SECTION-I

MAINS EXAM

 

THE WORLD’S NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY SITUATION AS OF 2023

GS Paper-II

Curriculum: Problems relating to hunger and poverty

The theme of the recently released State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023 study is “Urbanisation, agrifood systems transformation, and healthy diets across the rural-urban continuum.”

Major conclusions of the 2023 report:

Global Hunger Since 2019, the epidemic, frequent weather shocks, and wars, especially the war in Ukraine, have caused over 122 million people to experience hunger worldwide.

Nutritional Access In 2022, 2.4 billion people lacked regular access to enough, nutrient-dense meals.

Child Malnutrition In 2021, there were 148.1 million stunted (too short for their age), 6.8 million wasted (too short for their height), and 5.6 million overweight (overweight) children.

Urbanization’s Effect on Diet As urbanisation picks up speed, processed and convenience food consumption increases noticeably, pushing up overweight and obesity rates in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas.

Rural Dependence on International Markets Previously self-sufficient rural areas, particularly in Africa and Asia, are today becoming more and more reliant on regional, national, and international food markets.

Challenges:

  • Despite a halt in worldwide hunger statistics between 2021 and 2022, there are still many regions of the world dealing with worsening food shortages.
  • In 2022, many women and people living in rural areas lacked regular access to a sufficient supply of wholesome food.
  • The disturbingly high rate of child malnutrition persists.
  • It is anticipated that 70% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050.

Very soon:

  • In order to serve these increased urban populations and end hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, food systems must be reoriented as a result of this huge demographic transition.
  • Farming close to small and intermediate cities and towns (SICTs) may benefit from stronger intensification and higher production thanks to the programme.
  • By enhancing connection between farms and input and output markets, this will lower the cost of market access while promoting farmers’ use of cutting-edge inputs.

The role of urban proximity on agricultural intensification: a case study from India

  • Bangalore and the surrounding area offer proof of the crucial contribution SICTs have made to boosting the use of contemporary agricultural inputs in rural areas.
  • Farmers who are further away from Bangalore employ more modern inputs, likely as a result of Doddaballapura’s effect as a city in Bangalore’s rural area.

In order to execute these solutions, subnational and local governments must work together across sectoral and administrative boundaries, as well as the governance procedures and institutions for agrifood systems.

Concerning the World Food Security and Nutrition Report:

  • It is a yearly flagship report created in collaboration with the –

o The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO),

o IFAD, the International Fund for Agricultural Development

o UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund),

o The World Food Programme (WFP) and

Organisation for World Health (WHO)

  • It seeks to offer information on progress made towards eradicating hunger, increasing food security, and enhancing nutrition as well as an in-depth analysis of the major obstacles standing in the way of accomplishing this goal within the framework of the SDG.
  • A large audience, including policymakers, global organisations, academic institutions, and the general public, are the report’s primary targets.

Source: FAO

 

FRANCE-INDIA RELATIONSHIP

GS Paper-II

Curriculum: India’s bilateral relations with major nations

Context: The French Bastille Day celebration in Paris will have the Indian PM as the Guest of Honour. The visit takes place in conjunction with 25 years of France-related strategic alliances.

The PM’s visit to France has significance:

  • Increasing investment: The trip will assist France and Europe in reducing their reliance on China for trade.
  • Improving regional security: The visit will strengthen India’s overall national might and assist India in stabilising the Asia-Pacific region’s power balance.

Current research on France-India relations:

The two nations’ relationship is distinguished by strategic autonomy, separate foreign policies, and a common belief in a multipolar world.

  • Security goals prominent: In contrast to Indo-German relations, which are centred on trade, India and France place a higher priority on security goals.

o France has assisted India in expanding its network of weaponry suppliers beyond Russia and the US, particularly at periods when India was subject to sanctions in the past.

  • Balancing China: The partnership attempts to counterbalance China’s sway over the Indian Ocean while also expressing a common worry about Chinese expansionism.
  • Multifaceted: In recent years, collaborative strategic visions, logistic support agreements, and military drills have all advanced India and France’s alliance.

 

Relationships between France and India:

Dimensions Description Examples
Historical Relations India and France had trade and cultural exchanges that can be traced back thousands of years. In the modern era, diplomatic relations between India and France were formally established in 1947 after India gained independence.
Strategic Dialogue France became the first country to engage in a Strategic Dialogue with India following India’s nuclear tests in 1998. Unlike other nations, France chose not to impose bilateral sanctions on India and instead showed a deeper understanding of India’s security concerns.
Defence Cooperation France was the second largest defence supplier for India in 2017- 2021. ·        Induction of French Scorpene submarines and Rafale fighter jets

·        Joint military exercises like Varuna (navy), Garuda (air force), and Shakti (army).

·        Joint manufacturing: Tata Group tied up with Airbus to manufacture C-295 tactical transport aircraft in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Economic Cooperation Collaboration in sectors like manufacturing, infrastructure, and technology ·        Bilateral trade of over USD 12 billion in 2021-22.

·        France is the 11th largest foreign investor in India.
Civil Nuclear Cooperation India and France inked a civil nuclear pact (2008) making France the first country to have such an agreement after the USA ·        France’s support in building six EPR (European Pressurized Reactors) nuclear power reactors (at Jaitpur, Maharastra)

·        Joint research and development in nuclear energy
Cooperation at International Forum Collaboration on global issues and joint efforts in multilateral forums. ·        France’s support for India’s bid for permanent membership in the UN Security Council and Nuclear Suppliers Group.

·        Alignment on climate change, sustainable development, and counter-terrorism.

·        Joint initiatives like the International Solar Alliance.
Maritime Cooperation Partnership in ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. ·        India, France, UAE Trilateral Initiative is aimed at ensuring maritime domain awareness and security from the east coast of Africa to the far Pacific.

·        Indo-Pacific Trilateral Development Cooperation Fund (between India and France, September 2022)
Space Cooperation Collaboration in space research, satellite technology, and exploration. ·        Joint working group between ISRO and CNES for enhanced cooperation e.g., planned Joint Mars Mission

·        Collaboration on satellite launches, Earth observation missions, and space debris management

·        Planned Joint Earth Observation Mission
Education and Cultural Exchanges Promoting educational, academic, and cultural exchanges between India and France. The agreement on mutual recognition of academic degrees and the follow-on Knowledge Summit
Environmental Cooperation ·        India and France launched the Indo-French Year of the Environment in January 2021 to strengthen cooperation on environmental issues.

·        Indo-French initiatives on green hydrogen, blue economy, and environmental research.

 

Relationship difficulties:

Lack of a free trade agreement between France and India restricts the possibility of greater economic and trade cooperation. Additionally, France benefits from a trade deficit because it exports more to India. France has also frequently voiced worry over India’s stance at the WTO, the Climate Summit, and the country’s enforcement of intellectual property rights.

Conclusion:

While maintaining its importance, military cooperation, Indo-French relations may go beyond arms trade. They might expand their alliance through initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and by investigating minilateral and multilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Prelims question:

Q1. The Indian diaspora has a significant impact on American and European politics and economies. Comment with illustrations. (UPSC 2020)

Q2. With a 25-year strategic alliance spanning a variety of bilateral topics, including defence cooperation, space exploration, the blue economy, civil nuclear energy, and people-to-people ties, India and France are tried-and-true allies. Elaborate. (250 Words)

Origin: IE

 

ONLINE GAMING TAXES: WHAT THE GST COUNCIL’S JUDGEMENT SAYS AND WHAT IT MEANS

GS Paper-III

Indian economy-related topics on the syllabus

Context: At its 50th meeting, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council voted to impose a uniform 28% tax on wagers made at horse races, casinos, and online gaming sites.

Choosing to apply a standard 28% tax to internet gaming:

  • The ministerial panel had previously explored the possibility of imposing a tax on gross gaming revenue or a platform fee, which is the amount paid to use gaming services, but this idea was not well received.
  • The uniform 28% tax levy will be applied to:

o In the case of casinos, the face value of the chips purchased,

o In the case of horse racing, the full value of the wagers put with the bookmaker/totalizer, and

o The total amount wagered in the case of online gaming.

  • To make online gambling and horse racing taxable items under the CGST Act of 2017, the government will change the legislation pertaining to GST.

Lottery, wagering, and gambling claims have so far been categorised as actionable claims.

What will the tax look like in practise?

  • At the time of writing, the majority of gaming companies were paying an 18% tax on platform fees.

o Assume the platform charge is 10%. As a result, the platform earns Rs 10 for every Rs 100 that a player deposits into the game, and since there is an 18% GST on that amount, the GST on each Rs 100 is actually Rs 1.8.

  • The platform charge will not be subject to the new structure’s 28% GST; rather, it will apply to the total face value of the bet or the consideration paid.

In other words, the GST will be Rs 28 instead of Rs 100, an increase of around 15.6 times.

How big is the Indian market for internet gaming?

  • Between 2017 and 2020, the industry expanded at a CAGR of 38%, compared to 8% in China and 10% in the US.
  • Revenue is anticipated to increase by 15% CAGR to Rs 153 billion by 2024.
  • The rate of new paying users (NPUs) in gaming has been expanding at the quickest rate in the globe in India.
  • In India, the market for transaction-based games rose by 26%, and the number of paying players increased by 17%, from 80 million in 2020 to 95 million in 2021.

Who is affected?

  • The internet gaming industry may be the only one with numerous highly successful businesses.
  • As an illustration, Dream11 generated revenues of Rs 3,841 crore and a net profit of Rs 143 crore in FY22.
  • Platforms for gaming and gambling have all been subject to the ruling.

o This includes businesses that have lobbied for years to establish a separation between platforms for games of chance and gambling.

What responses did online gaming firms give?

  • The government’s decision was “extremely unfortunate” since it would result in “a nearly 1000% increase in taxation.”
  • The GST Council’s judgement is “unconstitutional, irrational, and egregious” and will completely destroy the Indian gaming industry, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs.

Anti-national unlawful offshore platforms will be the only ones to profit from this.

The purpose of the government is:

  • The ethical dilemma: It is wrong to promote the industry to such a degree at the expense of necessities like food and shelter.
  • Gaming, a risky and compulsive activity:

o Stories of suicides caused by debts racked up from playing online games are reported every week.

o Because the majority of those affected by addiction are adolescents and teenagers, the government also required to impose limits based on factors like age, poverty, and so forth.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) information

  • The 101st Amendment to the Indian Constitution, which went into effect on July 1, 2017, created an indirect tax (payed indirectly to the government by consumers).
  • It is levied on service providers, manufacturers, and retailers of goods.
  • It is separated into five tax slabs for the purpose of tax collection: 0%, 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%.

Regarding GST Council:

  • The Apex Committee is responsible for revising, balancing, or recommending changes to the Union and the States regarding the GST, including the types of products and services that may be subject to or exempt from the GST, model GST laws, etc.

The GST Council is a combined forum of the Centre and States that is established under Article 279A of the Indian Constitution.

Prelims: 2017 UPSC

What is/are the ‘Goods and Services Tax (GST)’ implementation’s most likely benefits?

  1. It will eliminate the many taxes gathered by various authorities, resulting in the creation of a single market in India.
  2. It will allow India to significantly lower its “Current Account Deficit” and grow its foreign exchange reserves.
  3. India’s GDP will grow significantly as a result, surpassing China in the near future because to its size.

Using the code below, choose the right response:

  1. 1 only
  2. just numbers two and three
  3. only numbers 1 and 3
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Ans: 1

Origin: IE

 

INDIA’S EFFORTS TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION HAVE PROBLEMS.

GS Paper-III

Environmental pollution on the syllabus

Context: A CSE investigation reveals that air pollution affects cities and countryside approximately equally, while pollution control policies only apply to India’s cities.

Analyses’ conclusions:

  • Particulate matter (PM) 5 is a very strong air pollutant that can enter the lungs deeply and cause a variety of illnesses, some of which are fatal.
  • In 2022, the annual average of ultrafine particulate matter (PM) 5, the most hazardous air pollutant, was lower in rural India than in urban India (46 microgrammes compared to the national limit of 40 microgrammes).
  • States like West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, and Delhi were found to have significantly higher levels of rural PM 5 pollution (87 microgrammes), as well as other states.
  • In terms of the length of life expectancy lost as a result of exposure to the harmful pollutant, the rural population suffers more than its urban counterpart.

Actions conducted in accordance with the NCAP:

  • A 20–30% reduction in PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration at the national level was declared as the goal by 2024.
  • To date, it has released almost Rs 9,000 crores, the majority of which went to 131 cities known as non-attainment ones that routinely exceeded the national air pollution guidelines.

Conclusions drawn from the data:

  • They scrutinised the Union government’s strategy of focusing its investments on a few key cities across the nation in order to reduce hazardous air pollution.
  • Forget about fighting it—the majority of rural communities don’t even have any means of monitoring the pollution on the ground.

Way Ahead:

  • Air pollution is a global issue that has no respect for national boundaries.
  • Monitoring pollution levels and creating policies for rural areas are important needs.
  • Over the rural and non-urban regions, a wider network of high-spatial-resolution systematic, robust, and continuous air pollution monitoring is required right now.
  • The air shade arrangement paradigm needs to be followed rather than just a few selected cities.

Conclusion: Without considering the rural areas, the country’s recent decade-long air pollution problem cannot be rectified. As a result, it is now appropriate to develop policy and take action in rural India as well.

UPSC 2022 Prelim

In the Guidelines, the following statements are made about the Air Quality:

  1. The annual mean of PM2.5 should not be more than 5 g/m3, and the 24-hour mean should not be more than 15 ug/m3.
  2. The highest ozone pollution levels in a year are experienced during bad weather.
  3. PM10 has the ability to cross the pulmonary barrier and enter the circulation.
  4. Air pollution with too much ozone can cause asthma.

Which of the aforementioned statements is true?

  1. 1, 3 and 4
  2. only numbers 1 and 4
  3. 2, 3 and 4
  4. only 1 and 2

Ans: 2

Origin: DTE

 

SANIPRENEURS

For Mains Content

The Madras High Court has been notified that the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) intends to turn manual scavengers into “sanipreneurs” by giving them a contract for the upkeep of the sewer system using machinery.

The purpose of this effort is to give employees seven years of safe and respectable self-employment alternatives. In order to teach and train the “sanipreneurs,” the CMWSSB has partnered with the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI).

Use the initiative and word in essays about ethics, Indian society, and social justice.

Origin: TH

 

 

SECTION-II

PRELIMS

 

GRAND CROSS OF THE ORDER OF THE MILITARY CROSS

The President of the Republic of France presented Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest honour, today.

What the Legion of Honour is:

The Legion of Honour is the highest decoration bestowed upon French nationals in all spheres of endeavour.

  • The Legion of Honour is organised into five degrees (lower to higher): Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer, and Grand Cross. It was founded by the former French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. The fifth honour went to the PM.
  • The badge is a five-armed Maltese asterisk suspended from an oak and laurel wreath, and the ribbon is red. The effigy of the Republic appears on the obverse, and the slogan “Honour and Fatherland” is printed in French around two tricolour flags on the reverse.
  • Although only French citizens are eligible to join the Legion of Honour, foreign nationals who support France or its ideals may also receive the Legion’s honour.
  • Former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles, the Prince of Wales at the time, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the individuals who also got this accolade.

Origin: PIB

 

NORWAY’S PHOSPHATE DISCOVERY

An enormous deposit of phosphate, a precious mineral that may be used to power solar panels and electric cars, has been found in Norway.

  • The deposit contains up to 70 billion tonnes of phosphorus, which is sufficient to satisfy global demand for the next 50 years.

Regarding phosphorus:

The mineral phosphorus is found in phosphate rock.

  • Because there is only a finite amount of it in the world, it will ultimately run out.

Approximately 90% of the phosphate that is mined is used to make fertiliser for the agricultural sector.

In the past, the western Sahara region of Morocco contained the most phosphate rock, with a total of about 50 billion tonnes. Egypt and China, who generate the majority of the world’s phosphate, both have sizable phosphate reserves.

