Daily Current Affairs 3 August 2020 | UPSC Current Affairs 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are

1) One ration card facility in 24 States now

• The Union Food Minister has announced that three more States —Manipur, Nagaland, and Uttarakhand — and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will now offer the ‘one nation one ration card’ facility.
• With this, the facility is available in 24 States.

The rationale of One Nation One Ration Card scheme (ONORC)

Currently, ration cardholders can avail their entitlement of subsidized foodgrains under the National Food Security Act, only from the designated Fair price shop (FPS) within the concerned state.

• If a beneficiary were to shift to another state, he/she would need to apply for a new ration card in the second state.
• However, the migration of the poor from rural areas to urban locations is more commonplace.
• Thus, geographical location is one of the hindrances that migrant workers face to claim their quote of grains and subsequently get denied their right to food.
• To address the grim state of food security in the country and combat the problem of hunger, the government has started the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ facility.
• Currently, this scheme is applicable in several states and the central government seeks to implement this across the nation by June 2020.

Benefits Emanating from ONORC

• Interoperability of Ration Card: Under the ONORC, the beneficiaries from one state can get their share of rations in other states where the ration card was originally issued.
• After the scheme gets implemented at the national level, any PDS recipient can use their ration cards at any PDS shop across the country.
• ONORC seeks to provide universal access to PDS food grains for migrant workers.
• Empowering Consumers: ONORC will also allow the beneficiaries to opt for the dealer of their choice. If any dealer misbehaves or misallocates, the beneficiary can switch to another FPS shop instantly.
• Reducing Social Discrimination: ONORC will be particularly beneficial for women and other disadvantaged groups, given how social identity (caste, class, and gender) and other contextual factors (including power relations) provide a strong backdrop in accessing PDS.
• Achieving SDG: This will help achieve the target set under SDG 2: Ending hunger by 2030. Also, it will address the poor state of hunger in India, as highlighted by the Global Hunger Index, where India has been ranked 102 out of 117 countries.

Associated Challenges

• Exclusion Error: The digitization of this PDS process, through Aadhaar-linked ration cards and smart cards, has been pushed to reduce leakages. However, there has been a rise of exclusion errors in post-Aadhaar seeding.
• Many sections of society still don’t have Aadhar Card, thereby depriving them of food security.
• The fears of exclusion are also applied for migrant workers, as the fingerprints of people engaged in construction labor and domestic work may change or fade and may not match with the ones entered in Aadhar.
• Logistical Issues: An FPS receives the monthly quota of products strictly by the number of people assigned to it.
• The ONORC, when fully operational, would disrupt this practice, as some FPSs may have to cater to more numbers of cards even as others cater to less, owing to migration of people.
• Lack of Data: There is no exact data on the mobility of poor households migrating to work, locating intra- and inter-state destinations and sectors employing the workers.
• Domicile-Based Social Sector Schemes: Not only PDS, most of the anti-poverty, rural employment, welfare, and food security schemes were historically based on domicile-based access and restricted people to access government social security, welfare, and food entitlements at their place of origin.

Steps To be Taken

• The Unorganised Sector Social Security Act, 2008, had drawn up a system of documenting informal sector workers through a system of welfare boards.
• To get credible data regarding the migrant workers, this must be implemented in letter and spirit.
• A dedicated e-commerce platform ONORC may resolve the challenge of logistical issues.
• Social auditing must be made mandatory to measure the performance of ONORC.
• NFSA defines food security as nutritional security.
• Therefore, the portability of Integrated Child Development Services, Mid-Day Meals, immunization, health care, and other facilities for poor migrant households can’t be neglected and should be made portable.
• In the longer run, the PDS system may be replaced by a fool-proof food coupon system or direct benefit transfer, targeting the poor, wherein a Below Poverty Line family can buy rice, pulses, sugar, and oil from any Kirana store at the market price, by either paying fully through the coupon or by cash.

Source: Mint

2) Three States rank high in dhole conservation

A study has pointed out that Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh rank high in the conservation of the endangered dhole, in India.

What does the study say?

• Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana, and Goa will need to increase financial investments in the forest and wildlife sectors, and reduce the ease of granting forest clearances for infrastructure projects.
• It is important to improve habitat conditions and prey densities in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha.
• Doing so would strengthen the link between dhole populations in the Western Ghats and central India.
• It highlights the need for a targeted management plan for scientific monitoring of the species.
• The Western Ghats perhaps supports the largest dhole population in the world and is, therefore, a critical conservation landscape for the species.

Dhole:

• Also known as Asiatic wild dog, Dhole (Cuon alpinus) is native to Central, South, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.
• Dholes play an important role as apex predators in forest ecosystems.
• Dholes hunt in packs and tend to venture into forested landscapes adjoining protected areas.
• Besides the tiger, the dhole is the only large carnivore in India to be classified in the ‘endangered’ category by the IUCN.
• It is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Source: The Hindu

3) BHARAT AIR FIBER

• Shri. Sanjay Dhotre, Union Minister of State for HRD, Electronics, Communication, and IT, Govt Of India, inaugurated “Bharat Air Fibre Services” at Akola in Maharashtra. With the inauguration of Bharat Air Fibre services, residents of Akola & Washim district will get Wireless Internet Connections on demand. 
• The Bharat Air Fibre services are introduced by BSNL as part of digital India initiates by the Government of India and it aims of providing Wireless Connectivity in the range of 20 KMs from the BSNL Locations and thus customers at remote places also will be benefitted as BSNL comes with cheapest services with the support of Telecom Infrastructure Partners (TIPs). 
• BSNL is providing the “Bharat Air Fibre Services” through local business partners of BSNL from Akola & Washim District and these services will give the fastest internet connectivity in a quick time. These services are special and different from other operators as BSNL is providing unlimited free voice calling. 
• When BSNL will be increasing its customer base with this high Technology services, at the same time BSNL is giving a great opportunity to local residents of Akola and Washim district to join hands with BSNL as Telecom Infrastructure Partners. They will earn a regular monthly income of about one lakh per month thereby becoming self-reliable under “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” initiatives of Govt of India.  
• These Bharat Air Fibre services open new ways of fastest Wireless internet connectivity as well as Voice services at a reasonable cost. BSNL provides Bharat Air Fibre connectivity upto 100 Mbps speed.  BSNL is offering attractive Broadband plans in Wireline & Wireless segments and during the lockdown, BSNL has come up as the most reliable brand for Internet connectivity thereby successfully implementing the Work From Home started by Government as well as many private firms. 

Source: PIB

4) INST scientists develop simple economical nonsurgical prevention of cataract

• A team of scientists from the Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST) an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India has developed nanorods from the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) Aspirin, a popular medication used to reduce pain, fever, or inflammation and found it to be an effective non–invasive small molecule-based nanotherapeutics against cataract.

About Cataract

• Cataract a major form of blindness that occurs when the structure of crystallin proteins that make up the lens in our eyes deteriorates, causing damaged or disorganized proteins to aggregate and form a milky blue or brown layer, which ultimately affects lens transparency. Thus, prevention of the formation of these aggregates as well as their destruction in the early stage of disease progression is a major treatment strategy for cataracts, and materials that can carry out this task could make cataract prevention affordable and accessible.

Details of research 

• Their research published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry B could help prevent cataracts in an economical and less complicated way. They have used the anti-aggregation ability of self-build aspirin nanorods as an effective non –invasive small molecule-based nanotherapeutics against cataract. Aspirin nanorods prevent the aggregation of crystallin protein and various peptides derived from its fragmentation, which play a crucial role in cataract formation. They prevent the protein/peptide aggregation through biomolecular interactions, which convert beta-turn like the structure of the crystallin peptides, responsible for amyloid formation into coils and helices, those fail to aggregate. These were found to prevent cataract formation by inhibiting aggregation of crystallin, and crystallin derived peptide aggregates.  As with aging and under various conditions, the lens protein crystallin aggregates to form opaque structures in the eye lens, which impairs vision and cause cataract.
• The targeted disaggregation of the accumulated alpha-crystallin protein and crystallin derived peptide aggregates in aged and cataractous human lenses are considered as a viable therapeutic strategy for the prevention of cataract formation. The aspirin nanorods are produced using the process of molecular self-assembly, which is a low cost and high –yield technique to generate the aspirin nanorods as compared to the high cost and laborious physical methods generally used for the synthesis of nanoparticles.
• Computational studies based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to investigate the molecular mechanism of aspirin’s anti-aggregation behavior and the nature of the protein (peptide)-inhibitor interactions between the synthetic peptides and aspirin. It was observed that the peptide-aspirin (inhibitor) interactions eventually transformed peptides secondary structures from beta-turns, those are responsible for the formation of the amyloid, into various coils and helixes, preventing its aggregation. These simulations revealed the secret behind aspirin’s ability to act as a potential inhibitor towards amyloid-like fibril formation by the model cataract peptides.
• Many natural compounds have already been reported as potential aggregation inhibitors for crystallin aggregation, but the utility of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin in this direction will open a new paradigm. Also, aspirin nanorods due to their nano-size will enhance the bioavailability, improve drug loading, lower toxicity, etc. Hence, the delivery of the aspirin nanorods as eye drops is going to serve as an effective and viable option to treat cataract non-invasively.
• This easy to use and low-cost alternative nonsurgical treatment method will benefit patients in developing countries who cannot access expensive cataract treatments and surgeries.

Source: PIB

5) Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission

• Union Minister for MSME, Shri Nitin Gadkari has approved a unique employment generation program proposed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to make India Aatmanirbhar in Agarbatti production. The program named “Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission” aims at creating employment for unemployed and migrant workers in different parts of the country while increasing domestic Agarbatti production substantially. The proposal was submitted to the Ministry of MSME for approval last month. The pilot project will be launched soon and on full-fledged implementation of the project, thousands of jobs will be created in the Agarbatti industry.
• The scheme designed by KVIC on PPP mode is unique in the sense that in very less investment, it will create sustainable employment and help private Agarbatti manufacturers to scale up Agarbatti production without any capital investment by them. Under the scheme, KVIC will provide Automatic Agarbatti making machines and powder mixing machines to the artisans through the successful private Agarbatti manufacturers who will sign the agreement as business partners. KVIC has decided to procure only locally made machines by Indian manufacturers which also aims at encouraging local production. 
• KVIC will provide a 25% subsidy on the cost of the machines and will recover the remaining 75% of the cost from the artisans in easy installments every month. The business partner will provide the raw material to the artisans for making Agarbatti and will pay them wages on a job work basis. Cost of artisans’ training will be shared between KVIC and the private business partner wherein KVIC will bear 75% of the cost while 25% will be paid by the business partner.
• Each automatic Agarbatti making machine makes approximately 80 kg Agarbatti per day which will provide direct employment to 4 persons. One powder mixing machine, to be given on a set on 5 Agarbatti making machines, will provide employment to 2 persons.
• The current job work rate for Agarbatti making is Rs 15 per kg. At this rate, 4 artisans working on one Automatic Agarbatti machine will earn a minimum Rs 1200 per day by making 80 kg of Agarbatti. Hence every artisan will earn at least Rs 300 per day. Similarly, on the powder mixing machine, each artisan will get a fixed amount of Rs 250 per day.
• As per the scheme, the wages to the artisans will be provided by the business partners every week directly in their accounts through DBT only. The supply of raw material to the artisans, logistics, quality control, and marketing of the final product will be the sole responsibility of the business partner. After recovery of the 75% cost, the ownership of the machines will automatically be transferred to the artisans.
• A two-party agreement to this effect will be signed between KVIC and the Private Agarbatti manufacturer for the successful running of the project on PPP Mode.
• The scheme has been designed in wake of the two major decisions – import restriction on Raw Agarbatti and increase in import duty on Bamboo sticks - taken by the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Finance respectively on the initiative of Shri Gadkari.
• The program aims at handholding artisans and supporting the local Agarbatti industry. The current consumption of Agarbatti in the country is approximately 1490 MT per day; however, India’s per day production of Agarbatti is just 760 MT. There is a huge gap between the demand and the supply and hence, immense scope for job creation.

Source: PIB

6) NGT stays felling of coconut trees on Lakshadweep 

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal has granted an interim stay on the felling of coconut trees on Agatti Island in Lakshadweep to form a beach road. The Tribunal has constituted a committee to find out whether there has been any violation of the Integrated Island Management Plan (IIMP)  approved by the Lakshadweep Administration.

About IIMP

• The Integrated Island Management (IIM) a unit of FTR Division would prepare a model framework for an integrated island management plan
• The goal of the IIM is to help ensure the future socio-ecological sustainability of the Indian islands, Andaman and Nicobar and the Lakshadweep by preparing an Integrated Island Management Plan. The IIM would undertake scientific approaches, coupled with indigenous knowledge for the better management of the islands and its resources. The IIM would consider the indigenous governance structures and knowledge - particularly in tribal-dominated islands. The islands being pristine areas, this division would undertake long-term historical analysis including monitoring of the oscillations of crucial environmental variables.
• The IIM would develop guidelines for hazard preparedness and evolve climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for the Islands. Some of the major goals are to develop integrated island management / green island economy concept and to explore, in conjunction with island populations, ecotourism development as a particular option. The IIM would provide tools for mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management based on experiences from selected island countries worldwide. The IIM division would undertake specific research to enhance the resilience of the island communities; will help in building regional capacity in risk management, and prepare long-term guidelines for integrated coastal management plans.

About the case

• The applicant, Agatti Island Kera Karshaka Sanghom, moved the Tribunal alleging that the administration was indiscriminately cutting coconut trees for a beach road, which was against the IIMP. 
• The IIMP for Lakshadweep was formulated based on a report submitted by the Supreme Court­appointed Expert Committee, headed by Justice R.V. Raveendran, a former judge of the SC.
• The applicant submitted that due to the large scale cutting of the coconut trees, local residents were not only affected by losing income but also face environmental disaster as the trees on the
• coastline act as a green belt to protect the rest of the island during cyclones and other natural calamities.
• Directing the committee appointed by it to investigate the issue thoroughly and probe any violation, the
• NGT asked the panel to assess the quantum of environmental compensation. The Tribunal said the recovery of the compensation would be from the person responsible for the damage.

Source: The Hindu

7) Muslim Women Rights Day

Recently, 1st August has been recorded as “Muslim Women Rights Day” in the country’s history to mark the first anniversary of the passage of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.

The law made triple talaq a criminal offense.

Triple Talaq

• Triple talaq is a practice mainly prevalent among India’s Muslim community following the Hanafi Islamic school of law.
• Under the practice, a Muslim man can divorce his wife by simply uttering “talaq” three times but women cannot pronounce triple talaq and are required to move a court for getting a divorce under the Sharia Act, 1937.
• Triple talaq divorce is banned by many Islamic countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

Provisions of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019

• The Act makes all declaration of talaq, including in written or electronic form, to be void (i.e. not enforceable in law) and illegal.
• It also makes a declaration of talaq a cognizable offense ( only if information relating to the offense is given by a married woman against whom talaq has been declared), attracting up to three years imprisonment with a fine.
• A cognizable offense is one for which a police officer may arrest an accused person without warrant.
• The Magistrate may grant bail to the accused. The bail may be granted only after hearing the woman (against whom talaq has been pronounced), and if the Magistrate is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for granting bail.
• The offense may be compounded (i.e. the parties may arrive at a compromise) by the Magistrate upon the request of the woman (against whom talaq has been declared).
• A Muslim woman against whom talaq has been declared is entitled to seek subsistence allowance from her husband for herself and for her dependent children.

Constitutional Provisions:

• The Triple Talaq was held to be violative of Article 14 (the right to equality), which is held by the Supreme Court from Shah Bano case (1986) to Shayara Bano case in 2017.
• Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees religious freedom like Freedom of Practice and Propagation of Religion. Like all other Fundamental Rights, it is subject to restrictions and does not protect religious practices that can negatively affect the welfare of citizens.
• Hence, Article 25 is overridden by Article 14, which guarantees the Right to Equality as triple talaq denies a Muslim woman’s equality before the law.
• Article 25 is also subject to Article 15 (1) which states that the State “shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex…” Since triple talaq does not work in the favour of women, it violates Article 15 (1) of the Constitution.

Way Forward

• The implementation of the Act has shown a decline of about 82% in Triple Talaq cases in India. It has strengthened “self-reliance, self-respect and self-confidence” of the Muslim women of the country.
• The law is a step towards ensuring gender equality and strengthening constitutional, fundamental, and democratic rights of Muslim women.

Source: PIB

8) Negative returns for savers may hold back RBI from the repo rate cut

• WITH REAL interest rates (interest rate minus inflation rate)turning negative, and erosion in the returns of savers, a large section of bankers say the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI— scheduled to meet August 4-6 may adopt a status-quo on policy rates shortly
• Technically, bank deposits are fetching negative real returns of nearly one percent (-0.99 percent) as a one-year fixed deposit the rate has come down to 5.10 percent (State Bank of India rate) whereas inflation in June was 6.09 percent.“The positive real interest rate logic weighs against an immediate further rate cut based on the current inflation trajectory. There is a significant likelihood of MPC members voting for a pause during the forthcoming review
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decision to frontload repo rate cuts (115 basis points since February) to 4 percent has partly led to negative returns for depositors.
• Nominal Interest Rate = Inflation + Real Interest Rate
• Depositors while depositing money in banks look for the real interest rate. They will generally deposit the money when they get a positive real return. Now, since January, RBI has reduced its Repo rate and because of that banks have reduced the deposit rate and lending rate. Now, the deposit rate (nominal interest rate) has come to such a level that real interest rates are turning negative. 
• For example, presently inflation in June was 6.09% and SBI Fixed Deposit rate has come down to 5.10%, So this gives, Real Interest Rate = 5.10 - 6.09 = - 0.99%. So, this basically means that depositors are losing money by putting money in banks. And that is one of the reasons that more and more people are shifting towards shares (which has driven the share market in this corona crisis) and Gold.
• And because of this, RBI may not reduce the repo rate in the upcoming MPC meeting as it will further turn the real interest rate negative and can erode the savings of the banks.
• RBI has front-loaded the repo rate cuts (it means that whatever reduction RBI planned in the repo rate, most of it has been done in the start of the year) and further reduction is quite difficult as the MPC members are not sure about the inflation trajectory/path in the future.

Source: Indian Express

9) 1947 Tripartite Agreement on Gurkha soldiers

• Recently, Nepal’s Foreign Minister has said that the 1947 Tripartite Agreement between India, Nepal, and the United Kingdom (that deals with the military service of Gurkha soldiers from Nepal) has become redundant.
• He also said that Nepal would prefer to handle the matter bilaterally with India and the United Kingdom.

The Tripartite Agreement:

• In 1947, when India became independent, it was decided to split Gurkha regiments between the British and Indian armies.
• From the first quarter of the 19th century, Gurkhas had served under the British, first in the armies of the East India Company, and then the British Indian Army.
• East India Company first recruited Gurkhas after suffering heavy casualties during the Anglo-Nepalese War also known as the Gurkha War. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816.
• It ensured that Gurkhas in British and Indian service would enjoy broadly the same conditions of service as that of British and Indian citizens.
• The services include all perks, remuneration, facilities and pension schemes, etc.
• Gorkha recruitment was the first window that was opened to Nepali youth to go abroad.

Issues Involved:

• The objection from Nepal regarding the Gurkhas serving in the Indian military has become prominent in the backdrop of Nepal-India territorial dispute over the Kalapani region of Pithoragarh district that Nepal claims as its own.
• Nepal has responded by publishing a new map that included the disputed territories of the Kalapani region.
• The issue became a talking point after Indian Army Chief remarked that Nepal’s strong protest against Indian road construction in the Limpiadora-Kalapani-Lipulekh area was at the behest of a third party (China).
• The Nepalese people believe that the Indian Army Chief, who is granted the honorary post of a General in the Nepal Army has hurt the sentiments of the Nepali Gurkha Army personnel who lay down their lives to protect India.
• Also, the Gurkha veterans have been alleging that the United Kingdom has been discriminating against them in terms of pay, pension, and other facilities.
• The British government started providing equal pay and pension to Gurkhas in 2007.

Gurkhas in the British Army

• After the 1947 Tripartite Agreement, the British Army amalgamated the Gurkha regiment into combined Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR). Currently, the Gurkhas comprise up to 3% of the British Army. In 2015 they completed 200 years of service in the British Army.
• Queen Elizabeth II of Britain is guarded by two personal Gurkha officers.
• The Gurkhas are recruited every year at the British Gurkha camp at Pokhara in Nepal. The camp enlists fresh recruits not only for the British Army but also for the counter-terror arm of the Singapore Police Force.
• Their signature weapon of Gurkhas, Khukri, forms part of the Gurkha regimental insignia in Britain as well as in India.

Way Forward

• India has strong cultural ties with Nepal. Both countries share open borders and recognize the citizens of each other country as a national citizen. However, the bilateral relations which have soured in the recent past over border disputes, need to be strengthened through diplomatic relations.

Source: The Hindu

10) Operation Breathing Space: India-Israel

• Recently, an Israeli team arrived in India with a multi-pronged mission, codenamed Operation Breathing Space to work with Indian authorities on the Covid-19 response.

Development of Test Kits:

• India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel’s defense ministry research and development team are working together to develop four different kinds of rapid testing kits for Covid-19 which can give the result within 30 seconds.

Types of Tests:

• The tests include an audio test, a breath test, thermal testing, and a polyamine test.
• In the audio test, a patient’s voice would be recorded and evaluated through artificial intelligence and machine learning.
• In the breath test, the patient will blow into a tube that will detect the virus using terra-hertz (high frequency) waves.
• Thermal testing will enable the identification of the virus in a saliva sample.
• Poly amino acids test seeks to isolate proteins related to Covid-19.

India Specific Approach:

• The kits will be jointly developed after trials on Indian Covid-19 patients. The tests have already been tried on a small sample of Israeli patients.

Other Assistance:

• The Israeli team has brought robotic equipment, and wrist monitors that will help doctors and nurses monitor a patient without increasing risks of infection to themselves.
• The team has also brought 83 advanced respirators to help patients with severe symptoms.

Benefits:

• The success of rapid tests will help India’s overworked health-care professionals, who are experiencing fatigue. It will also help to address the public impatience over the Covid-19 test.
• The quicker test will help authorities to take quicker prevention measures, which will reduce the spread of the virus among people.

Way Forward

• As a vaccine or a cure is not yet visible and the country is gradually moving towards unlocking, it is time the testing should be made available on-demand as close to home as possible.
• With most cases turning out to be asymptomatic, wider and cheaper availability of testing must be a thrust area for the government now. Easy, early diagnosis of infections, even when asymptomatic, will go a long way in containment. The concerns regarding increased dependence on rapid antigen tests in some places must also be addressed.
• Further, the proclivity shown by some States and cities to conceal data has been self-defeating. There must be efforts to harvest accurate data and ease of availability. Normalcy, albeit a new one, could be reached faster with the right efforts.

Source: The Hindu