Daily Current Affairs 7 August 2020 | UPSC Current Affairs 2020

 Current Affairs Of Today Are

1) New LG to J&K

• Former Minister of State for Railways and BJP leader Manoj Sinha was appointed the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir after incumbent G.C. Murmu, a former IAS officer, resigned
• Mr. Murmu was appointed the Comptroller and Auditor General of India

Source: Indian Express

2) The new version of the India Water Resources Information System

• The Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched a new version of the India Water Resources Information System (India-WRIS) with new functionalities and features. Open to the public, and accessible through the web portal www.indiawris.gov.in, this portal contains information related to Water Resources through dashboards for rainfall, water levels & discharge of rivers, water bodies, groundwater levels, reservoir storages, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture, as well as modules on water resources projects, water bodies, hydro-met data availability and tools for GIS layer editing.
• Water is key to life and development. Judicious use of water resources assumes utmost importance, particularly when increasing population, urbanization and related development creates additional pressure on available resources. Good planning of any resource requires a strong database and a reliable information system. To address this need, the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), under the National Hydrology Project, launched the first version of India Water Resources Information System (India-WRIS) in July 2019. Since then, several new functionalities and features have been added into the system.
• India WRIS is, at present, receiving data from many central and state agencies like CWC, CGWB, IMD, NRSC, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, etc. regularly. Data from other agencies are also being integrated into the system so that it becomes a comprehensive platform for any data related to water and land resources. The MoJS has established a dedicated organization, National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC) to maintain and update India WRIS.
• The basis for all hydro-met observation data is the Water Information Management System (WIMS). Through a secured login, Central and State Water Agencies can enter, analyze, validate and manage data for water level (Both Surface Water & Ground Water), flow, water quality, sediment, and many climate parameters. The system includes time-series data obtained through manual readings as well as telemetry data received using GPRS or satellite.
• Through this portal, any stakeholder can visualize the information in a user-friendly manner, as well as download the information in the form of excel reports and graphs. The key features of the system are Water information easily made available to users and general public, for decision-makers, water managers, farmers & experts, Direct access to hydro-met information from Central and State agencies, Real-time data available with one click, Variety of modules for different needs, Latest technologies, continuous development, and improvement.
• Various user groups can utilize the information as follow like farmers and farmer Welfare Associations can plant crops and cropping pattern based on the rainfall, water availability in storages and groundwater aquifers and with changing times the associations can involve youth for utilizing the data appropriately as real-time data is available on this web site. Individuals can use the data as per their requirement, to know the availability of water in their locality, groundwater level, Level of water in the nearby river, and such many facts. Planners and Administrators can utilize this data of their States, Basins for proper utilization of water and to reduce the impact of Flood and Drought. Decision Support System (DSS) can be developed. Researchers can utilize the data for water-related studies and Modelling purposes as the data frequency required for such studies is available.

Source: PIB

3) RBI's New Monetary Policy

RBI has allowed a one-time restructuring of loans

• Loan/Debt Restructuring means changing/making the terms and conditions of the already taken loan more liberal either by extending the loan repayment schedule or reducing the interest rate etc. This is done when the borrower is not in a position to pay off the loan. It helps both the borrower and the banker because if the loan restructuring is not done and the borrower defaults in payment then the bank may not be able to recover money. But if the bank relaxes the terms and conditions then it may help the borrower/business to again start the business and repay the loan.
• A bank may restructure a loan on its own (without permission from RBI) but then there are strict conditions. Generally when a loan is restructured (of course it was restructured because the borrower was not able to pay) then it again becomes a standard/normal loan and it will not be classified as NPA or if it had turned NPA then it will move from NPA to standard/normal category loan. But still, there is a RECORD kept that this loan has been restructured and RBI is kept informed. 
• Also when a loan is restructured then the bank needs to set aside some capital (called provisioning), which means that capital should be in reserve and cant be lent by the bank.
•  When RBI will allow one-time restructuring then the above conditions will not be required and it will remain a normal/standard loan.
• As per todays news, RBI has allowed ONE-time restructuring of Corporate, MSME, and personal loans. 
• RBI has not extended the MORATORIUM on loans beyond August 31. That means now all borrowers will have to pay EMIs (interest/principal) on their loans but yes they can ask for one-time restructuring and can still get relief from banks, but it will be done only once.

Background of Moratorium 

• RBI on 27th March 2020 asked/suggested banks to grant Moratorium on all term loans (home, auto, personal, agri, retail, etc.) outstanding (due) as on 1st March 2020 for three months i.e. till 31st May. Now it has been extended till 31st Aug.
• Moratorium period refers to the period during which you do not have to pay an EMI (interest or principal) on the loan taken. And the loan will not be declared as NPA. Kindly note that the moratorium is a deferment of payment and not a waiver of interest.
• What it means is that, if you have taken a loan then you may not pay EMIs (interest + principal) for these 6 months. But the interest on the Principal amount will keep on ACCRUING and U WILL HAVE TO PAY LATER ON. So, money wise there is no benefit, only that in this period of 6 months, u are relaxed.
• Now the Supreme Court says, WHAT IS THIS RELIEF IF LOAN INTEREST CONTINUED TO ACCRUE FOR THE MORATORIUM PERIOD.?
• RBI has clarified that, in its REGULATORY PACKAGE introduced amid lockdown, was basically like a MORATORIUM deferment and it CANNOT BE CONSTRUED TO BE A WAIVER (exemption of interest during this period of 6 months).
• RBI said it will not go for a forced waiver because it will risk the financial viability of the banks. Because the depositors have kept money in the bank and then this money is lent by banks. If banks will waive off the interest on the loan during this period then, the depositors will lose money for this period.

Priority Sector Lending (PSL)

• PSL are small value loans to those sectors of the society/economy that impact large segments of the population and weaker sections, and to the sectors which are employment-intensive such as agriculture and small enterprises. Scheduled Commercial banks are mandated to give a portion (40%) of their credit/loan to the priority sectors. The following have been declared as the priority sectors by RBI:
• Agriculture
• Education
• Housing
• Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME)
• Export Credit
• Social Infrastructure (Schools, hospitals, etc)
• Renewable Energy
• Others (weaker sections like artisans, village cottage industries, SC/ST, Self Help Groups, etc.)
• And as per today's news 'START-UPS' have also been included under priority sector lending.

Source: The Hindu

4) Localized strain and partial melts in shear zones may control seismicity in Kumaun Himalaya

• Most research on seismic and landslide hazards in the Himalaya focuses on geophysical and geomorphological characteristics. However, in many instances, the inherent cause of these natural disasters may lie deep in the subsurface and have geological implications like rock types, rheology, strain localization, and so on. Therefore, understanding the geodynamic scenario of a given section of Himalaya is as important as its seismic and geomorphic characteristics in following natural disasters.
• A study by the Scientists from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India suggests that, unlike other parts of the western Himalaya, in Kumaun, partial melting of the crust is caused by activation of a tabular to sheet-like, planar or curvi-planar zone composed of rocks that are more strained than rocks adjacent to the zone (major shear zones), instead of the continuous zone of mid-crustal partial melts. The study also suggests that brittle deformation of these shear zones/ thrust planes may still control exhumation and seismicity in this region of the Himalaya.
• The research, published in the Scientific journal ‘Lithos’, shows inverted metamorphism (a condition in which higher-grade metamorphic rocks lie on top of lower-grade rocks), leading to partial melting of the Himalayan crust in two short spans of 27 to 32 and 22 to 26 million years.
• The study agrees with recent studies that suggest that one uniform mechanism cannot explain the evolution of the Himalayan metamorphic core. Activation of major thrusts and different mechanisms may operate at different cross-sections of this orogeny with channel flow (long-lasting flow of a weak, viscous crustal layer between relatively rigid yet deformable bounding crustal slabs) being dominant in the hinterland, and at the ductile regime.
• On the other hand, the critical taper, or wedge-like extrusion and forward propagation of thrust sheets, is more pronounced on the foreland and in the brittle regime. It has also been shown that the effect of channel flow is completely absent in various sections of the Himalaya. Therefore, different transects may have different mechanisms of exhumations (exposure of land surface that was formerly buried), thrust activity, and hence, different seismic and erosional characteristics.
• The Kali River Valley of Kumaun marks the international border between India and Nepal. This region experiences intense seismic and landslide events. The scientists carried out an integrated field, metamorphic modeling, and geochronological investigation in the remote higher parts of the Kali River Valley and found the absence of any ‘channel flow’ or a regional scale mid-crustal zone of partial melt. The most important prerequisite for the channel flow mechanism is a protracted period of partial melting (20 to 30 million years at least).
• However, this study has shown short and distinct pulses of magmatism, which indicate events of strain localization and deformation along discreet shear zones. These shear zones, later in the brittle regime, controlled exhumation along with the formation of new shear zones or thrusts that helped propagate and exhume the Himalayan core. Identification of these thrust zones based on geological proxies help denote zones of seismicity and even landslides, as highly strained and crushed rocks present in thrust or fault zones are more susceptible to slope failure. 

