Daily Current Affairs UPSC 2 March 2024

Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration (ADMD)

• MC13 (13th Ministerial Conference) of WTO concluded with the adoption of ADMD.
  • Members committed to preserving and strengthening the multilateral trading system.
  • Declaration emphasizes the importance of the development dimension in achieving the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals.
• WTO extended the moratorium on import duties on e-commerce trade for two more years.

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)

• NSDC and a NBFC launched Project Odiserv in Odisha for skill development.
  • NSDC is a not-for-profit public limited company under the Companies Act, 2013.
  • Government of India holds 49% of NSDC's share capital, private sector holds 51%.
  • NSDC aims to promote skill development by creating large, quality, and for-profit vocational institutions.

National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT)

• NEFT system has seen a 700% growth in transaction volume from 2014-23 according to RBI.
  • Nation-wide centralized payment system owned and operated by RBI.
  • Users include individuals, firms, and corporations.
  • No limit imposed by RBI for funds transfer through NEFT.
  • Outbound remittances through NEFT permitted only to Nepal under INRF Scheme.
• Other fund transfer systems in India include RTGS and IMPS.

Seamounts

• Four large seamounts discovered off the coast of Peru and Chile.
  • Underwater mountains with steep sides rising from the seafloor.
  • Most seamounts are remnants of extinct volcanoes and typically cone-shaped.
  • Seamounts with flat summits are called guyots.
• Found in every world ocean basin.
• Function as oases of life with higher species diversity and biomass.
• Hawaii's Mauna Kea is the world's highest seamount, a dormant volcano.

BioTRIG System:

• Researchers have found that Bioenergy Trigeneration (BioTRIG) is now technically feasible for pyrolysis.
  • Pyrolysis is a process that breaks down organic matter without oxygen.
  • Pyrolysis can convert waste biomass into biochar, bio-oil, and syngas.
• Benefits of BioTRIG for rural communities in India include:
  • Improved soil quality
  • Electricity generation from bio-oil.
  • Clean cooking fuel from syngas.

Planetary Boundaries Framework:

• Johan Rockstrom will receive the 2024 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement for his work on the Planetary Boundaries framework.
  • The framework integrates nine systems that determine the state of the planet in 2009, including Climate Change, Biosphere Integrity, and Ocean Acidification.
  • Humanity is currently outside the safe operating space for the first six planetary boundaries, which provide life support to humans.

Exercise Samudra Laksamana:

• A bilateral Naval Exercise between India and Malaysia.

Sugar Development Fund (SDF) Relief Measures

• Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has revised guidelines for restructuring loans under SDF.
  • Sugar factories now have options for debt restructuring and One Time Settlement
• Financial Assistance under SDF:
  • SDF provides financial assistance to sugar factories at concessional interest rates.
  • Assistance is provided for modernization, cane development, co-generation power projects, ethanol production, and zero liquid discharge plant conversion.

Cambodia (Capital: Phnom Penh)

• India and Cambodia signed an MoU on biodiversity conservation, specifically focusing on tiger reintroduction in Cambodia.
• Political Boundaries:
  • Located on the Indochinese mainland of Southeast Asia
  • Bordered by Thailand (west and northwest), Laos (northeast), Vietnam (east and southeast), and the Gulf of Thailand (southwest)
• Geographical features:
  • Major Mountain Range: Dangrek.
  • Highest Peak: Phnom Aural.
  • Major River: Mekong.
  • Major Lake: Tonle Sap (Great Lake).

State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2023 released on the 22nd foundation day of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE):

• The BEE and the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) created the SEEI to monitor state and UT-level energy efficiency (EE) activities.
  • It evaluates how well 36 states and UTs are implementing energy efficiency (EE) using 65 indicators spread over seven demand sectors:
  • Structures, Trade, Transportation, Agriculture, Distribution Corporation (DISCOM), and Initiatives Across Sectors.
• Based on their combined scores, states and UTs are divided into four categories: Front Runner, Achiever, Contender, and Aspirant.
• Key outcome of SEEI-2023:
  • Top performers are Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the only state with an active
  • "Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency Policy."
  • Comparing SEEI 2021–2022, scores were increased in 15 states, with Maharashtra and Haryana demonstrating the most gains.
• Key Recommendations of SEEI-2023:
  • Effective implementation of State Energy Efficiency Action Plans.
  • Synergize efforts for state energy transition.
  • Leveraging State Energy Conservation Fund.
  • Enabling adoption of EE through Energy Service Companies.
  • Leveraging carbon market for energy efficient technologies.

India’s initiatives for EE:

• Establishment of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
• Established in 2002 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• Objective: Reduce Energy Intensity of Indian Economy.
• Ministry: Ministry of Power.
• Regulatory functions: Develop minimum energy performance standards for equipment and appliances, and commercial buildings, certify energy managers and energy auditors.

Innovative Business Practices and Economic Models in the Textile Value Chain in India (IndiaTex) Launched

• IndiaTex launched at BHARAT TEX 2024, a major global textile event in India.
• Four-year project (2023-2027) under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
  • This program expedites the fair transition to a sustainable and circular textile value chain by offering strategic leadership and promoting sector-wide cooperation.
• About IndiaTex:
  • Objective: Accelerate the transition of the Indian textile sector towards circularity
  • Implementation in collaboration with Ministry of Textiles and funded by Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Key Concepts:
  • Eco-innovation: Helps SMEs incorporate circularity and resilience to reduce environmental and social impact.
  • Product Environmental Footprint (PEF): Measures environmental performance throughout a product's life cycle.
  • Circularity: Focuses on reducing by design and value-retention processes like Reduce, Reuse, Refurbish, Repurpose, Recycle.
• Benefits for India: - Improves competitiveness and market access in the textiles sector.

Focus areas:

• Scalling circular business mode.
• Dealing with excess production and consumption.
• Getting rid of dangerous substances.

Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) (HRI & CEA) Bill, 2024 passed by Karnataka State Legislature

• The bill amends the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997.
• Initially defeated in Legislative Council but passed after reconsideration and passage by the legislative assembly.
• Article 197 allows the Legislative Assembly to pass the bill again with or without amendments suggested by the Council.
• The bill is deemed passed if the Council rejects it, takes no action for more than a month, or passes it with amendments not agreed upon by the Assembly.
• Temple Regulation in India:
  • Article 25(2) allows states to make laws for regulating secular activities of religious places and social welfare in Hindu religious institutions.
  • Management of religious endowments and institutions falls under the concurrent list in the Constitution.
  • Many states have enacted legislation to regulate temples.

Sixth Session of United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) adopts Resolution on Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles:

• Resolution on Sustainable Lifestyles and Education
  • India submitted a resolution promoting sustainable lifestyles as part of Mission LiFE.
  • Co-sponsored by Sri Lanka and Bolivia.
  • Recognizes the importance of behavioral changes in achieving sustainable development.
  • 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) adopted at Rio+20 in 2012.
  • Consists of six programs focusing on different aspects of sustainability.
  • Implemented by the One Planet Network.
• Encourages public-private collaboration and education on sustainable lifestyles.
• Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment):
  • Introduced by India at UNFCCC COP26 in Glasgow.
  • Aims to encourage individual and community actions to protect the environment.
• Three phases:
  • Shift in Demand: Encourage people to adopt easy-to-implement but impactful eco-friendly behaviours in their everyday lives.
  • Supply Change: Making it possible for markets and businesses to react quickly to shifting demand.
  • Policy Shift: Encourage SCP by influencing industrial and governmental policies.

United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)

• United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) was created in 2012 after Rio+20 to address environmental issues.
• UNEA is the top decision-making body on the environment globally and oversees the UN Environment Programme.
• The assembly convenes every two years in Nairobi, Kenya.
• UNEA-6 recently approved a Ministerial Declaration to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

5,000 Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) registered on ONDC portal platform: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare

• Registration on ONDC helps FPOs reach buyers nationwide.
• ONDC connects buyers and sellers across different platforms.
  • Ministry of Commerce's Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is the organization behind ONDC. 
• About FPOs:
  • FPOs are Producer Organisations where members are farmers.
  • Legal entity formed by primary producers like farmers, milk producers, craftsmen.
  • Can be a producer company, cooperative society, or other legal form.
  • Ownership of FPO is with its members.
• FPOs are primarily registered under various statutes such as the Companies Act of 2013, the Cooperative Societies Act of the relevant State, and the Multi-State Cooperative Society Act of 2002.
• Role of FPOs in Promoting Farmers' Interests: - Increases one's ability to negotiate, obtain access to resources, enhance post-harvest handling, reduce risk, etc.

Initiatives to Promote FPOs:

• Formation and promotion of 10,000 new FPOs under a Central Sector Scheme.
• Over 8000 FPOs registered under the scheme.
• Supported by SFAC, NABARD, NCDC.
• FPOs registered as producer companies exempt from income tax up to Rs.100 crore, cooperative societies also exempt from income tax.

Union Cabinet approves royalty rates for mining of 12 critical and strategic minerals including Beryllium, Cadmium, Cobalt, Tungsten, Vanadium etc.

• This will allow the Central Government to list these 12 minerals for auction as blocks for the first time ever in Indian history.
• Cabinet adopted the Second Schedule (royalty rates) amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957, to determine royalty.
  • Royalty means payment made to owner of certain types of rights.
• MMDR Amendment Act 2023 listed 24 critical and strategic minerals.
  • These minerals are essential for economic development and national security but have limited supply.
• Significance of Critical Minerals:
  • Foundation of modern technology like smartphones, electric vehicles, semiconductors
  • Role in manufacturing clean energy technologies such as solar panels, advanced batteries
  • Strategic and geopolitical significance in frontier technologies, defence equipment, and supply chains
• Concerns with Critical Minerals for India:
  • Despite significant reserves, India lacks commercial production capability due to high costs.
  • High import dependency on countries like DR Congo, Australia, and China.

Initiatives by India for Critical and Strategic Minerals:

• Identification of 30 critical minerals crucial for self-reliance.
• Joining the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP) to strengthen supply chains.
• Partnerships with Australia for lithium and cobalt, and with Argentina for lithium.
• Formation of Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) to acquire and process strategic minerals for supply in India.