DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th February 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: With the 2021 Census indefinitely delayed, the government’s attempt to estimate the total population of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) across the country is hitting one wall after another.

Background:-

• The information on population is crucial to the implementation of the government’s ₹24,000 crore PM-JANMAN package for PVTGs.

About PM JANMAN:-

• In line with the vision of Antyodaya to empower the last person at the last mile, PM-JANMAN was launched for the socio-economic welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) on 15th November 2023.
• PM-JANMAN focuses on 11 critical interventions through 9 Ministries aimed to improve socio-economic conditions of the PVTGs by saturating PVTG households and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, electricity, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

About PVTG:

• Sub-classification of Scheduled Tribe, who are most vulnerable in certain parameter than other Scheduled Tribe community.
• In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category, who are less developed among the tribal groups. In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• The Government of India follows the following criteria for identification of PVTGs:

1. Pre-agricultural level of technology
2. Low level of literacy
3. Economic backwardness
4. A declining or stagnant population.

• There are total of75 PVTGs in India.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Geography and Science

Context: India on Saturday sent medical and material assistance to Zambia as the southern African country.

Background:

• Zambia has been reeling under an outbreak of cholera over the past few weeks which had prompted a closure of schools in the country. Zambia has been asking for more medical help to deal with the situation that has been described as a “cholera emergency”.

About Zambia:

• Zambia is alandlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa.
• The landlocked country has experienced rapid economic growth over the last decade as Africa’s second largest copper producer after the DR Congo.
• The spectacular Victoria Falls are on Zambia’s border with Zimbabwe

About Cholera

• Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water.
• A bacterium called Vibrio cholerae causes cholera infection.
• The deadly effects of the disease are the result of a toxin the bacteria produces in the small intestine.The toxin causes the body to secrete enormous amounts of water, leading to diarrhea and a rapid loss of fluids and salts (electrolytes).
• Most people exposed to the cholera bacterium (Vibrio cholerae) don’t become ill and don’t know they’ve been infected. But because they shed cholera bacteria in their stool for seven to 14 days, they can still infect others through contaminated water.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims : History

Context: A new book on the life of Rukhmabai, a child bride who went on to become one of India’s pioneering women doctors was released recently

Background:

• The book, written by academic and writer Sudhir Chandra, claims to shed new light on the “extraordinary but little-known life of the rebel-doctor” who dared to challenge the norms of her time and left behind a formidable legacy.

About Rukhmabai:

• Born in 1864, Rukhmabai was denied formal education and wedded off at 11 years of age to the 19-year-old Dadaji Bhikaji.
• She, however, continued to stay at the house of her widowed mother, who later got married to Assistant Surgeon Sakharam Arjun Raut.
• She was supported by her step-father, when she refused to stay with Bhikaji and his family at his house. This led to the Dadaji Bhikaji vs Rukhmabai case, 1885.
• In 1885, the case of Bhikaji seeking “restitution of conjugal rights” titled “Bhikaji vs. Rukhmabai, 1885” came up for hearing and Judge declared that Rukhmabai had been wed in her “helpless infancy” and that he could not compel a young lady.
• Appeal was filed against the judgement.First order was overturned and court ordered Rukhmabai to “go live with her husband or face six months of imprisonment”. Rukhmabai responded that she would rather face imprisonment than obey the verdict.
• In July 1888, a settlement was reached with Bhikaji and he relinquished his claim on Rukhmabai for a payment of two thousand rupees.
• Ultimately, the publicity and debate generated by this case helped influence the enactment of the “Age of Consent Act” in 1891, which changed the age of consent from 10 to 12 years across British India

Source: Scroll

Syllabus

• Prelims -Current Event

Context: Recently, India has rejected the demand of the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) for ‘data exclusivity’ provisions in the free trade agreement that both sides are negotiating.

Background:

• Data exclusivity provisions will bar generic drug producers from using data of preclinical tests and clinical trials of former patent holders. India and EFTA have been negotiating the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement since January 2008.

About European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

• The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a regional trade organization and free trade area consisting of four European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
• These countries are not part of the European Union (EU), but they participate in the European Single Market and the Schengen Area.
• EFTA was established in 1960 as an alternative trade bloc for those European states that were unable or unwilling to join the then European Economic Community (EEC), the main predecessor of the EU.
• EFTA has signed free trade agreements with many countries around the world, and also cooperates with the EU in various policy areas through the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement.
• EFTA’s headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.

Source: Hindu Businessline

Syllabus

• Prelims and Mains – Science

Context: Multiple reports coming in this week said that Russia is making advances in space-based nuclear weapons that are aimed at destroying other satellites, both civilian and military.

Background:

• If Russia were to develop and deploy such a weapon, it would be in violation of the Outer Space Treaty. It will also be in contravention of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 that prohibits nuclear explosions in space. Russia is party to both treaties.

About Outer Space Treaty:

• The Outer Space Treaty is a multilateral treaty that forms the basis of international space law.
• It was signed in 1967 by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom, and it has 114 parties as of 2024.
• The treaty prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in outer space, and it limits the use of the Moon and other celestial bodies to peaceful purposes only.
• The treaty also establishes that outer space is the common heritage of all humankind, and that no country can claim sovereignty over any part of it.
• The treaty aims to promote the exploration and use of outer space for the benefit and interest of all countries, and to prevent any conflict or arms race in space.
• India became a party to the Outer Space Treaty on January 18, 1982.
• India signed the treaty on March 3, 1967, but it took about 15 years to complete the ratification process.
• India is also a party to the Moon Treaty, which further regulates the exploration and use of the Moon and other natural resources in space.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Science

Context: Multiple reports coming in this week said that Russia is making advances in space-based nuclear weapons that are aimed at destroying other satellites, both civilian and military.

Background:

• If Russia were to develop and deploy such a weapon, it would be in violation of Outer Space Treaty as well as the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 that prohibits nuclear explosions in space. Russia is party to both treaties.

About Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

• The Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 (PTBT) was an international treaty that prohibited nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, in outer space, and under water.
• The treaty was signed in 1963 by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom, and it has 126 parties as of 2024.
• The treaty aimed to reduce the radioactive fallout from nuclear tests and to prevent the escalation of the nuclear arms race.
• However, the treaty did not ban underground nuclear tests, which continued to be conducted by the nuclear powers and other countries.

Indias stand

• India is not a party to the PTBT, as it refused to sign the treaty on the grounds that it discriminated against non-nuclear weapon states and did not address the issue of nuclear disarmament
• India also refused to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which is a successor to the PTBT that bans all nuclear explosions, including underground tests, for both civilian and military purposes.
• India argued that the CTBT was not universal, verifiable, or non-discriminatory, and that it did not address the security concerns of India in a nuclearized region. India also maintained that it had a sovereign right to conduct nuclear tests for its national security and that it would not join any treaty that constrained its nuclear options.

Source: U N

Previous Year Question

1. Q) Consider the following countries:
2. China
3. France
4. India
5. Israel
6. Pakistan

Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1, 3, 4 and 5 only
3. 2, 4 and 5 only
4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 3

Context: India retains 40th rank out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Background:

• The Index is a leading reference for measuring an economy’s innovation ecosystem performance. It is published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

World Intellectual Property Organisation:

• It works with the vision of encouraging creative activity and promoting the protection of Intellectual Property throughout the world.
• It is a self-funding agency of the United Nations, with 193 member states.
• WIPO is one of the 15 specialised agencies of the United Nations.

Key findings of the Global Innovation Index 2023:

• Switzerland is the most innovative economy in 2023 followed by Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.
• Singapore has entered the top five and has taken the leading position among South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania (SEAO) region economies.
• The top science and technology innovation clusters in the world in 2023 are Tokyo–Yokohama, followed by Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou, Seoul, Beijing, and Shanghai-Suzhou. China now has the largest number of clusters in the world, overtaking the United States.

Key findings related to India:

• India secured the 40th position in the latest GII 2023, showcasing a remarkable climb from the 81st spot in 2015. It underscores India’s consistent and substantial growth in innovation over the past eight years.
• India secured the top position among the 37 lower-middle-income countries and led among the 10 economies in Central and South America. Key indicators affirmed India’s robust innovation landscape, including significant rankings in ICT services exports, venture capital received, graduates in science and engineering, and global corporate research and development investors.
• Compared to China’s 24 and the US’s 21, India has only 4 science and technology clusters among the world’s top 100. These are Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi.
• India’s progress is attributed to its abundant knowledge capital and a thriving startup ecosystem, along with commendable efforts from public and private research organizations.
• Certain areas necessitate improvement, particularly infrastructure, business sophistication, and institutions. To bridge these gaps, NITI Aayog is actively working to promote policy-led innovation in crucial sectors such as electric vehicles, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space, and alternative energy sources.

Sources : WIPO

Q1.) Consider the following countries:

1. Iceland
2. France
3. Liechtenstein
4. Norway
5. Germany
6. Switzerland

How many of the above are the members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)?

1. Only two
2. Only three
3. Only four
4. Only five

Q2.) With reference to Outer Space Treaty, consider the following statements:

1. The Outer Space Treaty is a multilateral treaty that forms the basis of international space law.
2. Treaty prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in outer space.
3. India became a party to the Outer Space Treaty in 2023.

How many statements given above is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q3.) Which among the following international treaties is India a member of?

1. Outer Space Treaty
2. Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
3. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
4. Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  19th February  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – b