DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th February 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Science

Context: Kerala recently initiated Operation AMRITH (Antimicrobial Resistance Intervention for Total Health). This programme enforces rule mandating a doctor’s prescription for acquiring any class of antibiotics.

Background:-

• Kerala has pioneered many public health initiatives in the country with significant investment in the sector

About ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

• Antimicrobials – including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics – are medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants.
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.
• As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.
• AMR occurs naturally over time, usually through genetic changes. Antimicrobial resistant organisms are found in people, animals, food, plants and the environment (in water, soil and air).
• They can spread from person to person or between people and animals, including from food of animal origin.
• The main drivers of antimicrobial resistance include the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials; lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for both humans and animals; poor infection and disease prevention and control in health-care facilities and farms; poor access to quality, affordable medicines, vaccines and diagnostics; lack of awareness and knowledge; and lack of enforcement of legislation.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: Kerala recently initiated Operation AMRITH (Antimicrobial Resistance Intervention for Total Health). This programme enforces rule mandating a doctor’s prescription for acquiring any class of antibiotics.

Background:-

• Schedule H1 is particularly relevant to prevent misuse of drugs, one of the causes of antimicrobial resistance.

Schedule H and H1

• The Drugs and cosmetic Act, 1940 was passed in British India to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and sale of drugs in the country. After Indian independence, the Act underwent various amendments from time to time.
• The act classifies drugs into different schedules.

What are Schedule H Drugs?

• This schedule contains a list of drugs that can be sold only against the prescription of a registered medical practitioner. Another provision needs to be followed is that, only the required amount of medications mentioned in the prescription can be dispensed. These drugs can be supplied only to the licensed parties.
• The drug label must exhibit the text “Rx” and Schedule H drug warning: To be sold by retails on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practioner only.

Why was Schedule H1 Introduced

• A newer category created in 2013 as a sub-classification of Schedule H. These drugs are also prescription-only but face additional regulations compared to Schedule H.
• The schedule H1 drugs was mainly created to restrict the selling of antibiotics through over the counter (OTC) sales, after it was noted that any number of these drugs could be bought from pharmacies across India without any limitations.
• Irrational prescribing of antibiotics and other drugs by doctors and chemists lacking a registered pharmacist has contributed to the increasing antibiotics resistance and tolerance of psychotropics.
• The Supply of a drug specified in Schedule H1 shall be recorded in a separate register at the time of the supply giving the name and address of the prescriber, the name of the patient, the name of the drug and the quantity supplied and such record shall be maintained for three years and be open for inspection.
• Both Schedule H and H1 drugs are prescription-only, but Schedule H1 has stricter regulations due to the specific types of drugs included and the potential for misuse or public health concerns. The additional labeling and record-keeping requirements for Schedule H1 aim to enhance control and ensure responsible usage of these medications.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Science

Context: Researchers have reported chromosomal disorders discovered from prehistoric skeletal remains, dating up to approximately 5,500 years old — including six cases of Down syndrome and one case of Edwards syndrome.

Background:

• There have only been a few documented cases of Down syndrome in ancient individuals, largely owing to difficulties in identifying genetic disorders without modern techniques for analysing ancient DNA samples

About Trisomy:

• Chromosomes are the threadlike structures in cells that hold genes. Genes carry the instructions needed to make every part of a baby’s body.
• When an egg and sperm join and form an embryo, their chromosomes combine. Each baby gets 23 chromosomes from the mother’s egg and 23 chromosomes from the father’s sperm — 46 in total.i.e.humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
• Trisomy is a chromosomal abnormality where an individual has three copies of a particular chromosome instead of the usual two copies.
• This can occur in any chromosome, but some are more common than others.
• The most common type of trisomy is trisomy 21, also known as Down syndrome. Other common types include trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) and trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome). These conditions can cause a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities, although the severity of symptoms can vary widely from person to person.

Source:  The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: India completely stops Ravi River water flow to Pakistan.

Background:

• The completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage diverts water from the Ravi River to benefit Jammu and Kashmir. This project, under the Indus Waters Treaty, aids irrigation and hydropower generation, contributing to agricultural and economic growth in the region.

About INDUS WATER TREATY

• The Indus Water Treaty is a water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960.
• The treaty was signed by then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan.
• The treaty deals with the river Indus and its five tributaries, classified into two categories:
• Eastern rivers: Ravi, Beas, Sutlej
• Western rivers: Indus, Chenab, Jhelum
• India got control over the eastern rivers, while Pakistan got control over the western rivers.
• The treaty allows India to use the western river waters for limited irrigation use and unlimited non-consumptive use.
• A Permanent Indus Commission was set up by the United Nations for resolving any disputes that may arise in water sharing.
• India has undertaken several water management projects, including the construction of storage facilities such as the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, Pong and Pandoh Dam on the Beas, and Thein (Ranjit Sagar) on the Ravi.
• These initiatives, coupled with projects like the Beas-Sutlej link and the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project, have enabled India to utilize nearly its entire share (95%) of waters from the eastern rivers.

Source: Times of India

Previous Year Question

Q1. Consider the following pairs:

Reservoirs                         States

1. Ghataprabha                  Telangana
2. Gandhi Sagar                 Madhya Pradesh
3. Indira Sagar                    Andhra Pradesh
4. Maithon                           Chhattisgarh

How many pairs given above are not correctly matched?

1. Only one pair
2. Only two pairs
3. Only three pairs
4. All four pairs

Syllabus

• Prelims -Polity

Context:The Union Government has recently agreed to examine how the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution can be implemented in Ladakh’s context.

Background:

• Ladakh was converted into a Union Territory (UT) without a Legislative Assembly after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 was revoked by Parliament in August 2019. The erstwhile state was split into the UTs of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. It is estimated that more than 90% of Ladakh’s population is tribal.

About SIXTH SCHEDULE

• The Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution contains provisions related to the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
• The Sixth Schedule was enacted by the Constituent Assembly in 1949 to safeguard the rights of the tribal population through the formation of Autonomous District Councils.

Key Features:

1. Autonomous Districts and Regions:

• The tribal areas in these four states have been constituted as autonomous districts.
• If there are different tribes in an autonomous district, the governor can divide the district into several autonomous regions.

2. Governor’s Powers:

• The Governor of the state is empowered to determine the area or areas as administrative units of the Autonomous Districts and Autonomous Regions.
• The Governor has the power to create a new Autonomous District/Region or alter the territorial jurisdiction or the name of any Autonomous District or Autonomous Region.

1. District and Regional Councils:

• Each Autonomous District has a District Council consisting of not more than thirty members, out of which four are nominated by the Governor while the rest are elected on the basis of adult franchise.
• Each autonomous region also has a separate regional council.

1. Tribal Areas under Sixth Schedule:

• The tribal areas under the Sixth Schedule are divided into four parts:
• Part I (Assam): The North-Cachar Hills District, The Karbi-Anglong District, The Bodoland Territorial Area District.
• Part II (Meghalaya): The Khasi Hills District, The Jaintia Hills District, The Garo Hills District.
• Part II-A (Tripura): The Tripura Tribal Areas District.
• Part III (Mizoram): The Chakma District, The Mara District, The Lai District

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains- Environment

Context: The Green Hydrogen R&D Scheme has recently launched by the Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy.

Background:

• The R&D projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission encompass Mission Mode projects (0 – 5 years), Grand Challenge projects (0 – 8 years), and Blue-Sky projects (0 – 15 years). Additionally, Centres of Excellence will be identified and supported under the mission, with an initial focus on Mission Mode projects.

About Green Hydrogen

• The Green hydrogen is a form of hydrogen that is produced using renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar power.
• It is produced by the electrolysis of water, which involves passing an electric current through water to split it into hydrogen and oxygen. This process results in a clean and climate-neutral fuel.
• The National Green Hydrogen Mission is an initiative by the Indian government with the aim of making India a global hub for the production, usage, and export of green hydrogen.

Key Aspects of the Mission

• Objective: The mission’s overarching goal is to decarbonize the economy, reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports, and enable India to assume technology and market leadership in green hydrogen.
• Production and Export Goals: The mission aims to build capabilities to produce at least 5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of green hydrogen per annum by 2030, with the potential to reach 10 MMT per annum with the growth of export markets.
• Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT): In the initial stage, two distinct financial incentive mechanisms are proposed with an outlay of ₹ 17,490 crore up to 2029-30: Incentive for manufacturing of electrolysers and incentive for production of green hydrogen.
• Pilot Projects: The mission includes an outlay for pilot projects in areas like low carbon steel, mobility, and shipping.
• Green Hydrogen Hubs: The mission plans to identify and develop regions capable of supporting large scale production and/or utilization of hydrogen as Green Hydrogen Hubs.
• Public-Private Partnership for R&D: The mission establishes the Strategic Hydrogen Innovation Partnership (SHIP), which involves creating a dedicated R&D fund with contributions from industry and government institutions
• Enabling Policy Framework: Various policy provisions will be extended for Green Hydrogen projects, including waiver of interstate transmission charges for renewable energy used for Green Hydrogen production, facilitating renewable energy banking, and time-bound grant of Open Access and connectivity.

Applications of Green hydrogen

• Energy Storage: Green hydrogen can be stored and used to generate electricity when needed, making it a potential solution for storing excess energy from renewable sources.
• Fuel for Transportation: Green hydrogen can be used as a fuel in vehicles, providing a sustainable mobility alternative. It is being used in cars, mining vehicles, trains, aircraft, lorries, buses, and even maritime transport.
• Industrial Processes: Green hydrogen can replace current hydrogen feedstocks in various industrial processes. It can be used for industrial heating practices, chemical production, iron and steel production, food production, semiconductor manufacturing, and as a fuel source in oil and gas refineries.
• Decarbonization of Heavy Industries: Green hydrogen can help decarbonize sectors such as shipping and transportation, as well as manufacturing industries such as steel and chemicals, where it can constitute an important raw material as well as a fuel.

Source: The Hindu

Q1.) Consider the following Industrial Process:

1. Steel Production
2. Chemical Production
3. Oil refineries

Green hydrogen is expected to play a significant role in how many of the above industries?

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

Q2.)The provisions in Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule in the Constitution of India are made in order to

1. protect the interests of Scheduled Tribes
2. determine the boundaries between States
3. determine the powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats
4. protect the interests of all the border States

Q3.) Consider the following pairs:

Reservoirs                 Rivers

1. Bhakra                      Sutlej
2. Pong                         Beas
3. Thein                        Ravi

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

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 ’  26th February  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – d

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – b