CNA 09 April 2023:- Download PDF Here
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related POLITY 1. Transfer of cases C. GS 3 Related D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. What is behind China’s renaming spree? 2. Why have key oil producers vowed output cuts? F. Prelims Facts 1. Evolution of Dengue Virus G. Tidbits 1. Rare Earth Deposits 2. 16th Finance Commission 3. Bharat Gaurav Scheme 4. Spot Billed Pelican 5. Sortie on Sukhoi fighter jet H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
B. GS 2 Related
Syllabus: Structure, Organization & Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
Mains: Discretionary powers of Supreme Court
Context: Supreme Court on transfer of cases under trial.
Introduction:
- The Supreme Court in a recent judgement held that criminal cases under trial should be transferred from one State to another only in “exceptional circumstances”.
- The court opined that the power to transfer cases under Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.PC) should be used sparingly and only when justice was apparently in grave peril as the unnecessary shifting of cases would affect the morale of the State judiciary and prosecution agency.
Possible situations for transfer:
- The judgement summarised a series of Supreme Court verdicts giving the possible situations in which an ongoing trial could be transferred.
- These include instances in which,
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- the State or the prosecution collaborates closely with the accused;
- when evidence suggests that the accused may sway the prosecution’s witnesses or hurt the complainant physically;
- when the accused is likely to suffer comparable hardship;
- when there is a communally tensed situation indicating some proof of inability of holding fair and impartial trial because of the accusations made and the nature of the crime committed by the accused;
- existence of some material on interference with the course of justice by interested parties.
- The convenience of parties and witnesses as well as the language spoken by them could also act as a relevant factor when deciding a transfer petition.
Section 406:
- The transfer of a criminal case from one state to another in India can be done under Section 406A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) by the Supreme Court of India.
- This power is exercised by the Supreme Court in exceptional cases to ensure that the ends of justice are served.
- In order to transfer a case from one state to another, an application needs to be filed in the Supreme Court of India, either by the accused or the prosecution or any other party to the case. The application must provide reasons as to why the transfer is necessary, such as the convenience of the parties or the location of the witnesses.
- The Supreme Court will consider various factors before granting the transfer of a case from one state to another, including the nature of the offence, the stage of the trial, the availability of evidence, the convenience of the parties, and the interests of justice.
- The Supreme Court may also impose conditions or give directions to ensure that the transfer of the case does not cause undue delay or inconvenience to the parties involved.
Nut Graf: Supreme Court in a recent judgement opined that the power to transfer cases under Section 406A of the CrPC is discretionary and is exercised only in exceptional cases. The Supreme Court will take a cautious approach while exercising this power and will ensure that the transfer of the case is necessary for the ends of justice.
C. GS 3 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. What is behind China’s renaming spree?
Syllabus: India and Neighborhood Relations.
Mains: India-China Relations.
Context: The government of China announced that it would “standardize” the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh.
Details:
- On 2nd April 2023, the Chinese government announced that it would “standardize” the name of eleven places in Arunachal Pradesh.
- The Ministry of Civil Affairs in China published a list of 11 places along with a map displaying Arunachal Pradesh as a part of China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
- India has dismissed the renaming and highlighted that the move is unlikely to have any major impact on the border dispute.
- However, it has underlined the hardening Chinese stance on the boundary and the strained relationship between the two countries.
For more information, read here: China Renames 11 Places in Arunachal Pradesh [UPSC Current Affairs]
Details about the places:
- China claims approximately 90000 sq km of land in the eastern sector of the India-China boundary.
- All eleven sites are in the Indian territory and the notification has announced the names for public use in Mandarin, Tibetan, and English.
- Notably, China refers to the location of the site as “Zangnan”, or “south Tibet”.
- The new set of management rules guides the naming, renaming, and standardization of places.
- This is the third time after 2017 and 2021 that China has issued names for places in Arunachal.
- In 2017, it was seen as a retaliatory move after the Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama visited Arunachal Pradesh.
- In 2021, the list coincided with the new border law of China. The list included names of eight towns, four mountains, two rivers, and the Sela mountain pass.
China’s New Border Law:
For more details on the law, read here: China’s New Land Boundary Law UPSC Notes – About the Legislation, and Indo-China Relations |
China’s Stand:
- The Chinese government is hardening its stand on territorial disputes.
- The moves like renaming and the new border law highlight that Beijing is prioritizing the protection of national sovereignty and territory.
- The local-level authorities have also stepped up programmes to build new civilian settlements and border infrastructure.
- China has been very vocal about its claim in Arunachal Pradesh and has re-iterated that any settlement would require India to give up territory in the east.
Implications on Boundary dispute:
- It is suggested that it is a symbolic gesture and might not have a real impact on the ground.
- However, it does point out the changing situations along the borders.
- In 1988, China and India agreed to normalize the ties and shelve the differences. They also appointed Special Representatives (SRs) in 2003 to find a solution to the dispute.
- The 2020’s transgression by China has left the arrangements in tatters.
- A large number of troops from both sides are stationed in the forward areas and the disengagement talks have not yet achieved much.
- The move to rename areas in the state of Arunachal Pradesh has left the prospects of a settlement dimmer than ever.
Related Link:
India – China Relations: Updates about the Recent Clashes at the LAC and other Events
Nut Graf: The Chinese Government has renamed eleven places in Arunachal Pradesh. Thus, highlighting China’s hardening stance on the boundary. Though India has dismissed the renaming, it points out that the future prospects for better relations have become dimmer than ever.
2. Why have key oil producers vowed output cuts?
Syllabus: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interest.
Mains: Reduction in Crude oil production.
Prelims: OPEC and OPEC+.
Context: Major oil-producing countries have announced cuts in oil production.
Details:
- Several oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia have announced cuts in oil production that might last until the end of 2023.
- This has caused an instant increase in the prices of crude oil.
- On 3 April 2023, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) at its 48th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee acknowledged the announcement.
- These cuts are in addition to that announced in October 2022.
- The U.S. has called OPEC’s decision as unadvisable.
Background Details:
- As per OPEC’s official statement, the decision to cut production is aimed at supporting market stability.
- In February 2023, as a response to the price cap on Russian crude by the Western countries, Russia announced cutting crude oil production by half a million barrels a day.
- The recent developments in the banking sector in the U.S. and Europe like Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse have fuelled the possibility of an incoming recession.
- It should be noted that in March 2023, oil prices slipped 1% to a two-week low highlighting the speculations of recession.
- According to Reuters, the production cut is also a way of punishing short sellers who bet on oil prices declining.
- Apart from the two million barrels per day cut announced in October 2022, the details of voluntary reductions in different countries are as follows:
| COUNTRY | REDUCTION (IN BARRELS PER DAY) |
| Saudi Arabia | 5,00,000 |
| Iraq | 2,11,000 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1,44,000 |
| Kuwait | 1,28,000 |
| Kazakhstan | 78,000 |
| Algeria | 48,000 |
| Oman | 40,000 |
| Gabon | 8,000 |
Implications for India:
- India is the third largest crude importer (after China and the US) and ranks 21 and 26 in crude oil and natural gas production respectively.
- It thus shows India’s high dependence for its energy needs.
- The imports of crude oil from Russia have increased significantly touching 1.6 million barrels per day. On the other hand, the supply from Iraq and Saudi Arabia has decreased.
Related Link:
Crude Oil Pricing – Mechanism, Effects on Economy
Nut Graf: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has announced a cut in the production of crude oil. This might lead to an increase in crude oil prices and the stabilization of the market. However, countries like the USA are opposed to the move.
F. Prelims Facts
Syllabus: GS03-Science and Technology
Prelims: Genome sequencing; Vaccines; Vector Borne Diseases
Context: This article discusses the concerns around the evolution of Dengue Virus in India.
Key Details:
- A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science has analysed the evolution and diversity of dengue virus in India by studying 184 whole-genome dengue sequences and 408 E gene sequences spanning over 60 years.
- Researchers have found that the cross-protection offered by the first infection with any of the four dengue serotypes starts to wane after two to three years, and the virus that is similar to the serotype that caused the first infection has a greater ability to cause severe disease than the other serotypes.
- This is because while the antibodies are not able to neutralise the virus belonging to different serotypes, the virus is better able to bind to the antibodies leading to higher cell infection and thus enhanced severity and viral load. This is called the antibody-dependent enhancement mediated by cross-reactive antibodies.
- The dominant immune selection pressure has led to the emergence of a unique Indian dengue lineage (DENV-4-Id) belonging to serotype 4(DENV-4).
- They identified a unique Indian dengue lineage (DENV-4-Id) belonging to serotype 4 (DENV-4) that is dominant in South India, and about 50% of infections in South India are due to this lineage.
- The researchers also found that the evolution of the viruses across serotypes has implications in vaccine efficacy as the current Indian lineages are highly divergent from those used in all major vaccines.
Image Source: The Hindu
G. Tidbits
- Scientists at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research facility in Hyderabad, have reported the presence of rare-earth elements (REEs) in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.
- They have found enriched quantities of the REEs in “whole rock analyses”.
