DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 31st January 2025

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: An experimental nuclear fusion reactor in China triggered a lot of excitement by keeping its operational state maintained for more than 1,000 seconds, or over 17 minutes, which is a new record.

Background: –

• Nuclear fusion is what produces the energy in the Sun, or any other star. Scientists across the world have been trying to recreate this process to produce electricity. The technology can eliminate the world’s energy crisis, and the problem of climate change, but it has not been mastered yet.

Key takeaways

• Nuclear fusion is a process where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a tremendous amount of energy. This is the same process that powers the Sun and other stars.
• How Does It Work?
  • Fusion Fuel: The most common fusion reaction involves hydrogen isotopes: Deuterium (²H) and Tritium (³H)
  • When these isotopes fuse under extremely high temperature and pressure, they form helium (⁴He) and release a neutron along with a vast amount of energy.

Conditions for Fusion – To achieve fusion, the following conditions are required:

• High Temperature: Atomic nuclei are positively charged, so they naturally repel each other due to the electrostatic force. To overcome this repulsion, extremely high temperatures (millions of degrees Celsius) and pressures are required.
• High Pressure: The plasma must be confined at high density to increase the likelihood of collisions.
• Confinement Time: The plasma must be held together long enough for fusion reactions to occur.

Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) reactor

• The Chinese reactor did not produce electricity or carry out a fusion reaction. However, the reactor managed to maintain plasma in a steady state of confinement for a long time, longer than it had previously been possible.
• Fusion require very high temperatures. At such temperatures, matter exists only in the plasma state. But such hot plasma cannot be handled by or contained in any material. Within the reactor, this plasma needs to be kept suspended in a confined space, surrounded by very strong magnetic fields acting as walls.
• Charged particles respond to magnetic fields, and this property is used to guide the flow of plasma within an enclosed space, separated from any matter. This condition, necessary for facilitating fusion reactions, is extremely delicate. Scientists have not been able to maintain these conditions for longer than a few seconds.
• Real-life electricity-generating reactors would require this state to be maintained for hours, even days, at a stretch.

Advantages of Fusion

• The fusion process produces far greater amounts of energy than any other source — one gram of fuel can yield as much energy as burning about eight tonnes of coal. 
• It uses cheap input materials, available in almost limitless supply (deuterium and tritium, two heavier isotopes of hydrogen that are used as fuel, are easily available in nature), has a zero emission footprint. 
• Unlike the fission process, it does not leave dangerous nuclear waste.

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)

• The largest fusion reactor, an international collaborative project called ITER, is coming up in southern France. 
• More than 30 countries are participating with India being one of the seven member countries contributing to the reactor’s construction and research.
• According to its current timeline, it would begin deuterium-tritium fusion reactions by 2039, producing 500 MW of fusion power.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Mains – GS 2 & GS 3

Context: Women contribute around 63 per cent of the agricultural labour force in India, yet they lack access to key resources such as land ownership, finance, and advanced farming technologies.

Background: –

• Women’s involvement in agriculture does not necessarily equate to empowerment. 

Key takeaways

• The female workforce participation rate in India reached its peak at 40.8 % in 2004-05 but has declined since. However, since 2017, the female labour force participation rate (FLPR) has seen a rising trend after years of decline.  
• The rural FLPR increased from 41.5% in 2022-23 to 47.6% in 2023-24, while the urban FLPR increased from 25.4% to 28% over the same time period.
• This growth in FLPR could be attributed to the economic recovery following covid, which prompted many women who were previously not part of the labour force to seek employment. In addition, the sudden rise in FLPR in the last few years has also been linked to economic distress.
• The rise in FLPR is largely driven by the rise in self-employment among women, especially in agriculture. This highlights the lack of non-farm job opportunities for women, with most employment opportunities for rural women remaining confined to agriculture. This leads to feminisation of agriculture. 
• Feminisation of agriculture can be interpreted  in two ways. 
  • First, it refers to an increase in the proportion of farm related work undertaken by women, including their responsibilities as smallholder cultivators or casual agricultural wage workers. 
  • Second, feminisation of agriculture can also imply an understanding of women’s control, ownership, and participation in agricultural resources and social processes. This includes women’s ownership of farmland, land rights, and decision-making powers.
• Factors such as declining production and productivity, increasing cost of inputs, higher risks of crop damage due to climate change and the growing aspirations of youth in rural areas have fueled male migration out of rural areas. As a result, women who are left behind take on farm work.

Gender disparity in land ownership

• The Agriculture Census of 2015-16 reported that while 73% of rural women workers are engaged in agriculture, only about 11.72% of the total operated area in the country is managed by female operational holders. Additionally, women’s landholdings are predominantly small and marginal.
• In India, women can acquire land through inheritance, gift, purchase, or government transfers. However, these systems are often skewed. For instance, women are more likely to be financially constrained than men to purchase land, making inheritance the major means of ownership. Yet, social biases make it difficult for women to inherit.

Towards gender equity in agriculture

• Women’s participation in paid work should not be confused with their empowerment. Women often face a “double burden of work” where they are forced to maintain a balance between paid employment and unpaid household responsibilities.
• The agrarian economy in India has been going through distress with a fall in incomes. Hence, women’s engagement in agriculture as cultivators may not be economically empowering.
• The feminisation of agriculture is often discussed alongside the feminisation of poverty or feminisation of agrarian distress.
• Unequal land distribution and the lack of land ownership among female farmers make it difficult for them to access credit and other financial resources.
• Measures like placing women at the core of policies around agriculture, equal distribution of land, equal access to mechanization, and gender-responsive climate mitigation policies would help in achieving gender equity in agriculture and empower women. 

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – GEOGRAPHY

Context: After more than 10 years, the West Bengal government gave its nod to the Teesta bridge project, which will connect Sikkim and West Bengal. The new bridge will not only help boost tourism, but is also important for strategic purposes.

Background:

• At present, there is only one British-era bridge on the Teesta linking West Bengal and Sikkim.

Key takeaways

What is the existing bridge over the Teesta?

• The Coronation Bridge was built in the memory of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth from 1937 to 1941. At that time, its construction cost over Rs 1 lakh.
• Even after more than 80 years, it remains the only link between West Bengal and Sikkim. The bridge was damaged in the 2011 earthquake, after which the Centre started planning an alternative bridge to increase connectivity between the two states on this strategically important route.
• The Doklam standoff between India and China in 2017 made the construction of a new bridge more urgent, as the Coronation bridge is the only lifeline for the armed forces to transport necessary equipment to the China and Bhutan border and military bases.

About Teesta river

• The Teesta River is a significant trans-boundary river in the Indian subcontinent, flowing through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal, and into Bangladesh.
• Origin: The Teesta River originates from the Teesta Khangtse Glacier in the eastern Himalayas, near the Pauhunri Mountain.
• Flow: The Teesta flows southward through the mountainous regions of Sikkim and West Bengal, cutting deep gorges and rapids.
• Tributaries: Major tributaries include the Rangpo River, Lachung River, Relli River, and Kanaka River on the left bank, and the Rangeet River on the right bank.
• 305 km of the river lies in India and 109 km in Bangladesh.
• Confluence: In Bangladesh, the Teesta joins the Jamuna River (a distributary of the Brahmaputra River) near Phulchhari Upazila in Gaibandha District.
• The Teesta is the largest river of Sikkim and second largest river of West Bengal after the Ganges.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – GEOGRAPHY

Context: The head of the World Health Organization called for an end to attacks on healthcare workers and facilities in Sudan after a drone attack on a hospital in Sudan’s North Darfur region killed more than 70 people and wounded dozens.

Background: –

• The war between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which broke out in April 2023 due to disputes over the integration of the two forces, has killed tens of thousands, driven millions from their homes and plunged half of the population into hunger.

Key takeaways

• Darfur is a region in western Sudan, bordering Libya, Chad, and the Central African Republic (CAR).
• The region consists of savannahs in the south and semi-arid deserts in the north.
• Darfur was an independent Sultanate (Darfur Sultanate) until it was annexed by Sudan in 1916.
• It has a history of ethnic and tribal conflicts between Arab and non-Arab African communities over land and resources.

Darfur Conflict (2003-Present):

• The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when non-Arab rebel groups (Sudan Liberation Army – SLA and Justice and Equality Movement – JEM) took up arms against the government.
• The Sudanese government, under Omar al-Bashir, supported Arab militias (Janjaweed) to suppress the rebellion.
• The conflict led to widespread human rights abuses, massacres, and genocide, with over 300,000 deaths and 2.5 million displaced.
• Following Sudan’s military coup (2021) and the civil war in 2023, violence in Darfur has escalated again.
• The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an offshoot of the Janjaweed militia, is involved in ongoing conflicts.

Source: Reuters

Syllabus:

• Prelims – ART & CULTURE

Context: Nagoba Jatara, the pilgrimage event of Mesram clan Adivasi Gonds, started at Keslapur village in north Telangana’s tribal heartland of Indervelli mandal in Adilabad district on the night of January 28.

Background: –

• Mesram clan Raj Gonds and Pardhans from far and wide, including the erstwhile composite Adilabad district, neighbouring Maharashtra and the vast tribal region in Central India, will congregate in Keslapur to celebrate the annual mega holy fete.

Key takeaways

• Nagoba Jatara is a major tribal festival celebrated by the Gond tribal community in the state of Telangana, India. It is one of the largest tribal fairs in South India.
• Who Celebrates?
  • The Gond tribe, particularly the Mesram clan, organizes and participates in the festival.
• Location: Held at Keslapur village, Indervelli Mandal, Adilabad district, Telangana.
• Time of Celebration: Takes place in January or February during the Hindu Pushya Masam (winter season).
• Religious Significance:
  • Dedicated to Nagoba, a serpent deity worshipped by the Gond community.
  • The festival marks the renewal of ties between the Gond clans and is seen as a symbol of unity and tradition.

Rituals & Events:

• Holy Water: Elder clan members collect holy water from the Godavari River and bring it to the temple. This water is used for various purification rituals.
• Nagoba Darshan & Puja:

• Worship of the Nagoba deity, performed by the Mesram priests.
• Devotees offer coconuts, jaggery, and prayers to seek blessings.

• Persa Pen Ceremony: A special ritual performed to honor the ancestors of the Gond tribes.
• Gusadi Dance: The traditional dance performed by Gond men wearing peacock feathers and tribal attire.

Source: The Hindu

Q1.) Which Indian state plays a key role in the Teesta River water-sharing issue with Bangladesh?

a) Assam
b) West Bengal
c) Arunachal Pradesh
d) Meghalaya

Q2.) The Darfur region, often in the news due to conflict, is located in which country?

a) Chad
b) Sudan
c) Ethiopia
d) South Sudan

Q3.) Nagoba Jatara, one of the biggest tribal festivals in South India, is mainly celebrated by which tribal community?

A) Santhal
B) Gond
C) Bhil
D) Munda

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) – a

Q.3) – b