07 August 2023 CNA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related C. GS 3 Related ENVIRONMENT 1. MP strategy for Tigers can help Cheetahs D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials AGRICULTURE 1. Is India’s sugar surplus leading to a crisis? SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 1. Why did Meta block Canada’s access to news reports? F. Prelims Facts 1. Amrit Bharat Station Scheme G. Tidbits 1. 5% of birds in India are endemic: ZSI 2. FATF trying to safeguard Non-Profit Organisation 3. Importance & concerns of Starlink H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
B. GS 2 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
C. GS 3 Related
1. MP strategy for Tigers can help Cheetahs
Syllabus: Biodiversity and conservation, Environmental pollution and degradation and Environmental impact assessment
Mains: Conservation of tiger and cheetahs, Need for principles of active prey management for cheetah conservation.
Context:
Madhya Pradesh’s tiger population surged by 50%, securing the top spot in the 2022 tiger census, attributed to the state’s strategic active management of predator and prey populations.
Introduction
- The success of Madhya Pradesh in achieving a 50% increase in its tiger population, securing the top spot in the 2022 tiger census, can be attributed to a strategic approach of actively managing predator and prey populations.
- This approach has been lauded by tiger experts and holds potential for the formation of a viable cheetah population in the state, despite challenges faced in translocating African cheetahs to Kuno National Park.
Madhya Pradesh’s Tiger Population Surge
- Madhya Pradesh reported 785 tigers in the 2022 tiger census, representing a 50% rise since the previous census.
- The state has achieved the highest tiger count for the second time in the last three censuses.
- The Forest Department’s strategy of actively moving tigers and prey within the state to balance predator and prey populations played a crucial role in this success.
Read more on India’s Tiger Census report.
Active Management Practices
- Madhya Pradesh Forest Department demonstrated remarkable commitment and success in active management practices to restore low-density areas.
- Strategies include incentivized voluntary village relocations, prey supplementation, and reintroduction of species such as Barasingha and Gaur to new habitats like Satpuda, Bandhavgarh, and Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserves.
- Prey species such as chital have been successfully supplemented in various reserves through translocation from high-density areas.
Also read Guru Ghasidas National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh accounts for six out of India’s 53 tiger reserves.
- Five out of the six tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh have over 50 tigers, indicating successful conservation efforts.
- Additionally, 563 tigers have been reported outside the reserves but within the state’s forest divisions.
Also read Tiger Conservation in India.
Significance of Active Prey Management
- While nature corrects imbalances between predator and prey populations, the process can be slow, and various pressures on wild habitats necessitate active prey management.
- Active prey management involves identifying regions with abundant prey and moving some to areas with lower prey densities.
- Once prey populations reach critical numbers in the new area, tigers can be translocated safely to maintain balance.
Applicability to Cheetah Conservation
- Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh is currently home to African cheetahs, but the translocation project has faced challenges, with six out of 20 cheetahs dying since September 2022.
- Learning from tiger conservation practices, experts believe that active prey management principles could help establish a viable cheetah population in the state.
- Similar to the approach used for tigers, maintaining balanced predator and prey populations is essential for successful cheetah conservation.
Also read Cheetahs in India.
Conclusion
- Madhya Pradesh’s successful tiger population surge can be attributed to the Forest Department’s active management practices in balancing predator and prey populations.
- This approach holds promise for the establishment of a viable cheetah population in the state.
- As both tigers and cheetahs play critical roles in maintaining ecosystem balance, such conservation efforts are vital for preserving India’s rich wildlife heritage.
Nut Graf: Balancing predator and prey populations was crucial in achieving a 50% rise in Madhya Pradesh’s tiger population, making it the top state in the 2022 census. This successful approach also holds promise for forming a viable cheetah population, despite challenges faced in translocating African cheetahs to Kuno National Park.
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
1. Is India’s sugar surplus leading to a crisis?
Syllabus: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country
Mains: Critical analysis of Excess Sugar Production in India
Background:
- In 2021-2022, India surpassed Brazil as the world’s leading sugar producer, with a record of 359 lakh tonnes.
- Sugar exports have increased as a result of the excess, with a record of 110 lakh tonnes sold in 2021-2022.
- In fact, Brazil, Australia, and Guatemala filed a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against India for providing excessive export subsidies and domestic support to farmers in order to outcompete other countries in the global sugar market.
Reasons Behind Excess Sugar Production
- India is the world’s largest consumer of sugar, thus it must produce enough to meet its massive domestic demand.
- The excess sugar production is the result of policies and procedures that encourage farmers to cultivate sugarcane.
- The Central Government provides a fair and remunerative pricing (FRP) scheme, which requires sugar mills to pay a minimum price to sugarcane growers.
- State governments also provide substantial subsidies to encourage sugarcane growth.
Also Read Ban on Export of Sugar.
Concerns
- India’s main sugarcane-growing states rely largely on groundwater for irrigation, raising concerns about groundwater depletion.
- Sugarcane’s water-intensive farming has depleted groundwater. In states that are already prone to drought and groundwater stress, 100 kg of sugar requires two lakh liters of irrigation groundwater, which raises worries.
- The enormous use of resources in sugar production is fast decreasing, threatening a future disaster.
- Sugarcane over-cultivation has resulted in a sugar surplus and excessive exports, which has a negative impact on groundwater.
- The sugar industry’s excessive usage of groundwater must be addressed if agricultural collapse is to be avoided.
Sugar Surplus and Ethanol Production
- The Indian government explored diverting the sugar excess to the manufacturing of ethanol, an organic chemical produced by fermenting sugarcane molasses or sugar.
