Daily Current Affairs UPSC 04 July 2024

Speedy Trial

• The Supreme Court has confirmed that the right to a speedy trial is a constitutional right under Article 21, regardless of the seriousness of the crime.
• This means that defendants should be tried for their alleged crimes within a reasonable time frame.
• In the case of Kartar Singh Vs State of Punjab (1994), the Supreme Court established the right to a speedy trial as a fundamental right.
• Another important case related to this issue is Abdul Rehman Antulay vs RS Nayak.
• The new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) has replaced the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and aims to address delays in the justice system.

Zika Virus

• The Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory to state governments in response to Zika virus cases reported in Maharashtra to prevent its spread.
• Zika virus is primarily transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito Aedes aegypti, which bites during the day and also transmits dengue.
• While Zika virus is non-fatal, it is associated with microcephaly in babies born to affected pregnant women and can trigger other health concerns such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy, and myelitis.
• Currently, there is no vaccine available to prevent Zika virus or medicine to treat it.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)

• New Zealand has refused India's request for a certification trademark similar to a geographical indication tag for basmati rice because it is also grown outside of India.
• Australia had previously rejected a similar request on the same grounds.
• APEDA was established under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985.
• APEDA promotes exports and handles GI registration for Indian products abroad, including filing certification trademark applications.
• APEDA also serves as the Secretariat to the National Accreditation Board, overseeing the accreditation of Certification Bodies for organic exports under the National Programme for Organic Production.

Pachathuruthu Project

• The Chief Minister of Kerala believes that the Pachathuruthu initiative will play a crucial role in helping the state achieve its ambitious Net Zero Carbon target.
• The Pachathuruthu project aims to create man-made mini-forests by planting a variety of indigenous plants in barren lands.
• This initiative will help protect natural forest biodiversity and aid in carbon sequestration, as well as mitigate the impact of urban heat islands.
• The projects under the Pachathuruthu initiative are planned by mobilizing the masses through participatory campaigns and with the coordination and leadership of Local Self-Government Institutions.

Air pollution

• A study on air pollution in India published in Lancet Planetary Health found that approximately 33,000 annual deaths in 10 cities can be attributed to PM 2.5 pollution.
• Deaths are higher in cities like Delhi, Varanasi, and Kolkata due to higher average exposure to pollution, possibly influenced by the nature of pollution sources and population density.
• WHO guidelines recommend that 24-hour average exposure to PM 2.5 should not exceed 15 μg/m3.
• Indian air quality standards allow for a higher level of PM 2.5, with a limit of 60 μg/m3 over a 24-hour period.

WHO tobacco cessation guideline

• WHO has published its first clinical treatment guideline for helping adults quit tobacco use.
• The guideline aims to assist over 750 million tobacco users who struggle to quit.
• More than 60% of the world's 1.25 billion tobacco users want to quit, but 70% lack access to effective cessation services.
• Reasons for lack of access include inefficient health systems and lack of resources.
• The guideline recommends a combination of medication and behavioral interventions for tobacco cessation.

Cabinet Committees

• The Union government has formed eight Cabinet committees to assist in decision-making in specific areas.
• Cabinet committees are established under the Transaction of Business Rules, 1961.
• The committee system allows the cabinet to focus on key areas such as appointments, accommodation, economic affairs, parliamentary affairs, political affairs, security, investment and growth, and skill, employment, and livelihood.
• These committees help streamline the decision-making process and ensure that important issues are addressed effectively.

National Medical Commission(NMC)

• The National Medical Commission (NMC) has a new Chairperson who has been appointed.
• The NMC is a statutory body created by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
• The aim of the NMC is to enhance access to high-quality and cost-effective medical education.
• The functions of the NMC include establishing policies for overseeing medical institutions, researchers, and professionals, as well as ensuring coordination among various Autonomous Boards.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)

• Scientists studied how MOFs are able to be flexible by analyzing the mechanisms within their crystals.
• The flexibility of MOFs is linked to significant structural changes caused by both soft and hard vibrations within the crystal.
• MOFs are a type of crystalline material that can absorb gases like carbon dioxide, store them, and act as filters for purifying crude oil due to their nanopores.
• Despite their useful properties, MOFs have limited stability and mechanical weakness which have prevented them from being used more widely.

Apatani Tribe

• ZSI researchers discovered a new species of horned frog in Talle Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The new species is named after the Apatani community in the region.
• The Apatani tribe is found in Ziro valley and is known for their traditional village council called bulyañ.
• The region of the tribe has been included in UNESCO's Tentative List as a living Cultural Landscape.
• The major festivals of the Apatani tribe are Dree and Myok.
• Key dances of the tribe include Daminda and Pree dance.

"Restoring Education to State List"

• Education is currently under the concurrent list of Schedule 7 of the Constitution, allowing both the Centre and States to enact laws.

Background of Education Listing

• Under the Government of India Act of 1935, education was under the Provincial Legislative List.
• After independence, education was on the State list of the seventh schedule.
• The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) moved education to the Concurrent list based on the Swaran Singh Committee's recommendation.
• No explicit reason was given for the change.
• Benefits of Education in Concurrent List
  
  • Allows for the development of all-India policies on education.
  • Addresses issues of lack of professionalism and corruption in state-run universities.

