This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains as this topic provides insights into coral reefs, their significance as ecosystems, and the factors contributing to coral bleaching.

• The recent declaration by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the fourth global mass coral bleaching event underscores the extraordinary ocean temperatures affecting coral reefs worldwide.
• This phenomenon holds significant implications for marine ecosystems and the millions of people dependent on coral reefs for sustenance, livelihoods, and coastal protection.

• Coral reefs (also called Rainforest of seas) are vital ecosystems that support a diverse range of marine life.
• Coral bleaching can lead to the loss of habitat and biodiversity, affecting fish populations, marine plants, and other organisms that depend on coral reefs for survival.
• Economic Consequences:
• Coral reefs are important for coastal protection, tourism, and fisheries.
• Coral reef ecosystems provide society with resources and services worth USD 375 billion per year.
• The degradation of coral reefs due to bleaching can have economic repercussions, impacting industries such as tourism and fishing, which rely on healthy reef ecosystems.
• Food Security:
• Coral reefs provide food and livelihoods for millions of people worldwide.
• Coral bleaching threatens the availability of seafood and can disrupt the livelihoods of communities dependent on fishing and reef-related tourism.
• Climate Change Indicator:
• Coral bleaching serves as a visible indicator of climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.
• Loss of Ecosystem Services:
• Coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services, including shoreline protection, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.
• Bleaching diminishes the ability of reefs to provide these services, affecting the overall health of marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

(a) Restoration of damaged coral reefs

(b) Development of building materials using plant residue

(c) Identification of areas for exploration/extraction of shale gas

(d) Providing salt licks for wild animals in forests/protected areas

Ans: (a)

This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains in the context of understanding the intricacies of healthcare policies, especially government-funded schemes like Ayushman Bharat.

• The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections unveiled a significant pledge on April 14, promising to extend the coverage of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to include senior citizens above the age of 70.
• This initiative aims to provide access to free and quality healthcare to this demographic, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

• The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, also known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), is a government-sponsored health insurance scheme aimed at providing affordable healthcare services to underprivileged families in India.
• It offers financial coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakh per year per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation, both public and private.
• Features of PM-JAY
• PM-JAY aims to cover approximately 10 crore households or 50 crore individuals across India.
• Cashless payment and paperless recordkeeping through the hospital or doctor’s office.
• Criteria from the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 are used to determine eligibility for benefits.
•  No restriction on family size, age, or gender.
•  All pre-existing medical conditions are covered under the scheme.
• Covers 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days of post-hospitalization expenses, including diagnostic care and medication.
• The scheme is portable, allowing beneficiaries to get medical treatment at any Ayushman-empanelled hospital outside their state and anywhere in the country.

• As the Lok Sabha elections commence, attention is drawn to the quintessential symbol of Indian polls: the indelible ink mark on the index finger.
• Manufactured by Mysore Paints & Varnish Ltd, around 26.5 lakh phials of this ink have been produced for the current election cycle.

• It is the only company authorised to produce the indelible ink used in general elections in the country.
• It was established by Maharaja of Mysore, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar in 1937 with the name of, Mysore Lac & Paint Works Ltd. which manufactured lac used for the manufacture of sealing waxes, and paints.
• The unit was converted into a public limited company in 1947,
• ·      In 1962, it was selected to manufacture the indelible ink, which was first used in the country’s third general election.
• From then till now, the company has supplied the ink for every Lok Sabha, Assembly and local body election across India.
•  It has also exported the ink to more than 30 countries.
• The Election Commission of India places orders during polls.
• The ink is made of chemicals (the primary chemical is silver nitrate) formulated in a laboratory and the entire process of its mixing, bottling, sealing, packing and transportation is carried out in a well-secured area.
• Each vial containing 10 ml of ink would suffice for the fingers of 700 voters.

Critical for UPSC to analyse India’s fiscal health, tax revenue trends, and economic performance for policy evaluation and governance.

●     Direct taxes are levied directly on individuals and entities by the government.

●     These taxes cannot be shifted to another person or entity and are borne by the taxpayer themselves.

●     Examples of direct taxes include income tax, corporate tax, capital gains tax, and property tax.

●     Direct taxes are imposed based on an individual’s or entity’s income, profits, or assets.