- Deep drilling for at least a kilometre will help ascertain the consistency of the elements’ presence.
- The REEs are lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, yttrium, hafnium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, and scandium.
- These elements are key components in many electronic devices and whose industrial applications span sectors like imaging, aerospace, and defence.
- The Union government is planning to constitute the Sixteenth Finance Commission in November,2023 to recommend the formula for sharing revenues between the Centre and the States for the five-year period beginning 2026-27.
- It is to be formed every five years according to Article 280 of the Constitution.
- However, the Fifteenth Finance Commission, which was headed by N.K. Singh, had been given an extended mandate to make recommendations for six years, up till 2025-26.
- Previously, the Ninth Finance Commission formed in June 1987 was also given a six-year mandate. But the Tenth Finance Commission was constituted in June 1992 within the five-year deadline specified by the Constitution.
- A fresh challenge for the Sixteenth Commission is to figure out a way to factor in the impact of decisions taken by another Constitutional body — the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council which was created in 2016.
- While the Finance Commission is not a permanent body, the GST Council is, and the latter’s decisions on tax rate and administration changes can impact the former’s projections.
- The Indian Railways, in association with the South Star Rail, is starting a tourist train to Kashmir Valley under the Bharat Gaurav scheme from May,2023.
- The 12 day tour starts from Coimbatore. Tourists would be taken to Srinagar, Moghul Gardens, Dal Lake, Sonmarg, Amritsar, Gulmarg, Taj Mahal, Indo-Pakistan border, and other places.
Read more on Bharat Gaurav Scheme
- The Spot-billed Pelican is a large water bird found in India and other parts of Southeast Asia.
- It is the only pelican species that is known to breed in India, and it is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss and hunting.
- The Spot-billed Pelican can be found in wetlands, lakes, rivers, and estuaries, where it feeds on fish, frogs, and other aquatic prey.
- They have weak leg muscles which is not ideal for, therefore they catch fish near the surface of the water.
- This species sometimes goes fishing in groups, forming a semi-circle that pushes the fish towards shallow water. It also forms a foraging partnership with the little cormorant.
- Cormorants are divers, and their dives cause the fish present in deeper regions to scatter towards the surface, where the pelican awaits them.
- Adult spot-billed pelicans weigh 4.5-5 kg. The pouch, which is called the gular, is for catching fish.
- Spot-billed pelicans form stable colonies along with other water birds. Nests are built on trees, and two-three eggs are laid. When they are about a month old, the chicks destroy the nests.
- Breeding colonies occur very close to, or even within villages. Villagers use the droppings of the spot-billed pelican as a fertiliser.
- After the breeding season, pelican populations scatter over a very large area as they forage for food.
- The best places to spot the Spot-billed Pelican in India are the Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, Pulicat Lake, Andhra Pradesh, the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Chilika Lake in Odisha, Kokkare Bellur and Karanji Lake in Karnataka.
Image Source: ebird
5. Sortie on Sukhoi fighter jet
- President and Supreme Commander of the armed forces Droupadi Murmu took a sortie on an Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on April 8,2023.
- She is the third President and second woman President to undertake such a sortie.
- The President flew for approximately 30 minutes covering the Brahmaputra and the Tezpur Valley.
Sukhoi-30MKI:
- The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a multirole fighter aircraft developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built under licence by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
- The aircraft is a variant of the Su-30, with advanced avionics and weapons systems designed to meet the specific requirements of the IAF.
- The Su-30MKI has a maximum speed of Mach 2 (2120 km/h), a range of 3000 km, and can carry a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, bombs, and rockets.
- The aircraft has been in service with the IAF since 2002 and has participated in various military exercises and operations.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Arrange the following coal types on the basis of carbon content in decreasing order: (Level-Medium)
- Bituminous, Lignite, Peat, Anthracite
- Peat, Lignite, Bituminous, Anthracite
- Peat, Bituminous, Anthracite, Lignite
- Anthracite, Bituminous, Lignite, Peat
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
Coal types on the basis of carbon content in decreasing order are:
- Anthracite: It is the highest rank of coal and has a carbon content of 86% to 97%. It is the hardest, most brittle, and oldest coal type.
- Bituminous: It is the most commonly used coal and has a carbon content of 75% to 86%. It is widely used in electricity generation, metallurgy, and cement production.
- Lignite: Lignite coal is lighter brown in color. The carbon content of lignite ranges from 55-65%%. Lignite is the youngest and premature fossil fuel produced.
- Peat: Peat has low carbon content (30-40%) and has high moisture. It is mostly used for gardening and horticulture.
Q2. With respect to C Rajagopalachari, which of the following statements is/are correct? (Level-Difficult)
- The Vedaranyam March was a part of the Civil disobedience movement led by C.Rajagopalachari in 1930.
- He led the group of ‘No changers’ in the Congress Party who were against entry into the Imperial and the provincial legislative councils along with Vallabhbhai Patel and Ajmal Khan.
- He was the first Governor-General of independent India.
Options:
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- Statement 01 is correct, The Vedaranyam March was a part of the Civil disobedience movement led by C.Rajagopalachari in 1930. He led the march as a prolongation of the Dandi March to protest against the Salt tax imposed by the British on Indians.
- A group of 150 volunteers accompanied him from Trichinopoly to Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu.
- The prominent members of the march were Rukmini Lakshmipathi, K. Kamaraj, Aranthangi C. Krishnaswamy, M. Bhaktavatsalam, and Rajaji’s son, C. R. Narasimhan.
- The Vedaranyam march came to an end on 28 April 1930 with the arrest of its members. Rajagopalachari was imprisoned for a term of six months.
- Statement 02 is incorrect, Mahatma Gandhi led the group of ‘No changers’ in the Congress Party who were against entry into the Imperial and the provincial legislative councils along with Vallabhbhai Patel and Ajmal Khan, C Rajagopalachari and M.A. Hansari.
- Statement 03 is incorrect, Lord Mountbatten (1947-48) was the last viceroy of the British Indian Empire and the first Governor-General of independent India.
- C.Rajagopalachari, also known as ‘Rajaji’ was the first Indian Governor General of Independent India.
Q3. Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to Bharat Gaurav Scheme? (Level-Medium)
- It was launched by the Indian Railways to tap the vast tourism potential of India.
- These trains will be run by both private players and IRCTC.
Options:
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- In November 2021, Indian Railways launched the scheme to tap the vast tourism potential of India.
- This allowed private entities to operate theme-based train services across different circuits.
- These trains will be run by both private players and IRCTC.
- The Southern Railway became the first zone in Indian Railways to get the first registered service provider under the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ scheme.
Q4. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (Level-Difficult)
- Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526
- Baburnama, an autobiography of Zahiruddhin Muhammad Babur was written in his mother tongue, Chagatai Turkic.
- Akbar defeated Rana Pratap in the Battle of Haldighati,
- Shah Jahan was the first Indian ruler after Ashoka to reach Balkh and Badakhshan.
Options:
- 1 and 4 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- Statement 01 is correct, The First Battle of Panipat was fought between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi, which took place on 21 April 1526. It marked the beginning of the Mughal Empire. This was one of the earliest battles involving gunpowder firearms and field artillery.
- Statement 02 is correct, Baburnama, an autobiography of Zahiruddhin Muhammad Babur was written in his mother tongue, Chagatai Turkic.
- Babur wrote this in the form of memoirs. It is considered the first true work in the Islamic literature of the autobiographical genre.
- Statement 03 is correct, The Battle of Haldighati was a battle fought on 18 June 1576 between Rana of Mewar, Maharana Pratap and the Mughal emperor Akbar’s forces, led by Man Singh I of Amber. Akbar defeated Rana Pratap in this battle.
- Statement 04 is correct,Shah Jahan was the first Indian ruler after Ashoka to reach Balkh and Badakhshan.
Read more on Mughal Empire
Q5. India is a member of which of the following ? (Level-Difficult) (PYQ-CSE-2008)
- Asian Development Bank
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
- Colombo Plan
- Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- 1 and 3 only
- 2 and 4 only
- 1, 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- India is a founding member of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which was established in 1966.
- India is not a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. APEC is a regional economic forum comprising 21 member economies, including Australia, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and others. Its primary objective is to promote economic cooperation and integration in the Asia-Pacific region.
- India is a founding member of the Colombo Plan which was established in 1950 as a regional organisation to promote economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region.
- The Colombo Plan has a membership of 27 countries, including Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and several Southeast Asian nations.
- The Colombo Plan provides technical assistance and capacity building programs in various fields, including agriculture, education, health, and tourism, among others. India has been an active participant in the Colombo Plan’s programs and has also contributed to the organisation’s funds.
- India is not a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is a global economic organisation comprising 38 member countries, mostly developed economies.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that the trial of criminal cases should be transferred to other states only under exceptional circumstances. Examine. (250 words, 15 marks) (GS-2; Polity)
- China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh has mere symbolic significance. But it does underlie the hardening position of China with regard to the border dispute. Evaluate. (250 words, 15 marks)(GS-2; International Relations)
Read the previous CNA here.
CNA 09 April 2023:- Download PDF Here
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