Reasons for Demand to Shift Education to State List

• One size fits all approach is not feasible for a diverse country like India.
• States spend 76% of the budgeted expenditure on education, making them more responsible for education.
• Allows for tailoring of syllabus according to the requirements of each state.

International Practices

• In the U.S., state and local governments set educational standards, while the federal government focuses on financial aid policies.
• In Canada, education is managed by the provinces.
• In Germany, legislative powers for education reside with states.
• In South Africa, national departments set policies with provinces implementing them to address local educational needs.

"NITI Aayog's Sampoornata Abhiyan Launch"

• The campaign aims to achieve full coverage of 6 key indicators in Aspirational Districts and 6 key indicators in Aspirational Blocks within a 3-month timeframe.

Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programs

• The Aspirational Districts Programme focuses on improving development indicators in specific districts, while the Aspirational Blocks Programme targets key indicators at the block level.

Key indicators in Aspirational Districts

• These indicators include the distribution of Soil Health Cards, availability of electricity in secondary schools, and the percentage of fully immunized children, among others.

Key indicators in Aspirational Blocks

• These indicators involve screening for Diabetes and hypertension, the percentage of Self Help Groups (SHGs) receiving a Revolving Fund, and other important metrics at the block level.

"Aditya-L1's Successful Halo Orbit"

• Aditya-L1 was placed in its halo orbit around the Langrange L1 point in early 2024 and took 178 days to complete one revolution.
• At Lagrange points, the gravitational forces of two large bodies balance out the centripetal force needed for a smaller object to orbit with them.
• There are five Lagrange points in a two-body gravitational system, labeled as L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5.

What are halo orbits?

• Halo orbits are three-dimensional orbits that result from the gravitational pull of two planetary bodies and centrifugal force on a spacecraft.
• These orbits exist in any 3-body system, such as the Earth-Moon orbiting satellite system.
• They are mainly associated with Lagrange points L1, L2, or L3.

Benefits of placing Aditya-L1 in Halo Orbit

• Placing Aditya-L1 in a halo orbit ensures a mission lifetime of 5 years.
• It helps in reducing fuel consumption by minimizing stationkeeping maneuvers.
• The orbit ensures an unobstructed view of the sun for the mission.

About Aditya-L1 Mission (2023)

• The Aditya-L1 mission is the first Indian space mission to study the Sun.
• The objectives of the mission include studying the Sun's corona, solar emissions, solar winds and flares, and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), as well as carrying out round-the-clock imaging of the Sun.
• The mission carries 7 payloads, including the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) and Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT).

"Bretton Woods Conference Turns 80"

• The Bretton Woods Conference, also known as the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, took place in 1944 in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.

About Bretton Woods Conference

• Purpose: The conference aimed to establish new rules for the international monetary system after World War II.
• Delegates from 44 nations participated in the conference.

Key Outcomes:

• Creation of the Bretton Woods Institutions: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), now known as the World Bank (WB).
• Fixed exchange rate regime: Member countries fixed their currency in terms of gold or the US dollar.
• Transition to floating exchange rates after the dollar exchange crises of 1971 and 1973.
• Promotion of Free Trade to ensure international prosperity and peace.

Comparison of Brtteon Woods Institutions

IMF and World Bank Comparison

"National Indicators for Extreme Poverty"

• The government is developing a national indicator to measure extreme poverty as part of the National Indicator Framework (NIF) 2024.
• NIF tracks India's progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030.

Need for a National Indicator

• Lack of updated official poverty line based on reports from committees like Suresh Tendulkar, D T Lakdawala, and C Rangarajan.
• Varying global indicators from organizations like the IMF and World Bank make it difficult to accurately measure poverty.
• Reliable poverty estimates are crucial for policymaking and tracking progress on anti-poverty programs.

Measurement of Poverty in India

• Official poverty line based on consumption expenditure with surveys conducted every five years by the National Sample Survey Office.
• NITI Aayog has introduced the National Multidimensional Poverty Index (NMPI) which shows a reduction in poverty from 2015-16 to 2019-21.

Calculation of Poverty by Suresh Tendulkar Committee

• Poverty line set at a monthly expenditure of Rs 1,000 or less in cities and Rs 816 or less in villages.
• Rangarajan Committee raised the income limits for poverty to Rs. 32 in rural India and Rs. 47 in urban India.

"GPAI Ministerial Council Convenes in New Delhi"

• The meeting led to an agreement on a commitment to the future vision of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) and the strengthening of synergies to utilize human-centric and trustworthy AI for the benefit of all.
• GPAI is an integrated partnership that brings together OECD members and GPAI countries, with 29 member countries including India.
• The aim of GPAI is to bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting cutting-edge research and applied activities on AI-related priorities.
• India will be the lead chair of GPAI in 2024, showcasing its leadership in the global AI discourse.

Key Takeaways from the Meeting

• The meeting recognized the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of societies and economies.
• It acknowledged the emerging risks and challenges posed by AI systems, such as disinformation and harmful biases leading to discrimination.
• There is a commitment to ensuring a safe, secure, trustworthy, and human-centric AI through an inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach.
• Serbia was elected as the Lead Chair of GPAI for 2024-25 by GPAI members.

Related News

• The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the "WIPO Patent Landscape Report on Generative AI."
• India has emerged as the fifth biggest location for GenAI invention, filing 1,350 GenAI patents with the highest growth rate (56% per year) over the period 2014-2023.
• China leads the ranking in GenAI patents, followed by the US.