In news:

The Nobel Prize in physics for 2022 has been awarded to Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger for their work on quantum mechanics.

About the Nobel Prize

• The three scientists have won “for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science”.
• The three conducted a series of experiments on something called entangled quantum states, where two separate particles behave like a single unit.

• The laureates’ development of experimental tools has laid the foundation for a new era of quantum technology, as being able to manipulate and manage quantum states and all their layers of properties gives us access to tools with unexpected potential.
• Their pathbreaking results will have implications in the fields of quantum computers, quantum networks and secure quantum encrypted communication.

What is quantum mechanics?

• Quantum mechanics is a science dealing with the behaviour of matter and light on the atomic and subatomic scale.
• It attempts to describe and account for the properties of molecules and atoms and their constituents—electrons, protons, neutrons, and other more esoteric particles such as quarks and gluons.

• • These properties include the interactions of the particles with one another and with electromagnetic radiation (i.e., light, X-rays, and gamma rays).
• Quantum mechanics differs from classical physics in that:
  • Energy, momentum, angular momentum, and other quantities of a bound system are restricted to discrete values (quantization).
  • Objects have characteristics of both particles and waves (wave–particle duality)
  • There are limits to how accurately the value of a physical quantity can be predicted prior to its measurement, given a complete set of initial conditions (the uncertainty principle).

Source:

• Nobel Prize in Physics announced: The winners’ work, its significance
• What Is Quantum Physics?

Image source:

• https://twitter.com/bgreene/status/1577267900859092995/photo/1
• https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_California_Davis/UCD_Chem_107B%3A_Physical_Chemistry_for_Life_Scientists/Chapters/4%3A_Quantum_Theory/4.09%3A_Quantum-Mechanical_Tunneling

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In News:

The Central Government has been planning to revamp the Standing Committees of Parliament

About the News:

• Government has recently notified changes to the Standing Committees of Parliament which has come under criticism and is expected to deteriorate the relationship between the administration and opposition parties.
• A significant amount of legislative business ends up taking place in the Parliamentary Committees instead due to political polarisation and the dwindling middle ground, which have caused increasingly combative debates in Parliament.
• Of the 22 committees announced recently, the opposition has the post of chairperson in only one, and the second largest opposition party, none.
• The ruling party which is running the government has the chairmanship of most of the important committees including Home, Finance, IT, Defence and External Affairs.
• Parliamentary committees work closely with multiple Ministries, and facilitate inter-ministerial coordination and plays the significant roles including value-addition, scrutiny of demands for grants of Ministries/departments, examining Bills pertaining to them and looking into the long-term plans and reports of the Parliament.

Parliamentary Committees:

• About: A Parliamentary Committee is a panel of Members of Parliament (MPs) that are appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker, and works under the direction of the Speaker.
• Objective: The aim was to increase Parliamentary scrutiny, and to give members more time and a wider role in examining important legislation.
• Status: Parliamentary Committees have their origins in the British Parliament while they draw their authority from Article 105, which deals with the privileges of MPs, and Article 118, which gives Parliament authority to make rules to regulate its procedure and conduct of business.
• Need: The process of law making is often complex, and Parliament has limited time for detailed discussions. Thus, PCs provides platform for detailed legislative discussions.
• Importance: With increased political polarisation and shrinking middle ground debates in the parliament has been increasingly rancorous and inconclusive debates in Parliament — as a result a great deal of legislative business ends up taking place in the Parliamentary Committees.
• More space: The time to speak on a Bill is allocated according to the size of the party in the House. MPs often do not get adequate time to put forward their views in Parliament, even if they are experts on the subject. Committees are small groups with relatively less demands on their time; in these meetings, every MP gets a chance and the time to contribute to the discussion.
• Flexible: Parliament has only around 100 sittings a year; Committee meetings are independent of Parliament’s calendar.
• More freedom: Since the discussions of PCs are confidential and off-camera, party affiliations usually do not come in the way of MPs speaking their minds in ways they are unable to do in Parliament, whose proceedings are telecast live and members are often constrained to speak to their constituencies.
• Summons: An invitation to appear before a Parliamentary Committee is equivalent to a summons from a court and if one cannot come, he or she has to give reasons, which the panel may or may not accept. However, the chairman should have the support of the majority of the members to summon a witness.
• Tenure: MPs typically have a one-year tenure on Parliamentary Committees and usually the composition of a committee remains more or less the same in terms of representation of the various parties.

