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Here are the topics covered for 18 January 2024:
GS-2: Tobacco Use in India, Hate Speech
GS-3: Center for Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), States’ Startup Ranking 2022
Fact For Prelims: Kashmir’s Snowfall, Multiple Sclerosis
Prevalence of Tobacco Use
Context
- The World Health Organization has recently a report titled ‘Trends in Prevalence of Tobacco Use’ 2000-2030.
Key Findings of the Report
- India has become the world’s second-biggest tobacco producer after China.
- Worldwide there are about 1.25 billion adult tobacco users.
- In India, there are about 267 million adults are users of tobacco.
- Major tobacco-producing states in India: Bihar, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Telangana.
- Each year tobacco kills more than 8 million people due to the risk of heart disease, lung disorders, cancer, etc.
- Smoking costs more than $1 trillion annually as healthcare expenditure.
Hate Speech
Context
- Supreme Court bench has recently highlighted that the authorities need to be “conscious that no incitement to violence and hate speech are permissible”.
What is Hate Speech?
- As defined by the 267th Report of the Law Commission of India, hate speech is a deliberate provocation of hostility towards a group based on their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or similar defining characteristics.
- It\’s not simply offensive language; it\’s a dangerous spark meant to set ablaze violence and societal division.
Indian Laws Related to Hate Speech
- IPC Sections 153A and 153B: Prohibit acts like inciting violence, hostility, and hatred against specific groups.
- IPC Section 295A: Punishes deliberate acts that outrage the religious feelings of a community, including insults or desecration of religious objects.
- IPC Sections 505(1) and 505(2): Criminalize the publication or circulation of content that promotes hostility, ill-will, or violence between different groups.
- RPA Section 8: Prevents individuals convicted of using speech to incite hatred or violence from holding public office.
- RPA Sections 123(3A) and 125: Classify promoting hatred based on protected identities during elections as a form of electoral corruption, preventing its use for political gain.
Way Ahead
- Public awareness campaigns: Educate citizens about the dangers of hate speech and equip them to identify and challenge it.
- Improved law enforcement: Train law enforcement officials to investigate and prosecute hate speech crimes effectively.
- Promoting inclusivity and tolerance: Foster interfaith dialogue, intercultural understanding, and respect for diversity to create a society where hate finds no fertile ground.
Center for Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR)
Context
- The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently announced the establishment of C4IR in Hyderabad.
Industrial Revolutions
- The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production.
- The Second used electric power to create mass production.
- The Third used electronics and information technology to automate production.
What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
- Now the Fourth Industrial Revolution is building on the Third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last century.
- It is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.
- When compared with previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth is evolving at an exponential rather than a linear pace.
- Moreover, it is disrupting almost every industry in every country.
- And the breadth and depth of these changes herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance.
States’ Startup Ranking 2022
Context
- The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recently released the States’ Startup Ranking 2022.
Key Findings
-
- States have been ranked under five categories:
- Best performers – Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala
- Top performers – Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh
- Leaders – Assam, Andhra Pradesh
- Aspiring leaders – Haryana, Bihar
- Emerging – Delhi, Chattisgarh
- With more than 1.14 lakh startups recognized by the Government, India has the 3rd largest startup ecosystem.
Startups in India
- The DPIIT recognizes the start-ups in India under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) notifies rules for listing start-ups.
Fact For Prelims
Kashmir’s Snowfall
- Recent years have observed a decrease in snowfall in the Ladakh-Jammu & Kashmir region.
- The frequency of Western Disturbances has declined in recent years.
- The occurrence of El Nino has contributed to deficit precipitation in the region.
Multiple Sclerosis
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
- In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body.
- Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage or deterioration of the nerve fibers.
