Daily Current Affairs UPSC 27 and 28 October 2024

SOP for Protection of Vulnerable Children

• Revised SOP for Protection of Vulnerable Children by Indian Railways & Ministry of Women & Child Development.
• Comprehensive framework for safeguarding children in contact with Indian Railways.

Other Initiative for Safeguarding Children by Indian Railway:

• Operation AAHT: Nationwide operation to curb human trafficking, rescuing over 2,300 children and apprehending 674 traffickers since 2022.
• Operation Nanhe Farishte: Mission dedicated to rescuing children in need of care and protection across Indian Railway Zones.

Bioluminescence

• Recently, Chennai's coastline experienced the phenomenon of bioluminescence.
• Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms.
• The light emitted by bioluminescent organisms is produced by energy released from chemical reactions inside the organism.
• Bioluminescence is common in the ocean, especially among fish, squid, and gelatinous zooplankton like jellyfish and comb jellies.
• While typically blue, bioluminescence can range from violet to green-yellow, and occasionally red.
• Some organisms absorb light, transform it, and eject it as a different color, known as biofluorescence.

Forest Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (FERI)

• FERI is celebrating its 10th anniversary, led by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

About FERI:

• Launched as a partnership between the Korea Forest Service (KFS) and the CBD Secretariat, FERI is designed to assist developing countries in ecosystem conservation and restoration.
• FERI supports the implementation of national targets and plans for ecosystem conservation in line with Aichi Biodiversity Targets 5, 14, and 15, as well as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).

FERI's Initiatives:

• Short-Term Action Plan on Ecosystem Restoration (STAPER) adopted at COP13 in 2016.
• WePlan - Forests Platform: A decision support tool for tropical forest ecosystem restoration.

Land Port Authority of India (LPAI)

• Land Port Authority of India (LPAI).
• Inauguration of new facilities in Petrapole, West Bengal.

About LPAI:

• Statutory body under Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Responsible for land port operations and administration.
• Land Ports are areas on international borders with facilities for clearance and transport of passengers and goods.
• Currently operating 12 land ports in India.
• Responsible for establishing, operating, and managing Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) along land borders.
• Integrated Check Posts (ICPs):
  
  • Single complex housing all regulatory agencies facilitating trade and commerce.
  • Addressing security concerns while promoting trade and commerce.

Boreal and Temperate Forest

• Urgent focus on Northern forests during COP16 to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• Boreal and temperate ecosystems in Europe, North America, and Russia account for 30% of global forest cover
• Only 10% of these forests are protected.

About Boreal Forests:

• Also known as Taiga, located between latitudes 50° N to 70° N.
• Dominated by frost-hardy conifer species such as spruce, pine, and fir.

About Temperate Forests:

• Extend until 50° latitude from tropics in both Southern and Northern Hemisphere.
• Characterized by cold winters and dominated by broadleaved trees like oaks, pine, and eucalypti.

Sohrai painting

• Prime Minister Modi presents Sohrai Painting to President Putin.

About Sohrai Painting:

• Originates from Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand.
• Created during local festival by tribal women on mud house walls.

Features of Sohrai Painting:

• Use of natural pigments and simple tools.
• Artists use twigs, rice straw, or fingers for intricate designs.
• Depiction of animals, birds, and nature reflects agrarian lifestyle and reverence for wildlife.
• Sohrai-Khovar Paintings awarded GI tag.

Anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW SWC)

• The seventh ASW SWC Abhay has been launched by GRSE for the Indian Navy.
• Designed with over 80% indigenous content to promote self-reliance.

About ASW SWC:

• Designed for anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, LIMO, and mine-laying activities.
• Approx 77m long, with a maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of 1800 NM.

Significance: Countering emerging threats, promoting strategic relationships, and increasing defense capabilities.

Miyawaki forest

• A dense forest created at 8,000 ft in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, using the Miyawaki method has achieved a 93% success rate.