Various Committees of Parliament:

• Financial Committees: These committees were constituted in 1950 and it includes the Estimates Committee, Public Accounts Committee, and the Committee on Public Undertakings.
• Departmentally Related Standing Committees: These committees came into being in 1993 with an objective to examine budgetary proposals and crucial government policies. The number of Committees has increased to 24 from 17 and each of these Committees has 31 members — 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.
• Ad hoc Committees: These are appointed for a specific purpose and they cease to exist after they have completed the task assigned to them, and have submitted a report to the House. Examples, Railway Convention Committee, Committee on Food Management and Security in Parliament House Complex, etc.
• Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC): Parliament also constitute JPCs with a special purpose, with members from both Houses, for detailed scrutiny of a subject or Bill. Either of the two houses can set up a committee with members from that House and they usually cease after they have submitted their report.

Source:

• https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-politics/parliament-committees-and-their-role-in-law-making-8191768/

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Context

• The preservation of biodiversity depends on managing forests largely for economic gain.
• Mainstreaming biodiversity in such ‘production forests’ is paramount.
• The role of forests in maintaining biodiversity is explicitly recognised by the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030.
• In 2019, FAO adopted the Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agricultural Sectors.
• The majority of the world's terrestrial biodiversity may be found in forests, which also store an estimated 296 gigatonnes of carbon and encompass 31% of the planet's land area.

About the Report

• The report was released on October 6, 2022 at the on 8th World Forest Week, which took place alongside the 26th COFO session in Rome, Italy, from October 3–7, 2022.
• The non-profit Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), which serves as the principal center for the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees, and Agroforestry, collaborated with FAO to produce it.
• CGIAR is a global partnership that unites international organisations engaged in research about food security.

Key Points from the Report

Significance of Forests:

• The world’s forests provide habitats for about 80 per cent of amphibian species, 75 per cent of bird species and 68 per cent of mammal species.
• In addition, about 60 per cent of all vascular plants occur in tropical forests.

Concerns raised:

• According to the report, forests and their biodiversity are disappearing at an alarming rate.
• Around 10 million hectares of rich biodiversity are lost to deforestation each year, mostly for agricultural development, making it the leading cause of biodiversity loss.
• Other threats include: Forest fires, invasive species, climate change, desertification, overharvesting of timber, and invasive species.

Evaluation:

• The report evaluated various tools and techniques for ensuring that forest policy, strategy, and management incorporate biodiversity protection and sustainable usage.

Highlighted Best Practices:

• The report investigated lessons learned and highlighted best practices through a series of case studies from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Finland, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a case from Scotland).
  • These countries case studies demonstrated that there has been significant progress made in integrating biodiversity into producing forest management.
  • On the other hand, the world's biodiversity is still declining.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo: The involvement of Indigenous Peoples, local communities and the private sector in biodiversity management should be a priority and laws, policies and national strategies for biodiversity conservation should take into account forests other than protected areas.
• Ethiopia: There are significant gaps including a lack of information on species that need to be conserved and poor definitions of institutional mandates and tools for cross-sectoral collaboration.

Key Recommendations from the Report

• The report recommended various measures and actions that governments and development partners can take to facilitate the mainstreaming of biodiversity in forest management: 
  • Halting and reversing deforestation
  • Combating illegal and unregulated forest activities
  • Recognising the forest tenure of Indigenous Peoples and local communities
  • Preventing the conversion of natural forests into mono-specific forest plantations
  • Ensuring the sustainable management of harvested species
  • Managing and controlling invasive and overabundant species
  • Leveraging global momentum on restoration to enhance biodiversity conservation
  • Adopting a multi-sectoral perspective
  • Providing economic incentives
  • Facilitating market-based instruments
  • Investing in knowledge and capacity development

Content Source Link: 

• https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/sustainable-forestry-paramount-for-biodiversity-conservation-fao-85345,

Image Source Link:

• https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.afd.fr%2Fen%2Factualites%2Fcan-we-mainstream-biodiversity-all-projects&psig=AOvVaw2cDrxcVoK55De0MnEhGbZf&ust=1665461821681000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwiimbXz5tT6AhVfi9gFHcHtAU0Qr4kDegQIARBX,

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• Context: Over the past 25 years, the QCI has created various boards viz- NABL, NABH, NABCB, NABET and NBQP to take over the functions of accreditation and quality promotion.
• The Council was set up in 1997 jointly by the government, Assocham, CII and FICCI, as an independent autonomous organization which become the national accreditation body.
• QCI is a non-profit organization registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry was designated as the nodal point for all matters connected with quality and QCI to structure and help implementation of the Cabinet decision.
• QCI has been established to create a mechanism for independent third-party assessment of products, services and processes. It plays a pivotal role at the national level in propagating, adoption and adherence to quality standards in all important spheres of activities.
• The QCI has created various boards to take over the functions of accreditation and quality promotion. The boards are
  • National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB),
  • National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET),
  • National Accreditation Board for Hospitals Healthcare Providers (NABH),
  • National Board for Quality Promotion (NBQP) and
  • National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)

