DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th September 2024

 Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2

Context: Moving a step closer towards holding all elections simultaneously in the country — the Union Cabinet recently accepted the recommendations of the high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

Background: –

• The High level Committee on Simultaneous Elections constituted under the Chairmanship of Shri Ram Nath Kovind, former President of India, had submitted its report in March this year.

Key takeaways

• The high-level panel had recommended that, in order to switch to simultaneous polls, the government should take a “one-time transitory measure”, which would require it to identify an “appointed date” on “the date of the first sitting of the House of the People after a general election”. All State Assemblies that go to polls after the “appointed date” would have their terms expire with Lok Sabha. This would synchronise the electoral cycles of the central and state governments.
• As the second step, municipality and panchayat elections should be held within 100 days of the Lok Sabha and state elections. There will be a common electoral roll for all elections.
• Given that the first sitting of Parliament after this year’s Lok Sabha polls has already passed, government sources indicated that there is room for the implementation committee to make adjustments to the Kovind Committee’s recommendations, as these are merely suggestions and not binding.
• The exact timeline for implementation — whether polls will be held simultaneously in 2029 or 2034 — isn’t clear as of now.
• The Kovind Committee had recommended 18 amendments, including 15 Constitutional amendments.
• According to Law Ministry sources, the implementation of the report will require at least two immediate Constitutional amendments, first to bring Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections together, and the second for synchronising municipal elections and preparing a common electoral roll, which would require ratification by half of the states. A consequential amendment for Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi would follow.
• The first Constitution Amendment Bill to transition to a simultaneous election system will require a ‘special majority’ of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. For this, two conditions have to be satisfied under Article 368 of the Constitution:
  • First, half of the total membership of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha must vote in favour of the amendment. Second, of the members present and voting, two-thirds must vote in favour of the amendment.
• The second Constitution Amendment Bill will ensure that all local body elections (for municipalities and panchayats) are held within 100 days of the simultaneous elections. For this amendment to go through, an additional condition apart from the two mentioned above must be fulfilled.
• This is because “local government” is a subject under the State List in the Seventh Schedule, which means only states have the power to pass laws on this subject. To amend such a feature, Article 368 stipulates that “the amendment shall also require to be ratified (agreed to) by the Legislatures of not less than one-half of the States” in the country.
• In the scheme proposed by the Kovind Committee, if a state Assembly or Lok Sabha is dissolved before the end of its ‘full’ five-year term, a ‘mid-term’ election will take place.
• However, the newly elected state Assembly or Lok Sabha will only serve for the remaining period before the next simultaneous elections are scheduled to take place.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: India has served formal notice to Pakistan seeking “review and modification” of the Indus water treaty under Article XII (3) of the pact.

Background: –

• Under Article XII (3) of the IWT, its provision may from time to time be modified by a duly ratified treaty concluded for that purpose between the two governments.

Key takeaways

• The Indus water treaty between India and Pakistan was signed on September 19, 1960, for the use of water available in the Indus and its tributaries.
• It was signed in Karachi by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistan President Mohammed Ayub Khan after nine years of negotiations arranged by the World Bank.

• According to the IWT, India enjoys the “unrestricted use” of the three “Eastern Rivers [Beas, Ravi, Sutlej] except as otherwise expressly provided” whereas Pakistan got control of the three “Western Rivers” [Indus, Chenab, Jhelum]. According to Article III (1) of the IWT, “India is under obligation to let flow” waters of the Western Rivers to Pakistan.
• The treaty also mandated the establishment of a Permanent Indus Commission, with a commissioner from each country, to maintain communication and address implementation issues. Additionally, a dispute resolution mechanism was established.
• In effect, the treaty gave India about 30% of the water carried out by the “Indus Rivers System” while Pakistan got 70% of the waters.
• India has significant strategic advantage by being situated upstream on all six rivers. In contrast, Pakistan’s lower geographical position rendered it reliant on its neighbours for water.
• As the only major cross-border water-sharing treaty in Asia, the Indus Water Treaty plays a crucial role in maintaining peace between two nuclear-armed neighbours.

What challenges has the Indus Waters Treaty faced?

• Over the years, numerous disputes have been amicably resolved through the Permanent Indus Commission.
• However, a significant challenge to the treaty arose in 2017 when India completed the construction of the Kishanganga dam in Kashmir and continued work on the Ratle hydroelectric power station on the Chenab River.
• This occurred despite Pakistan’s objections and ongoing discussions with the World Bank regarding whether these projects violated the treaty’s terms.
• As explained before, under the terms of the treaty, the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab were allocated to Pakistan, while India was entitled to generate electricity from run-of-the-river (doesn’t involve water storage) projects. However, Pakistan has repeatedly raised objections to these projects.
• India served formal notice to Pakistan on August 30 (2024), seeking review and modification of the IWT. India’s notification highlights “fundamental and unforeseen changes in circumstances” that require a reassessment of obligations under various Articles of the IWT.
• Among various concerns, important ones include change in population demographics; environmental issues — need to accelerate development of clean energy to meet India’s emission targets; impact of persistent cross-border terrorism.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: According to a new study, the Earth’s gravitational field will temporarily capture a small asteroid, called 2024 PT5, in late September. The asteroid will stay for two months before flying off into space.

Background:

• While gaining a “mini-moon” is not new for Earth, the phenomenon is rare — in most cases, asteroids either miss the planet or burn upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere.

Key takeaways

• Mini-moons are asteroids that fail to escape Earth’s gravity and end up orbiting the planet for some time.
• They are usually very small and hard to detect — only four mini-moons of Earth have ever been discovered, and none are still orbiting Earth.
• The asteroid 2024 PT5 will be temporarily captured by Earth’s gravity until around November. It will orbit Earth from September 29 to November 25 before breaking free from the planet’s gravitational pull.
• Astronomers refer to it as a “temporarily captured flyby” since it won’t complete a full orbit. In contrast, mini-moons that do complete a full orbit are known as “temporarily captured orbiters”.

About 2024 PT5

• The asteroid was discovered with the help of the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). It is estimated to be just 33 feet long and is too small to be visible to the naked eye or through typical amateur telescopes.
• 2024 PT5 has come from the Arjuna asteroid belt (a secondary asteroid belt made of space rocks that follow orbits very similar to that of Earth at an average distance to the Sun of about 150 million kilometres).
• The observations of 2024 PT5 will help scientists expand the knowledge of asteroids that pass close to the Earth and those that sometimes collide with it.
• Many asteroids contain valuable minerals and water, which companies hope to extract one day and use for purposes such as rocket fuel.

Source: Hindustan Times

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Sri Lanka’s presidential election will be held on September 21. Since it is the first time that citizens will have a chance to elect their leader after the unprecedented financial meltdown in 2022, their economic concerns are the chief poll issue.

Background: –

• This marks a departure from the nation’s last few elections that were dominated by promises of eradicating terrorism (the country’s three decade-long civil war ended in 2009), and pledges of delivering good governance, or national security. All main contenders running for president this time have promised to fix the country’s broken economy.

What happened in 2022?

• President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resorted to rash policy decisions, including significant tax cuts, an abrupt ban on chemical fertilizers, and a failure to devise a plan to meet debt repayment deadlines, especially after foreign reserves dwindled in the wake of the pandemic.
• In April 2022, Sri Lanka announced it would default on its foreign loans as the “last resort”. As the imports-reliant country ran out of dollars, essential supplies were severely hit.
• With no solution in sight, citizens took to the streets. The formidable mass uprising evicted Mr. Gotabaya from presidency. Soon after, Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected through a parliamentary vote.

When did the IMF step in?

• In March 2023, agreement for a $3-billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) was finalised. The EFF sought to restore Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, safeguard financial stability, and step up structural reforms to unlock the country’s growth potential.
• Although Sri Lanka had obtained IMF assistance 16 times earlier, this was its first agreement after defaulting on its loans. In order to meet the targets set, the government undertook various policy measures.
• It restored the taxes that were cut by the previous administration and increased the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 18% from January 2024. It went for market-pricing of fuel and energy, and agreed to “reform” state-owned enterprises, best known for their huge losses.

What is the status of Sri Lanka’s debt?

• In June this year, Sri Lanka sealed an agreement with the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), to restructure the debt owed to its bilateral lenders, and signed a separate agreement with China for debt treatment.
• The OCC is a platform comprising 17 countries including India and members of the Paris Club, that Sri Lanka has borrowed from. It was formed in May 2023 to simplify Sri Lanka’s debt negotiations following its default.
• Sri Lanka on September 19, 2024 said it reached agreements in principle to restructure approximately $14.2 billion of sovereign debt with the holders of its International Sovereign Bonds.
• On the domestic debt front, Sri Lanka’s effort at restructuring has sought to protect local banks, while transferring the burden to superannuation funds, including the Employees’ Provident Fund. The move, which diminishes the rate of return on investments and the final value of workers’ savings has been challenged in the Court.

Has the economy recovered?

• State revenue is up from 8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the crisis year to 11%. The staggering 70% inflation seen in September 2022 dropped to 5.9% in February 2024. Sri Lanka’s economy is expected to grow around 2% to 3% this year, after the near-8% contraction in 2022.
• Foreign investment of around $1.5 billion made its way last year. The tourism industry saw arrivals double, compared to 2022. Remittances showed an uptick of over 50%, amounting to nearly $6 billion in 2023. Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves rose to $5.9 billion in August 2024.
• Flagging these macroeconomic gains President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is among the contenders this election, is running on the plank of economic stability.

