DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th March 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims and Mains – Environment

Context: At the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow in November 2021, India pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, positioning itself as a frontrunner in the race to carbon neutrality.While carbon dioxide mitigation strategies will yield benefits in the long term, they need to go hand-in-hand with efforts that provide short-term relief.

Background:-

• Prioritising black carbon reduction through initiatives such as the PMUY scheme can help India become a global leader in addressing regional health concerns and help meet its Sustainability Development Goal of providing affordable clean energy to everyone and contributing to global climate mitigation.

About Black Carbon

• Black carbon is the dark, sooty material emitted alongside other pollutants when biomass and fossil fuels are not fully combusted.
• It contributes to global warming and poses severe risks. Studies have found a direct link between exposure to black carbon and a higher risk of heart disease, birth complications, and premature death.
• Most black carbon emissions in India arise from burning biomass, such as cow dung or straw, in traditional cookstoves.
• According to a 2016 study, the residential sector contributes 47% of India’s total black carbon emissions. Industries contribute a further 22%, diesel vehicles 17%, open burning 12%, and other sources 2%.
• Decarbonisation efforts in the industry and transport sectors in the past decade have yielded reductions in black carbon emissions, but the residential sector remains a challenge.

Role of Govt:

• In May 2016, the Government of India said the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) would provide free liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections to households below the poverty line.
• The primary objective was to make clean cooking fuel available to rural and poor households and reduce their dependence on traditional cooking fuels. The PMUY has established infrastructure to go with LPG connections, including free gas stoves, deposits for LPG cylinders, and a distribution network.
• The programme has thus, been able to play a vital role in reducing black carbon emissions, as it offers a cleaner alternative to traditional fuel consumption.
• However, in 2022-2023, 25% of all PMUY beneficiaries — 2.69 crore people — availed either zero LPG refill or only one LPG refill, according to RTI data, meaning they still relied entirely on traditional biomass for cooking.

Source:Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Science

Context: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved two gene therapies, Casgevy and Lyfgenia, to treat SCD in people ages 12 and older. Casgevy, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics and also approved in the U.K., is the first CRISPR-based therapy to have received regulatory approval in the U.S. Lyfgenia, manufactured by Bluebird Bio, doesn’t use CRISPR but depends on a viral vector to change blood stem-cells.

Background:

• Genetic therapies have created a lot of hope for treating SCD, yet they require the same amenities still out of reach of those most affected by the disease.

About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

• SCD is an inherited haemoglobin disorder in which red blood cells (RBCs) become crescent- or sickle-shaped due to a genetic mutation.
• These RBCs are rigid and impair circulation, often leading to anaemia, organ damage, severe and episodic pain, and premature death.
• India has the third highest number of SCD births, after Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Access to treatment as a major issue

• In 2023, the Government of India launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, to eliminate SCD by 2047. At present, however, treatment and care for SCD remains grossly inadequate and inaccessible.
• Example is the unavailability of the drug hydroxyurea. It lessens the severity of pain, reduces hospitalisations, and improves survival rates by increasing the size and flexibility of RBCs and lowering their likelihood of becoming sickle-shaped.
• Blood transfusion is another important therapy for SCD, but its availability is limited to district-level facilities. Most block-level community health centres don’t offer them.
• Bone marrow transplantation (BMT), is out of reach for most SCD patients due to the difficulty in finding matched donors, the high cost of the treatment at private facilities, and long waiting times in public hospitals.
• In light of this, the application of the gene-editing technology called CRISPR (short for ‘Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats’) to treat SCD is important – for its novelty and promise but also for the health disparities it makes apparent.
• India has approved a five-year project to develop CRISPR for sickle cell anaemia. Under its Sickle Cell Anaemia Mission, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is developing gene-editing therapies for SCD. Around Rs 34 crore has been allocated for this mission over 2020-2023.

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)

• It is originally a feature of the bacterial immune system.It forms the basis for this technology.
• In a nutshell, the system in bacteria serves as a warehouse for past infections by storing a part of the viral genetic material and incorporating it into its own, so the next time it is attacked, the bacteria is capable of recognising the virus and destroying it.The bacteria, in short, is immunised when it employs the CRISPR system.
• Researchers have adapted it as a tool to cut, delete, or add DNA sequences at precise locations, opening different windows to treat genetic disorders, develop drought-resistant plants, modify food crops, or experiment with de-extinction projects involving the woolly mammoth and the dodo.

Source: Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Geography

Context: Robusta coffee price touches all-time high amid global shortage.

Background:

• The Price of Robusta coffee has spiked due to drastic fall in traditional growing regions – Vietnam and Indonesia.

India primarily cultivates two main varieties of coffee:

Arabica Coffee (Coffea arabica):

• Grown in the higher altitudes of the Western Ghats.
• Arabica coffee is known for its smooth, mild flavour with hints of sweetness, acidity, and floral notes.

Robusta Coffee (Coffea canephora):

• Robusta is grown in the lowlands of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
• It tends to have a stronger, more bitter taste compared to Arabica and contains higher caffeine levels.

Regions of Coffee Production:

• Coffee production in India is dominated in the hill tracts of South Indian states:
• Karnataka: Accounts for 71% of India’s coffee production. Kodagu district alone produces 33% of the country’s coffee.
• Kerala: Contributes 21% to the overall production.
• Tamil Nadu: Produces around 5% (approximately 8,200 tons).
• Additionally, new coffee-growing areas have developed in non-traditional regions like Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on the eastern coast.

Climatic conditions required for successful coffee production:

• Temperature Range: Coffee plants thrive in temperatures between 15°C and 28°C.
• Rainfall: The ideal annual rainfall for coffee is between 150 to 250 centimeters.
• Soil Requirements: Coffee plants prefer well-drained, loamy soil enriched with organic matter (humus).
• Dry Period During Ripening: Dry weather during the ripening stage of coffee berries is essential.
• Elevation: It is commonly grown on hill slopes. Elevations ranging from 600 to 1,600 meters above sea level are ideal for coffee cultivation.

India’s Position in the Global Market:

• India was the 5th largest exporter of coffee in the world in 2021-22, contributing about 6% of the global output.
• Nearly 80% of Indian coffee is exported, with major destinations including Germany, Russia, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Greece, the Netherlands, and France.
• Italy accounts for a significant portion (29%) of India’s coffee exports.

Source: Hindu

Previous Year Question

Q1. Though coffee and tea both are cultivated on hill slopes, there is some difference between them regarding their cultivation. In this context, consider the following statements:

1. Coffee plant requires a hot and humid climate of tropical areas whereas tea can be cultivated in both tropical and subtropical areas.
2. Coffee is propagated by seeds but tea is propagated by stem cuttings only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Syllabus

• Prelims : Economy

Context: Sri Lanka is close to finalising a debt treatment plan with India and the Paris Club.

Background:

• This collaborative effort aims to provide Sri Lanka with a sustainable path forward. The proposed plan is expected to include a moratorium of up to six years and a reduced interest rate during the repayment period.

About PARIS CLUB:

• The Paris Club is an informal group of creditor nations that aims to find sustainable debt-relief solutions for countries facing payment difficulties.
• The Paris Club was established in 1956 and has 22 permanent members.
• The 22 permanent members of the Paris Club include countries such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• All these members are part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
• India is not a permanent member of the Paris Club.
• The Paris Club meets monthly in Paris, where officials from member countries negotiate debt relief terms.
• Any country can appeal to the group for debt relief, provided they demonstrate the need for such relief and commit to implementing economic reforms.
• Once an appeal is received, the members hold a closed meeting to decide the appropriate debt treatment for the country. They take into account many factors, including economic and financial aspects, and consult with the IMF and the World Bank regarding the necessary reforms.