Source:

• https://www.news18.com/news/business/quality-council-of-india-completes-25-years-to-celebrate-silver-jubilee-on-thursday-details-here-6103729.html

Image source:

• https://nabet.qci.org.in/eiafile/LMCPresentation.pdf

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• Context: The first week of October marks the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Basilica of Our Lady of Graces, one of India’s 23 minor basilicas situated in Sardhana in Uttar Pradesh, built by Begum Samru.
• Begum Samru, was a Muslim who converted to Catholicism, a nautch-girl (dancing girl) who became a warrior and an aristocrat and was the supreme commander of 3,000 troops, including at least a hundred European mercenaries, in 18^th-century northern India.
• Her original name was Zeib-un-Nissa. She was adventurous, crafty and ruthless. After her marriage to Sombre Sahib (an Austrian mercenary), she took the name "Samru".
• From abject poverty she rose to be an independent ruler for 55 years and was popularly known as the only Catholic queen of India.
• Begum Samru built one of the largest churches of the time in north India, in Sardhana known today as the Basilica of Our Lady of Graces - one of the 23 minor basilicas of India, and the only one in the north, after the church was bestowed the status by Pope John XXIII in 1961. It was completed in 1822.
• The structure consists of a blend of architectural styles, of Indian and Islamic features added to a European cross-plan church. The church’s domes lie next to large steeples reminiscent of Islamic minarets, while the central altar contains pietra dura or parchinkari designs that are found in the Taj Mahal and Red Fort.
• The Church was designed after the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and built by the Italian architect named Antonio Reghellini.
• The Church also has an 18-foot sculpture of the Begum holding court, surrounded by her Indian and European courtiers.

Source:

• https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/begum-samru-nautch-girl-turned-ruler-sardhana-8195321/

Image source:

• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/india-forgotten-power-broker-begum-samru

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• Context: The RBI has recently launched an advanced supervisory system called DAKSH
• It is a web-based end-to-end workflow application through which RBI will monitor compliance requirements in a more focused manner with the objective of further improving the compliance culture in Supervised Entities (SEs) like Banks, NBFCs, etc.
• This initiative includes adoption of the latest data and analytical tools as well as leveraging technology for implementing more efficient and automated work processes.
• The application will also enable seamless communication, inspection planning and execution, cyber incident reporting and analysis, provision of various MIS reports , through a Platform which enables anytime-anywhere secure access.
• It is also called Advanced Supervisory Monitoring System and is expected to make the Supervisory processes more robust.
• How is the data collated?

1. An integrated data structure for the SEs has been developed by consolidating and optimising the present framework of returns.
2. Data collection from the banks is being further rationalised as part of Centralised Information Management System (CIMS).

• Why is this needed?

The Banking Regulation Act, 1949 empowers the Reserve Bank of India to inspect and supervise commercial banks. DAKSH app is a step forward to fulfill this role.

SOURCES:

• https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/FS_PressRelease.aspx?prid=54503&fn=2
• https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-cm/rbi-launches-advanced-supervisory-monitoring-system-daksh-122100700211_1.html#:~:text=%22DAKSH%20is%20a%20web%2Dbased,%2C%20etc%2C%22%20it%20said
• https://investmentguruindia.com/TopNews/RBI-launches-advanced-supervisory-monitoring-system-DAKSH

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• Context: The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has recently received approval from the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to set up a social stock exchange (SSE) as a separate segment of the 
• A Social Stock Exchange allows the listing of a Non-Profit Organization on stock exchanges that provide an alternative fund-raising structure.
• The idea of the Social Stock Exchange (SSE)as a platform for listing social enterprise, voluntary and welfare organisations so that they can raise capital, was mooted in the Union Budget 2019-20.
  • Social enterprisecan be defined as a non-loss; non-dividend paying company created and designed to address a social problem.

• It works under the market regulator 
• The aim of the initiative is to help social and voluntary organisationswhich work for social causes to raise capital as equity or debt or a unit of mutual fund.
• It provides new and cheaper sources of financing for social welfare projects,while showcasing India’s independence from foreign aid.
• SSE already exists in countries such as Singapore, UK, Canada among others. These countries allow firms operating in sectors such as health, environment and transportation to raise risk capital.

Source:

• https://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/bse-gets-sebi-s-approval-to-set-up-a-separate-social-stock-exchange-122100700707_1.html#:~:text=BSE%20on%20Friday%20received%20approval,the%20notification%20by%20BSE%20read

Image source:

• https://outlookmoney.com/magazine/story/next-in-social-stock-exchange-546

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Essence – The editorial discusses the dire economic growth forecast for India by the World Bank. It has briefed about how the growth rate forecasts have been decreasing after showing high growth prospect in post covid recovery mode. It mentions that worsening global geopolitics is the main reason behind the low growth forecast. It also describes the time line over which the growth rate started contracting. It mentions some of the indicators that point towards this contraction such as decline in import and export figures.

Towards the end it elaborates on various reasons for the lower demand and slowing growth such as – higher interest rate, higher inflation, impact of Covid on employment etc. Finally, suggests to formulate the policy, keeping in mind that not all have removed from the wrath of Covid19 yet.

Why should you read this editorial?

• To know about various reason behind the slowing growth trajectories.

Source:

• Slow lane driving: The Hindu Editorial on the World Bank’s dire growth forecast for India - The Hindu

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Essence - The article talks about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mandated under the Companies Act 2013 and highlights its spending patterns. It is underlined that while the CSR funding of projects has risen substantially in the last 6 years, its distribution across various projects in different states is highly skewed. Also, the number of companies meeting compliance has also decreased.

The article underscores the data to highlight that the CSR spending by companies is mainly in the education sector, followed by health and sanitation. This is despite the emphasis on environmental projects to be taken up by companies responsible for environmental degradation. Further, the existing regime allows for board-led disclosures by companies in their annual report to the MCA.

The article rightly calls for a regime that looks not only into the spending but also its impact on critical sectors like the environment, health, and education. It calls for a national portal maintained by MCA that presents the state-wise list of projects that can be taken up by companies as part of their CSR initiative. This will long way in addressing the disparity in CSR spending between states and will help the government channel the proper utilization of CSR funds in key areas.

Why should you read this Editorial?

• The article is a good read to understand the present pattern in CSR spending.
• The article is a must-read to understand the necessary reforms in the existing regime for CSR spending under the Companies Act 2013.

Source:

• https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/strengthening-the-csr-framework-is-a-profitable-idea/article65976864.ece

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Background:

Indore has been declared the cleanest city in India for the sixth consecutive year in the Swachh Survekshan 2022, the central government’s annual cleanliness survey of urban areas under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

About Indore's streak

• According to the Municipal Commissioner, it is the level of consciousness among residents and a high degree of public involvement that is behind Indore being continually adjudged the cleanest city in the country.
• The measures that have resulted in Indore bagging the top spot include:
  • Indore’s municipal corporation (IMC) eliminated garbage dumps, ensuring 100% household-waste segregation and converting waste to usable products, such as compost and fuel.
  • Practising six-bin waste segregation at source for the household and commercial levels.
  • Partnering with non-governmental organisations for an awareness campaign to change the behaviour of its citizens
  • Contracting private companies to run waste management operations
  • Using technology, and improving municipal capacity to ensure the implementation of its waste management plan.
  • Strict monitoring by municipal authorities coupled with strong action, which includes hefty penalties and suspension for dereliction of duty.
  • PPP (Public Private Partnership) model in the sanitation sector, to set up India’s biggest solid waste management facility.
• The ranking is a result of attitudinal changes, which are evident as:
  • litter & spitting in public places is a rarity, and people coming forward to flag or protest against such incidents.
  • There are no garbage dumps, while roads/footpaths remain spotless
  • Also no stray animals roaming around.
  • Hoardings are missing from the city’s walls.
  • Safai Mitras committing to work in Night Shifts
• Other impacts of such performance by Indore include:
  • Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter level has reduced
  • Investors are being attracted, due to all-round social, cultural and economic development of the city.
  • Thus, a combination of an incremental garbage reduction policy, insistence on waste segregation, and a change in mindset have all pushed Indore to achieve what seems impossible, for other cities in India.

 Quote: Sanitation and cleanliness are among the humblest of the civic virtues, and it is easy to underestimate their significance - Ram Nath Kovind

Source:

• These are the secrets to Indore’s 5-year ‘cleanest city’ streak. And it’s not rocket science

Image source:

• https://twitter.com/SwachhBharatGov/status/1577186003722571777/photo/1

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