Daily Current Affairs UPSC 14 and 15 April 2024

Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI)

• FSSAI has stated that there are no specific standards for the term "health drink" in India.
• FSSAI was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• It operates under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• FSSAI's role includes setting science-based standards for food products and regulating their production, storage, distribution, and sale.
• The organization is led by a Chairperson appointed by the government, along with twenty-two members, with one-third being women.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

• Ashwagandha is a popular medicinal plant in India and other regions.
• It is an evergreen shrub found in India, Africa, and the Middle East.
• Used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for its various health benefits.
• Contains bioactive compounds like withanolides with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Uses of Ashwagandha

• Supplements are promoted for stress, anxiety, sleep, male infertility, and athletic performance.
• It is believed to have a positive impact on overall health and well-being.
• Its popularity is increasing both in India and internationally.

India Post (IP) in Antarctica

India Post opened a post office at Bharati station in Antarctica

• This post office was inaugurated on the 24th Foundation Day of the NCPOR in Goa.

Previous post offices set up by India Post in Antarctica

• Dakshin Gangotri Station in 1984.
• Maitri Station in 1990.

Information about India Post/Department of Post

• Comes under the Ministry of Communications.
• Has over 1,55,000 post offices, making it the most widely distributed postal network in the world.

Shrinkflation

• FMCG segment is using shrinkflation due to increasing input costs.
• Shrinkflation involves reducing product size while keeping prices the same.
• It is a way for companies to combat customer resistance to price increases.
• Causes of shrinkflation include higher production costs and market competition.

Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA)

Simplified Payment Mechanism for Pulses Import from Myanmar

• The government has simplified the payment mechanism for pulses import from Myanmar by utilizing Vostro Accounts.
• A Vostro account is a bank account that foreign banks hold with a domestic bank in the local currency, such as rupees.
• SRVA is an additional arrangement to the existing system that uses freely convertible currencies and acts as a complimentary system.
• Prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is required for opening SRVA accounts.
• These accounts help reduce the need for holding foreign exchange reserves and dependence on foreign currencies for bilateral transactions.

Ringwoodite

Discovery of "Ringwoodite Ocean"

• Researchers found a large reservoir of water in the Earth's mantle, over 700 kms below the surface.
• This reservoir is known as the "Ringwoodite Ocean."

Characteristics of Ringwoodite

• Ringwoodite is a blue mineral formed under high temperatures and pressures in the Earth's mantle.
• It is a common high-pressure mineral found in meteorites.
• Named after Australian earth scientist Alfred E. Ringwood, who studied phase transitions in mantle minerals.

Operation Meghdoot and Siachen Glacier

• Indian Army and Indian Air Force celebrate 40 years on Siachen Glacier.
• Operation Meghdoot launched in 1984 to secure Northern Ladakh.

Siachen Glacier Facts

•  Located at 20,000 feet in Eastern Karakoram Range.
• Second longest non-polar glacier in the world.
• Nubra river originates from the glacier.
• Highest militarized zone in the world.

Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi

Concerns raised by climate experts about SBTi's decision on offsetting emissions

• SBTi allows companies to offset greenhouse gas emissions from their value chain.
• Climate experts are worried about the effectiveness of this approach in combating the climate crisis.

Overview of SBTi

• SBTi is a corporate climate action organization.
• It helps companies and financial institutions worldwide address the climate crisis.
• SBTi develops standards, tools, and guidance for meeting corporate climate targets.

Partners of SBTi

• SBTi is incorporated as a charity.
• Partners include Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), United Nations Global Compact, We Mean Business Coalition, World Resources Institute (WRI), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
• These partnerships help SBTi in its mission to combat climate change.

Colombia (Capital: Bogota)

Political Features:

• Bogota is located in the northwestern part of the South American continent.
• It is bounded by the Caribbean Sea in the north and the Pacific Ocean in the west.
• Neighboring countries include Panama on the west, Venezuela and Brazil on the east, and Peru and Ecuador on the south.

Geographical Features:

• The Andes Mountains run along the western flank of Bogota.
• The Amazon Forest is located in the southeast of the city.
• Important peaks in the area include Pico Cristóbal Colón and Simón Bolívar.
• Major rivers near Bogota include the Amazon, Magdalena, and Orinoco.

India and Mauritius amend DTAA to avoid double taxation

1. Purpose of Principal Purpose Test (PPT) in DTAA Amendments

• PPT introduced to prevent abuse of tax treaties for tax evasion and avoidance.
• States that tax benefits will not apply if obtaining them was the main purpose of a transaction or arrangement.

2. Compliance with BEPS Minimum Standards

• Protocol amending DTAA aims to align with Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) guidelines.
• Ensures that tax treaties are in line with international standards to prevent tax avoidance.

3. Significance of DTAA

• DTAA agreements between countries aim to prevent double taxation on the same income.
• Promotes cross-border investment by reducing tax burdens for foreign investors.
• Clarifies tax obligations for international income to provide legal certainty.

4. Issues with DTAA

• Treaty Shopping: Residents of non-DTAA countries exploit provisions to avoid taxes
• Double non-taxation: Abuse of DTAA leads to avoidance of taxes in both countries
• Varying interpretations of tax treaties result in prolonged legal disputes.

a. Definition of BEPS:

• BEPS involves using tax planning techniques to avoid paying taxes by moving profits from high-tax countries to low-tax countries.

b. Multilateral Convention to Prevent BEPS:

• The Multilateral Convention aims to update global tax rules and reduce opportunities for multinational companies to engage in tax avoidance.
• India became a signatory to the convention in 2017.

"Government Prioritizes Gas Power for Summer Electricity Demand"

Government Direction for Gas-Based Generating Stations

• The government has the authority to direct generating companies to operate and maintain gas-based generating stations in exceptional circumstances.
• This is in line with the Electricity Act of 2003.

Promotion of Gas-Based Economy

• The government is promoting a gas-based economy to ensure energy security.
• Natural gas, primarily methane, is a fossil fuel energy source that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and serve as a backup to renewables.
• This aligns with international commitments to achieve net zero emissions by 2070.

Challenges in Gas-Based Economy

• Natural gas has a small share in India's energy mix, at just above 6% in 2022.
• India is highly dependent on imports for natural gas, with 48.2% imported in FY22.
• The fertilizer sector, which consumes a large share of natural gas, is highly subsidized.

Government Initiatives for Gas-Based Economy

• The government has established a National Gas Grid for pipeline infrastructure.
• City Gas Distribution Networks provide Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for auto-fuel and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) for domestic, commercial, and industrial use.
• The Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative aims to extract economic value from biomass waste through Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) and bio-manure.

"Database of Land Conflicts under Forest Rights Act (FRA) Compiled by Land Conflict Watch"

• Enactment of Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition Of Forest Rights) Act in 2006.
• Responsibilities of state governments/UT administrations for implementing the Act.
• Distribution of 23.43 lakh land titles (individual and community rights) by Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Features of the Act:

• Recognition of individual rights (Rights of Self-cultivation and Habitation) and community rights (Grazing, Fishing, access to Water bodies, etc.).
• Role of Gram Sabha in identification of beneficiaries and permission for diversion of forestland.
• Definition of forest land includes various types of forests Eligibility for claiming rights based on three generations (75 years) of living in the forest before December 13, 2005.

Issues:

• Slow implementation of the Act.
• Limited grievance redressal mechanisms.
• Focus primarily on individual rights.

Investigation Ordered into Foreign National Organ Transplants

Increase in Foreign National Organ Transplants

• NOTTO data shows rise in foreign national organ transplants in private hospitals
• Reports of "commercial dealings" in organs transplanted on foreigners.

Organ Transplantation

• Surgical procedure of removing an organ from one person and transplanting it to another.

Framework for Organ Transplant in India

• Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA), 1994 governs transplants in India.

a. Eligibility for organ.

• Donor's physical condition determines organ donation, not age.
• Living and deceased individuals can donate organs.
• Family consent required for deceased organ donation.

Issues in Organ Transplantation in India

• High Demand versus Supply gap leading to illegal organ trade.
• Lack of organized systems for organ procurement from deceased donors.
• Poor awareness and attitude towards organ donation.

Latest National Organ Transplantation Guidelines

• Persons above 65 years can receive organs for transplantation from deceased donors.
• Domicile requirement for registration of patients removed.

About NOTTO

• National organization under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Functions include coordination and networking for organ and tissue procurement and distribution.
• Maintains registry of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

"Revolutionary Orbiter Enables Smartphone Satellite Calls"

Chinese scientists have created the Tiantong-1 satellite series, allowing smartphone calls without ground-based infrastructure

• Tiantong-1 satellites are in geosynchronous orbit at 36000 km, covering Asia-Pacific.
• Huawei released the first smartphone supporting satellite calls in Sep 2023.

Significance of Satellite Communication Technology (SCT)

• Accessibility in remote areas.
• Contingency planning during emergencies.
• Military and Defense applications for secure communication.

Concerns with SCT

• Space debris and orbital congestion.
• Regulatory challenges for international coordination.
• Cyber threats like jamming and spoofing.

Satellite Communication Technology in India

• Telecommunications Act allows spectrum for satellite communication companies
• DoT issues GMPCS licenses for satellite telephony.
• Bharati Group and Reliance Group have been issued GMPCS licenses in the past.

"New Radiation Therapy Facility at Lady Hardinge Medical College"

Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, is a cancer treatment that uses ionizing radiation, such as X-rays, gamma rays, high-energy electrons, or heavy particles, to destroy cancer cells.

Types of Radiation Therapy

• External (Teletherapy): Uses a linear accelerator to send radiations from a distance to target cells.
• Internal (Brachytherapy): Involves placing a radiation source inside the body.

Significance of Radiation Therapy

• Highly effective and established treatment for various cancers.
• Minimizes damage to healthy tissues from high doses of radiation.

Potential Side Effects of Radiotherapy

• Fatigue.
• Nausea.
• Hair loss.
• Loss of appetite.

Proton Therapy

• Advanced and precise radiation treatment for cancer.
• Focuses more energy on cancerous cells with less radiation to surrounding healthy tissues.

Comparing Traditional Radiotherapy and Proton Therapy.

888 Table