• Figure: Cartoon showing different stages of the tectonic evolution of the Himalayan metamorphic core in Kali River Valley, Kumaun concerning fault activity, peak metamorphism, partial melting, and leucogranite emplacement.

Source: PIB

5) Beirut Explosion

• Recently, a massive explosion took place in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, which left more than a hundred people dead and more than 4,000 injured, according to the reports until now.
• There were two explosions in the central port area of Beirut which occurred barely within minutes of each other within nearby buildings.
• The blast affected residents living as far as 10 kilometers away from the site and was felt upto 250 Km.
• The blast created seismic waves equivalent to a magnitude 3.3 earthquake.
• The blasts were likely triggered by over 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been confiscated and stored by authorities near the port for over six years.
• A two-week state emergency has been imposed in Beirut following the blast.

Economic Impact

• Lebanon is an import-dependent country. The badly damaged port facility is Lebanon’s largest maritime gateway and it will make essential items expensive and threaten food security in the country.
• Lebanon has already been struggling with a huge economic meltdown, with the rapid devaluation of the local currency and a volatile exchange rate on the black market fueling inflation, shuttering businesses, unemployment, and poverty.
• It had also defaulted on a Eurobond repayment in March 2020.
• It is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a $10 billion loan program.
• The blast will pose an additional financial burden of rebuilding the city.

Political Impact

• Lebanon faced nationwide protests against corruption, economic mismanagement, and sectarian politics in October 2019, which forced the resignation of then-Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
• This blast along with the growing economic crisis can again cause social unrest.

Health Impact

• The country’s health system is already burdened with the patients of the Covid-19 pandemic and the victims of the blast will add to this.

International Response

• Lebanon has been offered help by various countries like the USA, Germany, France, Iran, the EU, Turkey, etc.
• Along with giving aid, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron has decided to visit Lebanon.
• This move is seen as a message of fraternity and solidarity from France.
• Earlier, France’s top diplomat had scolded Lebanon’s political elite for being too “passive” in the face of an economic crisis and the pandemic.
• Lebanon has also been offered humanitarian aid by its neighbor Israel, whom it has bitter relations with.
• Israel sees Hezbollah, the militant group of Lebanon as a threat to its northern borders.’
• Hezbollah is one of the Middle East's most powerful and successful guerrilla organizations. It is the strongest member of Lebanon's pro-Syrian opposition bloc who pitted against the pro-Western government led by Saad Hariri.

Ammonium Nitrate

• Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3) is a nitrogen-rich white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water.
• Uses:
• It is a common chemical ingredient of agricultural fertilizers.
• It is used as an ingredient for the production of anesthetic gases and cold packs.
• It is also the main ingredient in the manufacture of commercial explosives used in mining and construction.

As Explosive:

• It is the main component of the explosive composition known as ANFO- ammonium nitrate fuel oil.
• Pure ammonium nitrate is not an explosive on its own. For Ammonium nitrate to be explosive a primary explosive or detonator like RDX or TNT is required.
• Many Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by terrorists around the world have ANFO as the main explosive.
• Stored ammonium nitrate is a fire hazard and can explode in two ways.
• It may come in contact with some explosive mixture.
• Due to the oxidation process at large scale, heat may be generated starting a fire and then an explosion. This seems to be the primary likely cause of the incident at Beirut port.

Explosions in Past:

• In the majority of terror attacks in India, including those in Pulwama, Varanasi, Malegaon, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, ammonium nitrate has been used along with initiator explosives like RDX.
• There have been accidental explosions of ammonium nitrate causing large numbers of fatalities. Eg. China in 2015 and in Texas in 1947.

Regulations:

• Global: It is classified as an oxidizing content (Grade 5.1) under the United Nations classification of dangerous goods.
• The United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods categorizes the types of dangerous goods, under nine classes like Explosive Materials, Inflammable liquids, Easily oxidizing contents, etc.
• India: In India, the manufacture, conversion, bagging, import, export, transport, possession for sale, or use of ammonium nitrate is covered under The Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012.
• The Explosives Act, 1884, define ammonium nitrate as the “compound with formula NH4NO3 including any mixture or compound having more than 45% ammonium nitrate by weight including emulsions, suspensions, melts or gels but excluding emulsion or slurry explosives and non-explosive emulsion matrix and fertilizers from which the ammonium nitrate cannot be separated”.
• Storage of ammonium nitrate in large quantities in populated areas is illegal in India.
• For the manufacture of ammonium nitrate, an Industrial license is required under the Industrial Development and Regulation Act, 1951.
• A license under the Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012 is also required for any activity related to ammonium nitrate.

Way Forward

• This tragedy piles yet another layer of hardship on a country already reeling from its worst financial crisis in decades along with exasperating political turbulence and struggling to contain a burgeoning coronavirus outbreak.
• Lebanon cannot do without containing politically extremist groups functioning in the country and maintaining healthy relationships with the international community.
• It is time that international solidarity comes into action and extends a helping hand towards the country.

Source: Indian Express

6) Constitution Bench for EWS Quota

• Recently, the Supreme Court of India referred the petitions challenging the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 to a five-judge constitution bench, saying it involves ‘substantial questions of law’.
• According to Article 145 (3) of the Constitution, at least five judges need to hear cases that involve ‘a substantial question of law as to the interpretation’ of the Constitution, or any reference under Article 143, which deals with the power of the President of India to consult the Supreme Court.
• The Supreme Court bench consisting of at least five judges is called the Constitution bench.

103rd Constitutional Amendment Act:

• It introduced an economic reservation (10% quota) in jobs and admissions in educational institutes for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) by amending Articles 15 and 16.
• It inserted Article 15 (6) and Article 16 (6).
• It was enacted to promote the welfare of the poor not covered by the 50% reservation policy for SCs, STs, and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC).
• It enables both the Centre and the states to provide reservations to the EWS of society.

Petitioners’ Argument:

• The amendments run contrary to the constitutional scheme, where no segment of available seats/posts can be reserved, only based on economic criterion.
• The amendments also run contrary to the judgment pronounced in the Indra Sawhney V. Union of India 1992 case, that a backward class cannot be determined only and exclusively concerning economic criterion.
• The amendments alter the 50% quota limit set up in Indra Sawhney V. Union of India 1992 case, which according to the petitioner is a part Basic Structure of the Constitution.
• Reservation in unaided institutions violates the fundamental right under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.
• Article 19 (1)(g) allows every citizen to practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade, or business.

Central Government’s Stand:

• The amendment was necessitated to benefit EWS who are not covered under existing schemes of reservation, which as per statistics, constitute a considerably large segment of the country’s population.
• The 50% limit in the Indira Sawhney ruling cannot be applied in the present petitions as the Sawhney case dealt with memoranda issued by the government while what is under challenge now is a constitutional amendment.

Substantial Question of Law Involved:

• Whether the challenged 103rd Amendment Act violates the Basic Structure of the Constitution, concerning equality provisions of the Constitution.
• The case of the Union of India that though ordinarily, 50% is the rule same will not prevent the amendment of the Constitution itself given the existing special circumstances to uplift the members of the society belonging to economically weaker sections.

Source: Indian Express

7) J&K Issue Raised at UNSC

• Recently, China has called India’s move in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) “illegal and invalid” and raised the issue at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York (USA).
• On 5th August 2019, the President of India promulgated the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 effectively abrogating the special status accorded to J&K under the provision of Article 370.
• 5th August 2020 marks the one year anniversary of that move. On its eve, Pakistan released a new political map that includes all of J&K, Ladakh, Sir Creek, and Junagadh.

China’s Stand on Kashmir:

• The Kashmir issue is a dispute left over from history between Pakistan and India, which is an objective fact established by the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions, and bilateral agreements between Pakistan and India.
• Any unilateral change to the status quo in the Kashmir region is illegal and invalid.
• Kashmir region issue should be properly and peacefully resolved through dialogue and consultation between the parties concerned.
• China attempted a similar move in January this year as well, but it did not attract sufficient support from the UNSC members. The frequency of such attempts by China has prompted diplomats to highlight the unequal nature of the  UN organ, where the agenda is set by the permanent members (P5) of the UNSC. 

India’s Reaction:

• India has noted the Chinese comments and held that Beijing has “no locus standi” on the matter and is advised not to comment on the internal affairs of other nations.
• India and China are holding talks over the disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
•  India “firmly” rejected the Chinese initiative and reiterated that Kashmir is a domestic issue. Veteran diplomats demanded that South Block launch a campaign to remove Kashmir from the agenda of the council.

UN’s Response:

• The J&K issue has been raised at the UNSC three times in the last year but there has been no concrete solution to it yet.
• UN human rights experts have called on India to take urgent action to address the alarming human rights situation in the region.
• If India fails to take any genuine and immediate steps to resolve the situation, meet the obligations to investigate historic and recent cases of human rights violations and prevent future violations, then the international community should step up.

Amnesty International India Report:

• Amnesty International in its report has urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Women (NCW) to set up offices in J&K to facilitate easy access to the complaint filing process for the local people.
• NHRC has been asked to appoint a special monitor for the region and to take up cases pending with the erstwhile State Commission.
• NCW has been recommended to set up a J&K cell for addressing problems faced by women.
• The report held that people in J&K do not have any way of redressal of the violations of their rights after the closure of the State Commission in 2019.
• It also called on the government to release all political leaders, journalists, and activists from detention; restore 4G mobile Internet; decongest prisons and start an independent investigation into attacks on journalists.
• The report acknowledged that there may be security concerns that merit restrictions on the right to freedom of expression.
• It suggested that curbs should be for a limited timeframe and as per the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which India is a state party.

Amnesty International

• It is an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) founded in London on 28th May 1961.
• It seeks to publicize violations by governments and other entities of rights recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), especially freedom of speech and of conscience and the right against torture.
• It also works with intergovernmental human rights bodies to expand and enforce human rights protections in international law.
• In 1977, it was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.

Source: Indian Express

8) Bru Resettlement Issue

• Recently, three organizations representing the Bru community have rejected the sites proposed for their resettlement by the Joint Movement Committee (JMC).
• Joint Movement Committee (JMC) is an umbrella group of non-Bru community in Tripura. The JMC comprises the Bengali, Mizo, Buddhist Barua, and some other communities.
• The three organizations included Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples’ Forum, Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples’ Coordination Committee, and Bru Displaced Welfare Committee

JMC’s Actions

• On 21st July 2020, the JMC had submitted a memorandum to the Tripura government specifying six places in Kanchanpur and Panisagar subdivisions of North Tripura district for resettlement of Brus.
• Limiting the number of families: Proposal of limiting the number to 500 families at most be settled in these places.
• Limited Resources: They maintain that the State (Tripura) does not have enough space and resources to accommodate them (Bru).

Arguments by Bru Community Representatives:

• This action of site selection by the JMC is completely unjustified as they were not a part of the quadrilateral agreement. Also, the sites proposed by the JMC are unconnected by road and electricity and too far from hospitals, schools, and other facilities.
• The quadrilateral agreement was signed among the Central government, State governments of Mizoram and Tripura, and the Bru groups in New Delhi in January 2020.
• They have insisted on resettling some 6,500 families in clusters of at least 500 families at each of the sites of their choice —seven in North Tripura district and five in the adjoining Dhalai district.
• They have also rejected the demand for inclusion of four JMC members in the monitoring team for the resettlement of the Bru, as they are having no connection or involvement in the issue of either repatriation to Mizoram or resettlement in Tripura during the last 23 years.

Background

• Bru or Reang is a community indigenous to Northeast India, living mostly in Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam. In Tripura, they are recognized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
• In Mizoram, they have been targeted by groups that do not consider them indigenous to the state. In 1997, following ethnic clashes, nearly 37,000 Brus fled Mamit, Kolasib and Lunglei districts of Mizoram and were accommodated in relief camps in Tripura.
• Since then, 5,000 have returned to Mizoram in eight phases of repatriation, while 32,000 still live in six relief camps in North Tripura.
• In June 2018, community leaders from the Bru camps signed an agreement with the Centre and the two-state governments, providing for repatriation in Mizoram. But most camp residents rejected the terms of the agreement.
• According to them, the agreement doesn't guarantee their safety in Mizoram.
• The Centre, the governments of Mizoram and Tripura and leaders of Bru organizations signed a quadripartite agreement in January (2020) to let the remaining 35,000 refugees who have stayed back to be resettled in Tripura.
• The rehabilitation package offered included financial assistance of ₹4 lakh and land for constructing a house for each family.

Way Forward

• The state government must ensure that the quadrilateral agreement is enforced in letter and spirit. However, the same agreement which provides for resettlement of Bru refugees in Tripura must also be implemented keeping in mind the interests of non-Brus, so that no conflict emerges between the Bru and non-Bru communities.

Source: The Hindu