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Friday, 24 April 2020

UPSC Prelim Daily Current Affairs 24-04-2020

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Current Affairs Yearbook 2020: Current Affairs are essential for the preparation of the UPSC CSE & PSC examination. The UPSC, State PSC prelims and mains examination demand conceptual clarity of current affairs, Clearing the UPSC CSE & State PSC examination requires a complete, holistic and comprehensive understanding of concepts in the news and current affairs which has been provided by MYUPSC.COM in very crisp and meticulous notes covering all notable and crucial State, national and international current affairs. UPSC Prelim Daily Current Affairs 24-04-2020
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UPSC Prelim Daily Current Affairs 24-04-2020
Ordinance to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
The Union Cabinet has approved promulgation of an Ordinance to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to protect healthcare service personnel and property including their living/working premises against violence during epidemics.
The ordinance is intended to ensure that during any situation akin to the current pandemic, there is zero tolerance to any form of violence against healthcare service personnel and damage to property.
How the current COVID-19 pandemic has affected critical service providers?
Members of healthcare services are targeted and attacked by miscreants, thereby obstructing them from doing their duties.
They have become the most vulnerable victims as they have been perceived by some as carriers of the virus.
This has led to cases of their stigmatization and ostracization and sometimes worse, acts of unwarranted violence and harassment.
What is the fallout?
Such a situation tend to hamper the medical community from performing their duties to their optimum best and maintaining their morale, which is a critical need in this hour of national health crisis.
Need for a National Level legislation:
The existing state laws do not have a wide sweep and ambit. They generally do not cover harassment at home and workplace and are focused more on physical violence only. The penal provisions contained in these laws are not stringent enough to deter mischief mongering.
Overview of the ordinance and key provisions in it:
  1. The Ordinance provides for making acts of violence cognizable and non-bailable offences.
  2. It has provisions for compensation for injury to healthcare service personnel or for causing damage or loss to the property in which healthcare service personnel may have a direct interest in relation to the epidemic.
  3. Violence includes harassment and physical injury and damage to property.
  4. Healthcare service personnel include public and clinical healthcare service providers such as doctors, nurses, paramedical workers and community health workers; any other persons empowered under the Act to take measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease or spread thereof; and any persons declared as such by the State Government, by notification in the Official Gazette.
  5. Punishment can be imprisonment for a term of three months to five years, and with fine of Rs.50,000/- to Rs.2,00,000/-.  In case of causing grievous hurt, imprisonment shall be for a term six months to seven years and with fine of Rs.1,00,000/- to Rs.5,00,000/-.
  6. Offences shall be investigated by an officer of the rank of Inspector within a period of 30 days, and trial has to be completed in one year, unless extended by the court for reasons to be recorded in writing.
Provisions of the 1897 Epidemic Diseases Act:
  • It empowers state governments/UTs to take special measures and formulate regulations for containing the outbreak.
  • It also empowers state to prescribe such temporary regulations to be observed by the public or by any person or class of persons as it shall deem necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof.
  • The state may determine in what manner and by whom any expenses incurred (including compensation if any) shall be defrayed.
  • It also provides penalties for disobeying any regulation or order made under the Act. These are according to section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
  • It also gives legal protection to the implementing officers acting under the Act.
Sugarcane Price Fixation
  • The Sugarcane (Control) Order of 1966 confers power upon the State government to fix the remunerative/advised price at which sugarcane can be bought or sold, which shall always be higher than the minimum price fixed by the Central government.
  • Even though a State cannot fix a “minimum price” if the Centre has already fixed it, the State is always welcome to fix the “advised price”.
  • The advised or remunerative price shall always be higher than the minimum price in accordance with the provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, issued under Section 16 of the Uttar Pradesh Sugarcane (Regulation of Supply and Purchase) Act, 1953.
  • A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court recently held that both the Central and State governments have the power to fix the price of sugarcane under the Concurrent List of the Constitution.
  • According to the judgment it is only when the advised price fixed by the State government is lower than the minimum price fixed by the Central government, the provisions of the Central enactments will prevail and the minimum price fixed by the Central government will prevail.
  • So long as the advised price fixed by the State government is higher than the minimum price fixed by the Central government, the same cannot be said to be void under Article 254 of the Constitution.
World Bank report on remittances
The World Bank has released a report on the impact of the COVID-19 on migration and remittances.
India specific observations:
Remittances to India are likely to drop by 23 per cent from $83 billion last year to $64 billion this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in a global recession.
India’s neighbourhood:
  1. In Pakistan, the projected decline is about 23 per cent, totalling about $17 billion, compared to a total of $22.5 billion last year, when remittances grew by 6.2 per cent.
  2. In Bangladesh, remittances are projected at $14 billion this year, a likely fall of about 22 per cent.
  3. Remittances to Nepal and Sri Lanka are expected to decline by 14 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively, this year.
India’s remittances:
  • India is the world’s biggest recipient of remittances.
  • In 2019, India is estimated to have received $83.1 billion in remittances from people working overseas, about 12% of the total expected global inflow.
  • International remittances in 2018 (2020 report) reached $689 billion, out of which India received $78.6 billion from the 17.5 million living abroad.
Global scenario:
Globally remittances are projected to decline sharply by about 20 per cent this year due to the economic crisis induced by the pandemic and shutdowns.
The projected fall is largely due to a fall in the wages and employment of migrant workers, who tend to be more vulnerable to loss of employment and wages during an economic crisis in a host country.
Remittance flows are expected to fall across all World Bank Group regions, most notably in Europe and Central Asia (27.5 per cent), followed by Sub-Saharan Africa (23.1 per cent), South Asia (22.1 per cent), the Middle East and North Africa (19.6 per cent).
Significance of remittances:
Studies show that remittances alleviate poverty in lower- and middle-income countries, improve nutritional outcomes, are associated with higher spending on education, and reduce child labor in disadvantaged households. They are a vital source of income for developing countries. A fall in remittances affect families’ ability to spend on these areas as more of their finances will be directed to solve food shortages and immediate livelihoods needs.
Manipur commemorates ‘Khongjom Day’ on 23 April
On April 23, 2020 Manipur commemorated ‘ Khongjom Day’ at Khongjom War Memorial Complex, Thoubal. On this day state remembered the people who valiantly fought in the Anglo-Manipuri War in 1891.
State Chief Minister N. Biren Singh led a group in laying floral tribute at Khonjom War Memorial atop Kheba hill and later to Paona Brajabashi Statue located at the foothill.
About Khongjom Day
The Khongjom Day is celebrated every year on April 23 by Manipur to pay tribute to the war heroes of Anglo-Manipuri War 1891 who had sacrificed their lives fighting against the British to protect freedom of Manipur. The site is about 35 KM south of Imphal in Thoubal district where the battle was fight between Manipuri and British.
Pricing Policy for Sugarcane
  • The pricing of sugarcane is governed by the statutory provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 issued under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955.
  • Prior to 2009-10 sugar season, the Central Government was fixing the Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) of sugarcane and farmers were entitled to share profits of a sugar mill on 50:50 basis.
  • As this sharing of profits remained virtually unimplemented, the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 was amended in October, 2009 and the concept of SMP was replaced by the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane.
  • States also announce a price called the State Advisory Price (SAP), which is usually higher than the SMP.
Minimum Support Price
  • The MSP is the rate at which the government buys grains from farmers.
  • Reason behind the idea of MSP is to counter price volatility of agricultural commodities due to the factors like variation in their supply, lack of market integration and information asymmetry.
  • The MSP is fixed on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
  • Factors taken into consideration for fixing MSP include,
  1. Demand and supply,
  2. Cost of production (A2 + FL method)
  3. Price trends in the market, both domestic and international,
  4. Inter-crop price parity,
  5. Terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture,
  6. A minimum of 50% as the margin over cost of production,
  7. Likely implications of MSP on consumers of that product.
  8. The Commission also makes visits to states for on-the-spot assessment of the various constraints that farmers face in marketing their produce, or even raising the productivity levels of their crops.
  • Based on all these inputs, the Commission then finalizes its recommendations/reports, which are then submitted to the government.
  • The government, in turn, circulates the CACP reports to state governments and concerned Central Ministries for their comments.
  • After receiving the feed-back from them, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) of the Union government takes a final decision on the level of MSPs and other recommendations made by the CACP.
  • The Food Corporation of India (FCI), the nodal central agency of the Government of India, along with other State Agencies undertakes procurement of crops.
Crops Covered under MSP
  • Government announces minimum support prices (MSPs) for 22 mandated crops and fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane.
  • The mandated crops are 14 crops of the kharif season, 6 Rabi crops and two other commercial crops.
  • In addition, the MSPs of toria and de-husked coconut are fixed on the basis of the MSPs of rapeseed/mustard and copra, respectively.
  • The list of crops are as follows.
  • Cereals (7) – paddy, wheat, barley, jowar, bajra, maize and ragi
  • Pulses (5) – gram, arhar/tur, moong, urad and lentil
  • Oilseeds (8) – groundnut, rapeseed/mustard, toria, soyabean, sunflower seed, sesamum, safflower seed and nigerseed
  • Raw cotton
  • Raw jute
  • Copra
  • De-husked coconut
  • Sugarcane (Fair and remunerative price)
  • Virginia flu cured (VFC) tobacco
National Commission on Farmers
  • In 2004, the Union government formed the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) with MS Swaminathan as its chairman.
  • The main aim of the committee was to come up with a sustainable farming system, make farm commodities cost-competitive and more profitable.
  • It, in 2006, recommended that MSPs must be at least 50% more than the cost of production.
  • It talked about the cost of farming at three levels:
    • A2: All the types of cash expenditure to generate the crop like seeds, manure, chemicals, labour costs, fuel costs and irrigation costs.
    • A2+FL: It includes A2 plus an imputed value of unpaid family labour.
    • C2: Under C2, the estimated land rent and the cost of interest on the money taken for farming are added to A2 and FL.
Article 254
  • Article 254 of the Indian Constitution deals with the doctrine of repugnancy.
  • Repugnancy here is a legal term that means inconsistency between two or more parts of a legal instrument.
  • Article 254(1) has been neatly summarized by the Supreme Court in M. Karunanidhi versus Union of India as, “where the provisions of a Central Act and a State Act in the Concurrent list are fully inconsistent and absolutely irreconcilable, the Central Act will prevail and the State Act will become void in view of the repugnancy.
  • If the doctrine of repugnancy most often means that federal law trumps state law.
  • However, the magic of Article 254(2) is that it allows state law to prevail under certain circumstances.
  • In simple terms this means assent by the President after a state legislature passes a bill.
  • If the central government agrees, then the process is quite seamless. If it doesn’t, then states still have recourse to the Supreme Court.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
  • Chaired by the Prime Minister, CCEA lays down the priorities for public sector investment and considers specific proposals for investment of not less than specific levels (Rs. 3 Billion at present) as revised from time to time.
  • It has a mandate to review economic trends on a continuous basis, as also the problems and prospects, with a view to evolving a consistent and integrated economic policy framework for the country.
  • It also directs and coordinates all policies and activities in the economic field including foreign investment that require policy decisions at the highest level.
Feluda and Crispr technology
What is Feluda?
  • It is a low-cost, paper-strip test which can detect the new coronavirus within an hour.
  • Developed by Scientists at the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research — Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB).
  • It is expected to cost around Rs 500 against the RT-PCR test that costs Rs 4,500 in private labs.
  • The test is based on a bacterial immune system protein called Cas9.
  • It uses cutting-edge gene-editing tool Crispr-Cas9 system.
What are Genes and what is gene- editing?
Genes contain the bio-information that defines any individual. Physical attributes like height, skin or hair colour, more subtle features and even behavioural traits can be attributed to information encoded in the genetic material.
An ability to alter this information gives scientists the power to control some of these features.
What is CRISPR-Cas9?
CRISPR technology is basically a gene-editing technology that can be used for the purpose of altering genetic expression or changing the genome of an organism. The technology can be used for targeting specific stretches of an entire genetic code or editing the DNA at particular locations.
Significance:
CRISPR technology is a simple yet powerful tool for editing genomes. It allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function. Its many potential applications include correcting genetic defects, treating and preventing the spread of diseases and improving crops. However, its promise also raises ethical concerns.
How it works?
  1. CRISPR-Cas9 technology behaves like a cut-and-paste mechanism on DNA strands that contain genetic information.
  2. The specific location of the genetic codes that need to be changed, or “edited”, is identified on the DNA strand, and then, using the Cas9 protein, which acts like a pair of scissors, that location is cut off from the strand. A DNA strand, when broken, has a natural tendency to repair itself.
  3. Scientists intervene during this auto-repair process, supplying the desired sequence of genetic codes that binds itself with the broken DNA strand.
Concerns and issues involved:
  • Tampering with the genetic code in human beings is more contentious. Leading scientists in the field have for long been calling for a “global pause” on clinical applications of the technology in human beings, until internationally accepted protocols are developed.
  • Studies highlighted that CRISPR-Cas9-edited cells might trigger cancer.
  • May increase the risk of mutations elsewhere in the genome in those cells.
  • Many things are not clear like how we should determine which disease or traits are appropriate for gene editing.
  • Ethical concerns:In addition, there are concerns with manipulating human embryos for own interest.
Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme  
  • Government provides fertilizers, Urea and 21 grades of P&K fertilizers to farmers at subsidized prices through fertilizer manufacturers/importers.
  • In accordance to its farmer friendly approach, the Govt is committed to ensure the availability of P&K fertilizers to farmers on affordable price.
  • The subsidy on P&K fertilizers is being governed by NBS Scheme from 2010.
  • Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme is being implemented , since 2010 by the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
  • Under NBS, a fixed amount of subsidy decided on an annual basis, is provided on each grade of subsidized Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) fertilizers depending on its nutrient content.
  • The NBS scheme, was sought to deregulate subsidy on non-urea fertilizers and expected to reduce the subsidy burden substantially.
  • While the NBS certainly did not lead to any decline in subsidy on fertilizer, it did lead to worsening of soil nutrient quality, along with shortages and price increases in all three types of major nutrients, namely Nitrogenous, Phosphoric and Potassic.
  • An undesirable outcome has been the change in fertilizer mix.
  • As against the recommended Nitrogen (N): Phosphorous (P): Potassium (K) ratio of 4:2:1, the NPK ratio in 2013-14 was 8.2:3.2:1.
  • The environmental damage caused by the inappropriate use of fertilizers is certainly a matter of serious concern in many states.
  • Recently Union government has cut the subsidy for non-urea fertilizers this year to ₹22,186 crore.
  • That is about 3% lower than the ₹22,875 crore which was the estimated expenditure on the nutrient based subsidies in 2019-20.
  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs decided to reduce the subsidy for nitrogen-based fertilizers to ₹18.78 per kg, for phosphorous-based fertilizers to ₹14.88 per kg, and set the subsidy for potash-based fertilizers at ₹10.11 per kg.
  • And while the subsidy for sulphur-based fertilizers had been raised last year to ₹ 3.56 per kg, from ₹2.72 per kg, this year it has been slashed to just ₹2.37 per kg.
  • The CCEA also approved the inclusion of a complex fertilizer, ammonium phosphate, under the nutrient-based subsidy scheme.
  • The subsidy component on retail price of fertilizers is announced at the beginning of the fiscal and subsequent changes in raw material cost, import price and currency fluctuations get reflected in the retail price.
Judgement on Tribal Reservations
  • A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held it unconstitutional to provide 100% reservation for tribal teachers in schools located in Scheduled Areas across the country.
  • According to the judgement it is an obnoxious idea that tribal only should teach the tribal.
  • When there are other local residents, why they cannot teach is not understandable, the action defies logic and is arbitrary.
  • The court held that 100% reservation is discriminatory and impermissible and noted the opportunity of public employment is not the prerogative of few.
  • A 100% reservation to the Scheduled Tribes has deprived Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes also of their due representation.
  • The court referred to the Indira Sawhney judgment, which caps reservation at 50%.
Remittance Prices Worldwide
  • Remittance Prices Worldwide is a resource report sponsored by the World Bank Group.
  • It provides data on the cost of sending remittances from 48 remittance sending countries and 105 receiving countries.
  • Information provided includes exchange rate and transfer fees, as well as the speed of transfer.
  • Globally, sending remittances costs an average of 6.79 percent of the amount sent.
  • This figure is used to monitor the progress of the global effort for reduction of remittance prices.
  • According to recent report global remittances are projected to decline sharply by about 20 percent in 2020 due to the economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown.
  • The projected fall, which would be the sharpest decline in recent history, is largely due to a fall in the wages and employment of migrant workers, who tend to be more vulnerable to loss of employment and wages during an economic crisis in a host country.
UN English Language Day
  • English is one of the two working languages of the UN, along with French.
  • It has also become the lingua franca of international relations.
  • English Language Day at the UN is celebrated on 23 April, the date traditionally observed as both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare.
  • The Day is the result of a 2010 initiative by the Department of Global Communications, establishing language days for each of the Organization’s six official languages.
  • The purpose of the UN’s language days is to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization.
  • Under the initiative, UN duty stations around the world celebrate six separate days, each dedicated to one of the Organization’s six official languages.
  • The days are as follows:
  1. Arabic (18 December)
  2. Chinese (20 April)
  3. English (23 April)
  4. French (20 March)
  5. Russian (6 June)
  6. Spanish (23 April)
  • Language Days at the UN aim to entertain as well as inform, with the goal of increasing awareness and respect for the history, culture and achievements of each of the six working languages among the UN community.

VIDYADAAN 2.0:

Launched by Union HRD Ministry, it is a national program for inviting e-learning Content contributions.
VidyaDaan is conceptualised as a common national program for individuals and organizations across the country to contribute e-learning resources for both school and higher education to ensure continuity of quality learning.
The content will be used on the DIKSHA app to help millions of children across the country to continue their learning anytime and anywhere.

Kasowal Bridge:

It is a 484- metre long permanent bridge on the river Ravi to connect the Kasowal enclave of Punjab along the Pakistan border to the rest of the country.
Built by the Borders Roads Organization.
Kasowal enclave is around 35 square km. It was till now connected through a pontoon bridge of limited load capacity.
The enclave was formed because it has the Ravi behind it and the International Border ahead of it.
There are similar enclaves of Pakistani territory too, which lie ahead of Ravi and face Indian territory. These Pakistani enclaves — Dera Baba Nanak enclave and Jassar enclave — were occupied by the Indian Army in the 1965 and 1971 wars.

Education for Justice:

The Education for Justice (E4J) initiative was launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes to teach next generation about crime prevention and address problems under law.
The initiative seeks to prevent crime and promote a culture of lawfulness through education activities designed for primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
The E4J initiative is under the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration.

Team Mask Force:

  • It is a video Created by BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India).
  • It promotes the use of masks to fight the infectious disease COVID-19.
  • The video featuring India’s most revered cricketers urges fellow countrymen to join the team mask force and help the nation fight against the novel coronavirus.

Noor satellite:

It is a military satellite launched recently by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps — a branch of the country’s armed forces. 
The satellite flew into orbit on top of a multi-stage Qased rocket.
Source: The Hindu, PIB, Live mint
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