Source: Hindu Businessline

Syllabus

• Prelims – Economy

Context: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has instructed mutual fund companies to cease accepting additional inflows into schemes that invest in Foreign Exchange-traded Funds (ETFs).

Background:

• This directive will be effective from April 1, 2024. This move comes as the total investment in these ETFs approaches the cap set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The surge in US markets, particularly technology stocks, has driven investor interest in these foreign assets, leading to the limit being reached.

About EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS:

• Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are mutual funds that are listed and traded on stock exchanges, just like individual stocks.
• They can track various underlying assets, including stock indices, commodities, bonds, or even a basket of assets.
• Unlike traditional mutual funds, ETFs are passive funds. The fund manager doesn’t actively select stocks; instead, the ETF aims to replicate the performance of a specific index.

Foreign Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs):

• Foreign ETFs are a subset of ETFs that focus on overseas markets.
• They invest in foreign securities, such as stocks, bonds, or commodities, listed on international exchanges.
• Foreign ETFs allow investors to gain exposure to global markets without directly purchasing foreign stocks or bonds.
• These funds can track indices from specific countries, regions, or sectors.
• Like other ETFs, foreign ETFs can be bought and sold on stock exchanges during trading hours.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 4

Context: In the present times, the media has clothed itself with the power of investigation and trial and ultimately branding him/her as a criminal, even before our courts of law have delivered a judgement.

Background:

• The trial by media also gravely interferes with the Fair Trail in the Courts of Law.

Media Trial:

• It is generally considered as the process in which media publishes their versions of facts in newspapers, news websites, and news channels to sensationalize the case.
• This function of media is seen as an invasion of the domain of the judiciary by conducting indirect trials parallel with the courts.

Ethical Issues with the Media Trial:

• It undermines the principle of innocence until proven guilty which advocates that every accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the law. E.g. Aarushi–Hemraj murder case. It also leads to contempt of court (disrespect or disobedience toward a court by entering into their domain).
• When sub-judice cases (cases under trial) are being discussed by experts in the media, their opinions can affect the perception of judges toward the accused/victim. E.g. Jasleen Kaur harassment case. Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees everyone the right to a fair trial (part of the right to life and liberty).
• The identity/personal information of the accused and victim is revealed which can negatively affect the public image of an individual. E.g. in Sushant Singh Rajput case.
• It violates key principles of Media Ethics such as truth and accountability. It goes against the idea of responsible journalism.

Concerns/Challenges in Controlling Media Trials:

• In India, organizations like the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBSA) and Broadcasting Content Complaints Council have been set up as internal self-regulatory mechanisms for television news and entertainment, respectively. This mechanism has not been very effective as these bodies lack statutory backing.
• Under Article 19 of the Constitution, media enjoys the freedom of expression, but it is at times misused when engaging in Media Trials. Also, for regulating agencies it becomes difficult to decide what constitutes a Media Trial as there is no clear definition or guidelines. E.g., in cases of investigative journalism.
• With the rise in internet penetration, social media has emerged as the new platform for media trials. E.g., sharing of sensationalized or fake posts to alter public opinion.

Source: Legal Service India

Q1.) Consider the following statements about the Foreign Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs):

1. Foreign Exchange-Traded Funds invest in securities listed on international exchanges.
2. Foreign ETFs allow investors to gain exposure to global markets without directly purchasing foreign stocks or bonds.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q2.) With reference to Paris Club, consider the following statements:

1. The Paris Club is an informal group of creditor nations that aims to find sustainable debt-relief solutions for countries facing payment difficulties.
2. All members of Paris Club are part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
3. India is not a permanent member of the Paris Club.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Q3.)With reference to coffee production in India, consider the following statements:

1. Coffee production in India is dominated in the hill tracts of South Indian states.
2. The ideal annual rainfall for coffee is between 150 to 250 centimeters.
3. Assam is the major producer of coffee in India.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  27th March  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – a