UPSC DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (9TH SEPTEMBER, 2024)

Arctic Sea Ice is Linked to Monsoon Patterns in India

Syllabus: GS1/ Geography

Context

• In a study researchers from India’s National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), have found that seasonal changes in the Arctic sea ice is affecting the Indian monsoon.

What is the Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall?

• The Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) over the Indian subcontinent, from July to September, is one of the most prominent monsoon systems in the world.
• In summer months, sunlight warms the Central Asian and Indian landmass more and faster than the surrounding ocean.
  • This creates a low pressure band at the Tropic of Cancer called the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).
• Trade winds blowing from the southeast are subsequently deflected towards the Indian landmass due to the Coriolis force and the low pressure after they cross the equator.
  • As they blow over the Arabian Sea, the winds pick up moisture and deposit that as rain over India.
• Over the landmass, the southwest monsoon splits into two. The Arabian Sea arm brings rain to the west coast while the other arm travels to the Bay of Bengal and brings rain to India’s eastern and northeastern parts.
• The arms finally converge over Punjab and Himachal Pradesh as the Arabian Sea arm moves inward and the Bay of Bengal arm moves along the Himalaya.

Complexity of the Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall

• In the last two decades, climate models have shown that the surface temperatures of the Indian, the Atlantic, and the Pacific Oceans affect the ISMR. 
• The circum-global teleconnection (CGT), a large-scale atmospheric wave flowing at the mid-latitudes, seemed to significantly influence the monsoon as well.

Influence of Arctic sea ice on the Indian monsoon

• The research reveals that less sea ice in the central Arctic leads to lower rain in western and peninsular India but more rain in central and northern India.
• On the other hand, lower sea ice levels in the upper latitudes, particularly in the Barents-Kara Sea region encompassing the Hudson Bay, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Sea of Okhotsk, delay the monsoon’s onset and render it more unpredictable.

Other atmospheric systems influencing pattern

• The scientists found that when sea ice levels in the Central Arctic increase, the heat transferred from the ocean to the atmosphere triggers a cyclonic circulation at slightly lower latitudes, like in the North Atlantic.
• This creates the Rossby waves, viz a fast-flowing stream of air, created by the earth’s rotation and differences in temperature and weather systems that move west to east.
• It results in high pressure over northwest India and low pressure over the Mediterranean region.
  • This in turn strengthens a narrow, concentrated band of wind, called the Asian jet stream, over the Caspian Sea, causing the subtropical easterly jet, a jet stream blowing over the Indian subcontinent during summer,  to shift northward.
  • It brings more rain over western and peninsular India.
• On the other hand, as sea ice levels decrease in the region, heat rises from the Barents-Kara sea, creating an anticyclonic circulation (calm, clear skies) over northwest Europe. 
  • This disturbs the upper atmospheric region over subtropical Asia and India and  promotes high rainfall over northeastern India while leaving central and northwest regions of the country without much

Role played by climate change

• Climate change, by accelerating the reduction of Arctic sea ice, exacerbates the variability and unpredictability of the ISMR.
• Lower Arctic sea ice can lead to more frequent and severe droughts in some regions while causing excessive rainfall and flooding in others.
• Further the study shows the urgent need to expand research on climate dynamics and for scientists to prepare more accurate forecasts of the ever-changing monsoons. 

Delay in Conducting Census in India 

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• The Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has dissolved the 14-member Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS).
  • The official reason stated that the committee’s work overlapped with that of the recently formed Steering Committee for National Sample Surveys.

About

• SCoS was formed in 2023, and was supposed to advise the Union government on survey methodology, including sampling frame, sampling design, and survey instruments, and to finalise a tabulation plan of surveys.
• India’s decennial census has been conducted every ten years since the 1870s, and the last census was conducted in 2011. 
• The next, scheduled for 2021, was initially delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has yet to be notified. 
• A number of economists have expressed concerns that the data sets used for most statistical surveys are still being drawn from the 2011 census, impacting their accuracy and quality.

What is the Census?

• The Census refers to a periodic and systematic collection of demographic, economic, and social data of a population within a specific region. 
• It is typically conducted by governments to gather detailed information about the population’s characteristics and living conditions.
• The Census provides crucial data that governments, businesses, researchers, and policymakers use for various purposes such as planning public services, allocating funding, and making informed decisions.

Census in India

• The Census in India has been conducted regularly since 1871. The first complete Census was conducted in 1881. 
• Constitutional Mandate: The Census of India is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act of 1948, which empowers the Government of India to conduct periodic population surveys. 
• Frequency: The Census of India is conducted decennially, meaning it takes place every ten years.
  • The most recent Censuses were conducted in 2011.

Significance of Census

• Policy Formulation: It provides crucial inputs for planning and formulating policies related to education, healthcare, infrastructure development, and social welfare.
• Resource Allocation: It helps in equitable distribution of resources by providing data on population distribution, demographics, and socio-economic conditions.
• Demographic Trends: It aids in understanding demographic trends, urbanization patterns, migration flows, and population growth rates.
• Monitoring Development Goals: The Census data is instrumental in monitoring progress towards national and international development goals, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Why There is a delay in conducting the Census in India?

• COVID-19 Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the scheduling and planning of various activities, including large-scale surveys like the Census. 
• Preparation and Planning: Conducting a Census in a country as vast and populous as India requires meticulous planning, resource mobilization, and coordination across various government departments. 
• Political and Administrative Priorities: Governments prioritize other activities or elections, leading to delays in the Census process.
• Technological and Methodological Upgradation: Periodic updates and improvements in technology and methodologies used for data collection, processing, and analysis require additional time and resources. 
• Complexity of Data Collection: India’s diversity in terms of geography, languages, cultures, and socio-economic conditions poses unique challenges in conducting a comprehensive Census.

Conclusion

• Census data should validate the various estimates on mortality based on ‘excess deaths’ analyses during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• It is imperative that decadal changes in India’s demography related to urbanisation and migration of people across States are captured adequately. 
• Welfare schemes such as the targeted Public Distribution System under the National Food Security Act depend on population estimates, and the government continues to rely on Census 2011, which is now outdated. 
• Considering these and other imperatives for the smooth planning and implementation of administrative, welfare and statistical management for governance, the government must show eagerness in commencing the Census.

India’s Military Diplomacy

Syllabu: GS 3/Defence

In News

• India has been actively engaged in military diplomacy through a series of high-profile exercises with various countries. 

About Defence diplomacy

• It is the use of defence-related instruments and activities in a cooperative and peaceful manner to support foreign and strategic policy.
• India’s defence diplomacy now extends beyond the Indian Ocean.
  • It is engaging countries in the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Guinea region.
• India is intensifying its regional defense diplomacy and partnerships, aiming to strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. 
• India’s defence diplomacy is driven by China’s assertiveness, particularly in the South China Sea.

Recent Developments 

• Increased Military Engagement: India conducted 75 combined military exercises with partner countries in 2023, a significant increase from previous years.
  • These exercises include bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral formats, with a growing number of regional and international partners.
• Focus on Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean: India’s military activities in 2023 featured first-time naval exercises with Thailand, ASEAN and EU member states, and maritime partnerships with Indonesia, Australia, France, and the UAE.
  • The Indian Navy’s port calls and exercises have expanded, with notable submarine visits to Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore.
• Strategic:India’s increased defense role and partnerships are aimed at countering China’s growing influence.
  • India’s actions include joint patrols and maritime cooperation with countries like Australia and France, reflecting a broader effort to establish itself as a key security partner in the region.
• India has been active in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, responding to disasters in the Indian Ocean region and beyond.

Issues 

•  India procures defence systems from abroad to address national security challenges, especially due to its limited domestic technological and industrial base.
•  India still lacks institutionalized mechanisms for fully leveraging defence diplomacy to achieve foreign policy goals, relying mainly on conventional diplomatic approaches.

• As India deepens its military engagement with regional and global powers, it may exacerbate the competitive dynamic with China. 
• India is expanding its military diplomatic presence in new regions, there are concerns about the impact of reducing Defense Attachés in key locations like Moscow, where India’s defense ties with Russia are particularly significant.

Conclusion and Way Forward 

• India has strengthened defense ties with West Asian countries amid changing regional dynamics, such as the Abraham Accords and China’s growing influence.
• India is leveraging its defense capabilities to strengthen regional diplomacy, build partnerships, and counteract Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.
  •  Sustaining these efforts will require continued investment in naval, expeditionary, and logistical capacities.
• Now India’s defense diplomacy emphasizes self-reliance in indigenization and equipment development.
• Therefore supporting Indian defense industries and promoting exports contribute to strategic autonomy is essential 
• and collaborative security measures, joint exercises, and information sharing are also vital components.

Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM)

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• The summit on Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM) has begun in Seoul, South Korea.

About

• It is part of the new global diplomacy to shape global norms on the military applications of AI. 
• The summit is being co-hosted by Kenya, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. 
• This is the second iteration of the summit; the first took place in 2023 in The Hague, Netherlands. 
• The three-fold objective of the summit is to:
  • understand the implications of military AI on global peace and security, 
  • implement new norms on using AI systems in military affairs, 
  • and develop ideas on long-term global governance of AI in the military domain.

Artificial Intelligence

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. 
• Artificial intelligence allows machines to model, or even improve upon, the capabilities of the human mind. 
• And from the development of self-driving cars to the proliferation of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, AI is increasingly becoming part of everyday life — and an area every industry are investing in.

Application of AI in Military

• While AI has long been used by leading militaries for inventory management and logistical planning, in the past few years, the use of AI in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance of the battlefield has significantly expanded.
• Major militaries see the capacity of AI to transform the collection, synthesis, and analysis of vast amounts of data from the battlefield.
  • It can be useful in raising situational awareness, increasing the time available for decision-making on the use of force, enhancing precision in targeting, limiting civilian casualties, and increasing the tempo of warfare.
• Many critics have warned that these presumed attractions of AI in warfare might be illusory and dangerous.
• The proliferation of the so-called AI decision-making support systems (AI-DSS) and their implications are among the issues that are now being debated under the REAIM process. 

Need for the Regulation

• The fear that the conduct of warfare would be taken up by computers and algorithms had generated calls for controlling these weapons. 
• Keeping humans in the decision-making loop on the use of force has been a major objective of this discourse. 
• The issues relating to lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS) have been discussed within a group of governmental experts since 2019 at the United Nations in Geneva.
• The REAIM process widened the debate beyond ‘killer robots’ to a broader range of issues by recognising that AI systems are finding ever greater applications in warfare. 

Responsible use of AI in Military Affairs

• The REAIM process is one of the many initiatives to promote responsible AI — national, bilateral, plurilateral, and multilateral.
• The US has also encouraged its NATO allies to adopt similar norms. 
  • NATO’s 2021 strategy identified six principles for the responsible military use of AI and unveiled a set of guidelines for its forces. 
  • The objective is to “accelerate” the use of AI systems that could generate military gains for NATO, but in a “safe and responsible” manner.
• The world is going to see more AI in warfare than less; that comports with the historic trend that all new technologies will eventually find military applications. 
• The REAIM process recognises this — and given the potentially catastrophic outcomes from such use, the idea is to develop an agreed set of norms. 

FACTS IN NEWS

Galathea Bay

Syllabus :GS 1/Geography /GS3/Economy 

In News

• The Indian government has designated the international trans-shipment hub at Galathea Bay as a ‘Major Port’.
  • India currently has 12 operational Major Ports and around 200 non-major ports, with approximately 65 handling cargo and others serving fishing vessels and ferries.

About Galathea Bay 

• Galathea Bay is located in Great Nicobar Island of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India which lie in the eastern Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal).
  • These islands are an archipelago of about 836 offshore islands &Great Nicobar is the southernmost island of the archipelago. 
• It is one of the “Important Marine Turtle Habitats in India.
• The Galathea Bay project will be developed in four phases, with Phase 1 expected to be operational by 2028, handling about 4 million TEUs and increasing to 16 million TEUs by 2058.
  • This facility aims to capture a significant portion of the transshipped cargo currently handled at foreign ports.
• It  will be managed by the union ports, shipping, and waterways ministry, and will receive central funding under a public-private partnership model.

Why are cyclones in the Arabian Sea not so common?

Syllabus: GS1/ Geography

Context

• A rare August cyclone, named ‘Asna’, in the Arabian Sea after crossing Gujarat’s shore has left meteorologists baffled.

Background

• Historically, the North Indian Ocean, which includes both the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, experiences about five tropical cyclones annually. 
• The Bay of Bengal typically sees four times as many cyclones as the Arabian Sea, with most occurring in May and November.
• The western Arabian Sea is usually inhospitable to cyclone formation due to cooler sea temperatures and dry air from the Arabian Peninsula. 
• These conditions contrast sharply with the more cyclone-friendly environments of the Bay of Bengal.

The ocean’s response to climate change

• Due to climate change more heat is coming in from the Pacific Ocean now while the Southern Ocean is also pushing in warmer waters. 
• The Indian Ocean is warming rapidly due to these inputs, plus atmospheric changes in winds and humidity.
• The North Indian Ocean and the monsoon are now responding to the related climate change drivers from tropical oceans as well as from pole-to-pole influences.
• All these region-specific idiosyncrasies play into cyclogenesis, cyclone numbers, and their responses to climate change over the Indian Ocean.

Swachh Vayu Survekshan Awards

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

In News

• Nine best performing NCAP cities were awarded on the occasion of International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies which is also celebrated as Swachh Vayu Diwas.

About

• The Swachh Vayu Survekshan Awards is a new initiative launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) to rank and recognize cities based on their efforts to improve air quality. 
• Criterias: Solid Waste Management, industrial emissions, road dust etc.
• Awards Given: Under Category-1 (population over 10 Lakhs) to Surat, Jabalpur, and Agra; Category-2 (population between  3 and 10 Lakhs) to Firozabad, Amravati, and Jhansi; and Category-3 (population under 3 Lakhs) to Raebareli, Nalgonda, and Nalagarh.

Samagra Shiksha scheme

Syllabus: GS2/Education

Context

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to PM Modi, seeking the expedition of the release of pending grants under the Samagra Shiksha scheme.

About

• Under the scheme for 2024-25, an allocation of ₹3,586 crore was made for the State, out of which the Union Government’s share is ₹2,152 crore (60%). 
• The release of the first installment of Rs.573 crore is overdue.

Samagra Shiksha scheme

• It is a central government-sponsored scheme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education.
• The Scheme subsumes the three erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Schemes viz;
  • Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), 
  • Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and 
  • Teacher Education (TE). 
• Major objectives of the Scheme are:
  • Support States and UTs in implementing the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020); 
  • Support States in implementation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009; 
  • Focus on Early Childhood Care and  Education; 
  • Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy etc.

BRICS Employment Working Group Meeting 2024 

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• The second and final BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting under Russian Presidency was held in Sochi, Russia.
  • The priority areas for the discussions were strategies for life-long learning, vocational guidance, modernisation of employment services, ensuring safe and healthy working conditions, and social support mechanisms.

About BRICS

• BRICS is an acronym that refers to a group of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. 
  • Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates have joined BRICS as new full members this year.
• The term was originally coined by economist Jim O’Neill in 2001.
• BRICS brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing around 41% of the global population, around 24% of the global GDP and around 16% of global trade.
• Origin: As a formal grouping, BRIC started after the meeting of the Leaders of Russia, India and China in St. Petersburg on the margins of the G8 Outreach Summit in 2006. 
  • The grouping was formalized during the 1st meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers on the margins of UNGA in New York in 2006. 
  • The success of the meet led to the crystallisation of an annual summit under the aegis of BRIC.
  • Initially, the grouping was termed BRIC as South Africa was inducted in 2010 and from there on it has been referred to as BRICS.
• Summits:  The governments of the BRICS states have met annually at formal summits since 2009.
• Over a period of time, BRICS countries have come together to deliberate on important issues under the three pillars of:
  • political and security, 
  • economic and financial and 
  • cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
• New Development Bank: Formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states.
  • The Bank shall support public or private projects through loans, guarantees, equity participation and other financial instruments.

BepiColombo

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• The spacecraft, BepiColombo, gave scientists their first clear view of Mercury’s south pole.
  • It also captured several of the planet’s craters, including those with unusual rings of peaks within the basin’s rim.

BepiColombo

• It is a joint mission between the European and Japanese space agencies, launched in 2018. 
• It will go into orbit around Mercury in 2026, about a year after its original arrival time.
  • The delay was prompted by efforts to overcome problems with the spacecraft’s thrusters.
• It has two orbiters, one more focused on Mercury’s landscape and the other collecting data about its surrounding space environment.
  • Scientists hope to use the BepiColombo mission to learn about the planet’s origins and evolution by studying its composition, geology and magnetic field.

Mercury

• Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, and the smallest planet in solar system – only slightly larger than Earth’s Moon.
• Despite its proximity to the Sun, Mercury is not the hottest planet in solar system – it is Venus. 
• A day on Mercury lasts 59 Earth days.
• A year on Mercury lasts 88 Earth days.
• Along with Venus, Earth, and Mars, Mercury is one of the rocky planets. 
• Instead of an atmosphere, Mercury possesses a thin exosphere made up of atoms blasted off the surface by the solar wind and striking meteoroids. 
• Mercury’s exosphere is composed mostly of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium, and potassium. 
• Mercury doesn’t have any moons.

India’s first study on ‘teal carbon’, Undertaken at Keoladeo National Park (KNP) 

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

In News

• India’s first study on teal carbon, conducted at Keoladeo National Park (KNP) in Rajasthan, highlights the importance of wetland conservation in addressing climate change.
  • Keoladeo National Park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

About

• Teal carbon, as a color-based terminology, classifies organic carbon based on its functions and location within non-tidal freshwater wetlands (e.g., peatlands, swamps, and marshes) rather than its physical properties. It represents carbon stored in wetland vegetation, microbial biomass, and dissolved organic matter, contributing significantly to climate change mitigation by sequestering carbon dioxide.
• These wetlands play a crucial role in regulating greenhouse gases but are vulnerable to pollution and degradation.

Key Findings of the Study

• Teal Carbon Ecosystems: Wetlands, if degraded, can release greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The study calls for urgent conservation and management to maintain the ecological balance.
• Methane Emissions: The study found elevated levels of methane in KNP’s wetlands, stressing the need for measures like biochar application to reduce emissions.
• Global Importance: Globally, teal carbon ecosystems store approximately 500.21 petagrams of carbon (PgC), contributing significantly to mitigating climate change.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Syllabus: GS3/ Infrastructure

In News

• The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, initiated to modernize and upgrade railway stations, threatens the historical and architectural value of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway station. 

About

• The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) is an iconic heritage railway in Tamil Nadu, India, known for its historical and architectural significance. 
• First proposed in 1854 and completed in 1908, this 46-kilometer-long metre-gauge railway showcases late 19th-century engineering, with a rack and pinion traction system to navigate the steep gradients of the Nilgiri Hills. 
• In 2005, UNESCO recognized the NMR as a World Heritage Site.
• Other Mountain Railways of India are Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Kalka Shimla Railway. 

INDIAsize Initiative

Miscellaneous

In News

• The Indian government is set to launch the ‘INDIAsize’ initiative to establish standardized body measurements tailored to Indian body types. 

About INDIAsize Initiative

• The Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, has approved the INDIAsize project.
• INDIAsize is a scientific research project focused on collecting anthropometric data from a representative sample of the Indian population. 
• This data will be used to develop a Size Identification Number for individuals by mapping and categorizing their body shape and size, establishing standardized body size standards for India.
• It aims to establish standardized body measurements tailored to Indian body types.
  • Current sizing systems are based on US or UK standards, which may not fit Indian body types well.
• Purpose of INDIAsize: To address fitting issues by developing body size standards specific to the Indian apparel sector.
  • To rectify disparities and inconsistencies in garment fits.

Union govt. to launch rankings for working women’s hostels

Context

• Amid cases of violence against women, the Centre is all set to launch a ranking system (a one-stop portal) for working women’s hostels across the country.

About

• The portal would list and rank all existing hostels run by private players, institutions and Central and State governments in each city across the country, based on certain parameters, mostly relating to their security.
• The move is aimed at ensuring better female work force participation, especially in urban areas.
• The portal would also eventually make similar rankings of all creches in each city of the country.

Do you Know?

• The Centre has an existing scheme to provide hostel facilities for working women, called ‘Sakhi Nivas’ launched under Mission Shakti.
• To implement this scheme, financial assistance for working women hostels is directly released to State governments.