Daily Current Affairs

13-December-2023

1. Lok Sabha passes Bills for women’s quota in J&K, Puducherry.

Topic: GS2 – Indian polity

Context:

• Lok Sabha passed two Bills extending the provisions of the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act for 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Additional information on the news:

• The extension applies to the Union Territories of Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.
• Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill.
• The Bills aim to make provisions for providing reservation for women in the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Puducherry Assembly.
• The debate in the House was dominated by discussions on the Supreme Court’s verdict on Monday regarding Article 370.
• National Conference’s Hasnain Masoodi highlighted the lack of representation in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the region had no MLA for the past six years, with the Union Territory being run by “four officers.”

2. Road accidents, fatalities increased last year: police.

Topic: GS3 – road safety

Context:

• According to the Delhi Traffic Police’s ‘Road Crash’ report for 2022:
• Four persons, on average, died every day on Delhi’s roads.
• Compared to 2021, there was a 19.7% increase in the number of accidents, a 17.9% increase in fatalities, and a 21.7% increase in injuries.
• The increase in road incidents in 2022 is attributed to the absence of a prolonged COVID-19 lockdown, which was in effect in 2021.

Reasons for High Road Accident Fatalities in India:

• Poor infrastructure:Inadequate road maintenance, lack of proper signage, and poorly designed roads contribute significantly to accidents.
• Overcrowding and overloading:Vehicles are often overloaded with passengers and goods, exceeding their capacity and safety limits.
• Dangerous driving behaviors:Speeding, drunk driving, reckless overtaking, and ignoring traffic rules are common causes of accidents.
• Lack of enforcement:Traffic regulations are often not enforced effectively, leading to a culture of impunity among drivers.
• Inadequate driver training and licensing:Many drivers lack proper training and knowledge of traffic rules, leading to poor decision-making on the road.
• Lack of emergency response services:Inadequate medical facilities and ambulances along highways contribute to higher fatalities.

Way Forward:

• Improve infrastructure:Invest in building and maintaining high-quality roads, including proper signage, lighting, and pedestrian crossings.
• Strengthen enforcement:Implement stricter enforcement of traffic rules with heavier penalties for violations.
• Promote road safety awareness:Launch educational campaigns and programs to raise awareness about safe driving practices and traffic rules.
• Improve driver training:Implement mandatory driving training courses and stricter licensing procedures.
• Enhance emergency response:Improve medical infrastructure along highways and provide adequate ambulances and trained personnel.
• Introduce stricter vehicle regulations:Implement stricter regulations on vehicle design and safety features, including mandatory seat belts and airbags.
• Involve communities:Encourage community participation in road safety initiatives and awareness programs.
• Adopt technological solutions:Utilize technology like intelligent transportation systems and speed cameras to enhance road safety.

Question: Analyze the key factors contributing to the high rate of road accident fatalities in India. Suggest concrete policy and enforcement measures that can be implemented to improve road safety and reduce fatalities.

3. Industries should involve themselves in education in a big way, says official

Topic: GS3 – Indian economy.

Context:

• At a session on ‘Expanding Education Landscape of Tamil Nadu’:
• Innocent Divya, MD of T.N. Skill Development Corporation, emphasized the need for industries to actively participate in education.
• The Tamil Nadu government is facilitating industry involvement through its ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ scheme.
• The scheme involves opening educational institution campuses for industry participation, aiming to bridge the gap between academia and industry.

Curriculum Development:

• Providing input on skills and knowledge needed in the workforce.
• Partnering with educational institutions to develop relevant curricula.
• Offering industry-specific courses and certifications.

Career and Technical Education:

• Providing internships, apprenticeships, and job shadowing opportunities.
• Sponsoring scholarships and training programs.
• Donating equipment and resources to educational institutions.

Mentorship and Networking:

• Connecting students with industry professionals for guidance and support.
• Organizing workshops and seminars on career paths and industry trends.

Real-world Learning:

• Providing project-based learning opportunities that address real industry challenges.
• Hosting student competitions and hackathons to promote innovation.

