Daily Current Affairs UPSC 12 March 2024

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR) 2024 Campaign

• Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the 5th edition of the annual JSA: CTR 2024 Campaign
• Background: First launched in 2019 as a "Jan Andolan" and now an annual event covering all districts
• Aim: To promote water conservation at the grassroots level through citizen participation
• Launched under the National Water Mission (NWM)
• NWM is one of the eight National Missions under National Action Plan on Climate Change.
• 2024 Theme: Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti
• Interventions: Water conservation, rainwater harvesting, geo-tagging water bodies

Textile Reinforced Concrete Prototyping Technology (TRCPT)

• Agreement signed between CSIR and L&T Construction for technology transfer
• TRCPT is a non-conventional construction material with a cementitious binder and textile reinforcement
• Precast technology for economical mass production of TRC products
• Avoids conventional concrete construction methods with molds
• Lower fabrication cost and increased production rate
• Corrosion-free with a minimum life of 50 years
• Uses: street furniture, canopy structures, partition walls, noise barriers

International Arms Transfers Trends, 2023

• Report released by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
• Key highlights of the report:
• Export:
  • USA is the largest arms exporter with a 42% share of global arms exports
  • France is the second biggest arms exporter, surpassing Russia for the first time
• Import:
  • India is the world's top arms importer with a 4.7% increase in arms imports between 2014-18 and 2019-23
  • Russia remains India's main arms supplier
• Ukraine is the largest European arms importer in 2019-23

Yaounde Declaration:

• African Ministers of Health signed the Yaounde Declaration to end malaria deaths.
• Signed at the Yaoundé conference co-hosted by the WHO and Cameroon.
• 11 African nations signed the declaration, committing to allocate 15% of annual budgets for the health sector.
• Aligned with the WHO's "High burden to high impact Four pillars of the approach:
  • Political will to reduce malaria deaths
  • Strategic information to drive impact
  • Better guidance, policies, and strategies
  • Coordinated national malaria response

Exercise Cutlass Express

• Indian navy participated in U.S. Naval Forces led multinational maritime Exercise Cutlass Express in Seychelles.
• Exercise Cutlass Express is a cornerstone of maritime security and cooperation in the strategic waters of the East African coast and the Western Indian Ocean.

Haiti (Capital: Port-au-Prince)

• Surge in gang violence in Haiti as gangs demand resignation of Prime Minister.
• Political features: Caribbean Island on western part of Hispaniola, land border with Dominican Republic (East), maritime borders with Caribbean Sea (South and West) and Atlantic Ocean (North).
• Geographical features: Longest River is Artibonite, 4 mountain ranges including Cordillera Septentrional and Massif de la Selle, highest peak is Pic la Selle, warm, humid tropical climate.

SEBI Index Providers Regulations, 2024

• SEBI has mandated registration of index providers managing significant indices in India
  • Index Provider controls the creation, operation, and administration of a Benchmark or an Index
• Promotes transparency in the governance index in the securities market
• Measures price performance of a basket of securities using standardized metric and methodology
• Used as benchmarks to evaluate investment performance
• Nifty 50 and Nifty PSU Bank are important indexes in Indian markets

Common Food Dyes to Avoid ( Tartrazine, Carmoisine, Sunset Yellow and Rhodamine-B)

• Karnataka bans artificial colours in gobi manchurian and Cotton Candy
• Tartrazine and Sunset Yellow can cause allergic reactions
• Carmoisine can cause skin rashes and respiratory allergies
• Rhodamine B is considered carcinogenic and used in textile dyeing and paper industry

Vajra Sentinel System

• Defence Ministry signs ₹200 crore contract for anti-drone system under iDEX initiative
• Detects, tracks, and neutralizes drones at extraordinary ranges
• Offers soft kills by jamming and hard kills by interceptor drones
• Operational range of 10 km and hard-kill reach of 5-6 km

FAO Releases INFAAR 2019-22 Report

• INFAAR was launched in 2017 by ICAR with support from FAO to monitor AMR in aquaculture and veterinary sectors.
• AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines due to misuse and overuse.
• Key Highlights of the report:
  • Low resistance to less commonly used antibiotics in both sectors.
  • High resistance (60%+)  of  Staphylococcus to penicillin in fisheries sector.
  • Higher resistance of E coli and Staphylococci in livestock sector.
  • Organized and contractual farming may have higher antibiotic usage rates.
• India’s Initiatives to tackle AMR:
  • National Action Plan on AMR (2017).
  • AMR Surveillance Network.
  • National One Health Program for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses.
  • Integrated One Health Surveillance Network for Antimicrobial Resistance.

WHO Initiatives to Tackle AMR:

• Global Action Plan on AMR
• Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS)
• AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) Framework
• World AMR Awareness Week (18 to 24 November)

DRDO conducts Mission Divyastra with Agni-5 missile

• Mission Divyastra was a successful flight test of the Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle (MIRV)  technology.
  • The test took place at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
• MIRVs can carry multiple warheads, each capable of striking different targets independently
• MIRVs can be launched from land or sea, including from submarines
• The US was the first country to develop MIRV technology and deployed a MIRVed ICBM in 1970
  • Other countries with MIRV technology include Russia, UK, France, and China
  • Pakistan reportedly tested a MIRVed missile, the Ababeel, in 2017
• Development of Agni Missiles:
• Development started in early 1980s under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme by DRDO led by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam
  • 6 Variants of Agni Missiles have been developed so far
• Agni-5 Missile Features
• Uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine
• Has a range of more than 5,000 km
• Equipped with MIRV system with indigenous avionics systems and high-accuracy sensor packages
• Capabilities of Agni-5 Missile: - Can deliver multiple nuclear warheads against different targets spread across hundreds of kilometres.

Agni Missiles Overview:

• Agni missiles are surface-to-surface ballistic missiles that are crucial for India's nuclear delivery capabilities.
• Agni missiles have varying ranges: Agni I (700–1250 km), Agni II (2,000–2,500 km), Agni III (3,000- 3500 km), Agni IV (3,000–4,000 km), and Agni Prime (1000 - 2000 km).
• Agni Prime, also known as Agni-P, is the latest missile with a range of 1000 - 2000 km.
• Features of Agni Prime
  • Agni Prime is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant ballistic missile.
  • It is equipped with a dual redundant navigation and guidance system.
  • Agni Prime can be easily deployed and launched at a quicker pace compared to other missiles in the Agni series.

Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers Launches Revamped Pharma Tech Upgradation Scheme

• Background: PTUAS was previously a part of the SPI Scheme
  • SPI Scheme goal: Strengthen infrastructure to boost India's position in the Pharma Sector
• Aim of PTUAS: Support industry in meeting Revised Schedule-M & WHO-GMP standards
  • Schedule-M: Provides GMP guidelines for pharmaceutical products
  • Goal: Improve quality and safety of pharmaceutical products made in India.
• Expanded Eligibility Criteria: - Any pharmaceutical manufacturing unit in need of technology and quality upgrades and meeting turnover requirements can apply.
  • Preference still given to MSMEs.
  • Previously, only MSME pharmaceuticals were covered under the scheme.
• Expanded Eligible Activities: - Incentives now cover activities such as water and steam utilities, testing laboratories, stability chambers, and waste management.
• Flexible Financing Options: - Focuses on a reimbursement-based subsidy rather than a traditional credit-linked approach.
• Integration with State Government Scheme: - Units can now benefit from additional top-up assistance by integrating with state government schemes.
• Enhanced Verification: - Verification conducted by a Project Management Agency to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficient resource allocation.

Turnover for the last three years determines the percentage of incentives a company:

• Companies with turnover less than Rs 50 crore can receive 20% of investment under eligible activities
• Companies with turnover between Rs 50 crore and less than Rs 250 crore can receive 15% of investment under eligible activities
• Companies with turnover between Rs 250 crore and less than Rs 500 crore can receive 10% of investment under eligible activities

Ministry of Home Affairs notifies Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024

• Rules amend Citizenship Rules, 2009 to enforce Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019
• Key highlights of 2024 Rules:
  • Eligibility for citizenship by registration/naturalization.
  • Person of Indian origin
  • Married to an Indian citizen
  • Minor child of an Indian citizen
  • Parents registered as Indian citizens
  • Person or parent was a citizen of Independent India
  • Registered as an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder
• Other Qualifications for Citizenship by Naturalization
  • Applicant must provide an affidavit verifying the correctness of the statements in the application
  • An affidavit by an Indian citizen is required to testify to the character of the applicant
  • Applicant must have adequate knowledge of one of the languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution
• Renouncing Citizenship of Another Country
  • Applicant must declare that their citizenship of another country will be renounced irrevocably if their application for Indian citizenship is approved
• Authority for Application
  • Application must be submitted electronically to the Empowered Committee (EC) through the District Level Committee designated by the Central Government
  • EC will review the application and grant citizenship if all criteria are met.

CAA 2019:

• CAA 2019 Amendment to Citizenship Act 1955
• Belongs to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan
• Entered India on or before December 31, 2014
• Exempted by the Central Government under section 3 (2) (c) of Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 (34 of 1920)  or from the application of the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946 (31 of 1946).
• Any order or rule under there.

Ministry of Communications Announces Telecom Reforms

• Reforms announced at the World Telecom Standardization Assembly in October 2024
  • International Telecommunications Union conducts WTSA every four years
• Key Reforms Announced:
  • Spectrum Regulatory Sandbox (SRS) to simplify research and development regulations
  • Wireless Test Zones (WiTe Zones) for outdoor testing in SRS
• Abolition of Wireless Operating License (required as per Indian Telegraph Act, 1885)  to simplify licensing processes save service providers' time and improve the 
  ease of doing business.
• MoU with Ericsson for the "Ericsson Educate" program to improve students' digital skills
• About Telecom Sector:
  • India's telecom industry is the second largest in the world
  • Challenges include sustaining revenue growth, maintaining service quality, adapting to consumer preferences, and intense competition.

Other governmental programs pertaining to the telecom industry:

• Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Program for Networking and Telecom Products.
• All FDI is done automatically.
• The process of rationalizing adjusted gross revenue.
• Extending the spectrum tenure (for next auctions) from 20 to 30 years.

National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education (NECCE) and National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation (NFECS) launched

• Ministry of Women and Child Development introduces NECCE and NFECS
  • Aligned with National Education Policy 2020
• NECCE 2024: From Three to Six Years
  • Covers all domains of development as per National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage 2022 (NCF-FS)
  • Includes physical/motor, cognitive, language and literacy, socioemotional, cultural/aesthetic, and positive habits
  • Aims to improve ECCE quality at Anganwadi Centres with competency-based lesson plans and activities
  • Combination of activities like in-center, at-home, indoor, outdoor, child-led, and educator-led
  • Special focus on inclusion of Divyang children, community engagement, and home learning activities continuum
• NFECS 2024: From Birth to Three Years
  • Aims to empower caregivers and Anganwadi Workers for holistic early stimulation
  • Focuses on responsive caregiving and early learning opportunities for optimal child development
  • Principles include serve and return, caregiver's acts of love, talk, play, and positive guidance.