Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)
• Bombay HC observed police misusing power under Section 41A of CrPC.
About Section 41A:
• Empowers police to issue notices to people connected to a case to appear before them.
• Person complying with notice shall not be arrested unless specific reasons recorded.
• Aims to avoid unnecessary arrest or threat looming large on accused.
Rip Currents:
• INCOIS and ISRO to monitor and issue forecast alerts of rip currents.
• Strong flow of water running from beach back to open ocean, sea, or lake.
• Can be narrow as 10 or 20 feet or up to ten times wider.
• Prevalent along U.S, Gulf, West coasts and Great Lakes.
• Do not pull people under water but pull them away from shore.
MILAN 2024:
• Multilateral naval exercise 2024 hosted by India.
PM-USHA Scheme:
• Uttar Pradesh secured ₹740 crore, highest in the country.
About PM-USHA Scheme:
• Revamped from Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) under National Education Policy 2020
• Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Ministry of Education
• Objective to improve quality of state higher educational institutions.
• Ensures conformity to norms, adoption of accreditation.
Nickel:
• Recent global price collapse due to Chinese investment in Indonesian mines.
About Nickel:
• Lustrous, silvery-white metal.
• Fifth most common element in earth's crust.
• Melting point of 1,453oC.
• Obtained through reduction of oxides or Mond process.
• Properties include low thermal & electrical conductivities, high resistance to corrosion & oxidation, and strength at high temperatures.
• Applications in stainless steel production, alloys, electroplating.
• Distribution in India (Odisha, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Karnataka) and globally (Australia, Indonesia, Brazil).
Mission Aspides:
• The European Union has launched 'Mission Aspides' to protect Red Sea vessels from Iran-backed Houthi attacks.
• The mission aims to preserve freedom of navigation, provide maritime situational awareness, accompany ships, and protect them from possible multimodal attacks at sea.
• The area of operation includes Bab Al Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, and international waters in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Arabian Gulf.
UNESCAP:
• The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) released a report titled 'Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024'.
• The report highlighted that the Asia-Pacific region is 32 years behind the 2030 target of achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
About UNESCAP:
• UNESCAP was established as the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) in 1947 and became ESCAP in 1974.
• It is one of the five regional commissions of the UN and promotes cooperation among members in pursuit of solutions to sustainable development challenges.
• UNESCAP has 53 member States, including India, and 9 associate members.
• The headquarters of UNESCAP is in Bangkok, Thailand.
Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica A. Juss):
• Neem Summit organized in collaboration with ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute.
About Neem Tree:
• Native to Indian sub-continent.
• Climate: Grows in various climates, tolerant to high temperatures.
• Type: Evergreen tree, deciduous in drier areas.
• Benefits: Medicinal properties, natural air filters, pesticides, mosquito repellents, fertilizers (neem coated urea) And also, very efficient natural air filters trapping dust particles, absorbing gaseous pollutants.
Papua New Guinea (Capital: Port Moresby):
• Tribal violence causing deaths in Papua New Guinea.
• Political Boundaries:
o Island country in south-western Pacific Ocean.
o Encompasses eastern half of New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Bougainville, Buka, and other small islands.
o Stretches from just south of Equator to Torres Strait.
• Geographical Features:
o Situated along a fault line, leading to common earthquakes and tsunamis.
o Main rivers include Sepik, Ramu, Fly, and Purari.
o Highest peak is Mount Wilhelm.
Report on PM MITRA Parks Scheme and Revival Efforts for Sick Textile Units:
• Importance of Indian Textile Industry.
o Contributes around 1% of GDP.
o Accounts for over 15% of total exports.
o Employs over 45 million people.
o India is the 3rd largest exporter of Textiles & Apparel in the world.
o Aims for $250 billion textile production and $100 billion exports by 2030.
• Challenges Faced by Textile Industry:
o Competition from cheaper imports.
o Fragmented industry with processes spread across different regions.
o High input costs, poor access to credit, and declining exports.
o Issues like sickness, lack of modernization, technical obsolescence, unskilled labor, and poor productivity.
• Recommendations:
o Develop a comprehensive National Textile Policy.
o Create a time-bound action plan involving all stakeholders to address issues related to sick textile units.
o Revive non-operational sick textile undertakings through private investment, potentially through PM MITRA PARKS.
o Implement vertical integration of power loom sector to move towards an integrated textile industry.
Initiatives to Boost Textile Sector:
• Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS) for technology modernization.
• Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SAMARTH) to address skilled manpower requirements.
Increased financial assistance for rubber sector for FY24-25 and FY25-26:
• Provided under 'Sustainable & Inclusive Development of Natural Rubber Sector' Scheme.
o Aimed at enhancing natural rubber production through various measures.
o Will help cover increased production costs and reduce import dependency.
• Specific initiatives under the scheme:
o Forming 250 Rubber Producers Societies.
o Establishing three nodal centres of National Institute of Rubber training in Agartala, Guwahati and Nagaland to promote Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by imparting training in product manufacture and quality control.
o Setting up 18 Group Processing Centres in Northeast.
o Developing rubber clones suitable for different agro-climatic regions.
• As the world's fourth-largest consumer and producer of natural rubber, it is primarily cultivated in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya.
o Worldwide Distribution: Philippines, Malaysia, Ivory Coast, China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
o Rubber that is naturally derived from plants is categorized as a polymer.
o The Amazon region of South America is home to the natural Hevea Brasiliense’s, or rubber tree.
Conditions required for Rubber Tree Plantation:
• Laterite soil in slope and undulated land.
• Tropical climate with annual rainfall of 2000 – 4500 mm.
• Temperature ranging from 25 to 34°C with 80% relative humidity.
Initiatives to promote rubber production in India:
• Rubber Board established under Rubber Act 1947.
• Indian Natural Rubber Organisation for Assisted Development (INROAD) project in North-East.
• National Rubber Policy, 2019 to support the sector.
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Behavioural Change Communication Strategy Overview:
• Objective: Change behavior to achieve JJM goal
• Based on four pillars:
o Media Engagement.
o Advocacy and Community Mobilization.
o Social and Behaviour Change Communications
• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Overview:
o Objective: Provide Functional Household Tap Connection to every rural household by 2024
o Scheme Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
o Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti
o Implemented through decentralized, demand-driven, community-managed approach.
o At the gram pachchayat level, for example, the Paani Samitis/Village Water and Sanitation Committee was formed.
o There have also been initiatives like Rajasthan Youth Mobilization Program, Aao Nadi Ko Jaane.
• Fund-sharing Pattern:
o 100% for UTs without a legislature.
o 90:10 for northeastern states and UTs with a legislature.
o 50:50 for all other states.
• Key Achievements:
o Coverage increased from 17% to 74.23% by 2024.
o 6 states and 3 UTs assured 100% tap water connectivity.
o 9 fold increase in tap water coverage in 112 Aspirational Districts in comparison to 2019.
Soil Health Card Scheme (SHCS) Overview:
• Launched in 2014-2015 to help State Governments issue Soil Health Cards (SHC’s).
o Promotes Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) for improving soil health and productivity.
• Flagship program of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
• Merged with RKVY Cafeteria Scheme in 2022-23.
• Soil Health Card (SHC) Details:
o Provides soil nutrient status and fertilizer dosage advice to farmers.
o Recommends soil amendments for long-term soil health.
o Contains information on 12 parameters including micro-nutrients, macro-nutrients, and physical parameters.
o Issued to farms once every 3 years to reduce production costs.
• Implementation Strategy:
o Implemented by State and Union Territory Departments of Agriculture.
o Integrated with Geographic Information System (GIS).
o Village Level Soil Testing Labs (VLSTLs) established.
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) Overview:
• Launched in 2007-2008 for inclusive development of agriculture and allied sectors.
• Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Restructured as RKVY Cafeteria Scheme in 2022-23.
o Merged with other schemes of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
Regulatory Guidelines for Sampling of Drugs, Cosmetics & Medical Devices by CDSCO:
• CDSCO has issued new guidelines to ensure quality and efficacy of drugs and cosmetics. Uniform drug sampling methodology for drugs inspectors under state and central government
• The Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940, Sections 22 and 23, lays out the precise process for Drug Inspectors to collect samples for regular drug quality monitoring.
Key Highlights of the Guidelines:
• Centralized database of outlets selling 'not of standard quality' or spurious drugs.
• Drugs inspectors to prepare monthly and annual sampling plans in consultation with controlling authority.
Requirement for medicine, cosmetics, and device samples:
• Ongoing worries about the quality of medications produced in the nation. There are reports of deaths from Indian cough syrup in the Gambia and Uzbekistan.
• As of right now, neither the location nor the methods for selecting samples are specified.
• Drug inspectors' individual knowledge was used to randomly choose samples.
• Coverage Gap: Currently used survey methods mostly target large-brand medications in urban or suburban areas, ignoring distant and rural areas.
India's drug laws:
• The Drugs and Cosmetics Rules of 1945 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (DC Act) of 1940 serve as its foundations.
• In order to establish standards for guaranteeing the safety, efficacy, and quality of medications, cosmetics, diagnostics, and gadgets in India, the DC Act 1940 established CDSCO under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Supreme Court Direction on Forest Conservation Act 2023:
• SC passed an interim order regarding the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act 2023.
o The Act amended the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.
o FCA Act 1980 had restrictions on de-reservation of forests or use of forest land for non-forest purposes.
Key Highlights of Direction:
• Follow the definition of 'forest' as per TN Godavarman Thirumulpad (1996) Judgment.
o FCA Act 2023 excluded non-recorded forests from protection under FCA Act 1980.
o It covered land declared as forest under Indian Forest Act 1927 or other laws.
o Land recorded in government records as forest after 1980 was also included.
o Certain types of land like forest land up to 10 hectares were exempted.
• Zoos or safaris establishment requires final approval from the apex court.
o Zoos or safaris were excluded from non-forest purposes along with eco-tourism facilities, silvicultural operations etc. in FCA Act 2023.
T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India Case (1996):
• Before 1996, the Act was applied only to forests notified under Indian Forest Act 1927.
• The definition of 'forest' includes areas recorded as forest in government records and those conforming to the dictionary meaning.
• Areas identified as forests by an expert committee of SC are also included.