Daily Current Affairs UPSC 07 June 2024

Cotton Corporation of India (CCI)

CCI's Expansion Plans.

• CCI plans to open depots in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu).
• About CCI

1. 1. Genesis: Established as a PSU under the Companies Act, 1956 in 1970.
   2. Ministry: Under the administrative control of Ministry of Textiles.
   3. Headquarters: Located in Navi Mumbai.

• Functions

1. 1. Undertakes price support operations when market prices of kapas fall below minimum support prices.
   2. Undertakes commercial purchase operations to fulfill raw material requirement of domestic textile industry.
   3. Operations cover all cotton growing states in northern, central, and southern zones.

Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) 

Delegation from Royal Navy of Oman visits IFC-IOR in Gurugram, Haryana.
About IFC-IOR

• Hosted by Indian Navy.
• Established in 2018 at Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC).
• Aggregates, correlates, and disseminates data for enhanced awareness.
• Promotes collaboration for maritime safety and security in line with India's SAGAR vision.
• Hosts International Liaison Officers (ILOs) from partner nations and engages in multinational maritime constructs.

Duty Drawback

• CBIC will now electronically disburse duty drawback amounts directly to exporters' bank accounts using the Public Finance Management System.
• This move aims to enhance trade facilitation and promote paperless customs.
• Duty Drawback under section 75 of the Customs Act, 1962 rebates customs duty chargeable on imported or excisable materials used in the manufacture of export goods.
• It helps exporters offset costs incurred during the export process, especially in the supply or value chain.

Milgromian Dynamics (MOND)

Studies by Cassini-Huygens Mission and MOND Theory

• Cassini-Huygens Mission findings challenged MOND theory.
• Cassini is a collaborative effort between NASA, European Space Agency, and Italian Space Agency to study Saturn and its moons.
• MOND is an alternative theory proposed by Mordehai Milgrom to replace Newtonian dynamics and General Relativity.
• MOND aims to explain mass discrepancies in the Universe without the need for dark matter.

Biopharmaceutical Alliance

• Formation of Biopharmaceutical Alliance by India, South Korea, the US, Japan, and European Union.
• Aim to address drug supply shortages during COVID-19 pandemic.
• Announcement made at inaugural meeting during Bio International Convention 2024.

Significance:

• Establish a reliable, sustainable, and resilient pharmaceutical supply chain.
• Address concentration of essential raw materials and ingredients in few countries.
• Coordinate bio policies, regulations, and R&D support measures among member countries.

‘Air of the Anthropocene (AoA)’ project

Collaboration between researchers and artists in 'Paint with Light' initiative

1. 'AoA' project created by artist Robin Price and a scientist at University of Birmingham.

• Aim to document air pollution levels globally through photography.

2. 'Paint with Light' combines digital light painting and air pollution sensors.

• Produces photographic evidence of air pollution in India, Ethiopia, and the UK.

3. Initiative also used by UN to raise awareness about air pollution.

Applicability of RTI on MPLAD Scheme

Delhi High Court rules CIC cannot comment on MPLAD funds

• CIC has no jurisdiction over MPs' use of MPLAD funds.

MPLAD Scheme allows MPs to recommend local development projects

• Projects based on local needs.

RTI can be used to seek information on MPLAD Scheme

• Citizens can request information on recommended, sanctioned, and executed projects.
• District Authorities responsible for providing information.

United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

• UNGA elects Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia to UNSC for two-year terms through secret ballot.
• UNSC is one of six principal organs of the UN, responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
• UNSC has 15 members, with 5 permanent members (China, France, Russia, UK, US) having veto power.
• Non-permanent members are elected annually by UNGA to serve on UNSC for two-year terms.

Slovenia (Capital: Ljubljana)

Slovenia's Recognition of Palestinian State.

Political Features:

• Slovenia is located in central Europe.
• It shares land boundaries with Austria, Hungary, Croatia, and Italy.
• The country has a coastline along the Gulf of Venice.

Geographical Features:

• Slovenia's terrain includes karstic plateaus, ridges, and Alpine peaks.
• Two-fifths of the country is covered by the Alpine region.
• Major rivers in Slovenia include the Sava and Dravinija.
• The highest point in Slovenia is Mount Triglav.

"UNESCO's Ocean Report 2024"

Key Findings of the Report:

Warming of the Ocean:

• The ocean is warming at a rate twice as fast as it was twenty years ago.
• Ocean temperatures have increased by an average of 1.45°C, with hotspots above 2°C in certain regions.

Rising Sea Level:

• Accelerated ice mass loss from Greenland and West Antarctica ice sheets is contributing to rising sea levels.
•  Ocean warming is also playing a role in rising sea levels.

Acidification of the Ocean:

• The ocean absorbs around 25% of annual anthropogenic CO2, leading to ocean acidification.
• Ocean acidification is projected to increase by more than 100% by the end of the century.

Deoxygenation of the Ocean:

• Ocean oxygen content is decreasing, leading to worsening hypoxia.
• It is uncertain whether deoxygenation is accelerating in response to increased ocean heat content.

Coastal Blue Carbon Ecosystems:

• Mangroves, seagrasses, and tidal marshes provide protection against a warmer, more acidic ocean and store carbon.
• However, these ecosystems are at risk, with 20-35% lost since 1970.

Key Recommendations

• Marine spatial planning can help alleviate stress on marine ecosystems by effectively managing human activities in the ocean.
• There is a need for a more concerted global effort to map the seafloor, as a large portion of it remains unexplored.
• Indigenous peoples should be more involved in marine policy and planning to ensure a sustainable future for the ocean.
• Promoting global ocean literacy is essential for people to understand and value the importance of the ocean in our lives.

"UNICEF's Latest Child Nutrition Report"

Child Food Poverty Report Summary.

Key Findings:

• Approximately 27% of children globally are living in severe child food poverty (CFP).
• In India, 40% of children are affected by severe CFP, making it the second highest burden in South Asia after Afghanistan.
• Unhealthy foods are increasingly replacing nutrient-rich foods in children's diets.
• Severe CFP impacts children in both poor and non-poor households, indicating that income is not the sole factor.
• Causes of severe CFP include growing inequities, conflict, climate crises, rising food prices, unhealthy food marketing, and poor child-feeding practices.

Recommendations:

• Strengthen data systems to better assess the severity of CFP.
• Transform food systems to ensure that nutritious foods are accessible, affordable, and desirable for feeding young children.
• Utilize health systems to provide essential nutrition services, including counseling on child feeding.

India's Initiatives:

• Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programs focus on maternal nutrition, infant and young child feeding norms.
• Introduction of millets in the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, now renamed as the 'PM Poshan' scheme.

Measurement of CFP

• Measuring Children's Food Preferences (CFP).
• Minimum Dietary Diversity for Healthy Growth and Development.
• Consuming Foods from Eight Defined Groups.

"ISRO's Trishna Mission: Indo-French Collaboration"

Overview of TRISHNA Mission:

• Collaboration between ISRO and CNES.
• Monitoring surface temperature and water management at regional to global scale.

Objectives of TRISHNA Mission:

• Detailed monitoring of energy and water budgets of continental biosphere.
• Quantifying terrestrial water stress and water use.
• High-resolution observation of water quality and dynamics.
• Comprehensive assessment of urban heat islands, thermal anomalies, and geothermal resources.

Primary Payloads:

• Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) payload from CNES with a four-channel long-wave infrared imaging sensor.
• Visible - Near Infra-Red - Short Wave Infra-Red (VNIR-SWIR) payload developed by ISRO with seven spectral bands for surface reflectance mapping.
• Operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit for a 5-year operational life.

Significance of TRISHNA Mission:

• Climate monitoring for droughts, permafrost changes, and evapotranspiration rates.
• Better urban planning with detailed urban heat island maps and heat alerts.

India’s international Space Cooperation

India's Space Cooperation with France:

• Strategic Space Dialogues and signed Letter of Intent on Defense Space Cooperation.
• Space exchanges and defense space industrial cooperation.

India's Space Cooperation with the US:

• Bilateral space situational awareness arrangement in 2022.
• NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) Mission.

Other International Space Collaborations:

• Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission between India and Japan.
•  South Asia Satellite (SAS) to enhance communication and disaster links among India's six neighbors.

"Bihar's Bird Sanctuaries Now Ramsar Sites"

Nagi and Nakti Bird Sanctuaries Recognized under Ramsar Convention

• Nagi and Nakti bird sanctuaries in Bihar's Jamui district are now part of the Ramsar Convention, bringing the total number of Ramsar sites in India to 82.
• Both sanctuaries are man-made reservoirs surrounded by dry deciduous forests and hills, with Nagi having a landscape similar to the Deccan Plateau.
• They are also designated as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by BirdLife International.

