Daily Current Affairs UPSC 6 March 2024

Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954

• The Supreme Court has prohibited Patanjali Ayurved from advertising products that claim to treat diseases listed in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954
• About the Act:
  • The Act aims to regulate the advertisement of drugs and prohibit the promotion of remedies that claim to have magical qualities.
  • It defines "magic remedy" as any talisman, mantra, kavacha, or charm that is believed to have miraculous healing or influencing powers.
• Penalties:
  • A first conviction under the Act can result in imprisonment for up to 6 months and/or a fine.
  • Subsequent convictions can lead to imprisonment for up to one year.

PARAKH

• PARAKH has created the Holistic Progress Card (HPC) for different stages of education.
  • Foundational stage (Classes 1 and 2), preparatory stage (Classes 3 to 5), and middle stage (Classes 6 to 8)
  • Currently working on developing one for the secondary stage
• About PARAKH:
  • PARAKH stands for Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development.
  • It is the National Assessment Centre.
  • Established in NCERT as an independent unit in 2023.
• Objective of PARAKH:
  • Setting norms, standards, guidelines, and implementing activities related to student assessment.
  • Tasks mandated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Interoperable Net Banking Payments

• RBI approves interoperable payment system for internet banking transactions as outlined in the RBI's 2025 Payments Vision.
  • Implemented by NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL).
  • Facilitates quicker settlement of funds for merchants.
• Currently, online merchant payment transactions are processed through non-interoperable Payment Aggregators (PAs)
  • Banks need to integrate separately with each PA of different online merchants.

Supreme Court Approves Rajasthan Government's Two-Child Rule

• SC upholds Rule 24 (4) of the Rajasthan Police Subordinate Service Rules, 1989
  • Maximum limit of two children per candidate
• Similar provision upheld in 2003 ruling in Javed vs. State of Haryana
  • Introduced as an eligibility condition for panchayat elections.
• "Population control and family planning" is a subject on the concurrent list.
• Both Rajasthan and Haryana have made efforts to promote the two-child policy.

Star Dunes

• Study focused on star dune in Erg Chebbi, Morocco called Lala Lallia.
• About Star Dunes:
  • Formed in areas with complex wind regimes.
  • Make up just under 10% of Earth's desert dunes and are the tallest.
  • Largest star dunes found in Badain Jaran desert, China.
  • Also found on Mars and Saturn's moon Titan.

UDGAM (Unclaimed Deposits – Gateway to Access information)

• UDGAM is a portal created by RBI for unclaimed deposits.
  • 30 banks are currently part of the UDGAM portal.
  • It allows users to search for unclaimed deposits across multiple banks in one place.
  • Unclaimed deposits include balances in accounts not operated for 10 years or term deposits not claimed within 10 years.
  • These unclaimed amounts are transferred to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund maintained by RBI.

Great Lakes

• For the second year in a row, the ice cover in North America's Great Lakes has been severely below average.
  • The Great Lakes, including Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, are the largest freshwater surface water system on Earth.
  • Lake Michigan is the only lake that does not serve as a natural border between Canada and the United States.
  • Water flows from Lake Superior through Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario before reaching the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River.

UNCOVER Program

• Researchers involved in the UNCOVER program, part of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), have discovered clues about the end of the 'dark ages' in the early universe.
  • The 'dark ages' refer to a time when sources of light were obscured by dense neutral hydrogen gas.
  • The 'epoch of reionization' followed the dark ages and was caused by the appearance of the first stars and galaxies.
• UNCOVER aims to achieve two main JWST science goals:
  • Identifying first-light galaxies during the dark ages and studying the ultra-low luminosity galaxies responsible for reionization.

France (Capital: Paris)

• Second India-France Strategic Space Dialogue highlights importance of space cooperation
• Political features
  • France located near western end of Eurasian landmass.
  • Borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Andorra, and England.
  • Monaco and Corsica are part of France.
  • Bordering water bodies: Mediterranean, Bay of Biscay, English Channel, Strait of Dover.
• Geographical features:
  • Major mountain ranges: French Alps, Jura Mountains, Pyrenees
  • Highest point: Mont Blanc
  • Major rivers: Seine, Loire, Rhône, Rhine.

India's First City-Specific Zero Carbon Buildings Action Plan (ZCBAP) launched in Nagpur

• Nagpur's Zero Carbon Buildings Action Plan (ZCBAP) aims to make all buildings in the city net zero carbon by 2050.
  • Zero carbon buildings reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout their lifecycle without compromising comfort.
• ZCBAP in Nagpur was developed with partners from the Zero Carbon Building Accelerator (ZCBA) project launched by the World Resources Institute (WRI) in 2021.
  • Nagpur is one of six global cities where the ZCBA project is being implemented.
• Need for ZCBAP:
  • India's building-related greenhouse gas emissions have more than doubled from 2000 to 2017.
  • GHG emissions from India's steel and cement industry are expected to increase significantly in the next few decades.
  • Brick kilns are a major source of harmful emissions in India.
• Nagpur's ZCBAP aligns with national policies supporting building decarbonization.
  • India's Nationally Determined Contributions.
  • Energy Conservation Building Code, 2017.
  • Green building rating systems like IGBC, GRIHA, and Eco-Niwas Samhita 2018 also support building decarbonization efforts in India.

A sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court (HC) resigns and announces his decision to join politics

• Experts believe it undermines the credibility of the Judiciary and breaches constitutional morality.
  • Article 50 of the Constitution mandates the separation of judiciary from the executive in public services.
  • Post-retirement jobs may influence pre-retirement judgments, raising ethical concerns.
• Previous Instances of Judges in Politics:
  • Former Chief Justice of India contested for the presidency in 1967.
  • Supreme Court judge contested Lok Sabha polls in 1983.
  • SC Judge appointed as Governor of Orissa in 1952.
• SC adopted the “Restatement of values of Judicial Life'' in 1997
  • Values include avoiding acts that erode judiciary credibility and not contesting elections for clubs or societies.
• 14th Law Commission Report recommended barring judges from accepting post-retirement jobs with the Union or state.

Maldives signs China military pact in further shift away from India

• The choice is made in line with the declaration made by the president that "there will be no Indian military presence in the country."
• China's Increasing Presence in Maldives:
  • Chinese firm acquired Feydhoo Finolhu on a 50-year lease.
  • Investment in infrastructure projects like the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.
  • Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 permitted to dock at Male port.
• Concerns for India:
  • India's Security: Given the Maldives' proximity to India's western coast, the Chinese presence there may have an impact on Indian security.
  • Regional Balance of Power: China's growing influence in the region has the potential to upset the existing equilibrium and put India's dominance under threat.
  • China has created other dual-use ports in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and other places, and has established a military station in Djibouti.
  • Strategic Rivalry: India and China both view the Indian Ocean as strategically important. China's increasing sway has the potential to intensify the strategic rivalry.
  • China's "String of Pearls" strategy entails encircling India with a network of naval bases and other facilities in the Indian Ocean.

Steps taken by India to counter Chinese Influence:

• Forming strategic partnerships with countries like the US, Japan, and Australia
• Engaging in multilateral organizations like IONS and IORA
• Diplomatic outreach to address concerns about China's influence.

The World Bank releases Women, Business and the Law 2024 Report

• In 190 economies, the report evaluates the legislation that impacts women's economic opportunities.
• 10 indicators are used in the report's assessment of economies: assets, pensions, marriage, parenthood, childcare, workplace mobility, safety, and entrepreneurship.
• Key Findings of the Report:
  • Global workplace gender gap: Women have two-thirds of the rights of men.
  • India's workplace gender gap: Women have 60% of the legal rights compared to men.
• Gender pay gap: Women earn 77 cents for every dollar paid to men.
  • Lack of enforcement mechanisms for pay gap in less than 20% of economies.
• Poor performance in Safety and Childcare indicators.
  • Lack of legal protection for women in domestic violence, sexual harassment, child marriage, and femicide.
  • Disproportionate unpaid care work burden on women compared to men.
• Recommendations:
  • Expand maternity and paternity leave provisions.
  • Enact legal mandate for equal pay and lift restrictions on women's work in industrial jobs.
  • Implement legally binding quotas for women on corporate boards.
  • Ensure equal retirement benefits for women considering childcare-related work absences.

India's Initiatives for Gender Equality in Workplace:

• The Code on Wages, 2019: Prohibits gender discrimination in wages and recruitment.
• Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017: Provides maternity benefits and creche facilities in larger establishments.
• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (POSH Act), 2013: Addresses prevention, prohibition, and redressal of sexual harassment at work.

France's Constitutional Guarantee of Abortion Rights

• This decision follows the controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling on abortion rights.
• Arguments in Favor of Abortion:
  • Abortion rights are crucial for women's autonomy and bodily integrity.
  • Denying abortion puts women's health, freedom, and equality at risk.
• Arguments Against Abortion:
  • Some believe abortion is equivalent to taking a human life.
  • Concerns about the psychological and emotional impact on women who undergo the procedure.
• Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act in India
  • The MTP Act allows licensed medical professionals to perform abortions in specific situations.
  • The 2021 Amendment in the MTP Act reduces the number of doctors required for authorization based on gestation period.
• Supreme Court Judgment on Abortion Rights in India
  • Unmarried women have the same right to abortion as married women.
  • The definition of rape under the MTP Act includes marital rape as well.

Establishment of end-to-end quantum communication link involving both Fiber and Free space as transport medium

• Integration of C-DOT's Fibre-based QKD system with PRL's Free Space QKD
  • C-DOT and PRL are research organizations under Department of Telecommunications and Department of Space
• QKD is a quantum communication technique for secure networks.
  • QKD allows two parties to create a shared secret key for encryption.
  • Quantum channel tampering can be detected, and key distribution aborted.
  • QKD can be deployed through optical fibre, free space, and satellite.
• Quantum technology includes Quantum Computing, Quantum Sensors, Quantum Materials, and Quantum Communications
  • Quantum technology is based on principles of Quantum mechanics like superimposition and entanglement.
  • Applications of quantum technology include secure communication, computing, healthcare, and cryptography.

Initiative taken for quantum technology in India:

• National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications (NM-QTA)
• Quantum-Enabled Science and Technology (QuEST).
• Quantum Frontier mission of Prime Minister Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC)
• National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)