Phosphate raises environmental issues since it contributes to river algal blooms, among other things. Extraction of phosphorus requires refinement, which can be very polluting.

India:

Another large and secondary source of uranium is phosphate rocks. India lacks access to apatite and rock phosphate. While just two states, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, produce rock phosphate, India is completely dependent on imports for apatite.

Origin: DTE

 

AUDITONLINE

The Action Taken Report (ATR) Module of AuditOnline was introduced by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj during a virtual event.

Regarding AuditOnline:

The Panchayat Enterprise Suite, a piece of open-source software created by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as part of the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (as part of the Digital India Programme), includes Audit Online. The ministry also unveiled eGramSwaraj, another user-friendly accounting programme, alongside AuditOnline.

The purpose of the application is to encourage accountability and transparency in panchayat financial administration.

Advantages:

  • It makes it possible to audit Panchayat accounting online. It enables the production of audit reports, the recording of observations, and the tracking of responses to audit findings.
  • Panchayats will be able to manage funds more effectively, with greater autonomy, and without corruption thanks to the ATR Module.

The goal of the government is to audit all Panchayat accounts in order to ensure that they satisfy the requirements of the Fifteenth Finance Commission for upcoming grants.

Origin: PIB

 

MARS’ VARIED ORGANIC STUFF IS DISCOVERED BY NASA’S PERSEVERANCE ROVER

Context: The Perseverance rover from NASA has found evidence of organic chemicals in a Martian crater, shedding light on the possibility of life on Mars.

  • The study, which was published in the journal Nature, suggests that Mars has more than one store of potential organic molecules since it exposes a more intricate organic geochemical cycle than was previously believed.

Primary Findings:

  • The results imply that water may have been a significant factor in the emergence of organic stuff on Mars and that watery processes have occurred there.
  • To find the organic chemicals, the research team employed a device known as the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC).
  • Due to the presence of minerals like carbonates, clays, and sulphates that could preserve organic compounds and signs of ancient life, the rover’s landing site in Jezero Crater, which was originally a lake basin, exhibits a high potential for previous habitability.

Origin: DTE

 

DISCOVERED IN KUTCH ARE NEW PLANT SPECIES THAT THRIVE IN SALTY ENVIRONMENTS

Salsola oppositifolia Desfontania is a new species of saltwort that was uncovered by a research team in Gujarat, India’s Kutch district.

  • The Amaranthaceae family’s perennial shrub thrives in saline, arid to semi-arid settings.

Salsola oppositifolia Desfontania Information:

  • It is a halophyte that has evolved to salty environments. It is a succulent shrub that can reach a height of two metres and has a woody, smooth base. On the stem, the plant’s leaves develop in opposition to one another.
  • The salty liquid that is preserved in their leaves is what makes them famous. Salsola plants are used in the production of lye, soap, soda ash, and pharmaceutical goods, among other things.

Origin: IE

 

OCEAN MENHADEN

Researchers claim that the overfishing of Atlantic menhaden is to blame for the changes in the ecosystem of the Atlantic.

Concerning Atlantic menhaden:

  • The Atlantic menhaden, which can be found in coastal and estuary waters from northern Florida to Nova Scotia, serve a variety of crucial functions. They eat largely on phytoplankton and zooplankton in the water column and are filter feeders.
  • Menhaden are caught for use as animal feed, fertiliser, and bait in a variety of fisheries, including those for blue crab and lobster.

They are also utilised to create supplements for both humans and animals because they are a significant source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Origin: IE

 

MAHARASHTRA’S KAAS PLATEAU

A recent study by the Agharkar Research Institute in Pune, Maharashtra, found that the Kaas Plateau has experienced considerable climatic and environmental changes. The Kaas Plateau, designated as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 2012, is well known for its seasonal flowers, which bloom in August and September and create a colourful carpet.

The Kas Plateau is a plateau in Maharashtra, India, 25 miles west of Satara. It belongs to the Western Ghats’ Sahyadri Sub-Cluster.

Origin: PIB