About Miyawaki Method:

• The Miyawaki method is a reforestation technique developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki.
• It is based on the concept of Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV).
• The method involves closely planting a variety of tree species best suited for the specified locality.
• Benefits include high tree density, mitigation of noise and air pollution, help in carbon sequestration, mitigating climate change, and restoring degraded land.
• Limitations include limited genetic diversity, resource intensiveness, and not being suitable for all locations.

Triton island

Recent satellite imagery reveals a significant military buildup by China on Triton Island.

About Triton island:

• Location and Name: Triton Island is located in the Paracels, also known as Xisha Islands in China.
• Control and Claims: The island is effectively controlled by China but is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.
• History: China took control of the Paracels from South Vietnam after a naval clash in 1974.
• Military Buildup: Recent satellite imagery shows a significant military buildup by China on Triton Island.
• Significance: This buildup represents a major escalation in China's efforts to establish military dominance in the South China Sea.

95% of Land Records in Rural India Digitized: Minister of Rural Development

• Since 2016, over 6.26 lakh villages have had their land records digitized, marking a significant achievement in the government's efforts to ensure secure, transparent, and accessible land ownership.

Significance of Digitization of Land Records:

• Addressing traditional challenges: Digitization helps in resolving land disputes, encroachments, benami property issues, and inefficient manual processes.
• Accurate surveys and planning: Geospatial mapping provides transparency in land records, promoting access and equity for vulnerable sections of society.
• Promoting agriculture credit: Clear land titles facilitate the supply of capital and credit for agriculture.
• Other benefits: Better targeting of farm input subsidy, timely compensations for land acquisitions or disasters, and a boost to GDP.

Issues in Digitization of Land Records:

• Cumbersome and resource-intensive process: Land records are currently incomplete and dispersed across various departments.
• Slow process of digitization: This leads to delays in infrastructure projects and outdated land ownership data.
• Overhaul of legal and administrative framework: Effective reform requires updating tenancy laws and land use regulations for accurate reporting.

Government initiative for improving land digitalization:

• Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP): Establishing a modern and transparent land records management system.
• Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) or "Bhu-Aadhar": A 14-digit alphanumeric code for each land parcel based on its geo-coordinates.
• National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS): Implementing a uniform process for document registration across the country.
• SVAMITVA Scheme: Providing 'Record of Rights' to household owners with houses in inhabited areas in villages.
• Way Forward: Use of block chain, artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in land governance, review of registration act, etc.

India’s Finance Minister highlights Global South’s role in shaping Multilateral Development Banks

• Global South played a crucial role in the establishment of MDBs like the World Bank and IMF at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944.
• New institutions like the New Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have been established by Global South countries.

Contributions and Advocacy of Global South:

• Global South countries like India and China have increased their financial commitments to MDBs with economic growth.
• Advocacy for inclusivity and reforms in MDBs to embed diverse voices in decision-making processes.

Need for MDB Reforms from Global South Perspective:

• Inadequate representation in MDBs with a disproportionate distribution of voting shares.
• Debt relief requirement for low-and-middle income countries in debt distress.
• Addressing global challenges like climate change and pandemics that disproportionately affect the Global South.

India's Recommendations for MDBs:

• Promote a two-way exchange of innovations with Global South countries in areas like Digital Inclusion and Sustainable Energy.
• Adopt a competitive pricing model to incentivize middle-income countries to borrow more and deepen development impact.
• Use an evidence-based and data-driven approach in preparing global indices to ensure accurate representation.

U.S., Japan and South Korea signed Digital Infrastructure Growth Initiative for India Framework (DiGi Framework)

DiGi Framework seeks to advance cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea in partnership with India to advance shared priorities.

DiGi Framework: 

• Partner Agencies: U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Export-Import Bank of Korea.
• Objective: Enhance cooperation with India's private sector for digital infrastructure projects.
• Implementation: Support projects in ICT sector like 5G, Open RAN, data centers, smart city, AI, etc.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in India:

• India Stack: Aadhaar, UPI, Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture.
• Significance: 
  
  • Inclusive Development: 80% financial inclusion, direct benefit transfers during Covid-19.
  • Economic Growth: 33% growth with DPI in financial sector.
  • Emission Reduction: Accelerate emissions control by 5-10 years in climate sector.

India's Global Efforts with DPIs:

• US-India Global Digital Development Partnership in Asia and Africa.
• G20 Framework for Systems of DPI under India's leadership.
• Virtual Global DPI Repository to share tools and experiences worldwide.

Government of India invites comments on draft Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• The Government of India has introduced a draft Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to make changes to the existing Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
• The main objectives of the amendment are to boost institutional arbitration, reduce court intervention in arbitration cases, and ensure timely resolution of disputes.
• Arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution method where parties agree to have their case heard by an arbitrator.

Arbitration Mechanism in India:

• The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 governs arbitration proceedings in India.
• The Act was based on the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration 1985 and UNCITRAL Conciliation Rules, 1980.
• The Act has been amended in 2015, 2019, and 2021.

Key Features of the Draft Amendment Bill:

• Omission of Conciliation: The amended Act will focus solely on arbitration, with conciliation provisions moved to the Mediation Act 2023.
• Emergency Arbitrator: Provision for appointing an Emergency Arbitrator to grant interim measures before the arbitral tribunal is constituted.
• Institutional Focus: Promotion of institutional arbitration over ad-hoc arrangements to improve efficiency.
• Arbitration Council of India (ACI): Empowered to create model rules for arbitral proceedings and recognize arbitral institutions.
• Video Conferencing: Allow for arbitrations to be conducted via video conferencing.
• Appellate Arbitral Tribunal: Establishment of a tribunal to handle appeals against arbitral awards.

Challenges in Regulating Human Genome Editing:

• Lack of diversity in arbitrator appointments, with retired judges dominating the field.
• Trust issues regarding the independence and impartiality of third-party arbitrators.
• Judicial intervention causing delays in arbitration awards.

South Africa becomes first country to allow Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE)

• South Africa's new guidelines on Ethics in Health Research allow for Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE).
• These guidelines are less strict than those proposed by organizations like WHO.

About HHGE:

• HHGE involves making changes in germline cells, which can be inherited by offspring.
• Tools like ZFNs, TALENs, CRISPR/Cas9, and Meganucleases can be used for HHGE.

Potential Applications of HHGE:

• Disease prevention for heritable diseases like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia.
• Advancement of genetic research and understanding of human biology.
• Improvement of assisted reproductive technologies like IVF.

Concerns about HHGE:

• Potential for unforeseen consequences that could affect multiple generations.
• Ethical issues related to human dignity, religious beliefs, and societal impact.
• Possibility of creating "designer babies" and exacerbating social inequality.

Regulating Human Genome Editing:

• Oviedo Convention by European Nations prohibits the creation of human embryos.
• International Commission on Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing assesses potential clinical applications.
• In India, human germline editing and reproductive cloning are banned by National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research.

A new report highlights the potential threats posed by fossil fuels to the Coral Triangle

Report on Fossil Fuel Threats to Coral Triangle.

About Coral Triangle:

• Located in tropical waters, one of the most biodiverse marine regions.
• Spans seven countries in Southeast Asia and Melanesia.

Significance of Coral Triangle:

• Hosts 76% of world’s coral species, over 2,000 coral fish species, and six of seven marine turtle species.
• Supports 120 million people for food and income.
• Critical habitats for marine diversity, earning nickname "the Amazon of the seas".

Threats to Coral Triangle:

• Oil and Gas Exploration: Over 100 offshore oil and gas blocks operating in Triangle.
• Threatens delicate ecosystems including coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses.
• Noise pollution from shipping and exploration activities harms marine life.

Recommendations by report:

• Enact moratorium on oil and gas development in Coral Triangle.
• Phase out existing fossil fuel operations.
• Classify Coral Triangle as Particularly Sensitive Sea Area for special protection from harmful maritime activities.