Daily Current Affairs UPSC 27 April 2024

Bru community

Bru Voters in Tripura Lok Sabha Election:

• The Bru community, also known as Reangs, historically lived in Mizoram, Tripura, and parts of southern Assam.
• Reangs in Tripura are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and are ethnically distinct from the Mizos of Mizoram.
• Over 30,000 Brus fled Mizoram in 1997 due to ethnic clashes with Mizo tribes and were forced to live in refugee camps in Tripura.
• In 2020, a quadripartite agreement was signed among the Centre, Governments of Tripura and Mizoram, and Bru-Reang representatives to facilitate the permanent settlement of Bru refugees in Tripura.

Histamine

Research on H3 and H4 receptors of histamine:

Histamine: 

• Early mediator of allergy.
• Key role in inflammatory response, autoimmune conditions, gastric acid secretion, and hematopoiesis.
• Released due to immune system factors (allergens, snake venom) and non-immune factors (physical injury).
• Stored in mast cells and basophils.

Antihistamines: 

• Drugs that treat histamine-mediated conditions by binding to histamine receptors and blocking their effects.

Government Securities (G-Sec Bonds)

RBI maintains 6% Foreign Portfolio Investment limit in G-Secs for 2024-25.

• The Reserve Bank of India has decided to keep the Foreign Portfolio Investment limit in Government Securities (G-Secs) unchanged at 6% for the fiscal year 2024-25.
• G-Secs are tradable instruments issued by governments through auctions conducted by the RBI.
• There are two types of G-Secs: short-term securities, known as treasury bills, with maturities of less than one year, and long-term securities, known as government bonds or dated securities, with maturities of one year or more.
• While the Central Government can issue both treasury bills and government bonds, State Governments can only issue government bonds, which are referred to as State Development Loans (SDLs).

Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Status

• Extension of AEO status to gem and jewellery sector.
• AEO program under WCO SAFE Framework.
• Objectives of AEO program.
• Alignment with WTO trade facilitation agreement.

Benefits of AEO status for Indian Customs and international supply chain stakeholders

The gem and jewellery sector has been granted AEO status by the Centre, allowing for enhanced security and streamlined cargo processes. This status falls under the World Customs Organization's SAFE Framework, aiming to improve supply chain security and facilitate the movement of legitimate goods. The program aligns with commitments made under the World Trade Organization trade facilitation agreement, enabling Indian Customs to work closely with international supply chain stakeholders to enhance cargo security. This status brings benefits to both Indian Customs and stakeholders in the international supply chain.

Avars

• DNA analysis of ancient graves sheds light on Avars' social life.
• Avars were nomadic people in eastern central Asia from 6th-9th century.
• Avars were considered successors of the Huns in lifestyle and warfare.
• Avars followed strict patrilineal descent.
• Byzantine Empire hired Avars to subdue other tribes.
• Avars avoided inbreeding and had limited intermarriage with non-Avar neighbors.
• Avars were known for their distinctive belt garnitures, which archaeologists find fascinating.

World Energy Council

26th World Energy Congress in Rotterdam

• The 26th World Energy Congress was recently held in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
• Co-hosted by the World Energy Council (WEC).
• WEC is a UN-accredited not-for-profit global energy body.
• Formed in 1923.
• Mission is to enable access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy for better lives and a healthier planet.
• Role includes developing practical solutions and convening a network of global energy transition leaders and practitioners.
• More than 3000 member organizations from public, private, and academic sectors in around 90 countries.

World Coral Conservatory Project

• Self-bred corals from the World Coral Conservatory project are now located at Burgers' Zoo in the Netherlands.
• The World Coral Conservatory Project was launched in Monaco in 2019.
• The project aims to protect a global collection of coral species and strains in partner public and private aquariums.
• Samples of coral taken from the natural environment will be cultivated and shared with aquariums.
• Coral reefs are made up of the skeletons of colonial marine invertebrates called coral.