How do people view the government’s claim of stability?

• Affluent sections, appreciate the President’s efforts towards economic recovery. However, a majority of Sri Lankans are reeling under the enduring impact of the crisis, and the austerity measures introduced as part of the IMF-led recovery programme.
• The electricity tariff hike in 2023 threw over a million families off the grid, as they could not afford their bills.
• The reduced rate of inflation is routinely cited by the Central Bank to signal respite, but it has not softened the blow for consumers. Meanwhile, higher utility bills, mainly electricity and water, cooking gas and transport costs, have only further drained the stagnant incomes of families. Add to this the 18% VAT.

Source: The Hindu

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: The Union Cabinet approved four big-ticket space projects, including the next mission to the moon, a mission to the planet Venus, follow-ups to the ongoing Ganganyaan mission and the setting up of an Indian Space Station.

Background: –

• The approvals were in line with the Vision 2047 mapped by the space agency.

Venus mission

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is targeting a March 2028 launch for its Venus mission, timed to coincide with the closest alignment of Earth and Venus. This will be India’s second mission to a planet, after the Mars Orbiter Mission in 2014. An orbiter going around the planet will study the surface of the planet, its dust and cloud, volcanism, atmosphere and ionosphere, as well as the interaction of the planet with the sun.

Chandrayaan-4 mission

• Chandrayaan-4 mission is designed to land on the lunar surface, collect samples, store them in a vacuum container, and bring them back. The mission will also see docking and undocking — two spacecraft aligning and coming together in orbit — that India hasn’t attempted so far. India plans to send humans to the moon by 2040.

Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS)

• The Union Cabinet also approved the continuation of the Gaganyaan mission and the setting up of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). The space agency has set a deadline of December 2029 for the completion of all launches and operations of the first module of BAS.

Next Generation Launch Vehicle

• The fourth project to get approval was the building of Next Generation Launch Vehicle, which will increase Isro’s launch capability from the current 10T to the low earth orbit to 30T to the low earth orbit. This launch vehicle is one of the requirements for setting up of BAS.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of schemes of PM-AASHA scheme

Background: –

• The move aims to provide better prices to farmers and control price volatility of essential commodities for consumers.

About PM-AASHA

• The Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) is an umbrella scheme launched by the Indian government to ensure that farmers receive remunerative prices for their produce.

Components of PM-AASHA

• Price Support Scheme (PSS):
  • This scheme involves the procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and copra at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) by central agencies. The procurement is done when market prices fall below the MSP.
• Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS):
  • Under this scheme, farmers are compensated for the difference between the MSP and the actual selling price of their produce in the market. This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops.
• Market Intervention Scheme (MIS):
  • This scheme is used to procure perishable horticultural commodities in the event of a price crash. The Government has added a new option of making differential payment directly into the farmers’ account instead of physical procurement under MIS. Further, in case of TOP (Tomato, Onion & Potato) crops, to bridge the price gap between producing states and consuming states during peak harvesting time, Government has decided to bear the transportation and storage expenses for the operations undertaken by Central Agencies which will not only ensure remunerative prices to farmers but also soften the prices for consumers.
• Price Stabilization Fund (PSF):
  • The PSF aims to control price volatility of essential commodities by maintaining a buffer stock of pulses and onions. This helps in releasing these commodities strategically to stabilize prices and prevent hoarding.

Objectives and Benefits of PM-AASHA

• Ensuring Remunerative Prices: PM-AASHA aims to provide farmers with fair prices for their produce, thereby preventing distress sales and ensuring financial stability.
• Reducing Price Volatility: By maintaining buffer stocks and intervening in the market, the scheme helps stabilize prices of essential commodities, benefiting both farmers and consumers.
• Encouraging Crop Cultivation: The scheme motivates farmers to cultivate pulses, oilseeds, and other notified crops, contributing to self-sufficiency and reducing dependence on import

Source: The Hindu

Q1.) 2024 PT5, recently seen in news is

a) a Generative AI
b) a Small asteroid
c) a virus
d) None of the above

Q2.) Consider the following statements regarding the PM-AASHA scheme:

1. The Price Support Scheme (PSS) under PM-AASHA involves the procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and horticultural crops at market prices by central agencies.
2. The Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) compensates farmers for the difference between the MSP and the actual selling price without involving physical procurement.
3. The Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) helps control price volatility by maintaining buffer stocks.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 2 and 3 only

Q3.) Consider the following statements regarding the Indus Water Treaty (IWT):

1. The Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960 by India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s President Ayub Khan after negotiations mediated by the United Nations.
2. Under the IWT, India has unrestricted use of the waters of the three Eastern Rivers — Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej.
3. The treaty allocates 70% of the Indus River System’s waters to India and 30% to Pakistan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  20th September 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) –  c

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – d