UPSC GS 2
“Bhu-Neer” Portal
- News: The Minister of Jal Shakti digitally launched the newly developed “Bhu-Neer” portal recently during the concluding ceremony of India Water Week 2024.
- Name and Purpose: The “Bhu-Neer” portal is an initiative aimed at effectively regulating and managing groundwater resources in India.
- Developed By: The portal was developed by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
- Goal: The primary objective of the portal is to enhance the management and regulation of groundwater across the country.
- Accessibility: The portal is now live, allowing public access. Project proponents can use it to submit groundwater-related applications, seek clarifications, track the status of requests, and complete statutory payments.
- Key Features of the “Bhu-Neer” Portal:
- Centralized Groundwater Resource Management:
- The portal provides a unified database offering access to legal frameworks for groundwater extraction.
- It includes detailed regulations at both state and national levels, ensuring transparency and sustainability in managing groundwater resources.
- Simplified and User-Friendly Design:
- A streamlined interface ensures a smooth user experience, simplifying processes like obtaining groundwater withdrawal permits.
- Innovative Functionalities:
- Advanced features include a PAN-based single ID system for seamless user identification.
- The portal also generates No Objection Certificates (NOCs) with integrated QR codes for convenience and better traceability.
- Enhanced User Accessibility:
- Users can track the status of their applications, make statutory payments, and seek assistance or clarifications on groundwater withdrawal procedures.
- Improved Efficiency:
- Replacing the previous NOCAP system, the “Bhu-Neer” portal enhances efficiency, transparency, and user-friendliness, aligning with the government’s ease of doing business initiative.
- Significance of the Portal:
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- Ease of Doing Business: The portal simplifies the groundwater regulation process, making it seamless and faceless, in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of improving business accessibility.
- Promotion of Sustainable Practices: It emphasizes responsible groundwater usage by industries and individuals, contributing to sustainable resource management and conservation efforts.
Second India-CARICOM Summit
- News: PM Modi and PM of Grenada, H.E. Mr. Dickon Mitchell, the current CARICOM Chair, chaired the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit in Georgetown recently.
- About the Summit: The 2nd India-CARICOM Summit was co-chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
- Location and Date: The summit took place on November 20, 2024, in Georgetown, Guyana.
- Historical Significance: This event marked the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Guyana in over 50 years.
- Revisiting Past Agreements: The summit revisited the 2019 India-CARICOM agreement focused on renewable energy and climate change, which was supported by a $150 million credit line from India.
- Indian Diaspora in Guyana: The discussions acknowledged the significant Indian diaspora in Guyana, with approximately 320,000 people of Indian origin residing there.
- Key Areas of Collaboration: The summit centered on strengthening ties in vital areas, including economic cooperation, agriculture and food security, health and pharmaceuticals, and science and innovation.
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Guyana |
- Seven Key Pillars Proposed by Prime Minister Modi:
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- Trade: Focusing on increasing bilateral trade opportunities between India and CARICOM nations.
- Technology: Promoting collaborations in technological advancements and innovation.
- Tourism: Strengthening cultural and economic exchanges through enhanced tourism initiatives.
- Talent: Leveraging skilled professionals for mutual growth and development.
- Tradition: Preserving and sharing cultural heritage across India and CARICOM member states.
- SME Development: Implementing a $1 million grant to support the growth of small and medium enterprises in the CARICOM region.
- Online Portal: Proposing a digital platform to connect private sectors and stakeholders across member nations.
- Key Outcomes of the Summit:
- Technological Advancements: India pledged to share seaweed management technology to help Caribbean nations address challenges posed by seaweed infestations.
- Educational Initiatives: India will provide over 1,000 scholarships to students from CARICOM nations over the next five years to enhance educational exchanges and capacity building.
- Healthcare Improvements: Plans include supplying mobile hospitals and drug-testing laboratories to improve healthcare infrastructure in the Caribbean.
- Transportation Development: River and sea ferries will be introduced to enhance marine transport and connectivity among Caribbean nations.
- Energy Security: Acknowledging Guyana’s growing status as an oil-producing nation, Prime Minister Modi highlighted its potential role in bolstering India’s energy security.
State of the World’s Children (SOWC) Report
- News: The world is currently grappling with an unprecedented crisis, with nearly half of all children—approximately 1 billion—living in nations highly vulnerable to climate and environmental hazards, as highlighted in UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2024 (SOWC-2024) report.
- Purpose: It is UNICEF’s annual flagship publication, providing an in-depth analysis of critical global issues impacting children.
- Focus Areas: Each edition examines a specific theme, including children with disabilities, war and conflict, child labour, urbanization, early childhood development, and more.
- Content: The report is supported by extensive data and statistics, making it a vital resource for understanding global trends affecting children.
- Highlights of SOWC-2024:
- Launch Date and Theme:
- The report was released on November 20, 2024, coinciding with World Children’s Day, UNICEF’s annual day of advocacy for and by children.
- This year’s theme, “Listen to the Future,” amplifies the voices of children and young people about the world they aspire to build.
- Key Megatrends Explored:
- Demographic Shifts:
- By 2050, the global child population is projected to stabilize at approximately 2.3 billion.
- Regional distributions will shift, with India, China, Nigeria, and Pakistan collectively accounting for more than one-third of the world’s child population.
- India is predicted to have the largest share at 350 million children, despite a decline of 106 million compared to current levels.
- Climate and Environmental Crises:
- Around 1 billion children globally face severe vulnerabilities to climate and environmental risks.
- Indian children are among the most affected, with heightened exposure to extreme heat, floods, droughts, and air pollution.
- According to the 2021 Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), India ranked 26th out of 163 countries, highlighting significant risks.
- By 2050, children globally will face drastically increased exposure to environmental hazards, including nearly eightfold exposure to extreme heat waves compared to the 2000s.
- Frontier Technologies:
- The digital divide persists, with over 95% of people in high-income countries connected to the internet in 2024, compared to only 26% in low-income nations.
UPSC GS 3
Nafithromycin
- News: In a ground -breaking step for India’s biotechnology sector, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has formally launched the first indigenous antibiotic ‘Nafithromycin’ for resistant infections at an event here.
- About the Antibiotic:
- Developed By: The antibiotic was developed with the support of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), an initiative under the Department of Biotechnology.
- Market Name: It is marketed as “Miqnaf” by Wockhardt Pharmaceuticals.
- Target Condition: The antibiotic is designed to treat Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP) caused by drug-resistant bacteria.
- Features of Nafithromycin:
- Novel Antibiotic Class: Nafithromycin is the first new antibiotic in its class to be developed globally in over three decades.
- Enhanced Efficacy: It is ten times more effective than azithromycin and achieves similar results with just a three-day treatment regimen.
- Broad Pathogen Coverage: The antibiotic is effective against both typical and atypical bacteria and addresses existing drug resistance mechanisms.
- Safety and Patient Convenience: Nafithromycin has minimal gastrointestinal side effects, no significant drug interactions, and its effectiveness is not influenced by food intake.
- Significance of Nafithromycin:
- Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): The antibiotic provides a critical solution for combating multi-drug-resistant pathogens, a pressing global health challenge that leads to prolonged illnesses and higher healthcare costs.
- Global Health Impact: With pneumonia responsible for over two million deaths annually worldwide—and India accounting for 23% of this global burden—Nafithromycin offers significant potential for reducing mortality rates and easing healthcare pressures.
Global Energy Efficiency Alliance
- News: The UAE has unveiled an ambitious initiative to establish the “Global Energy Efficiency Alliance” during COP29, hosted in Azerbaijan.
- About the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance:
- Objective:
- The alliance aims to double global energy efficiency improvement rates by 2030, significantly contributing to emission reductions.
- It promotes strategic collaborations between public and private sectors to advance investments in energy efficiency initiatives.
- Alignment with COP28 Goals:
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- The initiative aligns with the ‘UAE Consensus’ adopted during COP28, where 198 participating countries, organizations, and companies committed to reducing carbon emissions and conserving natural resources.
- The UAE will spearhead the alliance, leveraging its expertise in energy efficiency to foster knowledge sharing and establish effective private-sector partnerships.
- Significance of the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance:
- Reducing Carbon Emissions: The alliance is focused on mitigating carbon emissions and encouraging the sustainable use of natural resources through standardized practices, capacity building, and knowledge dissemination.
- Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices: It prioritizes the collection and sharing of best practices in energy efficiency, with special attention to the unique needs of African nations.
- Supporting Africa’s Energy Transition: The alliance will assist African countries by developing tailored financing options and technological solutions critical to advancing energy sustainability in the region.
- Encouraging Public-Private Collaboration: By fostering partnerships between governments and private entities, the alliance aims to unlock innovative approaches and investments to accelerate energy efficiency globally.
Aquaculture
- News: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has extended its technical expertise to address the effects of climate change on aquaculture and the communities dependent on it.
- Definition:
- Aquaculture refers to the cultivation and management of aquatic plants, animals, and organisms for commercial, recreational, and scientific purposes.
- It serves as the aquatic counterpart to agriculture, focusing on the farming of marine and freshwater species to supplement natural stocks.
- Applications:
- Production for aquaculture operations.
- Food and industrial product supply.
- Stocking sport fisheries and providing aquatic bait animals.
- Ornamental purposes and stocking fee-fishing operations.
- Supplying feedstocks to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
- Historical Context:
- Aquaculture dates back to at least 500 BC but gained significant commercial importance only in the mid-20th century.
- Types:
- Marine Aquaculture: Conducted in ocean waters along coastlines.
- Freshwater Aquaculture: Takes place in ponds, rivers, and on-land tanks.
- Global Distribution:
- Aquaculture is practiced globally—in coastal waters, freshwater systems, and land-based facilities.
- Growth and Significance:
- It is one of the fastest-growing food production methods worldwide.
- Currently, aquaculture contributes over 50% of the seafood consumed globally.
- Species Cultivated in Aquaculture:
- Fish Species: Carp, catfish, salmon, and tilapia are the most farmed fish species.
- Shellfish: Shrimp, oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops dominate shellfish farming.
- Seaweed: Recently gaining popularity, seaweed accounts for 27% of annual global aquaculture production.
- Major Producers:
- China: The leading global producer, contributing nearly 60% of farmed seafood.
- Other Key Nations: Indonesia, India, and Vietnam also rank among the top aquaculture producers.
Candidatus Phytoplasma
- News: Researchers from the Bose Institute have identified a new microbe called Candidatus Phytoplasma responsible for reverting sesame flowers to a vegetative state.
- About Candidatus Phytoplasma: Candidatus Phytoplasma refers to a type of Mollicutes bacteria characterized by the absence of a cell wall.
- Habitat: These bacteria inhabit the nutrient-rich phloem and sieve cells of plants, where they derive sustenance.
- Transmission:
- They are primarily transmitted by phloem-feeding insects such as leafhoppers, planthoppers, psyllids, and dodders.
- These vectors infect various commercially significant crops, including Catharanthus, tobacco, maize, and grapevine.
- Disease Manifestations: Infected plants exhibit symptoms such as floral disfigurement and virescence, where the floral parts develop a leafy appearance.
- Key Facts About Sesame:
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- Scientific Name and History: Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is the oldest indigenous oilseed crop, with an extensive history of cultivation in India. Its historical significance is evidenced by the discovery of sesame seed remnants at the Harappa and Mohenjodaro sites.
- Regional Names: Known as til in Hindi, Punjabi, Assamese, Bengali, and Marathi. Called tal in Gujarati, nuvvulu or manchi nuvvulu in Telugu, and ellu in Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada.
- Geographical Range: Grown across most Indian states, sesame can thrive up to an altitude of 1600m (or 1200m in India).
- Temperature Requirements: Optimal growth occurs between 25°C and 35°C. Temperatures exceeding 40°C with hot winds can reduce the oil content.
- Soil Preferences: Sesame can adapt to various soil types but thrives best in well-drained, light to medium-textured soils, particularly sandy loams with sufficient moisture.
- Climate: The semi-arid regions of Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern India, as well as the lower Himalayas, are suitable for cultivation.
- Seasonal Cultivation: Typically cultivated during the Kharif season in arid and semi-arid tropics and during the Rabi/summer season in cooler regions.
- Production Regions: The crop is grown nationwide, with over 85% of production coming from West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
- Uses: Sesame oil has significant medicinal properties, owing to its antioxidant content. It is particularly beneficial for heart health, making it a preferred choice for patients with cardiovascular conditions.
AroTrack
- News: Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have recently developed a water-pollutant detecting device named ‘AroTrack.’
- About AroTrack:
- Pollutant Detection: The device is designed to accurately identify harmful aromatic xenobiotic pollutants like phenol, benzene, and xylenols in water.
- Mechanism:
- It leverages proteins derived from bacteria that inhabit heavily polluted environments, enabling the detection of multiple aromatic pollutants.
- When an aromatic compound is present, the protein undergoes a selective ATP hydrolysis reaction. This reaction leads to a color change in the protein solution, which AroTrack can detect.
- Key Components:
- AroTrack features a light-emitting diode (LED)-phototransistor assembly that emits light at a specific wavelength through the sample and measures the amount absorbed.
- The device incorporates a biosensing module called MopR, a highly sensitive sensor specialized in phenol detection.
- Efficiency and Robustness:
- It reliably functions in water temperatures up to 50°C.
- The tests are completed within 30 minutes, ensuring rapid results.
- Significance:
- Affordability and Accessibility: The device is cost-effective, battery-operated, and portable, making it suitable for rural and low-income regions that lack access to advanced laboratory facilities.
- Practical Utility: Its design addresses resource constraints in underserved areas, facilitating the monitoring and management of water quality effectively and conveniently.
See more: Minority Institutions in India: Rights & Key Institutions | UPSC
Central Value Added Tax (CENVAT) Credit
- News: The Supreme Court has recently provided significant relief to telecom companies by permitting them to claim Central Value Added Tax (CENVAT) credit for the installation of mobile towers and peripherals, such as prefabricated buildings (PFBs), on which they pay excise duties.
- About Central Value Added Tax (CENVAT) Credit:
- Definition and Function:
- CENVAT enables manufacturers to use the excise duty or additional duty paid for input services to offset the excise duty on their final products or output services.
- It offers credit for the tax paid on raw materials, which can later be applied to reduce the excise duty owed on finished goods.
- Historical Background:
- CENVAT was introduced as a successor to the earlier Modified Value Added Tax (MODVAT).
- It simplifies taxation by eliminating double taxation during various stages of production where duties are levied on value additions.
- Implementation:
- The government established ‘The CENVAT Credit Rules’ in 2004 to provide manufacturers tax credits on excise duties for inputs used in production.
- Manufacturers can claim CENVAT credit for specific cases, including:
- Excise duty on final products for producers.
- Service tax on taxable and exempted output services.
- Inputs and capital goods that are partially processed.
- Impact on Businesses:
- Reduction in Tax Liability: Businesses can offset taxes paid on inputs against the excise duty on final products, lowering overall tax burdens.
- Encouragement for Compliance: Credit claims are only possible if the input supplier has paid the due tax to the government, promoting adherence to tax regulations.
- Investment Incentives: The provision of CENVAT credit on capital goods encourages businesses to invest in modernization and technological upgrades, as taxes paid on such goods can be claimed as credit. This leads to improved productivity and product quality while incentivizing innovation.
