Daily Current Affairs UPSC 5 March 2024

Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF):

• The 7th GECF summit recently concluded with the adoption of the Algiers declaration.
  • The declaration aims to promote natural gas as an affordable, reliable energy source and harness sustainable natural gas technologies.
• About GECF:
  • Headquartered in Doha, Qatar, GECF is an intergovernmental organization consisting of the world's leading gas exporting countries.
  • Members include Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad, UAE, and Venezuela.
  • India is neither a member nor an Observer.
• GECF seeks to build a mechanism for a meaningful dialogue between gas producers and consumers to improve the stability of gas markets worldwide.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDP):

• Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Manipur will be able to cast their votes at relief camps in the upcoming elections.
  • This initiative will provide voting facilities to people who were displaced from their native places.
• About IDPs:
  • IDPs are individuals forced to leave their homes due to armed conflict, violence, human rights violations, or disasters without crossing international borders (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees).
• Key challenges faced by IDPs includes:
  • Higher rates of mortality compared to the general population.
  • Increased risk of physical attack, sexual assault.
  • Deprivation of adequate shelter.

Article 32 of the Indian Constitution:

• SC ruled that Article 32 cannot be used as a remedy after fundamental rights under Article 19(1)(a) and Article 25 have been abused.
  • Article 19(1)(a) grants freedom of speech and expression, while Article 25 grants freedom of conscience and religion.
  • Article 32 gives SC original jurisdiction to enforce Fundamental Rights.
• SC has the authority to issue directives, orders, or writs, including prohibition, quo warranto, habeas corpus, and certiorari writs, to execute them.

Dry Ice:

• Diners at a Gurgaon eatery were hospitalized after being served dry ice by mistake.
• About Dry Ice:
  • Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide that sublimates into a gas when heated.
  • It is made by compressing and cooling gaseous CO2.
  • Considered dangerous for human health.
  • Applications include hospitals, food processing, industrial cleaning, and special effects.

Surge in Indigenous Coal Production:

• Coal production in India has increased from 382.62 MT in 2004-05 to 893.19 MT in 2022-23, with a projected target of 1000 MT in 2023-24.
• Coal India Limited (CIL) is responsible for over 80% of the country's indigenous coal production and supply.
• Public sector coal companies, including CIL, supply coal to the power sector at notified prices.

Project Seabird:

• Project Seabird Phase IIA infrastructure facilities are set to be inaugurated soon.
• Initiated by the Indian Navy in 1986, Project Seabird aims to establish the 3rd major naval base at Karwar, Karnataka.
  • Phase I of the project, designed for 10 ships, was completed in 2011.
  • Phase IIA focuses on constructing infrastructure that aligns with the guidelines of the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
  • The IGBC, a part of the Confederation of Indian Industry, aims to make India a global leader in sustainable built environments by 2025.

Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport (KS):

• PM inaugurated the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport in Tamil Nadu.
• About Kulasekarapattinam spaceport:
  • Purpose: to launch SSLVs (Small Satellite Launch Vehicles).
  • Advantages of Kulasekarapattinam spaceport.
  • Compared to the Sriharikota plant in Andhra Pradesh, it has a number of benefits, including:
  • Located closer to the equator, saving fuel for launches.
  • Rockets can head straight south, unlike Sriharikota facility where they first go east and then south.
  • Proximity to ISRO's Propulsion Research Complex allows for easier and faster transportation of rocket components.

Green Hydrogen Plant

• India's 1st Green Hydrogen Plant in Stainless Steel Sector inaugurated by Union Minister of Steel
  • Aims to promote sustainable steel production.
• About the plant:
  • World's first off-grid Green Hydrogen plant for stainless steel industry.
  • Features rooftop & floating solar panels.
  • Expected to reduce carbon emissions by 2,700 Metric Tonnes per annum.
• Aligned with India's National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Mexico (Capital: Mexico City)

• Reports suggest Mexico City is heading towards Day Zero scenario with limited water availability.
• Political features:
  • Located in southern North America, shares borders with United States, Belize, and Guatemala
  • Surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific Ocean.
• Geographical features:
  • Part of the circum-Pacific Ring of Fire with active volcanism and seismic activity
  • Highest Peak: Volcán Pico de Orizaba
  • Major Rivers: Rio Grande River and Colorado river
  • Desert: Sonoran Desert.

Legislators cannot claim immunity from prosecution for taking bribes for speech/vote in the house: Supreme Court (SC)

• In Sita Soren v. Union of India (2024), a seven-judge Constitutional bench of the SC overruled its 1998 judgment in the PV Narasimha Rao case.
• Bribery is not immune: MPs/MLAs accused of taking bribes cannot claim any immunity from prosecution under Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution.
• Two-fold test: Assertion of a privilege by an individual MP/MLA would be governed by a twofold test.
  • The claimed privilege must be related to the House's overall operation.
  • Its requirement must be functionally related to a legislator's ability to carry out their primary responsibilities.
• Jurisdiction of criminal court: Criminal courts are not excluded from hearing bribery cases against legislators.
• Scope of parliamentary privileges: Purpose of parliamentary privilege to provide legislators platform to “speak” and “vote” without fear is equally applicable to:
  • Elections to the Rajya Sabha and elections for the President and Vice President.

PV Narasimha Rao vs State (CBI/SPE), 1998:

• Legislators were accused of accepting bribes during a no-confidence motion in 1993.
• 3:2 majority judgment granted immunity from criminal prosecution for bribery under Articles 105(2) and 194(2).

India’s first National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) inaugurated in Patna, Bihar

• NDRC will be a hub for scientists and researchers studying Gangetic Dolphins
  • Aims to boost conservation efforts for gangetic dolphins.
• About Gangetic Dolphin:
  • India's National aquatic animal.
  • Only freshwater dolphin species in the world.
  • Found in Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu River systems.
• Endangered species according to IUCN
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): Appendix I
• Key Features of Gangetic Dolphin:
  • Locally known as susu
  • Blind and hunt using Echolocation.
  • Send out ultrasonic sound waves that fish and other prey will reflect, allowing them to mentally "see" an image.
  • Usually, a mother and calf travel together, though they are occasionally seen traveling in small groups or alone.
  • Females are larger than males and give birth once every two to three years.

Conservation Initiatives

• Project Dolphin launched in 2021.
• Habitat protected in areas like Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary.
• National Dolphin Day was declared on 5th October.
• Comprehensive action plan (2022-2047) for dolphin conservation.
• Global Declaration for River Dolphins in place.

Core Loading Process at India’s first indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) Commenced at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu

• Core Loading and Criticality in Nuclear Reactors:
  • Core loading is the first step to achieving criticality in a nuclear reactor, allowing for power generation.
  • This involves loading reactor control, blanket, and fuel sub-assemblies in a specific order.
  • Criticality is when enough neutrons are produced by fission to maintain a constant reaction.
• PFBR and India's Nuclear Power Programme:
  • The PFBR, a 500 MWe reactor, marks the beginning of stage II of India's three-stage nuclear power program.
  • Constructed by BHAVINI, it is an advanced third-generation reactor designed to produce more fissile material than it consumes.
  • Initially using MOX fuel, it can transmute Uranium-238 into more fuel, known as a 'Breeder'.
  • Transformation of one chemical element into another is called transmutation.
  • Since thorium transmutes into uranium-233, it can also be employed.
  • Utilizes liquid sodium coolant for safety and efficiency.
• Once operational, India will be the second country after Russia to have a commercial operating FBR.

Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution launches ‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’

• e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi is a Digital Gateway initiative of WDRA.
• Aims to help farmers get post-harvest loans from banks using stocks stored in WDRA registered warehouses.
  • Loans provided against electronic negotiable warehouse receipts or e-NWRs
• About WDRA:
  • Established in 2010 under the WDRA Act, 2007
  • The mission is to establish a Negotiable Warehouse Receipt system for all commodities, facilitate finance against it.
  • Enhance lending portfolio quality for banks.
• WDRA Regulations, 2011 lay down rules for NWRs.
• FCI, NAFED, and National Horticulture Board guidelines recommend Central Pool Stock be kept in WDRA registered warehouses.

Warehouse Receipts:

• Acknowledgement issued by Warehouseman for storage of goods not owned by them
• e-NWRs launched in 2017 by WDRA.

Acing Development of  Innovative Technologies  with iDEX (ADITI)  scheme launched under iDEX framework

• Key Highlights of the ADITI Scheme:
  • Ministry: Ministry of Defence
  • Purpose: Develop 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies
  • Financial Support: Grant up to 50% of product development budget, capped at Rs. 25 Crore
  • Technologies Covered: Critical for national security, with export potential.
• Eligibility for ADITI Scheme:
  • Startups recognized by DPIIT.
  • Indian companies under Companies Act 1956/2013, primarily MSMEs.
  • Individual innovators registered as Startup/MSME
• Technology Watch Tool: - Developed to bridge gap between Armed Forces' requirements and defence innovation ecosystem.
• Tenure: - 2023-24 to 2025-26.

iDEX Framework:

• Operational framework of Defence Innovation Organization (DIO)
  • Formed by HAL and BEL
• Provides funding to winners of Defence India Startup Challenge funding up to Rs 1.5 crores (depending upon the costing of the project and matching contribution).
  • Expanded to iDEX Prime with increased assistance up to Rs 10 crore to motivate young innovators.

Concerns raised by CJI over denial of bails in District Courts

• CJI emphasized that trial judges' reluctance to grant bail violates the right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution
  • Increasing number of appeals reaching High Courts and the Supreme Court due to denial of bails
• Undermining the principle that 'bail is the rule, jail is the exception’’ [State of Rajasthan V. Balchand alias Baliay (1978)]
  • Principle based on the belief that detaining the accused is not compulsory if they will be available for trial.
• About Bail:
  • Refers to the release of a person accused of an offense from custody upon certain conditions imposed by an officer or Court.
  • Ensures a balance between the accused's right to personal freedom and the public interest.
• Rising adjournment culture in courts: - Prolonging the agony of litigants and perpetuating the cycle of backlog.

Types of Bail under BNSS:

• Bail in Bailable Offences: Accused can be granted bail with certain conditions (Section 478).
• Section 479 sets the maximum period for which an undertrial prisoner can be detained.
  • Court can release a person who has been detained for up to half of the maximum imprisonment period for the offence on bail.
  • First-time offenders can be granted bail if they have been detained for up to one-third of the maximum imprisonment period.
• Bail in Non-Bailable Offences: - Accused can be released on bail under certain grounds and may need to submit surety or bail bond (Section 480).
• If there is a belief of being arrested for a non-bailable offence, one can apply for bail (Section 482).