Daily Current Affairs UPSC 31 March & 01 April 2024

Zero FIR

• Zero FIR filed against former minister for objectionable comments.
• About Zero FIR:
  • Zero FIR registered regardless of area of offense.
  • Transferred to the appropriate police station for investigation.
  • No regular FIR number initially, new FIR registered for investigation.
  • Provision under Section 154 of CrPC 1973 after the Nirbhaya case.

Extended Fund Facility

• IMF Board increased EFF arrangement to $8 billion for Egypt.
• About EFF:
  • Provides financial assistance for countries with balance of payments problems.
  • Longer program engagement and repayment period.
  • Focus on policies to correct structural imbalances.
  • Eligible for member countries with external financing needs.

International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT)

• About INTERACT:
  • A project involving a network of research stations in the Arctic and surrounding regions.
  • Research stations located in various countries including northern Europe, Russia, US, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, and Scotland.
  • The project is Funded by the EU.
  • Objective is to build capacity for identifying, understanding, predicting, and responding to environmental changes in the Arctic.

Swell Waves

• Swell waves inundated coastal areas of Kerala.
• About Swell Waves:
  • Series of mechanical or surface gravity waves generated by distant weather systems.
  • Propagate thousands of miles across oceans and seas.
  • Can propagate in directions different from the wind.
  • Occur without noticeable changes in local winds or coastal environment.
  • Locally known as Kallakadal.

Butterfly cicada

• A new species of cicada found in Meghalaya.
• About Cicada:
  • Belongs to genus Becquartina, known as "Butterfly cicadas".
  • Extends distribution range of genus from Southeast Asia to Northeast India.
  • Increases total known species of Becquartina to seven.

Braille signage

• Election Department of Puducherry to provide Braille signage in English and Tamil in all polling stations.
  • Allows visually impaired voters to participate independently and confidentially.
  • Companions still allowed if desired under Rule 49N.
  • Braille signage includes tactile writing system for blind and visually impaired individuals.

Hypersonic Missile

• Russian President confirmed that the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missile had been used in battle.
• Hypersonic Missile:
  • A hypersonic missile is a missile that can travel at Mach-5 or faster, which is at least five times the speed of sound.
  • They fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles, making them harder to track.
  • Their extreme speed and manoeuvrability make them very difficult to defend against.
  • Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV) and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles are two types of hypersonic weapons systems.

Cyber Slavery

• Over 3 months, the Indian Embassy rescued 75 Indians trapped in cyber-slavery in Cambodia.
• About Cyber-slavery:
  • Cyber slavery is a modern form of human trafficking that exploits people in the digital world.
  • Victims are lured with employment opportunities and forced to work as online scammers.
  • It is emerging as a form of organized crime of unprecedented severity and scale.

Shyamji Krishna Varma (1857- 1930)

• The Prime Minister paid tribute to the revolutionary freedom fighter on his Punya Tithi.
• About Shyamji Krishna Varma:
  • Born in modern-day Gujarat, he founded the Indian Home Rule Society and India House in London for anti-British activities.
  • He promoted India's independence through his writings in the "Indian Sociologist" journal.
  • Barred from practicing law in 1905 by Inner Temple for sedition charges against the colonial government.
• Contributions:
  • Founded organizations and publications to advocate for India's independence.
  • Faced consequences for his anti-colonial activities but remained dedicated to his cause.
• Values: Emphasized patriotism and selfless service in his fight for India's freedom.

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Extends the Validity of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act Registration of NGOs till June 30

• MHA extends validity of FCRA registration for NGOs until June 30.
• Key provisions of FCRA:
  • Registration required for NGOs receiving foreign donations.
  • Registrations valid for 5 years, can be renewed.
  • Prohibited individuals from receiving foreign donations.
  • Funds must be used for intended purposes and reported annually.
• Significance of FCRA:
  • Regulates foreign donations to prevent adverse effects on internal security.
  • Streamlines process for NGOs to receive foreign donations.
  • Ensures funds are received from legitimate sources and used for legitimate purposes.

Evolution of FCRA:

• 1969:
  • Parliament raised concerns about Foreign Power Interference.
  • FCRA 1976 was enacted during Emergency.
• 1976:
  • FCRA 2010 was introduced to consolidate the law on foreign funds utilization and prevent their use for activities against national interest.
  • Amended FCRA 2010 for stricter control and scrutiny over foreign funds received and utilized by NGOs.
• 2010: FCRA continued to evolve with amendments for better regulation and monitoring of foreign contributions.
• 2020: The current status of FCRA is not mentioned, but it can be assumed that further amendments and updates have been made to ensure effective regulation of foreign funds.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) organises closing ceremony of the International Year of Millets (IYM)

• FAO organized the closing ceremony of the International Year of Millets (IYM).
• Highlighted the importance of millets in achieving sustainable development goals and its emergence as a ‘Global Superfood’.
• India proposed to the United Nations to declare the year 2023 as IYM.
• About Millets:
  • Indian millets are nutritiously rich, drought tolerant, and mostly grown in arid and semi-arid regions.
  • Also known as "coarse cereals" or "cereals of the poor" and are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice.
  • India is the largest producer of millet, followed by Niger and China.
• Significance:
  • Highly adaptive to a wide range of ecological conditions.
  • Millets have a low Glycemic Index (GI) which is helpful in preventing diabetes.
  • Good sources of minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium and are gluten-free.
• India's Initiatives to Promote Millets:
  • Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implemented the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry for Millet-based products (PLISMBP) during 2022-23 to 2026-27.
  • Millets are included under the Poshan Abhiyan of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
  • An Export Promotion Forum dedicated to promoting millets in the international market has been set up.

About FAO:

• Founded in 1945 in Rome, Italy.
• Specialized agency of the United Nations focused on ending hunger.
• 195 members, including 194 countries and the European Union.
• FAO Reports:
  • The Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security.
  • State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) Report 2023.
• FAO's Mission: Leading international efforts to defeat hunger and improve food security.

Tissue culture lab to generate saplings of threatened or rare native Delhi trees

• Establishment of Tissue Culture Lab at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Identified species for sapling generation: Hingot, Khair, Bistendu, Siri, Palash.
• Plant Tissue Culture (PTC) explained:
  • Cultivation of undifferentiated plant cells, tissues, or organs in aseptic conditions.
  • Based on totipotency of plant cells.
• Types of PTC:
  • Organ Culture.
  • Seed Culture.
  • Embryo Culture.
• Applications of PTC:
  • Obtaining disease-free plants.
  • Rapid multiplication of plants.
  • Large-scale fabrication of artificial seeds.
• Challenges with PTC:
  • Inadequate infrastructure.
  • Lack of skilled manpower.
  • Lack of scientific knowledge about biotechnological principles.

100 years of Vaikom Satyagraha

• Started in Travancore against the exclusion of lower caste Hindus from Vaikom Mahadeva temple.
• Marked a pivotal moment in temple entry movements in India.
• Background:
  • Highlighted by Ezhava leader T.K. Madhavan in 1917.
  • Kerala Provincial Congress Committee prioritized anti-untouchability cause in 1923.
• Course of Satyagraha:
  • Advocated non-violent protests for equal access to public spaces.
  • Groups of three Satyagrahis from different communities peacefully approached restricted areas.
  • Key leaders included T.K. Madhavan, K. Kelappan, and Mahatma Gandhi showing support.
• Impact:
  • Lasted 603 days, promoting unity across caste lines.
  • Three out of four roads around the temple were opened to all in 1925.
  • Maharaja of Travancore issued Temple Entry Proclamation in 1936, granting access to marginalized castes.

Other temple entry movements:

• Kalaram Temple Entry Movement led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in 1930.
  • Movement aimed at allowing Dalits to enter the Kalaram Temple in Nashik.
• Guruvayur satyagraha led by K. Kelappan in 1931.
  • Movement to protest against the discrimination faced by Dalits in the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala.

Many countries yet to fully implement steps to prevent the misuse of virtual assets, says FATF

• FATF reports many countries have not fully implemented measures to prevent misuse of virtual assets.
  • FATF agreed on a roadmap in February 2023 to strengthen standards on virtual assets and VASPs.
• Virtual assets are digital representations of value that can be traded, transferred, or used for payment.
  • Excludes digital representations of fiat currencies.
• Virtual assets are largely unregulated and susceptible to becoming worthless, cyberattacks, and scams.
• India, a member country, has taken various initiatives to address the misuse of virtual assets.
  • Conducted supervisory inspections or included VASPs in inspection plans.
  • Taken enforcement or supervisory actions against VASPs.
  • Passed or enacted the travel rule for VASPs.
• FATF Standards for Virtual Assets:
  • Countries must assess and address money laundering and terrorist financing risks in the virtual asset sector.
  • Countries should license or register virtual asset service providers.
  • Countries must supervise the sector similar to other financial institutions.
• Responsibilities of Virtual Asset Service Providers
  • Implement preventive measures like customer due diligence, record keeping, and reporting of suspicious transactions.
  • Obtain, hold, and securely transmit originator and beneficiary information during transfers.

Drought Posing Risk to the Cardamom Sector

• About Cardamom:
  • Monotype genus found in tropical Indo-Malaya region.
  • Mainly cultivated in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
  • Specific climatic conditions required for growth.
• Challenges in Cardamom Cultivation:
  • Climate-sensitive and location-specific crop.
  • Limited scope for area expansion due to high altitude growth.
  • High pest and disease incidence.
• India's Position in Cardamom Export: Second largest exporter in 2021 after Guatemala.
• Government Support for Cardamom Sector:
  • Spices Board encouraging farmers to expand in non-traditional areas.
  • Formulation of standard operational procedures.
  • Development of infrastructure for processing facilities and adoption of Hi-Tech in spice processing to boost export.

About Spice Board of India:

• Establishment of Spice Board of India: Formed in 1987 under the Spices Board Act 1986.
• Headquarters: Located in Cochin, Kerala.
• Responsibilities: Autonomous body in charge of promoting the export of 52 scheduled spices and developing Cardamom.
• Ministry: Comes under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.