Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), under the Consumer Affairs Ministry, has issued guidelines for ‘Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing and Misleading Environmental Claims’ to address greenwashing and misleading environmental claims.

Background: –

• The move is part of the government’s crackdown on misleading advertisements.

Key takeaways

• Greenwashing refers to the growing tendency of companies, organisations, or even countries to make dubious or unverifiable claims about their activities, products, or services being environment-friendly or climate-friendly. 
• Greenwashing presents a false picture of the progress being made on the climate change front while at the same time rewarding entities for irresponsible behaviour.
• The 2015 Volkswagen scandal, in which the German car company was found to have been cheating in emissions testing of its supposedly green diesel vehicles, is one of the headline-grabbing examples of greenwashing. Several other big corporations, including Shell, BP, and Coca Cola have faced accusations of greenwashing.
• Countries too, are sometimes accused of greenwashing, for example, when they exaggerate the impact of  new regulation on carbon emissions.

Guidelines on preventing greenwashing

• Use of misleading words, symbols, or imagery, emphasizing positive environmental attributes while downplaying or concealing negative aspects would constitute greenwashing.
• If a company, for example, makes the statement that its growth is based on “sustainable principles”, it would not be treated as a misleading environmental claim for the purposes of these guidelines. However, if the company claims that all its products are manufactured sustainably, then it will be examined for greenwashing.
• The Generic terms like “clean”, “green”, “eco-friendly”, “good for the planet”, “cruelty-free”,  “carbon neutral”, “natural”, “organic”, “sustainable”, or similar other descriptions for a product would be allowed only if the company is able to substantiate these with evidence. The company will also have to use “adequate and accurate” qualifiers and disclosures while advertising such descriptions.
• When more technical terms such as “environment impact assessment”, “greenhouse gas emissions”, or “ecological footprint”, are used to advertise a product or service, the companies would be mandated to explain their meaning and implications in a “consumer-friendly” language.
• The guidelines will apply to all environmental claims made by manufacturers, service providers, or traders whose goods, products, or services are the subject of an advertisement, or to an advertising agency or endorser whose service is availed for the advertisement of such goods, products, or services.

Types of Greenwashing

• Greenhushing: When a company or firms underreport or withhold information about their sustainability goals and progress.
• Green-crowding: It involves hiding in a group or crowd to avoid their unsustainable practices to be spotted.
• Greenshifting: It is an act of the company to shift the responsibility of adopting sustainable measures on consumers or individuals rather than having to take meaningful action at the corporate or brand level.
• Greenlighting: It occurs when a company spotlights a specific sustainability initiative undertaken by it to distract attention away from damaging activities.
• Greenlabelling: It is a marketing tactic adopted by companies to label their products something green or sustainable, but closer examination reveals this to be misleading.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENET EVENT

Context: A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Senate recently and is set to become a world-first law.

Background: –

• Countries including France and some U.S. states have passed laws to restrict access for minors without a parent’s permission, but the Australian ban is absolute.

Key takeaways

• The online safety amendment (social media minimum age) bill will make platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (£26 million) if they fail to prevent children under 16 from creating accounts.
• A trial of enforcement methods will start in January, with the ban to take effect in a year.
• Critics argue the government is using the policy to convince parents that it is protecting their children ahead of the general election. The government hopes voters will reward it for responding to concerns about children’s addiction to social media.
• Critics of the law fear that banning children under 16 from social media may negatively impact the privacy of users who must prove they are older than 16.
• Academics, politicians and advocacy groups have warned that the ban could backfire, driving teenagers to the dark web, or making them feel more isolated.

Additional Information

• One of the biggest challenges in implementing such bans is age verification. While platforms like Instagram have age limits at present, they simply ask users about their date of birth and do not require verification. As a result, many children enter false information to access platforms. 
• Country-specific age requirements can also be bypassed through Virtual Private Networks (VPN), which can show the Internet being accessed from a different domicile.

Source: Reuters

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – ECONOMY

Context: Minister of State for Communications, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar addressed question regarding Digital Bharat Nidhi in Lok Sabha.

Background:

• Of the more than ₹1.6 lakh crore collected by the central government under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (earlier known as the Universal Service Obligation Fund) until March 31 this year, only 51.4% allocated by the finance ministry has been fully utilised until September 30 this year.

About Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN)

• The Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) is an initiative by the Indian government aimed at enhancing telecom connectivity across rural and underserved areas in the country.

Background:

• Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF): DBN replaces the erstwhile USOF, which was established to provide telecom services in remote and rural areas at affordable prices through a universal access levy.
• Telecommunications Act, 2023: The DBN was established under this act, which replaced the Indian Telegraph Act.

Objectives:

• Enhanced Connectivity: To provide widespread and non-discriminatory access to quality ICT services at affordable prices in rural and remote areas.
• Targeted Access: To ensure equitable access to telecommunication services for underserved groups such as women, persons with disabilities, and economically and socially weaker sections.
• Research and Development: To fund research and development of telecom services, technologies, and products.

Projects and Schemes:

• BharatNet: Connecting Gram Panchayats (GPs) across India.
• 4G Saturation Project: Expanding 4G coverage to uncovered villages in rural and remote areas.
• Mobile Services in Aspirational Districts: Providing mobile services in uncovered areas of Aspirational Districts.
• Submarine Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) Connectivity: Establishing OFC connectivity between Chennai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and between Kochi and Lakshadweep Islands.

Funding:

• Funding: Telecom companies contribute to the DBN through a 5% Universal Service Levy on their Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR).

Source: Hindustan Times

Syllabus:

• Prelims – POLITY

Context: A week after a district court in Sambhal ordered a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, the town in western Uttar Pradesh has been rocked with violence. The court’s order came in a plea which claimed that Sambhal’s Jama Masjid was built on the site of a Hindu temple.

Background: –

• The claim on masjid is similar to claims made in the cases of Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, the Shahi Idgah in Mathura etc. The claims in all of these disputes essentially seek to change the religious character of a place of worship, something that is prohibited by the Place of Worship Act, 1991.

Key takeaways

• Purpose: The Act was enacted to prohibit the conversion of any place of worship and to maintain the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.

Key Provisions:

• Prohibition of Conversion (Section 3): No person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination or any section thereof into a place of worship of a different section of the same religious denomination or of a different religious denomination or any section thereof.
• Maintenance of Religious Character (Section 4): The religious character of a place of worship existing on August 15, 1947, shall continue to be the same as it existed on that day.
• Exceptions: The Act does not apply to ancient and historical monuments, archaeological sites, and remains covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also excludes cases that have already been settled or resolved and disputes that have been resolved by mutual agreement or conversions that occurred before the Act came into effect.
• Penalties (Section 6): Specifies penalties, including a maximum imprisonment term of three years and fines, for violating the Act.

Significance:

• Communal Harmony: The Act was introduced to promote communal harmony and prevent future clashes over religious sites.
• Legal Framework: It provides a legal framework to maintain the status quo of religious places of worship as they existed on Independence Day.
• Exclusion of Ayodhya Dispute: The Act does not extend to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in Ayodhya, which was already sub-judice at the time the Act was enacted.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Revenue department in Kerala has initiated steps to provide land titles (patta) to the Koraga community.

Background: –

• The initiative is aimed at addressing longstanding issues of missing land documents and undefined boundaries, which have hindered the Koraga community’s access to government housing schemes and left their lands uncultivated and forest-covered.

Key takeaways

• The Koraga tribe is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) found primarily in the southern Indian states of Karnataka and Kerala. Here are some key details about the Koraga tribe:

Geographic Distribution:

• Karnataka: The Koraga tribe is mainly found in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, often referred to as Tulunaad. They are also present in small numbers in Uttara Kannada, Shimoga, and Kodagu districts.
• Kerala: The tribe is found in the Kasaragod district.
• Current Population: According to the 2011 census, the Koraga population is estimated to be around 16,376.
• Historical Population: The population was recorded as 16,071 in the 2001 census.
• Koraga Language: The Koraga tribe has its own language, which is classified as an independent Dravidian language. However, most Koragas also speak Tulu, Kannada, and Malayalam.
• The Koraga tribe is classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) due to their primitive traits, geographical isolation, low literacy, and backwardness.
• Social Structure:
  • Clans: The Koraga tribe is divided into exogamous clans or sects known as balis.
  • Matrilineal Descent: The family structure is matrilineal, with descent reckoned along the female line. However, residence after marriage is patrilocal.
  • Property Inheritance: Property is equally divided among both sons and daughters.
• Economy:
  • Agriculture: The Koragas are primarily agriculturists, relying on forest produce such as bamboo, cane, and creepers for basketry.
  • Livelihood: They also engage in basket-making and other traditional crafts.
• Cultural Practices:
  • Folklore and Music: The Koragas have rich folklore, songs, and folk dances.
  • Rituals: They perform rituals and magics to appease their deities for bountiful crops and to ward off epidemics.
  • Bhuta Worship: They worship various Bhutas (deities) such as Panjurli, Kallurti, Korathi, and Guliga.

Source: Hindu Businessline

Q1.) Which of the following statements about the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) is/are correct?

1. DBN replaced the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to enhance telecom connectivity in rural and underserved areas.
2. It is funded by a 5% levy on the net profits of telecom companies.
3. The BharatNet project and 4G Saturation Project are implemented using the DBN. 

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

Q2.) Consider the following statements about the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991:

1. The Act prohibits the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on January 26, 1950.
2. The Ayodhya dispute was excluded from the purview of the Act.
3. The Act allows penalties, including imprisonment for violations.

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.) Which of the following statements about the Koraga tribe is/are correct?

1. The Koraga tribe is classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
2. They primarily reside in the northern states of India.
3. The Koraga tribe practices matrilineal descent and is known for their traditional craft of basket-making.

Options:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 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