In today’s daily current affairs briefing for UPSC aspirants, we explore the latest developments that hold relevance for the upcoming civil services examination. Our focus today includes a critical analysis of recent policy changes, international affairs, and national developments, all of which play a pivotal role in shaping the socio-political and economic landscape of India. Stay informed and stay ahead in your UPSC preparations with our daily current affairs updates, as we provide you with concise, well-researched insights to help you connect the dots between contemporary events and the broader canvas of the civil services syllabus.
Indian Pharmacopoeia Recognition in Suriname
Tag: GS-3 Economy
In News:
Recently, the Cabinet approves the signing of an MoU between India and Suriname in the field of the regulation of medicines
About
- India and Suriname signed MoU exemplifies the mutual commitment to collaborate closely in the realm of medicine regulation.
- It aims to recognize the importance of adhering to respective laws and regulations while ensuring the quality of medicines in both countries.
About MoU
- Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) Acceptance: The MoU solidifies the acceptance of the IP as a comprehensive book of standards for medicines in Suriname.
- Quality Control: The requirement for duplicate testing of medicines within Suriname is eliminated through the acceptance of the Certificate of Analysis issued by Indian Manufacturers adhering to the IP standards.
- Cost-effective Standards: The MoU facilitates access to IP Reference Substances (IPRS) and Impurity standards from the IPC at reasonable costs.
Significance of the MoU between India and Suriname
- Accessible Medications: Acknowledging intellectual property (IP) paves the way for the production of generic medicines in Suriname. This results in a higher availability of affordable drugs for the people of Suriname, aligning with the objective of improving public health.
- Economic Benefits: For India, recognizing the Indian Pharmacopoeia in Suriname marks a stride towards an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India). This acknowledgment facilitates the export of Indian medical products, generating foreign exchange earnings, and fortifying India’s pharmaceutical industry on the world stage.
- Enhancing Indian Pharmaceutical Exports: The acceptance of IP by Suriname eliminates the need for redundant testing and checks, providing Indian pharmaceutical exporters with a competitive advantage. The reduction in regulatory aaobstacles leads to more profitable trade for the Indian pharmaceutical sector.
- Broader International Validation: The official recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia has already extended to countries such as Afghanistan, Ghana, Nepal, Mauritius, and now, Suriname. This expansion underscores India’s endeavors to bolster its influence and collaboration in the global pharmaceutical arena.
Source: PIB Gov.
Suspensions of Members of Parliament (MPs)
Tags: GS – 2: Indian Polity (Parliament)
Why in News:
Recently, one of the MPs (Member of Parliament) of the Rajya Sabha has been suspended for “violating” the directives of the chair.
Process of Suspension of MPs:
- The role and duty of the Presiding Officer — Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairman of Rajya Sabha is to maintain order so that the House can function smoothly.
- To ensure that proceedings are conducted in the proper manner, the Speaker/ Chairman is empowered to force a member to withdraw from the House.
- Process and rules followed in Lok Sabha:
- Under Lok Sabha Rule 373, the Speaker has the authority to instruct a member to leave the House immediately.
- On the Non-compliance of the instruction, the chair names members causing disruptions under Rule 374.
- Government introduces suspension motion. The motion seeks approval of the House. If passed, the member is suspended.
- Process and rules followed in Rajya Sabha:
- Chair identifies disruptive members under Rule 256.
- A suspension motion was presented to the House. The motion requires House approval. On approval, the member is suspended.
- The House may, however, by another motion, terminate the suspension.
Implications of Suspending Members from India’s Parliament:
- Suspended members can’t participate, potentially hampering legislative activities.
- Suspended members cannot enter the chamber or attend the meetings of the committees.
- S/he will not be eligible to give notice for discussion or submission.
- S/he loses the right to get a reply to his questions.
Way Forward:
- It is difficult to deal with planned parliamentary offenses and deliberate disturbances for publicity or political reasons.
- Opposition members should play a constructive role in Parliament and they should be allowed to put forward their views and express themselves in a dignified manner.
- There is a need to strike a balance between deliberate disruption and raising the important issue.
Source: Indian Express
Gaps in Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Amendment Act
Tags: GS – 1: Indian Society (Population and associated issues)
Why in News:
Recently, the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023 has been passed by Parliament and has got the assent of the President of India.
Significant provisions of the Bill:
- The Bill makes it compulsory that the Registrar General of India maintains a national level database of births and deaths.
- The Chief Registrar of births and deaths in every State is required to maintain a State-level database of registered births and deaths ‘using the portal approved by the Registrar General of India’.
- These databases will provide information to update the National Population Register, the Aadhaar database, electoral rolls, ration card, passport, and other databases at the national level, as may be notified.
- The amendments mandate that for all deaths within medical institutions, a cause of death certificate must be forwarded to the Registrar of Births and Deaths. A copy should be provided to the closest relative.
- In cases of deaths that transpire outside of hospitals, the medical practitioner who attended to the deceased during their recent illness is responsible for issuing this certificate.
- In the case of birth, the amendments provide for collecting the Aadhaar number of the parents. Nothing is mentioned about the Aadhaar number of the deceased.
Issues with the Bill:
- Missing Deceased: Nothing is mentioned about the Aadhaar number of the deceased.
- Amendments Required by the Notified Database Accessing Authorities: If they require access to information from this database, it requires amendment in the laws.
- Listing a few databases for consideration by Parliament and leaving future additions to the government is undermining the supremacy of Parliament.
Issues with the provision related to medical practitioners issuing death certificates:
- The attending medical practitioner might not always have arrived at a definite diagnosis before the person’s passing.
- The forms used for mentioning the cause of death are in conformity with the World Health Organization recommendations while the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) systems of medicine are non-classifiable under the International Classification of Diseases.
- If a person undergoing treatment dies from an entirely different cause outside of a medical facility in the absence of the attending medical practitioner, then how can the practitioner be expected to issue a certificate of cause of death in such cases.
- Under natural calamities or accidents, the families of missing persons would have to wait for seven years to request for a certificate that says ‘presumed dead’.
Source: The Hindu
Piped Water Connection
Tags: GS-II: Government policies
In News:
Government releases key data and initiatives on piped water coverage in rural India
About Piped Water Connection
India has achieved a significant milestone in its efforts to provide clean water to rural households, with two out of every three rural households now having access to piped water connections.
In this regard, Government of India has previously launched “Jal Jeevan Mission” to connect all 194.2 million rural households in India with tap water connections by the end of 2024.
Key highlights:
- Nearly 128.5 million or 66.80% of the total rural households have functional water tap connections which was only 17% or 32.3 million at the launch of the mission in 2019.
- As per government records, nearly 55% of Scheduled Tribe rural households have been connected under the mission.
- The mission has created direct and indirect employment in rural areas and has potential of creating approximately 1,47,55,980 person-years of employment during the five-year implementation period.
- The mission intends to eliminate the burden of fetching water from distant sources for rural households.
- At present, women spend 40 minutes (one way) in Jharkhand, 33 min in Bihar, 24 min in rural Maharashtra, and 38 min in Uttar Pradesh for fetching water.
- The mission’s future efforts will prioritize expediting the installation of water infrastructure in lagging states and aspirational districts.
- It will allocate 30% weightage for challenging terrains and 10% for populations in SC/ST dominated areas when distributing funds to ensure coverage.
- It will integrate international partnerships such as collaborations with United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the Denmark government to support the Jal Jeevan Mission.
- While household connections are crucial, ensuring the long-term sustainability of water sources for consistent availability is a challenge.
- Overall, the Jal Jeevan Mission’s progress in providing piped water connections is a significant step toward improving water accessibility and reducing the burden on rural communities.
Source: Hindustan Times
Admitting new members to BRICS
Tags: GS-II: International Relations
In news:
The BRICS alliance faces challenges of becoming a tool for China’s diplomatic ambitions, creating potential complications for India
About Admitting New Members to BRICS
- BRICS was coined by Goldman Sachs economists in the early 2000s to suggest that Brazil, Russia, India, and China would eventually surpass the G6 economies in size.
- While China and India have risen in economic rankings, Brazil and Russia have fallen short with both not being even among the top 10 economies in the world.
- Expanding BRICS Membership:
- Over 40 developing countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS with countries like Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are among those seeking membership.
- Expanding membership will help increase diversity and representation from various regions besides enhanced geopolitical influence on the global stage.
- Challenges:
- New members might have varying economic sizes and development stages, potentially impacting group dynamics.
- Ensuring alignment of interests and goals among existing and new members can be challenging as addition of certain countries might lead to shifts in geopolitical dynamics within the group.
- Expansion could strengthen China’s diplomatic influence within BRICS leading to India facing complexities due to its adversarial relationship with China and alignment with Western countries.
- Thus, establishing clear criteria for new members is crucial to maintain coherence and relevance besides balancing economic strength, population size, and geopolitical importance.
- Overall, balancing inclusivity and coherence will be crucial to the group’s continued relevance and effectiveness in shaping the global agenda which at present is intriguing yet uncertain.
Source: Business
RBI’s State of the Economy report
Tag: GS-3 Monetary Policy; Growth & Development
In News:
Recently, RBI released the State Of The Economy report, which suggests that the economic momentum (on a quarter-on-quarter basis) is likely to remain healthy even as the global recovery is slowing down.
About the State of the Economy Report:
- The State of the Economy report is released by the RBI which summarises the economic status of the country and provides a record of economic progress.
- The report discusses inflation, employment status, economic growth and the central bank’s plan for managing money.
- RBI uses the key highlights of the reports to make decisions about interest rates and other economic policies, and it also assists economists, investors, and regular citizens understand the economy and make smart choices.
Key Highlights of the Report:
- Decline in merchandize exports: Merchandise exports declined by around 16% in July, falling to a nine month low $32.25 billion.
- Growth in private consumption and investment: Although the contraction in exports will drag down growth, increase in private consumption and investment activity is expected to offset that.
- Healthy signs by high-frequency indicators: Several high-frequency indicators of both demand and supply show healthy signs.
- E-way bill volumes have registered robust growth.
- FMCG sales have also improved sequentially.
- Cargo at major ports as well as railway freight traffic has picked up in July.
- Both steel and cement consumption have registered healthy growth.
- Positive investment intentions: Investment intentions closely track actual investments and serve as a useful indicator of gauging the private investment cycle. In 2022-23, investment plans were made for 982 projects with a capital outlay of Rs 3.5 lakh crore as compared to 791 projects worth Rs 1.96 lakh crore in 2021-22
- Increase in investment in infrastructure projects: Around 60% of these 982 projects financed by banks and financial institutions are in the infrastructure sector i.e. power, roads and bridges, SEZs, industrial biotech and IT park.
- Improved capex cycle: Stronger bank and corporate sector balance sheets, improving demand conditions and rising capacity utilisation rates, will bode well for the capex cycle.
Concerns highlighted by the Report:
- Weak Automobile sales: Automotive sector, with the exception of three-wheelers, remains weak.
- Increased MNREGA demands: Demand for work by households/individuals under MGNREGA is higher than last year.
- Weak domestic demands: Non-oil imports are lower than last year which indicates weak domestic demand.
- Materialisation of investments: Despite rise in investment intentions, materialisation of the investments remains a big concern.
Source: Indian Express
Impact of Geopolitics on Clean Energy Targets
Tag: GS-3 Environment Conservation
In News:
The geopolitical interests and equations of the world have detrimental effects on meeting clean energy targets, as witnessed in the case of Indonesia. Indonesia has the world’s largest reserves of nickel, however processing on nickel using Chinese investment and technology has limited its access to the United States.
About Nickel Reserves:
- Nickel is a corrosion resistant metal, hard, silvery-white metal, and is used in batteries. It is a central component of the transition away from fossil fuels.
- Nickel is mostly found in Indonesia, Phillipines, Ausralia, Canada etc. In Indonesia, most of the nickel is found on Sulawesi, a K-shaped, jungle-draped island.
- Nickel is used to make batteries for electric cars and motorcycles, a central component of the mission to limit the ravages of climate change.
The Geopolitics involved in Nickel Trade:
- Geopolitics is the interplay between geography, political power, and international relations, deciding the nature of interaction, cooperation and competition among the nations on the global stage.
- The employment of Chinese technology and investments along with concerns over working conditions and environmental standards in Nickel processing and extraction by Indonesia, has made the USA reluctant from trading with Indonesia.
- Indonesia is attempting to get a trade deal with the USA, covering minerals in an effort to secure Indonesia as a friendly country. That would generate greater demand for its nickel by making it eligible for the American tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Countering China’s technological ascension is unilaterally supported in the USA, beyond the political factions.
- On the other hand, the European Union has criticized and dragged Indonesia to the WTO for imposing a ban on the export of nickel ore. However this step led to the drawing of more than $14 billion investments by Chinese companies.
- By 2035, more than 90% of all nickel products will be processed in countries that lack free-trade agreements with the USA. This will create a major supply constraint for the American battery factories to satisfy their demand for nickel without looking to countries beyond core U.S. trading partners.
Source: Indian Express
Kalka-Shimla Railway (KSR)
Tags: GS – 1 Geography
Why in news?
The over 120-year-old Kalka-Shimla Railway (KSR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been severely damaged by heavy rainfall and landslides in Himachal Pradesh.
About:
- The Kalka–Shimla railway is a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge railway in North India which traverses a mostly-mountainous route from Kalka to Shimla.
- It is located in Haryana.
- The railway was built under the direction of Herbert Septimus Harington between 1898 and 1903 to connect Shimla, the summer capital of India during the British Raj, with the rest of the Indian rail system.
- On 8 July 2008, UNESCO added the Kalka–Shimla railway to the mountain railways of India World Heritage Site.
More Information:
- The Indian Railways introduced a luxurious seven-coach Vistadome train named Him Darshan Express in 2019 on the historic Kalka-Shimla route.
Source: Indian Express
Kanniyakumari’s Matti Banana
Tags: GS – 1 Geography
Why in news?
Recently, The Matti banana variety, native to the Kanniyakumari district was granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
About:
- It is known for its unique characteristics that thrive only in the specific climate and soil conditions of its native region.
- The Matti banana flourishes due to the area’s special conditions, producing a slightly larger-than-human finger-sized fruit with a sweet fragrance and honey-like taste that can’t be replicated elsewhere.
- There are six known types of Matti bananas, each with unique attributes like colour, aroma, and taste.
- They are indigenous to Kanniyakumari, where it thrives in the unique climate and soil.
- They are known as ‘Baby Banana’ which flourishes mainly in Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks.
- Its low total soluble solids content (TSSC) recommends it as a baby food.
- The uniqueness of the Matti banana is attributed to a combination of factors including humidity, water, temperature, soil composition, and nutrient balance.
- Types of Matti Banana:
- Nal Matti boasts a yellowish-orange colour and fine aroma, while Theyn [honey] Matti’s pulp tastes like honey.
- Kal Matti gets its name from the calcium oxalate crystals forming in its pulp and black dots on the skin.
- Nei Matti exudes the aroma of ghee, and Sundari Matti, a Matti clone, with its elongated fingers, thick peel, and creamy white rind, is facing extinction.
Source: The Hindu
Third-longest monsoonal break in this century has ended
Tags: GS –1 Geography
Why in news?
According to the regional centre of India Meteorological Department, the current monsoon break that started on August 7, 2023, has finally ended.
About:
- A monsoonal break occurs when the monsoon trough shifts northward, leading to increased rainfall along the Himalayan foothills and parts of eastern India while suppressing rainfall in other regions.
- This happens especially in the core monsoon zone area or the region stretching from Gujarat in the west-to-West Bengal and Odisha in the east, where agricultural activities are rain-fed.
- While meteorologically defined, climatologically, a monsoonal break is declared when the normalized rainfall anomaly index drops below -1 and persists for at least three consecutive days.
- The current monsoon break was influenced by the developing El Niño and the absence of sub-seasonal weather patterns that support rainfall.
- This prolonged monsoon break is concerning, especially as it coincides with a ban on rice exports, a crucial Kharif crop.
More about the news:
- This current monsoonal break makes it the third-longest for this century after 2002 and 2009.
- According to the data, in the last 73 years, there have been a total of 10 instances when the break spell has stretched over 10 days.
- The recent break had a significant impact, causing the all-India cumulative monsoon rainfall anomaly to drop from seven per cent above normal to six per cent below normal within a short period.
Source: Indian Express
North Sea Transition Authority (NTSA)
Tags: GS – 1 Geography
Why in news?
The U.K. plans to conduct more fossil fuel drilling in the North Sea, sparking concerns about its alignment with climate goals.
About:
- The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), known as the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) until March 2022, is a private company limited by shares wholly owned by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
- It is responsible for maximising the economic recovery of oil from the North Sea.
- It is empowered to license and regulate activity in relation to oil and gas in the United Kingdom, including oil and gas exploration, carbon capture and storage, and offshore gas storage.
North Sea:
- North Sea, shallow, northeastern arm of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the British Isles and the mainland of northwestern Europe.
- The sea is bordered by the island of Great Britain to the southwest and west, the Orkney and Shetland islands to the northwest, Norway to the northeast, Denmark to the east, Germany and the Netherlands to the southeast, and Belgium and France to the south.
- It is connected to the Atlantic by the Strait of Dover and the English Channel.
- Almost the entire seabed of the North Sea is a continental shelf (depth of only about 200 meters).
- The geological formations beneath the North Sea, such as porous rocks and structural traps, provide suitable environments for the collection of oil and gas reserves.
Why is offshore drilling problematic?
- Offshore drilling is problematic due to its environmental risks, including threats to marine life, biodiversity, climate change, and ocean ecosystems.
More Information:
- The 1958 Geneva Convention (which came into force in 1964) on the Continental Shelf was the first international legislation to establish the rights of countries over the continental shelves adjacent to their coastlines and paved the way for exploration in the North Sea.
Source: The Hindu
University Grants Commission releases draft for foreign educational institutes
Tags: GS – 1 Indian Society
Why in news?
Recently, The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released the draft UGC (Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2023.
About:
- The UGC’s draft “Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2023” covers various aspects such as internationally relevant curricula, academic collaboration with foreign universities, and credit recognition under twinning arrangements.
- These are the new guidelines for assessing equivalence and accrediting degrees acquired from universities abroad.
- These criteria include restrictions on degrees acquired through distance learning, online learning, and franchise agreements.
- The guidelines come as foreign universities establish campuses in India and Indian universities collaborate with international institutions for dual or joint degree programs.
Aim
- The revised draft aims to help universities and colleges plan for academic, administrative, and financial self-reliance.
- With the goal of facilitating smooth student mobility, it has developed comprehensive guidelines to create a strong and transparent framework.
- This framework will facilitate the recognition of foreign qualifications and the granting of equivalency to such credentials.
The conditions for recognizing the equivalence of qualifications obtained from foreign institutions include:
- The foreign institution should be duly recognized in its home country.
- The program must have been pursued through regular, in-person instruction (not online or distance learning).
- Entry-level requirements for admission should be similar to corresponding programs in India.
- The similarity of entry criteria will be evaluated based on factors like program duration, credit requirements, and evaluation processes.
- Equivalence of credit definition (contact hours, self-study hours, etc.) will be established first.
More Information:
- Qualifications obtained from offshore campuses under dual or joint degree programs will be recognized if they meet accreditation requirements in both the host country and the country of origin.
- Qualifications obtained through franchise arrangements will not be considered for recognition or equivalence. School-level qualifications obtained from schools affiliated with foreign boards will be recognized if pursued through regular mode and meet specific criteria.
Source: The times of India
India has started manufacturing 38 APIs
Tags: GS – 3 Indian Economy
Why in news?
India has started manufacturing 38 active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs, in the past 1.5 years.
About:
- This achievement has been facilitated through the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the pharmaceutical sector.
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs):
- APIs are the active components in a pharmaceutical drug that produces the required effect on the body to treat a condition.
- APIs are produced by processing chemical compounds.
- In a biologic drug, the active ingredient is known as a bulk process intermediate (BPI).
- In the context of drug development and manufacturing, APIs are the key active components that interact with specific receptors or target molecules in the body to bring about the desired physiological or therapeutic response.
- All drugs are made up of two core components:
- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API), which is the central ingredient, and
- Excipients.
- They are substances other than the drug that helps deliver the medication to your system.
- Excipients are chemically inactive substances, such as lactose or mineral oil.
- Example: For instance, if you have a headache, acetaminophen is the API, while the liquid in the gel-capsule or the bulk of a pill is the excipient.
More Information:
- India’s dependence on a single country for the import of 95% of these APIs was reevaluated after the 2017 border standoff with China at Doklam.
- The move towards self-reliance in producing active pharmaceutical components is seen as a strategic shift to reduce dependency on a single source for critical medical supplies.
Source: Economic Times
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