST electronic credit ledger.
• Creates working capital issues as resources remain blocked in the form of ITC due to high input tax.
• Leads to refund-related issues under the GST regime.

Himalayan Ibex

Survey to estimate Himalayan ibex and blue sheep population in Himachal Pradesh.

Himalayan ibex

• Goat with sweeping horns.
• Habitat above the tree line in the Himalayas up to 5500m.
• Grazes on alpine pastures near rocky terrain.
• Distribution in Pakistan, China, India, Afghanistan.
• Conservation status: Schedule I of WPA, 1972.

Blue Sheep (Bharal)

• Habitat on open grassy slopes in high mountains from 2500-5500m.
• Distribution in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan.
• Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN) and Schedule I of WPA, 1972.

Geopolitical Recession

• Political scientist Ian Bremmer defines a geopolitical recession as a situation where established global power frameworks are crumbling.
• Like economic recession, geopolitics also have boom and bust cycles.

Challenges during Geopolitical Recession

• Responding to a crisis becomes significantly more challenging due to the decreased resilience of political institutions.

Reasons for Current Geopolitical Recession

• Long-term rise of China and the Global South, combined with a decline of European and Japanese economic power.
• Tensions over trade between the US and China.

Animal Diplomacy

Malaysia's "orangutan diplomacy" aims to enhance its environmental image through animal diplomacy.

Animal Diplomacy:

• Involves giving or lending animals as a gesture of friendship or goodwill between countries.
• Animals chosen typically have cultural significance or are native to the country gifting them.
• Seen as a form of soft power in international relations.
• Examples include China's panda diplomacy and Australia's koala diplomacy.
• Ethical Concerns: Some view the use of animals in diplomacy as treating them as objects to further national interests.

Graphite

India is in talks with Sri Lanka for graphite mines acquisition.

• India considers graphite as one of the 30 critical minerals.
• Graphite is also known as plumbago or black lead.
• It is a stable form of naturally occurring Carbon and an allotrope of Carbon.

Properties of Graphite:

• Grey to black metallic lustre.
• Extremely soft and cleaves easily with light pressure.
• Good conductor of heat and electricity.
• Resistant to attack by ordinary chemical agents.

Applications of Graphite:

• Used in EV battery-making components.
• Used as lubricants, pencils, foundry facings, paints, and crucibles.

Shallow Aquifer Management (SAM)

• SAM pilot models introduced in Telangana.
• SAM is a sustainable urban water management technique.
• Involves drilling shallow water borewells to pump out water.
• Recharges underneath layers during rainfall, raising water tables.
• Part of AMRUT scheme by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• NAQUIM program aims to characterize aquifers and develop Ground Water management plans.

Wind Shear

• Singapore Airlines Plane Encounters Severe Mid-Air Turbulence
• The recent incident involving a Singapore Airlines plane highlights the dangers of mid-air turbulence, which can cause irregular motion of the air.
• Clear-air turbulence is one of the primary types of turbulence experienced during flights, and it is caused by wind shear.

Understanding Wind Shear

• Wind shear is defined as the change in wind speed, wind direction, or both over a certain distance.
• It can occur horizontally or vertically, and at both high and low altitudes.
• Wind shear is often associated with weather phenomena such as jet streams, mountain waves, temperature inversion layers, and thunderstorms.

Jagannath Temple

• Located in Puri, Odisha.
• Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra.
• Constructed by Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva and completed by Anangabhima Dev.
• Celebrates festivals like Devasnana Purnima and Chariot Festival.
• Represents the Kalinga school of architecture.
• Elevated on a platform with no shadow cast on the ground.
• Idols of the holy trinity are made of wood instead of stone or metal.

Kyrgyzstan (Capital: Bishkek)

Violence in Kyrgyzstan targeting students from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Political Features

• Located in Central Asia.
• Borders with Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
• Landlocked country.

Geographical Features

• Highest Peak: Victory (Pobedy) Peak.
• Major Rivers: Syr Darya, Naryn, and Chu River.
• Lake: Ozero Issyk-Kul, second largest saline lake after the Caspian Sea.
• Abundant natural resources like gold, coal, oil, and natural gas.

 "First Human Avian Flu Case in Australia"

• Avian influenza is caused by infection with Avian Influenza Type A viruses.
• Influenza A viruses are categorized into subtypes based on Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA) proteins.
• Subtypes include H5N3, H5N8, etc.
• There are two types based on severity: Low Pathogenicity and High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza.
• H5N1 is a High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza.
• Migratory wild birds, especially waterfowl, are natural reservoirs of avian influenza viruses.

Associated Concerns

• Global warming may lead to an increase in Bird flu cases as birds' migration patterns change.
• Mutation in the Influenza virus can create new subtypes.
• Trade of infected poultry and poultry products can spread the disease if not regulated properly.

Impacts

• Economic loss due to culling of birds.
• Rise in production costs due to implementation of bird flu control measures.

Steps Taken for Global and India Influenza Surveillance and Response.

Global Efforts:

• Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) by WHO: Identifies and monitors circulating influenza viruses, provides advice on risk to human health, and treatment/control measures.
• World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH): International organization enhancing animal health through collaboration across nations.

India's Actions:

• National Action Plan for Prevention, Control, and Containment of Avian Influenza (revised in 2021): Outlines steps to manage confirmed Notifiable Avian Influenza outbreaks.
• WOAH approved India's self-declaration of freedom from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in specific poultry compartments in 2023.

"Indian Cities Shine in Global Startup Rankings"

• PitchBook recently released its 2024 global rankings for the best startup cities
• Mumbai ranked 32nd, Bengaluru ranked 34th, and Gurugram ranked 48th among the top 50 startup cities globally.

Definition and Status of Startups

• Startups are entities focused on innovation, development, or improvement of products, processes, or services with a scalable business model.
• Recognized by DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, as businesses with age less than 10 years and annual turnover not exceeding Rs 100 crore.
• India has the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world with 114 unicorns as of March 2024 (startups worth more than $1 billion).

Factors Promoting Startup Growth

• Big corporations connecting with startups.
• Rich talent pool of skilled engineers and developers.
• Digital revolution enabling startups to reach a diverse consumer base.
• Large demography providing a vast market for startups.

Significance of Startups

• Creation of over 12 lakh jobs.
• Increase in number of patents by startups.
• Attracting foreign funding and democratising consumption.

Challenges Faced by Startups

• Availability of finance.
• Poor revenue generation.
• Lack of mentorship.
• Tight regulations related to intellectual property rights.

Initiatives for Supporting Startups

• Startup India by DPIIT aims to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and encouraging investments.
• Atal Incubation Centers by NITI Aayog.
• Startup Grants through the NIDHI Programme by the Department of Science & Technology.
• MAARG portal for mentorship, advisory, assistance, resilience, and growth of startups by DPIIT.

NGT's Ruling on CRZ

• Southern Bench of the NGT has ordered a halt to the Chennai Shoreline Renourishment and Revitalization Project in the CRZ II zone.
• The Project includes a cycle track, food court, and aims to obtain Blue Flag certification for beaches.
• Blue Flag Certification is given to environment-friendly and clean beaches, marinas, and boats by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
• Authorities must seek approval from the State Coastal Zone Management Authority before carrying out any activities on the beaches, including cleaning and removing encroachments.

About Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)

• The CRZ notification, 1991 was issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
• It was later replaced by the CRZ Notification, 2011 (reviewed by the Shailesh Nayak Committee) and the CRZ Notification, 2019.
• The 2019 notification requires states to update Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs) created as per the 2011 notification.

Institutional Mechanism

• The National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA) is at the Union level.
• State/Union Territory Coastal Zone Management Authorities (SCZMAs/UTCZMAs) exist in every coastal State/UT.
• District Level Committees (DLCs) are present in every district with a coastal stretch.

Classification of CRZs:

CRZ-IA: - Mangroves, salt marshes, and other ecologically sensitive areas.
CRZ-1B: Intertidal zone between Low Tide Line and High Tide Line.
CRZ-II: Developed land areas near the shoreline within existing municipal limits or designated urban areas.
CRZ-III: Undisturbed land areas such as rural areas not falling under CRZ-II.
CRZ-IVA: Area between Low Tide Line and 12 nautical miles on the seaward side.
CRZ-IVB: Regulations applicable to tidal influenced water bodies.

