DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 9th November 2024

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – POLITY

Context: National Legal Services Day is observed in India every year on November 9.

Background: –

• Article 39A of the Constitution of India: It provides that State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disability.

Key takeaways

• The Supreme Court of India established National Legal Services Day in 1995 to provide free legal assistance and support to society’s most vulnerable section. 
• The day emphasizes empowering marginalised communities, highlighting the importance of equal access to justice, and advocating that no one should be deprived of legal representation due to economic disadvantages.
• It aims to bridge the gap between the law and people in greatest need through a variety of activities organised by NALSA and other legal entities, including legal awareness programs, workshops, and camps.
• In 1987 Legal Services Authorities Act was enacted to give a statutory base to legal aid programmes throughout the country on a uniform pattern. This Act was finally enforced on 9th of November, 1995 after certain amendments were introduced therein by the Amendment Act of 1994.

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)

• The NALSA has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society. 
• It organizes Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes. It also monitors and reviews various legal aid programs and  provides rules and principles for legal services under the Act.
• NALSA also distributes funding and grants to state legal services authorities and non-profit organisations to help them execute legal aid systems and initiatives.
• Hon’ble Chief Justice of India is the Patron-in-Chief and NALSA is housed at Supreme Court of India

State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) & District Legal Services Authority (DLSA)

• The State Legal Services Authority is established in every state to implement NALSA policies and provide free legal services, including Lok Adalats.
• The State Legal Services Authority is headed by Hon’ble Chief Justice of the respective High Court who is the Patron-in-Chief of the State Legal Services Authority.
• Similarly, in every District, District Legal Services Authority has been constituted to implement Legal Services Programmes in the District. The District Legal Services Authority is chaired by the District Judge of the respective district and is situated in the District Courts Complex in every District.

Who is Eligible for Getting Free Legal Services?

• Under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act every person who has to file or defend a case shall be entitled to legal services under this Act if that person is: 
  • Women and children; Members of SC/ST, Industrial workmen; Victims of mass disaster, violence, flood, drought, earthquake, industrial disaster; Disabled persons; Persons in custody.
  • If that person is related to section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 (53 of 1986) or in a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home within the meaning of clause (g) of section 2 of the Mental Health Act, 1987 (14 of 1987)
  • Those persons who have annual income of less than the amount prescribed by the respective State Government, if the case is before any court other than the Supreme Court, and less than Rs. 5 Lakhs, if the case is before the Supreme Court.
  • Victims of Trafficking in Human beings or begar.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has sent a letter of intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), expressing its desire to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in India.

Background: –

• After submitting the ‘Letter of Intent’, India advances from the ‘Informal Dialogue’ to the ‘Continuous Dialogue’ stage of the host election process. During this stage, the IOC performs a ‘feasibility study’ on the status of Games-related projects in the possible host country.

Key takeaways

• Confirming the contents of the letter, officials involved said it has dipped into the country’s “vast cultural diversity, shaped by thousands of years of history”.
• The entire nation is united in this dream by the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — a Sanskrit phrase that means ‘the world is one family’ — and to seek peace, friendship and collective progress among all nations. This is India’s and our Olympic bid’s message to the world at a time when it is needed most,” it says, according to sources.
• India is the “only major economy yet to host the Games”, the letter says.
• Apart from highlighting the possibility of the Games serving as a “critical catalyst for India’s continued rise on the global stage”, the letter also talks about the “transformative economic, social and cultural impact in wider SAARC nations in South Asia”.
• India is learnt to have told the IOC that “there are over 600 million Indians under the age of 25” and “in India’s current stage of economic development, the Games would serve as a powerful force for job creation and business opportunities, particularly in sectors connected to sports infrastructure, services and tourism”.
• India is one of the many countries in contention to host the Olympic Games in 2036, the earliest available slot after the Los Angeles Games in 2028 followed by Brisbane in 2032. A decision, following a long-drawn process, is not expected before 2026 or 2027, the IOC has said.
• While there is no mention of a host city in the letter of intent, Ahmedabad is considered to be the frontrunner.
• India’s primary contenders are likely to be Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as there is an unwritten law of continent rotation, with the 2036 Games scheduled for Asia following Paris 2024 (Europe), Los Angeles 2028 (Americas), and Brisbane 2032 (Oceania).

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – ECONOMY

Context: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) recently announced a change to the decade-old practice of releasing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data at 5:30 pm on the 12th of each month. The new release time is now set to 4 pm.

Background:

• While retail inflation data has always been released on a monthly basis, the wholesale inflation data was released weekly till December 2012. Now, it’s released on the 14th of every month around noon.

Key takeaways

• Back in 2013, there were reports of data getting leaked before the official release time that had led to many representations to the Ministry to keep the timing of the data release after the market hours. The retail inflation and IIP data used to be released around 11-11:30 am on the 12th of every month till June 2013.
• Retail inflation data, which is a closely watched indicator for the Indian economy, would then become a crucial input for trading and taking positions in markets, especially in the forex and government bond markets.
• After the representations were made about data leaks at that time, the Ministry then changed the release time for the retail inflation and IIP data to 5:30 pm from July 2013 onwards. The timing was changed keeping in mind that the forex and government bond markets close at 5 pm.
• Now, the new change has been introduced “to provide more time on the day of release to access CPI (Consumer Price Index) & IIP (Index of Industrial Production) data, according to the ministry.
• The Ministry stated that the new release time aligns with the closing hours of major financial markets in India, “ensuring that CPI data dissemination does not interfere with active trading”. “This adjustment also adheres to MoSPI’s commitment to transparency and accessibility in data dissemination,” it said. 
• Analysts, however, point to the fact that while the stock markets may close by the 4pm release time, some financial markets such as the government bond and the foreign exchange markets, which are also sensitive to inflation data releases, remain open till 5 pm, The suggestion, therefore, is that the release time of 4 pm still does means the data could be sensitive, given the extended timings of the bond market and the currency market.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: Researchers has discovered a novel strain of cyanobacteria, or algae, isolated from volcanic ocean vents that is especially adept at growing rapidly in the presence of CO2  and readily sinks in water, making it a prime candidate for biologically-based carbon sequestration projects.

Background: –

• The strain, nicknamed “Chonkus,” was found off the coast of the island of Vulcano in Sicily, Italy — an environment in which marine CO2 is abundant due to shallow volcanic vents. 

Key takeaways

• Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are a group of photosynthetic bacteria found in various aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
• They are some of the oldest organisms on Earth and played a crucial role in the oxygenation of the Earth’s atmosphere during the Great Oxygenation Event around 2.5 billion years ago.
• Structure:
  • They are prokaryotic organisms (lack a nucleus) and differ from true algae, which are eukaryotic.
  • They contain chlorophyll a and other pigments like phycocyanin and phycoerythrin, giving them their blue-green color.
• Photosynthesis:
  • Cyanobacteria are capable of oxygenic photosynthesis (producing oxygen), similar to plants, as they have chlorophyll.
  • They are autotrophic, meaning they produce their own food using sunlight.
• Nitrogen Fixation: Certain cyanobacteria, such as Anabaena and Nostoc, have specialized cells called heterocysts that can fix atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which is essential for soil fertility.
• Habitat: They are found in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments. They can thrive in extreme conditions, including hot springs, polar regions, and deserts.

Ecological Importance:

• Primary Producers: Cyanobacteria form the base of the food chain in many aquatic ecosystems and contribute significantly to global primary production.
• Role in Nitrogen Cycle: Through nitrogen fixation, they improve soil fertility and support plant growth, especially in rice paddy fields.
• Oxygen Production: They played a critical role in oxygenating the Earth’s atmosphere billions of years ago, enabling the evolution of aerobic (oxygen-breathing) organisms.
• Formation of Stromatolites: Cyanobacteria contribute to the formation of stromatolites, which are layered rock structures and some of the oldest known fossils, providing evidence of early life on Earth.

Potential Hazards:

• Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs): Under nutrient-rich conditions, cyanobacteria can proliferate and form blooms, known as harmful algal blooms (HABs), which produce toxins dangerous to aquatic life and humans.
• Cyanotoxins: Certain species produce cyanotoxins (e.g., microcystins) that can contaminate drinking water sources, posing health risks.

Source: Harvard

Syllabus:

• Prelims – POLITY

Context: Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), Ministry of Women and Child Development celebrates November as National Adoption Awareness Month to promote legal adoptions in the country

Background: –

• The theme for Adoption Awareness Month 2024 is “Rehabilitation of Older Children through Foster Care and Foster Adoption”.

Key takeaways

• The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. 
• Established in 1990, it serves as the nodal agency for the adoption of Indian children, overseeing and regulating both in-country and inter-country adoptions.

Key Functions of CARA:

• Regulation of Adoption Procedures: CARA monitors and regulates the adoption process for orphaned, abandoned, and surrendered children, ensuring adherence to standardized protocols. 
• Implementation of the Hague Convention: Designated as the Central Authority under the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption (1993), CARA manages international adoption cases in compliance with international standards. 
• Accreditation of Agencies: CARA accredits and supervises Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs) across India, ensuring they meet required standards for child care and adoption services. 
• Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS): CARA operates CARINGS, an online platform that facilitates transparency and efficiency in the adoption process by connecting prospective adoptive parents with available children.

Source: PIB

Q1.) Consider the following statements regarding the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA):

1. CARA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.
2. CARA is the designated Central Authority for managing inter-country adoptions in India under the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption.
3. CARA exclusively oversees adoption services within India and has no role in international adoption procedures.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

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

1. Cyanobacteria are capable of nitrogen fixation, which can enhance soil fertility.
2. They are prokaryotic organisms and are different from eukaryotic algae.
3. Cyanobacteria perform anoxygenic photosynthesis, releasing sulfur instead of oxygen as a byproduct.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Q3.) Consider the following statements about National Legal Services Day and the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987:

1. National Legal Services Day is observed on November 9 each year to provide free legal assistance and empower marginalized communities.
2. The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, was enacted to establish a uniform pattern for legal aid programs throughout India.
3. Article 39A of the Indian Constitution mandates that the State shall provide free legal aid and promote justice based on equal opportunity.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) –  b

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – b