Daily Current Affairs UPSC 28 August 2024

Sanction for prosecuting a public servant

• Recently, the Governor of Karnataka approved an investigation for the prosecution of the Chief Minister.
• Sanction for prosecution is required before prosecuting a public servant to prevent malicious prosecution.
• The competent authority for granting sanction is either the State or Central government under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) or the authority with the power to remove the public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).
• The legal framework for granting sanction includes Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Section 17A and 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PCA).

Codon De-optimisation Technology (CDT)

• Indian Immunologicals Limited and Griffith University have collaborated to create a needle-free intra-nasal booster vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 using CDT technology.
• CDT technology involves reducing the frequency of underrepresented codon pairs without altering amino acid sequences.
• The vaccine developed using CDT technology offers an efficient virus attenuation strategy that can be adjusted as needed.
• Attenuated strains of viruses are used in vaccines to stimulate a protective immune response without causing severe disease.
• The vaccine is extremely safe and can be developed in less time compared to traditional methods.

Anubhav Awards

• The 7th Anubhav Awards Ceremony will take place at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
• The Anubhav Awards are presented by the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare.
• These awards are based on Anubhav Write ups, which are experiences shared by retiring central government employees/pensioners on the Anubhav Portal.
• The aim of the Anubhav Awards is to promote good governance and administrative reforms in the future by learning from the experiences shared by retiring employees.

Axis of Resistance

• Iran is believed to have the capability to launch an attack on Israel through its coalition known as the 'axis of resistance'.
• The Axis of Resistance is a network of militant Islamist groups that is led by Iran and has its origins in the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
• The coalition includes Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Houthis, among others.
• Hezbollah, founded in Lebanon in the early 1980s, is considered the largest and most powerful member of the Axis of Resistance.

Green shoots

• RBI stated that India's rural economy is acting as a positive sign of growth in the FMCG sector, known as Green Shoots.
• Green Shoots refer to indicators of growth in an economy or sector following a period of economic decline, a term coined by UK chancellor Norman Lamont in 1991.
• The FMCG sector consists of fast-moving consumer goods with high turnover, including products like detergents, toiletries, and cosmetics that are quickly produced, distributed, marketed, and consumed.

Cholera

• Bharat Biotech introduced the Hillchol Oral Cholera Vaccine to combat the global shortage of cholera vaccines.
• The Hillchol vaccine is an inactivated, single-strain oral vaccine designed for children over the age of one.
• Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by the Vibrio Cholerae bacteria, typically spread through fecal contamination of water and food.
• The disease can lead to severe diarrhea and dehydration.

Perpetual bonds

• India recently issued its first AT-1 perpetual bond following rule changes to make them more attractive.
• Perpetual bonds are fundraising tools that do not have a maturity date like traditional bonds.
• Instead of a maturity date, they pay a fixed coupon or interest to buyers indefinitely.
• Investors can recoup their principal by selling the bond on the secondary market or when the issuer chooses to redeem the bonds.
• These bonds only have an obligation to pay interest and are not obligated to repay the debt.

Solar Paraboloids

• Solar Paraboloid technology is considered cutting-edge in enhancing solar energy efficiency.
• Solar Paraboloids are a more advanced version of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) that uses Parabolic Trough Collectors (PTC).
• These systems use parabolic mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver tube at the focal line.
• Compared to traditional PV systems, Solar Paraboloids have advantages such as the ability to operate at high temperatures, higher thermal efficiency, and reduced heat losses.
• However, challenges include high initial costs and infrastructure needs.

Sea Level Rise

• The WMO's State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific 2023 report highlights that sea level rise in the Pacific Ocean is outpacing the global average.
• The impact of this sea level rise is particularly severe for Pacific Islands, which face a higher risk despite contributing only 0.02% of global emissions.
• The heightened vulnerabilities in the Pacific Islands are due to their average elevation being just 1-2 meters above sea level, with 90% of the population living within 5 kilometers of the coast and 50% of infrastructure located within 500 meters of the sea.

"Punjab Government slapped with ₹1,000 crore fine by NGT"

• The NGT has instructed that a penalty must be paid to the CPCB for the inadequate handling of long-standing solid waste and untreated sewage, known as legacy waste.

Present framework for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management

• The Environment (Protection) Act of 1986 gives the Central Government the authority to create agencies responsible for preventing all types of environmental pollution.
• Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are responsible for managing Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).
• The Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules of 2016 mandate that ULBs establish systems for collecting, transporting, processing, and disposing of waste.

Challenges

• Public opinion on waste management is negative and waste is not properly separated at the source.
• There is a shortage of effective municipal solid waste (MSW) plans and qualified waste management professionals.
• Municipal authorities do not have enough funding for waste management
• Cities lack data on the types and amounts of waste being generated.

Way Forward

• Utilizing waste as resources to extract increased value through recycling, recovery, and reuse in a circular economy.
• The necessity of a robust and independent regulatory authority for waste management.
• Incorporating the private sector and NGOs as stakeholders in long-term waste management planning.

About the National Green Tribunal

• Genesis: Established as a statutory body under the NGT Act of 2010.
• Mandate: Specialized judicial body with expertise in adjudicating environmental cases.
• Function: Provides effective and quick remedies for cases related to environmental protection, conservation of natural resources, and enforcement of environmental rights.
• Guided by principles of natural justice and its decisions are legally binding.

Supreme Court Halts Ayush Ministry's Notification

• Ongoing Case: Indian Medical Association & Anr v. Union of India and Ors (2022)
• The ruling in the ongoing case involved the Ayush Ministry's notification that omitted a rule prohibiting misleading advertisements for Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani drugs.
• The Supreme Court had previously issued orders in May 2024 to discourage misleading advertising, including provisions for self-declaration by advertisers.
• Misleading advertising occurs when a statement in a publication leads consumers to have a false impression of a product or service.

Issues with Misleading Advertisements

• Violation of consumer rights: Misleading claims can impact a consumer's right to information and choice.
• Health risks: Misleading claims, especially regarding medicines, can pose potential health hazards.
• Ethical concerns: Lack of ethical considerations in advertisements can prioritize profitability over efficacy.
• Lack of transparency: Overstating benefits, downplaying risks, and making unsupported claims can mislead consumers.
• Social influence: Misleading advertisements can have a long-term impact on people's perception of products and services.
• Breach of public trust: Misinformation in advertisements can influence consumer behavior and impact decision-making.

Way Forward

• Encouraging full disclosures through self-declaration by advertisers.
• Effective regulatory oversight and stringent implementation of laws to combat misleading advertisements.

Initiatives to Combat Misleading Advertisements

• Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022 issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).
• GAMA (Grievances Against Misleading Advertisements) portal by the Department of Consumer Affairs for online complaint registration.
• Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, which prohibits advertisements for remedies alleged to possess magic qualities.

"Call for Autonomy: Classical Language Promotion Centers Seek Independence"

• India recognizes six classical languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia.
• Promotion of Tamil language is done through the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT).
• Sanskrit is promoted through three Central Universities.
• Other four classical languages are promoted under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in Mysuru.

Demand for Autonomy

• Financial Dependency: Events and activities require financial approval from CIIL.
• High Vacancy: Some centers have a shortage of staff compared to approved positions.
• Unequal Funding: Sanskrit receives significantly more funding compared to other classical languages.

Benefits of Classical Language Status

• International Awards: Scholars in classical Indian languages are eligible for prestigious awards.
• Centre of Excellence: Specialized centers are established for the study of classical languages.
• Professional Chairs: University Grants Commission is urged to create chairs for classical languages in central universities.

Criteria for Declaring Classical Languages

• Antiquity: Early texts and recorded history must span 1500-2000 years.
• Ancient Literature: A body of valuable heritage literature must exist.
• Originality: The literary tradition must be original and not borrowed.
• Distinctiveness: Classical language and literature must be distinct from modern forms.

"HP Assembly Raises Marriage Age for Women"

• The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment Bill 2024) aims to amend The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and related acts in the State.
• The Central bill 'Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021' lapsed in Lok Sabha in June 2024, which sought to bring uniformity in the age of marriage for men and women based on recommendations of the Jaya Jaitley Committee.

Benefits of Raising Age of Marriage for Women

• Secure Constitutional mandate of Gender Equality by aligning the age for marriage for men and women at 21 years.
• Improved reproductive health leading to lower maternal mortality rates and reduced teenage pregnancies.
• Promotes women empowerment with better education and employment outcomes.
• Helps in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG5 - Gender Equality, SDG10 - Reduced Inequalities).

Concerns

• Illegal marriages can lead some people to enter into non-traditional unions.
• Marginalized communities with high rates of early marriage may be harmed by illegal marriages.
• Parents may use illegal marriages to manipulate their daughters' choices, potentially leading to harmful practices like son preference and female foeticide.
• Illegal marriages do not challenge or address societal norms that favor patriarchal values.

Other steps that can be taken

• Inclusion of sex education in the official school curriculum.
• Development of targeted initiatives for promoting the health and nutrition of girls.

Historical Perspectives on Age of Marriage in India

• The Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 (Sarda Act) fixed the marriage age for girls at 14 years and boys at 18 years.
• The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 replaced the 1929 Act, prohibiting the solemnization of child marriages and raising the age to 18 for brides and 21 for grooms.

"National Medical Register Portal Launched by Union Health Minister"

The NMR is a complete repository containing information on all allopathic (MBBS) licensed doctors in India.

About National Medical Register (NMR) 

• Mandated under Section 31 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019.
• Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of NMC responsible for maintaining the database.
• NMR will include names, addresses, and qualifications of allopathic doctors in India.
• Aadhaar ID linkage for authentication and interlinking with State Medical Councils (SMCs).

Significance of the NMR

• Strengthens the digital healthcare ecosystem.
• Ensures transparent access to quality medical professionals.
• Consolidates public trust in healthcare services.

About National Medical Commission (NMC) 

• Statutory body established in 2020 to replace the Medical Council of India.
• Aims to improve access to quality and affordable medical education.
• Ensures availability of high-quality medical professionals and assesses medical institutions.

Functions of NMC

• Formulates policies and regulates medical education, institutions, research, and professionals.
• Sets guidelines for fee determination in private medical institutions.
• Assesses healthcare requirements and develops a roadmap for meeting them.