Daily Current Affairs UPSC 30 April 2024

Navratna Status

• Navratna status granted to IREDA by Department of Public Enterprises.
• IREDA under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• Established in 1987 as a Non-Banking Financial Institution.

Electronic Trading Platforms (ETPs

RBI Draft Master Direction on Electronic Trading Platforms

• The RBI has released a draft master direction on Electronic Trading Platforms (ETP) for the year 2024.
• Authorization or registration with the RBI is necessary for operating an ETP.
• Requirements for ETP Operators.
• An entity seeking authorization as an ETP operator must be incorporated in India.
• The entity must maintain a minimum net worth of Rs 5 crore.

Definition of ETP and Eligible Instruments

• ETP refers to any electronic system, other than a recognized stock exchange, where transactions in eligible instruments are contracted.
• Eligible instruments include securities, money market instruments, foreign exchange instruments, derivatives, etc.

Foreign Contribution Registration Act (FCRA), 2010

Cancellation of Registration of NGOs by MHA

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revoked the registration of five NGOs for allegedly breaching FCRA provisions.
• The FCRA, 2010 is overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs and was initially introduced during the Emergency in 1976 to prevent foreign interference in India. It was amended in 2010 to streamline regulations on foreign funds usage and to prevent their utilization for activities against national interests. Further amendments in 2020 have given the government increased control and oversight over the receipt and utilization of foreign funds by NGOs.

K2-18B

Data from the James Webb Telescope indicates a high likelihood of Dimethyl Sulphide (DMS) gas, which on Earth is primarily produced by living organisms.

Information about K2-18B

• K2-18b is a super Earth exoplanet discovered in 2015 that orbits an M-type star.
• M stars, also known as M dwarfs or Red dwarfs, are cooler and smaller than the sun.
• K2-18b orbits within the habitable zone of K2-18, where temperatures are suitable for liquid water to exist.

Baseflow

Study Findings on Baseflows and River Floods in Peninsular India

• The recent study found that baseflows have a more significant impact on triggering river floods in Peninsular India compared to rainfall and soil moisture. This highlights the importance of understanding baseflows in flood prediction and management.

Definition and Importance of Baseflows

Baseflows refer to streamflows that result from precipitation infiltrating into the soil and eventually moving through the soil to the stream channel. This type of flow, also known as groundwater flow or dry-weather flow, plays a crucial role in maintaining streamflow levels and can contribute to river floods in certain regions.

Ethylene (C2H4)

Ethylene and Fruit Ripening

• Ethylene is a colorless, flammable gas with a sweet taste and odor that is used as a gaseous plant growth promoter.
• It is highly effective in fruit ripening as it enhances the respiration rate during the ripening process.
• Ethylene also plays a role in breaking seed and bud dormancy, initiating germination in peanut seeds, and promoting root growth and root hair formation.
• Ethephon is the most widely used compound as a source of ethylene, as it is readily absorbed and transported within plants, releasing ethylene slowly.

FSSAI Regulations on Ethylene Use

• The FSSAI permits the use of ethylene for artificial ripening as long as the concentration does not exceed 100 ppm (parts per million).
• Direct contact between any source of ethylene gas and fruits is not permitted according to FSSAI regulations.

Kalvari Class Submarine

Pakistan's Hangor class submarine launch:

• Pakistan recently launched its first Hangor class submarine, which is seen as a direct rival to India's Kalvari class submarines.
• The Kalvari class submarines are built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited as part of Project-75, and are based on the French Scorpeneclass submarines.
• These submarines have diesel-electric propulsion systems and are primarily used for attack purposes.
• India currently operates six Kalvari class submarines, named Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj, Vela, Vagir, and Vagshir.
• The Indian Navy is working on installing an indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system on these submarines.
• The AIP system will allow non-nuclear submarines to stay submerged for longer periods of time.

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

Study on Impact Evaluation of Geographical Indication (GI) Products.

• NABARD has approved a study to evaluate the impact of Geographical Indication (GI) products.
• Currently, there are 144 products supported by NABARD that have been given the GI tag.
• NABARD is India's top development bank, established in 1982 through an Act of Parliament.
• The headquarters of NABARD is located in Mumbai and it is fully owned by the Government of India.
• The main goal of NABARD is to promote sustainable and fair agriculture and rural development.
• The establishment of NABARD was recommended by the B. Sivaraman committee.
• NABARD's functions include promoting and developing initiatives, providing financial and refinancing support, and enhancing the capacity of cooperatives and regional rural banks.
  Place in News.

Spain (Capital: Madrid)

Spain's Prime Minister refuses to step down despite court inquiry into wife's corruption allegations.

Political boundaries in Spain:

• Located in southwestern Europe.
• Land borders with Portugal, Andorra, France, and Gibraltar.
• Maritime borders with the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Balearic Sea, and Alboran Sea.

Geographical features of Spain:

• Highest peak is Teide Peak.
• Major rivers include Tagus, Ebro, and Douro.
• Climate is temperate with hot summers in the interior and more moderate and cloudy along the coast.
• Important plateau is the Iberian Plateau, also known as Meseta Central.

"Accelerated Warming in the Indian Ocean: Future Projections"

Key findings of study:

• Climate models predict that the Indian Ocean will warm at a faster rate from 2020-2100 compared to the previous years.
• The Arabian Sea in the northwestern Indian Ocean will experience the maximum warming.
• Marine heatwaves are expected to increase significantly, leading to near-permanent heatwave conditions in the tropical Indian Ocean.
• In a high emission scenario, the average temperature in the Indian Ocean basin is projected to remain above 28°C by 2100.

Impact of warming Indian Ocean:

• Increased heat content in the ocean will contribute to sea level rise due to thermal expansion.
• Marine heatwaves may cause habitat destruction, such as coral bleaching and loss of kelp forests, and intensify cyclones.
• The frequency of extreme Indian Ocean Dipole events is expected to increase, affecting temperature distribution in the Indian Ocean.

Way forward for mitigating impacts of warming Indian Ocean:

• Reduce global carbon emissions to combat climate change.
• Invest in resilient infrastructure to withstand the impacts of a warming Indian Ocean.
• Conserve marine ecosystems through sustainable practices to protect biodiversity.
• Enhance forecasting capabilities to better predict and prepare for extreme events.
• Promote adaptive agriculture practices to ensure food security in the face of changing climate conditions.

"Net Zero Standards for India's Iron and Steel Sector"

Benefits of Implementing Standards for Low and Near Zero Emissions Steel

• Simplified process for producers to accept emission-related measures.
• Reduction of duplicating efforts and minimization of trade barriers for policymakers.
• Establishment of a common verification approach for countries and improvement of emissions understanding across various actors.

Initiatives to Standardize the Steel Sector in India

• Implementation of the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy in 2019.
• Introduction of the Perform, Achieve and Trade scheme under the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency.
• Formation of 14 Task Forces by the Ministry of Steel to support the development of the "Roadmap for Green Steel".

Global Initiatives to Standardize the Steel Sector

• Launch of the Steel Breakthrough under the Breakthrough Agenda at COP26 in 2021.
• Introduction of Steel Standard Principles at COP 28 in 2023 for the development of low/near-zero emissions steel definitions and measurement methodologies.

Measures Required to Standardize the Steel Sector

• Setting clear timelines for emissions reduction and measurement methodologies.
• Creating markets for low-emissions materials and products.
• Developing policies to support commercial-scale low emissions production and mobilizing finance and investment.
• India is the second-largest steel-producing country, accounting for 7% of total crude steel production.
• Steel production heavily relies on coal as a reducing agent to extract iron from iron ore and provide carbon content for steel.
• India is the largest coal consumer and is responsible for 7-9% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• The steel industry in India accounts for 12% of carbon dioxide emissions and is expected to double by 2030 due to government infrastructure projects.

"Widespread Forest Fires in Uttarakhand"

Forest Fire Suppression with Bambi Bucket

• In certain areas of Uttarakhand, fires were extinguished using a Bambi bucket, a specialized aerial firefighting tool designed to drop water in specific locations.
• Forest fires are uncontrolled and unplanned burning of vegetation in natural settings like forests and grasslands, spreading based on environmental factors such as wind and topography.
• According to the India State of Forest Report 2021, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of forest fires between November 2020 and June 2021, with over 36% of the country's forest cover being susceptible to frequent fires.

Causes of Forest Fires

• Natural factors like lightning strikes, high temperatures, and dry conditions, as well as friction from branches rubbing together.
• Man-made factors such as sparks from cigarettes or carelessly starting fires in farmlands.

Impact of Forest Fires

• Consequences include deforestation, loss of biodiversity and wildlife habitats, and soil erosion that affects soil productivity.

Measures to Prevent Forest Fires

• Implementation of the National Action Plan on Forest Fires in 2018.
• Utilization of the Forest Survey of India Van Agni Geo-portal for centralized information on forest fires.
• Prohibition of setting fires in wildlife sanctuaries under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Prevention Strategies for Forest Fires

• Establishment of watch towers for early detection.
• Involvement of local communities in fire prevention efforts.
• Creation and maintenance of fire-lines, including Kaccha fire-lines that remove undergrowth and shrubs while retaining trees, and Pucca fire-lines that are clear-felled areas separating forest compartments to prevent fire spread.

"VP Urges Indian Arbitration Reform"

Arbitration Overview:

• Arbitration is a process where a disagreement is presented to arbitrators who make a final decision.
• It is a form of Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) and is quasi-judicial in nature.

Arbitration Mechanism in India:

• The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 regulates arbitration in India.
• The Act is based on the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration 1985 and UNCITRAL Conciliation Rules, 1980.
• Amendments to the Act were made in 2015, 2019, and 2021, with the latest amendment allowing for a stay on enforcement of arbitral awards in cases of fraud or corruption.
• The 2021 amendment is effective from October 23, 2015.

Issues with Arbitration System:

• Lack of diversity in arbitrator appointments, with retired judges being predominant.
• Trust issues due to concerns about the independence and impartiality of arbitrators.
• Judicial interference causing delays in arbitration awards.

Recommendations:

• Utilize disruptive technologies to improve efficiency and timeliness in arbitration.
• Enhance infrastructure to increase trust and efficiency.
• Diversify arbitrator selection by including candidates from various backgrounds like lawyers and academicians.
• Reduce court intervention in arbitral awards to strengthen ADR in India.

"Climate Change Slows Earth's Rotation"

Earth's rotation on its axis in relation to the Sun occurs every 24 hours mean solar time, with an inclination of 23.45 degrees from the plane of its orbit around the Sun.

Factors affecting Earth's rotation:

• Tidal dissipation: Friction between ocean water and the sea floor has gradually slowed down Earth's rotation.
• Earth's core: Changes in the flow of currents in the molten outer core can impact its spin.
• Glacial melt: Melting polar glaciers redistribute water mass throughout the oceans, causing changes in Earth's shape and rotation speed.

Study findings:

• Earth's rotation has been speeding up recently due to core changes, but melting polar ice from climate change has slowed down this acceleration.
• To keep clocks aligned with Earth's rotation, a negative leap second would have been added in two years to account for the speeding up. However, climate change has delayed this addition by three years, now set for 2029.

Leap Second:

• Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the time standard where a day lasts 86,400 seconds.
• Leap seconds are added to UTC to adjust for fluctuations in Earth's rotation speed.
• A negative leap second is subtracted if Earth's rotation slows down, while a positive leap second is added if it speeds up.

"ISRO Releases ISSAR 2023"

ISSAR for 2023 Report Overview

• The ISSAR for 2023 report, compiled by ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM), shows a steady growth in the space object population.
• IS4OM has been operational since 2022 to protect ISRO's space assets.

Global Scenario

• In 2023, there were 3143 objects placed in orbit, an increase from 2533 objects in 2022.
• Five major on-orbit break-up events occurred in 2023, contributing to space debris.

Indian Scenario

• India has launched 127 satellites into space since the beginning of its space journey.
• All seven launches by ISRO in 2023, including Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L-1, were successful.

Risk to Space Assets

• There is a growing trend in Collision Avoidance Manoeuvres (CAMs) to protect operational spacecraft from close approaches by other space objects.

Concerns with Space Object Population Growth

• India had to conduct 23 CAMs in 2023 to safeguard its space assets.
• The Kessler syndrome poses a threat as space debris in orbit around Earth continues to increase, potentially leading to more debris.
• Space debris also poses a risk to astronauts' lives.

Risk Mitigation Steps by India

• Space Object Proximity Analysis (SOPA) for Satellites predicts close approaches using IS4OM/ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).
• Collision Avoidance Analysis (COLA) is conducted for launch vehicles.
• ISRO's NEtwork for space object TRacking and Analysis (NETRA) project is in place.
• Decommissioned satellites/spacecrafts are re-entered in a controlled manner.
• International cooperation, such as the Inter-Agency Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) involving 13 space agencies, is utilized for debris management.