"Spain Joins International Solar Alliance"

Goal: An intergovernmental organization established by a treaty that focuses on promoting the use of solar energy technologies through collaboration and member-driven initiatives.

Genesis: 

• Jointly launched by India and France in 2015 at COP-21.
• Officially established in 2017 with the entry into force of the ISA Framework Agreement.
• All UN member states eligible to join ISA after the amendment of the Framework Agreement in 2020.

Key Strategy of ISA

• Guided by the 'Towards 1000' strategy.
• Aims to mobilize $1,000 billion in investments in solar energy solutions by 2030.
• Goal of delivering energy access to 1 billion people.
• Target of installing 1,000 GW of solar energy capacity.
• Recognition by the UN: Granted Observer Status by the UN General Assembly in 2021.

Headquarters of ISA: Located in Gurugram, India

Significance of ISA

• Facilitates a just energy transition through solar energy by promoting technology transfer and mobilizing finance.
• Part of India's soft power initiatives, along with the Global Biofuels Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

Initiatives taken by ISA

• One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG): This initiative aims to connect different regional grids through a common grid to transfer renewable energy power.
• The Global Solar Facility (GSF): This initiative is focused on catalyzing solar investments in underserved segments and geographies across Africa.
• Solar Technology Application Resource Centre [STAR C] Initiative: This initiative supports capacity building efforts in the solar technology sector.
• Development of Large-Scale Solar Power Projects under Solar Park Concept in Cluster/Group of ISA Member Countries: This initiative focuses on developing large-scale solar power projects in clusters or groups of ISA member countries.

"RBI Approves Rs 2.11 Lakh Crore Surplus Transfer to Government"

• The increase in transfer is 140% higher than the previous year and is determined by the Revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF).
• The RBI has also chosen to raise the Contingency Risk Buffer to 6.5% for the fiscal year 2023-24, up from 6%.

Surplus Transfer and ECF:

• The transfer this year is 140% higher than last year and is based on the Revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF).
• The RBI has decided to increase the Contingency Risk Buffer to 6.5% for FY 2023-24 from 6%.
• The RBI pays a dividend to the Government every year from its surplus profit to help with the Government's finances.
• Section 47 of the RBI Act, 1934 mandates that profits made by the RBI be sent to the Centre.
• The ECF provides a methodology for determining risk provisions and profit distribution under Section 47 of the RBI Act, 1934.
• A Committee headed by Bimal Jalan reviewed the 2015-16 ECF in 2018.
• The RBI must maintain a CRB within a range of 6.5% to 5.5% of its balance sheet.

Ways RBI Earns Profit:

• Open market operations involve the central bank purchasing or selling bonds.
• The RBI earns interest from bonds and returns from foreign currency assets.
• The RBI also earns profit from lending to banks for very short tenures.

Contingency Risk Buffer:

• The CRB is a fund kept for unforeseen contingencies such as depreciation of securities values and risks from monetary rate policy.

"BIMSTEC gains legal status with charter implementation"

BIMSTEC Charter Adoption and Impact

• The BIMSTEC Charter was signed and adopted during the 5th summit in Sri Lanka in 2022.
• Nepal's endorsement completed the ratification process, with the charter coming into force on May 20, 2024.

About BIMSTEC Charter

• Outlines goals, principles, and structure of BIMSTEC.
• Confers legal personality on the grouping.
• Allows for external partnerships, admission of observers, and new members.

About BIMSTEC

• Established in 1997 with the Bangkok Declaration.
• Members include Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan.
• Secretariat located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Aims to promote economic development, social progress, and peace in the Bay of Bengal region.

Significance for India

• Supports India's Act East and Neighbourhood First policy.
• Acts as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia.
• Provides an alternative platform after the dysfunction of SAARC since 2016.

Challenges

• Slow organizational progress with the charter enforced after 27 years.
• Absence of a Free Trade Agreement among BIMSTEC members.
• Strained relations between members over various issues like the Rohingya refugee crisis and border disputes.