Financial Support:

• Funding research and development in education technology.
• Providing grants and donations to educational institutions.
• Offering employee tuition reimbursement programs.

Community Engagement:

• Supporting STEM education initiatives.
• Volunteering in classrooms and after-school programs.
• Participating in career fairs and college recruitment events.

Question: Examine the potential of collaborative efforts between industries and educational institutions in bridging the skills gap and enhancing the employability of graduates.

4. India’s extreme rainfall ‘corridor’

Topic: GS1 – Indian geography.

Impact of Global Warming on Indian Monsoon:

General Trends:

• Every aspect of the Indian monsoon, including onset, withdrawal, active and break periods, and monsoon depressions, has been influenced by global warming.
• The total seasonal rainfall has shown a decreasing trend over seven decades due to the differential heating of land and ocean.

Changes in Rainfall Dynamics:

• The impact of global warming is reflected in longer duration but lower intensity dry spells and increased intensity of wet spells during the monsoon season.
• India Meteorological Department (IMD) has improved forecasting extremes, but multiple factors can still lead to devastating heavy rain events.

Patterns of Extreme Rainfall:

Geographical Focus:

• Indian monsoon forecasts heavily rely on El Niño and La Niña phenomena but only hold about 60% of the time.
• A new study reveals a consistent corridor for extreme rainfall events stretching from West Bengal and Odisha to Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Stability Over Time:

• Despite changes in various aspects of monsoon dynamics, the identified corridor for extreme events has remained unchanged from 1901 to 2019.
• This stability offers opportunities for improved process understanding and better predictions.

Analysis Methods and Findings:

Sophisticated Network Analysis:

• Traditional statistical methods might miss complex relations between multiple nodes of rainfall centers.
• Network analysis, applied at a 25-km scale using IMD data, reveals stable nodes with high synchronicity in rainfall for over a century.

Kettle and Popcorn Analogy:

• Central India acts as a kettle warming up during pre-monsoon.
• Rainfall systems pop synchronously, indicating large groups of popcorn jumping up simultaneously.

Forecasting Implications:

Stability Challenges Previous Notions:

• Despite claims that stationary elements no longer exist due to global warming, the identified corridor for extreme rainfall events persists.
• The corridor’s stability suggests a potential focus on synchronization dynamics rather than increasing model resolution for improved forecasts.

Testing Hypotheses and Model Implications:

• The hypothesis of geographic trapping of extreme rainfall by mountain ranges needs testing in models.
• The findings suggest that increasing model resolution and computational cost may not be essential; instead, a focus on synchronization dynamics can enhance forecasts.

Potential Benefits and Future Steps:

Reducing Risks at Smaller Scales:

• Understanding and forecasting extreme rainfall events can reduce risks for agriculture, water, energy, transportation, and health.
• India, with its modeling capacity and computational resources, is well-positioned to exploit this potential.

5. 74% Indians could not afford healthy diet in 2021: Report.

Topic: GS2: Social Justice: Issues relating to poverty and hunger

 

Food Affordability in India:

• Over 74% of Indians couldn’t afford a healthy diet in 2021, a slight improvement from 76.2% in 2020.
• In Pakistan, 82.2% faced difficulties, while in Bangladesh, it was 66.1%.

Impact of Rising Food Costs:

• The report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that rising food costs, without a corresponding rise in income, could increase the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet.

Regional Food Security Challenges:

• The Asia Pacific region, with 370.7 million undernourished people, continues to represent half of the global total.
• The region also accounts for half of the world’s severe food insecurity.

Child Nutrition Challenges in India:

• In India, 31.7% of children under 5 showed stunted growth.
• India recorded the highest rate of wasting (18.7%) in the region among children under five.

Health Risks and Nutrition Targets:

• 53% of women aged 15 to 49 in India had anaemia, the highest prevalence rate in the region.
• 6% of Indian adults were classified as obese.

Breastfeeding and Birth Weight:

• India improved exclusive breastfeeding rates (63.7%) for infants aged 0-5 months, higher than the world prevalence of 47.7%.
• India had the highest prevalence of low birth weight (27.4%) in the region.

Note: Data can be used for mains answer enrichment.

6. India’s Shift in Ethanol Production Strategy to Address Sugar Shortages

Topic: GS3- Economics

Context:

• The Indian government has taken steps to increase the amount of sugar available domestically in response to the prohibition on sugar exports.
• Limiting the amount of sugar diverted for the production of ethanol is a critical step in this approach.

Ethanol Blending Program Success:

• The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) initiative, a noteworthy achievement of the Narendra Modi administration, has experienced impressive expansion.
• The average percentage of ethanol blended with petrol across the country increased from 1.6% in 2013–14 to an astounding 11.8% in 2022–2023.
• The variety of feedstocks used in the ethanol production process has been essential to its success.

Feedstock Diversification:

• Traditionally, ‘C-heavy’ molasses, a byproduct of sugar manufacturing, is used to make ethanol.
• Alternative feedstocks, such as “B-heavy” molasses, sugarcane juice or syrup, broken or damaged food grains, maize, and excess rice from Food Corporation of India stocks, were looked into by mills.
• The use of feedstocks other than C-heavy molasses has been encouraged by the government’s differential pricing strategy, which has helped to boost ethanol production.

Impact on Ethanol Prices:

• Depending on the feedstock utilised, the government specified different rates that state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) would have to pay for the ethanol supply year 2022–2023.
• The price of ethanol produced from C-heavy molasses was Rs 49.41 per litre, but the price of ethanol produced from other feedstocks ranged from Rs 60.73 to Rs 66.07 per litre.

Challenges and Concerns:

• The government’s move to reduce ethanol blending has been explained by worries about low sugar supplies and erratic output levels this year.
• With the lowest supplies seen since 2016–17 at the conclusion of the sugar year 2022–2023, concerns about a possible supply shortage have been raised.
• The government’s decision to put domestic supply ahead of exports and food ahead of fuel is indicative of its will to address the problems facing the sugar industry right now.

Conclusion:

• The government of India is taking a proactive stance in managing the local sugar deficit, as seen by the recent order to limit the diversion of sugarcane for the manufacturing of ethanol.
• The focus on feedstock diversification and ethanol pricing will be essential in balancing supply and demand dynamics as the country navigates difficulties in the sugar business.

7. POMPE DISEASE

Topic: GS2- Health

Context:

• The first patient from India to suffer from Pompe disease, Nidhi Shirol, died at the age of twenty-four following a protracted fight with the uncommon genetic ailment.
• Her journey, which involved spending the previous six years in a semi-comatose state, brought attention to the difficulties experienced by persons with Pompe disease.

Establishing an NGO for Rare Diseases:

• The first non-governmental organisation in India devoted to rare diseases was founded in 2010 by Nidhi’s father, Prasanna Shirol, under the name Organisation for Rare Diseases India.
• This action highlighted how important it is to raise awareness of rare genetic disorders and provide support to those who are affected by them.

Understanding Pompe Disease:

• Pompe disease, sometimes called Glycogen Storage disease Type II, is caused by an acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) enzyme deficiency.
• Within cell lysosomes, this enzyme is crucial for converting glycogen to glucose.
• With beginning ages and severity levels fluctuating, prevalence estimates point to rarity, ranging from 1 in 40,000 to 1 in 300,000 births.

Key Symptoms of Pompe Disease:

Prominent symptoms of the disease include:

• progressive muscle weakness,
• delays in children’s motor skill development,
• respiratory complications that cause breathing difficulties, and
• hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which thickens the walls of the heart muscle and may cause heart function impairments.

Diagnosis and Genetic Analysis:

• Enzyme tests are used to quantify reduced enzyme activity (GAA) and genetic testing is used to find mutations in the GAA gene that cause Pompe disease.
• By confirming the existence of particular mutations linked to the illness, genetic analysis enables prompt intervention and symptom treatment.

Treatment Options and Lack of Cure:

• Pompe disease has no known cure, although there are treatments that can improve a patient’s quality of life.
• A common treatment called Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT) involves injecting the enzyme that is missing in order to reduce the accumulation of glycogen.
• Even though there isn’t a permanent cure, these approaches give patients hope for better symptom control and increased wellbeing.

8.”Invasive Goldfish Threaten Ecosystems: A Menace Unleashed”

Topic: GS3- Environment

Context:

• Although goldfish are frequently maintained in fishbowls as pets, releasing them into the wild has become a serious environmental risk.
• Goldfish are native to East Asia and were bred for their beautiful appearance and luck.
• However, when they are released into their natural environments, they may grow to enormous proportions and destroy entire ecosystems.

Invasive Goldfish in Hamilton Harbour:

• In Hamilton Harbour, on the western edge of Lake Ontario, researchers have been monitoring invasive goldfish under the direction of Christine Boston, an aquatic research biologist from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
• Invasive species have made the bay, which was already severely affected by urban and industrial development, one of the Great Lakes’ most environmentally devastated regions.

Destructive Impact and Alarming Reproduction Rates:

• Since they can multiply several times in a season and grow quickly, released goldfish are dangerous.
• Particularly the female goldfish have the ability to procreate multiple times, making use of the resources that are accessible.
• By eating algae and removing nutrients that support their growth, these feral goldfish not only destroy native marine life but also cause toxic algal blooms.

Adaptability and Climate Change Influence:

• Goldfish are able to swiftly reach sexual maturity and exhibit remarkable flexibility to a broad variety of water temperatures.
• They devour eggs, insects, algae, and aquatic plants with great avarice.
• Goldfish have football-shaped bodies that can get up to 16 inches long, which is too big for their natural predators.
• The problem might get worse due to climate change as goldfish adjust to warmer and less oxygenated waters.

Global Scope of the Problem:

• Canada is not the only country where goldfish are overpopulating their natural environments.
• Unwanted pet goldfish and their progeny overtook a river in Australia’s southwest, while feral goldfish have also flooded rivers in Burnsville, Minnesota, and the United Kingdom.
• There are currently millions, if not tens of millions, of goldfish living in the Great Lakes, according to Professor Nicholas Mandrak of the University of Toronto Scarborough.
• This is a significant increase over the previous 20 years.

Conclusion:

• The unexpected effects of releasing goldfish pets into the wild are highlighted by their invasive presence in natural settings.
• The study’s conclusions may help identify goldfish populations for culling, which would lessen the negative environmental effects of these seemingly innocuous aquarium residents.

9. “Advocates (Amendment) Act, 2023: Repealing Obsolete Laws and Curbing Touts”

Topic: Polity

Context:

• The Lok Sabha passed the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 on December 4, the first day of Parliament’s Winter Session.
• The bill was first presented in the Rajya Sabha and adopted on August 1 during the Monsoon Session.
• On December 8, the President gave his approval to the law.
• The principal aim is to remove ‘touts’ from the legal system, which led to the repeal of the outdated Legal Practitioners Act, 1879, and modifications to the Advocates Act, 1961.

Repeal of the 1879 Act:

• In an effort to streamline and modernise legal practices, the Advocates (Amendment) Act, 2023 removed the 1879 Colonial-era Legal Practitioners Act.
• The 1879 Act is redundant and since 2014, 1,486 such laws have been repealed.

What the Now-Repealed 1879 Act Entailed:

• The purpose of the Legal Practitioners Act of 1879 was to modify and combine the legislation pertaining to solicitors in various provinces.
• The definition of “legal practitioner” was expanded to encompass solicitors, vakils and advocates from any High Court.
• It is noteworthy for having coined the word “tout,” which refers to a person who obtains clients for a lawyer in return for payment.

Response and Rationale:

• Karti Chidambaram, a Congress MP, praised the new bill and pointed out that touts take advantage of the legal system’s complexity because of social disparities in money, power, and knowledge.
• By updating legal regulations, the Advocates (Amendment) Act, 2023 aims to alleviate these problems.

Evolution from the 1961 Act:

• The Advocates Act of 1961 was passed as a result of the Law Commission’s recommendation to repeal the 1879 Act upon independence.
• The goal of this extensive legislation was to govern the legal profession by establishing Bar Councils at different levels and a unified structure.
• Much of the 1879 Act was abolished, but other parts remained, such as the ones pertaining to touts.

Provisions of the 2023 Act:

• Section 45A of the 2023 Act supersedes Section 45 of the 1961 Act, imposing a six-month prison sentence on those who engage in unlicensed judicial practice.
• High Courts and district judges are authorised by Section 45A to assemble and disseminate lists of touts.
• Before publishing, those listed on these lists are entitled to challenge their inclusion.
• If they are shown to be a tout, the court has the authority to ban them from the area and will publish and display their identities everywhere.
• Anyone found functioning as a tout while their name is on the list faces further penalties under the Act, including up to three months in prison and a fine.

10. “Government Orders Probe into Alleged Kidney Scam Involving Apollo Hospital”

Topic: GS2- Health

Context:

• The Indian government has opened an investigation into claims made by The Telegraph that poor Burmese peasants were persuaded to give their kidneys to affluent Burmese patients, supposedly with the help of Delhi’s Apollo Hospital.
• India forbids the sale of organs for financial benefit in order to safeguard donors who may be at risk.
• Apollo Hospital has insisted that all transplants were carried out with the committee’s approval and the Myanmar embassy’s accreditation, which attests to the donors’ kinship ties.

India’s Transplant Laws:

• Organ transplants in India are subject to stringent regulations under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
• Close relatives are allowed to make living donations, but donations from more distant relatives are subject to further scrutiny.
• According to the law, complete documentation is needed, including evidence of the donor’s name, family history, and financial situation.
• Living donations from unrelated persons require documentation of a long-term relationship, and all cases are reviewed by an outside committee to avoid unethical activity.

Kidney Scams in India:

• Scams pertaining to kidneys are not new in India; they frequently use falsified paperwork to create links between donors and recipients.
• With around 2 lakh Indians suffering from end-stage kidney failure each year, there is a significant need for kidney transplants.
• However, there is a substantial disparity in the dynamics of supply and demand because there are only about 12,000 kidney transplants performed annually.

Factors Making Kidneys Prime Targets:

For a number of reasons, the illegal organ trade prefers to target kidneys.

• First off, considering the frequency of kidney-related problems in India, there is a sizable demand.
• Furthermore, at about Rs 5 lakh, kidneys are the most affordable and readily available organs for transplantation.
• Kidneys are a common choice for illicit trades due to the comparatively little danger to the donor.

Addressing the Supply Gap:

• Experts stress the importance of encouraging deceased donors in order to close the organ supply shortfall.
• To raise awareness and guarantee that surviving family members are informed of the deceased’s desire to give organs, the government has established an Aadhaar-linked registry of donors.
• Only 16% of all transplants performed in the nation today use deceased organs, but experts think that number might rise to as high as 16% with greater public awareness.

Conclusion:

• The fact that the Apollo Hospital kidney scam is still being investigated emphasises how important it is for organ transplants to follow strict guidelines and moral principles.
• The goal of the government’s proactive investigation of these claims is to preserve the integrity of the nation’s organ donation programme.

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13 Dec 2023 : Daily Answer Writing



13 Dec 2023 : PIB



13 Dec 2023 : Indian Express



13 Dec 2023 : Daily Current Affairs



13 December 2023 : The Hindu Editorial Notes PDF



Article 1 of Indian Constitution: Name and territory of the Union



Legislative Procedures in the State Legislature – UPSC Notes



Presiding Officers of State Legislature – UPSC Notes



The State Legislature UPSC Notes



Parliamentary Forums UPSC Notes

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