Alagar Temple, Tamil Nadu

Lord Kallazhagar's Return from Vaigai River

• Signifies end of Chithirai festival.
• Located at the foothills of Alagar hills in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
• One of the 108 abodes of Lord Vishnu, worshipped as Kallazhagar.
• Six corridors surrounded by fort walls.
• Mentioned in Tamil epic Silappadikaram and Alvars' hymns.
• Pillars of mandapam depicted in Nayaka art style.

Burkina Faso (Capital: Ouagadougou)

Political features of Burkina Faso

• Location: Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in western Africa.
• Bordering nations: It is bounded by Mali, Niger, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo.
• Highest mountain: Mount Tenakourou
• Rivers: The country is crossed by the Black Volta, Red Volta, and White Volta rivers, which converge in Ghana to form the Volta River to the south.
• Lakes: Burkina Faso has two main lakes, Bam and Oursi.
• Vegetation: The country's landscape is mainly flat savanna within the Sahelian zone.

SC rejects plea for 100% cross-verification of EVMs with VVPAT records

Directions issued by the Supreme Court regarding VVPATs and EVMs

• Symbol Loading Units (SLUs) in VVPATs must be sealed, secured, and stored for 45 days after the election results.
• SLUs to be stored with EVMs and examined similarly.
• 5% of EVMs with burnt memory semi-controllers to be examined by experts upon written requests from losing candidates.

Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) information

• Developed by ECI in collaboration with Electronics Corporation of India and Bharat Electronics Limited.
• First used in Kerala general election in 1982.
• Consists of a control unit for polling officers and a balloting unit for casting votes.

Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) details

• Attached to EVM to verify votes are cast correctly.
• Allows voters to see printed slip for 7 seconds with candidate information.
• SC order in 2019 mandates cross verification of VVPAT with 5 EVMs in each assembly segment of a parliamentary constituency.

Other reforms by ECI

• Cap on election expenditure.
• Restriction on exit polls before final phase of election.
• Voting through postal ballot.
• Candidates required to declare criminal antecedents, assets, etc.

RBI's Criteria for SFB Transition to Universal Banking

Definition of Universal Banks (UBs)

• Offer a wide range of financial services beyond commercial and investment banking, including insurance.

On-tap licensing for banking licenses

• Introduced in 2016 to allow banks to apply for licenses throughout the year.
• Prior to this, licenses were granted by invitation from the RBI.

Eligibility criteria for Small Finance Banks (SFBs) transitioning into UBs

• Net worth of at least Rs 1,000 crore.
• Must be scheduled banks with a track record of performance for at least 5 years.
• Financial health requirements including profitability and asset quality.
• Stock listing on a recognized exchange.
• Restrictions on new promoters or changes to existing promoters during transition.
• Preference for SFBs with diversified loan portfolios.

About Small Finance Banks (SFBs)

• Genesis in the Union budget of 2014-15.
• Registered as public limited companies under the Companies Act, 2013.
• Licensed and governed under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• Capital requirement of Rs 200 crore (except for some SFBs).
• Mandates for financial inclusion, including extending 75% of ANBC to the priority sector.

"Defence Secretary Attends SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting"

Joint Communique on 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'

• SCO Defence Ministers agreed to develop the idea of 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'.
• Rooted in the ancient Indian philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (The World Is One Family).
• Mentioned in the Maha Upanishad.

Significance of SCO for India

• Geopolitical importance: Strengthens India's position as a promoter of a multilateral global order and helps in practicing strategic autonomy
• Economic benefits: Provides access to the central Asian region rich in resources like iron-ore, coal, gas, uranium, etc.
• Counter-terrorism efforts: Access to key information and intelligence on terrorists and drug-trafficking through SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS)
• Connectivity projects: Boosts projects like Chabahar Port, International North-South Transport Corridor, TAPI pipeline, etc.

Challenges for India in SCO

• Dominance of China: Belt and Road Initiative endorsed by all members except India.
• Rivalry with Pakistan and China casts a shadow on the grouping.
• Perception of SCO as an anti-West forum by western countries.
• Limited institutional capacity and decision-making processes.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

• Genesis: Formed in 2001 at the Shanghai Summit by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
• Nature: Permanent intergovernmental international organisation.
• Members: 9 member countries, 3 observer states, and 6 dialogue partners.
• Official languages: Russian and Chinese.
• Goal: Strengthening mutual confidence and good-neighbourly relations among member countries.

"Improved Surface Current Simulations with Realistic Bathymetry"

Mapping Depths of Water Bodies through Bathymetry

• Bathymetry is a technique used to map the depths of water bodies such as rivers, seas, and oceans.
• It also involves identifying underwater relief features like seamounts, mountain ranges, and valleys, and creating three-dimensional maps of the sea floor.

Impact of Bathymetry on Ocean Circulation

• Bathymetry affects ocean circulation by modifying currents near the coast and influencing the direction of major ocean currents.
• In deep oceans, ridges act as barriers separating bottom waters in adjacent ocean basins.

Key Findings from Bathymetric Studies

• East India Coastal Current (EICC) flows opposite to the surface current at depths of 1,000 and 2,000 meters in the Bay of Bengal.
• Equatorial Under Current (EUC) flows westward along the equatorial region due to the presence of the Maldives Islands.
• Boundary current along the coast of Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANIs) was observed at a depth of 2,000 meters.
• Salinity and temperature of the upper ocean near the coast closely match observed values.

Indian National Center for Ocean Information Service (INCOIS)

• INCOIS was established in 1999 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• It is a unit of the Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO) and a permanent member of the international Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.
• INCOIS provides ocean information and advisory services to society, industry, and government agencies, including warnings on tsunamis, storm surges, and high waves through the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC).

SC Registry Rejects Petition to Abolish Collegium System

The Collegium System

• The Collegium system is a method through which judges of the Supreme Court (SC) and High Court (HC) are appointed by the President under specific articles of the Constitution.
• This system has evolved through landmark judgments of the Supreme Court known as the 3 Judges Cases, pronounced in 1981, 1993, and 1998.
• Currently, the Collegium system is governed by the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP).

Advantages of the Collegium System

• The Collegium system helps in keeping the judiciary independent from political influence by protecting it from the executive and legislative branches.

Criticism of the Collegium System

• The Collegium system is not a Constitutional or statutory body, leading to a lack of prescribed norms for eligibility criteria.
• There are concerns about transparency and accountability within the system, with allegations of nepotism and quid pro quo.

National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC)

• The NJAC was established by the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2014 to replace the Collegium system.
• However, the Supreme Court declared the NJAC unconstitutional in the case of Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association and Anr. vs. UoI (2015).
• The NJAC included non-judge members like the Union law minister and two eminent persons, which was seen as a violation of the separation of powers between the executive and judiciary.

Appointment by Collegium

• In the Supreme Court, the Collegium consists of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the four other senior-most judges of the SC.
• In the High Court, the Collegium consists of the Chief Justice of the HC and the two senior-most judges of the concerned HC.
• The Collegium in the Supreme Court also includes the CJI and the two senior-most judges of the SC.

"IMD Study Shows Decline in Solar Radiation for Electricity Generation"

Global solar radiation (GR) refers to the total amount of solar radiation received per unit area on the earth's surface.

Key findings:

• Solar photovoltaic Potential (SPV) has shown a general decline in stations of IMD.
• SPV is the amount of radiation that can be practically converted to electricity by panels, measured as kilowatt hours per installed kilowatt of capacity (KWh/kWp).
• Gujarat and Rajasthan, where India's largest solar parks are located, are also experiencing a decrease in SPV potential.
• The cause of this decline is attributed to an increase in aerosol load from carbon emissions, fossil fuel burning, and dust.
• Aerosols can absorb sunlight and deflect it away from the earth, as well as form dense clouds that block sunlight.

Status of solar energy in India:

• India's installed solar energy capacity is currently at 81.81 GW as of March 2024.
• The country's solar energy potential is estimated to be 748 Giga Watt peak by the National Institute of Solar Energy.
• India ranks 5th globally in Solar Power Capacity.
• 50 solar parks with a combined capacity of 37.49 GW have been approved.

Initiatives to promote solar power:

• The Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) for the National Programme on High-Efficiency Solar Photovoltaic Modules.
• Solar Park Scheme to establish 50 Solar Parks of 500 MW and above.
• PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana to provide subsidies for installing solar panels on roofs.