●   They are an important source of revenue for the government and play a significant role in funding public services and welfare programs.

What are different types of direct taxes?

●    Income Tax: Levied on the income earned by individuals, including salaries, wages, interest, dividends, and rental income.

●     Corporate Tax: Imposed on the profits earned by companies or corporations from their business activities.

●    Capital Gains Tax: Applied on the gains realized from the sale of capital assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate, or precious metals.

●    Property Tax: Levied on the value of property owned by individuals or entities, including land, buildings, and other real estate.

●    Wealth Tax: Tax on the net wealth or assets owned by individuals or entities, including cash, bank deposits, investments, jewelry, and other valuables.

●    Inheritance Tax: Tax imposed on the value of inherited assets or property received by heirs or beneficiaries of an estate.

●    Gift Tax: Levied on the value of gifts received by individuals or entities, typically above a certain threshold, to prevent tax evasion through gifting assets.

 Significance of increase in direct taxes revenue:

●   Government Revenue: Increase in direct taxes revenue signifies a growth in the government’s primary source of income, providing funds for public expenditure, social welfare programs, and infrastructure development.

●  Fiscal Stability: Higher direct taxes revenue contributes to fiscal stability by reducing budget deficits, financing government expenditures, and lowering reliance on borrowings, enhancing macroeconomic stability and investor confidence.

● Progressive Taxation: Direct taxes, such as income tax and corporate tax, are typically progressive, with higher-income individuals and companies paying a larger share of their income as tax, promoting equity and redistributive justice in society.

●   Investment in Public Goods: The rise in direct taxes revenue enables governments to invest in public goods and services, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social security, enhancing overall welfare and quality of life for citizens.

●   Reduction of Indirect Taxes: Increased direct taxes revenue may allow for a reduction in indirect taxes, such as goods and services tax (GST), benefiting consumers by lowering the cost of goods and services and improving affordability.

●  Economic Development: Higher direct taxes revenue reflects a growing economy, increased economic activity, higher employment levels, and rising incomes, indicating a positive trajectory of economic development and prosperity.

Understanding India – Australia defence cooperation is crucial for UPSC to analyse regional security dynamics and India’s strategic partnerships.

● Maritime Security: Both countries are maritime powers with a focus on safeguarding maritime routes, ensuring freedom of navigation, and countering piracy, illegal fishing, and maritime threats in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.

●  Military Exercises: India and Australia regularly conduct joint military exercises, such as Exercise AUSINDEX and Exercise Malabar, to enhance interoperability, exchange best practices, and strengthen bilateral defence capabilities.

●  Information Sharing: Defense partnership includes intelligence sharing, defence technology cooperation, and cybersecurity collaboration to address shared security challenges, counter-terrorism, and combat emerging threats.

● Defense Trade: Growing defence trade and technology transfer between India and Australia involve procurement of defence equipment, weapons systems, and platforms, promoting defence industrial cooperation, and enhancing defence preparedness.

● Strategic Dialogues: High-level strategic dialogues and defence consultations between India and Australia facilitate policy coordination, strategic alignment, and mutual understanding on regional security issues, including China’s assertiveness and maritime disputes.

● Quad Engagement: Both countries are members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), along with the United States and Japan, advocating for a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, promoting stability, prosperity, and security in the region.

● People-to-People Ties: Defense partnership strengthens people-to-people ties, military-to-military exchanges, and defence personnel training, fostering trust, friendship, and cooperation between the armed forces of India and Australia.

Understanding genomic dynamics of mpox outbreaks aids in public health strategies and strengthens global disease surveillance.

●  It involves the duplication or deletion of gene stretches within the virus’s genome.

● These expansions and contractions are influenced by evolutionary pressures and can occur over relatively short periods.

●  Genomic accordion allows viruses to adapt to different hosts and environmental conditions.

● In the context of mpox, researchers have observed expansions and contractions in the virus’s genome, influencing its virulence and transmissibility.

● Understanding genomic accordion provides insights into how viruses evolve and spread, aiding in the development of effective countermeasures and public health interventions.

●  It highlights the dynamic nature of viral genomes and the importance of genomic surveillance in monitoring disease outbreaks.

Q With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of ‘genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future?

1.     Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants.

2.     This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants.

3.     It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen relationships in crops.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: Option D