Major Birds' Habitat in Nagi and Nakti Bird Sanctuaries

• Migratory birds such as Bar-headed Goose, Greylag Goose, and Steppe Eagle, as well as resident birds like Indian Robin and Bank Myna, can be found in these sanctuaries.

Ramsar Convention and Ramsar List

• The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty aimed at conserving and sustainably using wetlands and their resources.
• India became a party to the convention in 1982, with Tamil Nadu having the most Ramsar sites in the country.
• Wetlands on the Ramsar List are of international importance and must meet specific criteria related to species support and ecological value.
• Contracting Parties are responsible for managing their Ramsar Sites to preserve their ecological character.

Ramsar List Criteria and Montreux Record

• Wetlands on the Ramsar List must meet at least one of nine criteria, including supporting vulnerable species or ecological communities.
• The Montreux Record includes Ramsar sites where changes in ecological character have occurred due to human interference.
• Indian sites like Loktak in Manipur and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan are included in the Montreux Record.

"First WTO Meeting on Dispute Settlement Reform"

Recent WTO Meeting on Dispute Settlement Reform

• WTO members recently met at the Heads of Delegation level to discuss reforms in the dispute settlement process, focusing on resolving issues related to appeal/review.

Need for Reforms in WTO Dispute Settlement

• The US has opposed the selection process for filling vacancies on the Appellate Body since August 2017, citing concerns about the WTO's dispute settlement system. This has led to a denial of WTO members' legal right to a binding, two-stage dispute settlement process that is essential to the WTO system.

WTO Dispute Settlement Process

• Dispute Settlement Body (DSB): The DSB, which consists of all WTO members, is responsible for settling disputes. It has the authority to establish panels of experts, accept or reject their findings, and monitor the implementation of rulings. The DSB can authorize retaliation if a country fails to comply with a ruling.
• Appellate Body: Parties involved in a dispute can appeal a panel's ruling to the Appellate Body. The DSB must accept or reject the appeals report within 30 days, with rejection requiring a consensus.

About WTO Appellate Body

1. Establishment of the WTO Appellate Body.

• The WTO Appellate Body was created in 1995 as outlined in Article 17 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes.

2. Composition of the Appellate Body.

• The Appellate Body consists of seven members who are responsible for hearing appeals brought before them.

3. Hearing Process.

• Each appeal brought before the Appellate Body is heard by a panel of three members who review the case and make a decision.

4. Current Issue with the Appellate Body.

• As of November 30, 2020, the Appellate Body is unable to review appeals as it currently has no members, as the term of the last sitting member expired. This has created a challenge for the dispute settlement process within the WTO.

"India Joins IPEF Ministerial Meeting"

Key Outcomes of the IPEF Meeting

• IPEF Clean Economy Agreement: This agreement aims to speed up the efforts of IPEF partners in areas such as energy security, climate resilience, GHG emissions reduction, and more.
• IPEF Fair Economy Agreement: This agreement is focused on creating a more transparent and predictable business environment within member countries.
• Cooperative Work Programme (CWP): Three new CWPs were announced, including initiatives on emissions intensity accounting, e-waste urban mining (led by India), and Small Modular Reactors.
• Operational Launch of IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund: This fund is designed to support the expansion of high-quality clean economy infrastructure projects.

Legal Procedures for Agreements

• The agreements will come into effect once at least five IPEF partners complete their internal legal procedures for ratification, acceptance, or approval.
• India has not formally signed these agreements yet, as domestic approval processes are still ongoing and will be finalized after the new government is formed.

IPEF Launch and Member Countries

• In 2022, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) was launched by 14 countries, including India, the USA, and Australia.

Objective of IPEF

• The main goal of IPEF is to enhance economic cooperation among partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region to promote growth, peace, and prosperity.

Pillars of IPEF

• IPEF is structured around four pillars: Trade (Pillar I), Supply Chains (Pillar II), Clean Economy (Pillar III), and Fair Economy (Pillar IV).

India's Participation in IPEF

• India is actively involved in Pillars II to IV of IPEF, while it holds an observer status in Pillar I.