- The government began the EBP project in 2003 in order to cut crude oil imports and minimize greenhouse gas emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles; it has been somewhat successful.
- It began with a modest goal of obtaining a 5% blending rate, but the ambition for 2025 is 20%.
- In addition, in 2021, the government will lower the Goods and Services Tax on ethanol from 18% to 5%.
- Ethanol is a key element in alcoholic beverages, as well as in the chemical and cosmetics industries.
- In the transportation industry, using ethanol-blended petrol (EBP) greatly reduces harmful emissions from automobiles, such as carbon monoxide and other hydrocarbons.
Also read Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme.
Measures to be Taken
Even though the negative effects of excessive sugar production on the environment should be obvious, exporting extra sugar has significant economic benefits, bringing in millions or crores of dollars annually.
- To evaluate and then rectify incentives that favor sugarcane over other crops, resulting in a persistent surplus.
- The implementation of fair and comprehensive crop subsidy programmes for a variety of crops can assist farmers in diversifying agriculture equally and ensuring an equitable income.
- To ensure the availability of a broader range of profitable and less resource-intensive crops can help to reduce the burden on essential natural resources.
- To focus on needs to invest in overall water-saving and management systems.
- To map different aspects of groundwater availability and distribution throughout India.
Conclusion
Cleaner practices such as rainwater gathering, wastewater treatment, and canal irrigation networks can assist reduce demand on groundwater reservoirs as additional water sources become accessible for irrigation. Investment in groundwater research must therefore be taken seriously. As India continues to rise to prominence in the agriculture sector, it must prioritize sustainability.
Nut Graf: India surpassed Brazil as the world’s greatest sugar producer, however the enormous use of resources in sugar production is depleting rapidly, threatening a future disaster.
Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Why did Meta block Canada’s access to news reports?
Syllabus: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Mains: Online News Act and its impact on digital platforms
Background
- In a recent statement, Meta stated that it would prevent users from Canada from posting to or accessing news articles on its Facebook and Instagram services.
- This is following the implementation of Canada’s Online News Act, which mandates that significant digital companies like Meta and Google pay news publishers for information made available on their platforms.
What is the Online News Act?
- The Online News Act requires digital platforms that provide news to negotiate equitably with Canadian news organizations for the use of their news material on their services.
- Essentially, Google and Meta will be required by the government to enter into reimbursement agreements with recognised Canadian news providers.
- According to the law, the platforms must make a minimal contribution based on their earnings in Canada.
- The bill also permits the government to limit how news items or themes are treated by digital platforms, such as algorithmically elevating or downplaying them.
In 2021, Australia passed the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, which became the blueprint for Canadian law and similar laws are being considered in Europe and many other countries.
Need of Such Regulation
- Due to the shift of readers and advertisers online, printed periodicals recently suffered a fall in revenue in industrialized economies.
- Google and Meta now dominate internet ad revenue and content distribution, raising concerns about the news publishers’ excessive revenue share.
- Although Australia and Canada have legislation that allow them to negotiate and set reasonable conditions, critics contend that they only favor huge media businesses. Similar legislation is being considered in India.
- These attempts are part of a global techlash aimed at limiting the power of large tech giants in numerous fields.
Conclusion
The Online News Act mandates digital platforms with strategic market dominance, such as Google and Meta, to negotiate reasonably for the use of their material with Canadian news organizations. This legislative effort stems from the asymmetric interdependence that has evolved between a few large digital platforms and news producers. However, for internet behemoths like Meta and Google, regulated news does not constitute a large or commercially useful portion of content.
Nut Graf: Under government supervision, Google and Meta will be obliged to engage into compensation agreements with permitted news publishers in Canada, with a minimum contribution based on their revenue in the country.
F. Prelims Facts
1. Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
Syllabus: GS 3- Economy
Prelims: Infrastructure – Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Foundation Stone Laid for Redevelopment of 508 Railway Stations
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a virtual ceremony to symbolically lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations across India.
- The project’s cost is over ₹24,470 crore, and the stations are spread across 27 States and Union Territories.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and City-Center Development
- The redevelopment is part of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, aiming to revamp 1,300 prime railway stations in the country.
- The selected stations will be developed as “city centres,” integrating both sides of the city into the station’s vision.
- The focus is on overall urban development, centred around the railway stations, providing better amenities and modern conveniences for passengers.
Modernization and Passenger Amenities
- The redeveloped stations will feature improved seating on platforms, upgraded waiting rooms, and free Wi-Fi for passengers’ comfort.
- Proper traffic circulation, inter-modal integration, and passenger signage will be ensured to enhance the station experience.
Northeast India Railways Expansion
- Prime Minister Modi highlighted the rapid progress in doubling of lines, gauge conversion, electrification, and new railway routes in Northeast India.
- He emphasised the government’s commitment to connect all state capitals in Northeast India through a railway network.
Design Inspired by Local Culture and Heritage
- The station buildings’ designs will be inspired by the local culture, heritage, and architecture of the regions they represent.
- Examples include glimpses of Hawa Mahal and Amer Fort in Rajasthan’s Jaipur station and Raghunath Mandir’s design at Jammu Tawi station.
Green Initiatives and Net-Zero Emissions
- The Prime Minister highlighted green energy production from every railway station as a government goal.
- LED lights have been installed in nearly 70,000 coaches, and the number of bio-toilets in trains has increased significantly since 2014.
- All Amrit stations will be built to green building standards, and the government aims for India’s railway network to run on net-zero emissions by 2030.
G. Tidbits
1. 5% of birds in India are endemic: ZSI
- A recent publication by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) reveals that 5% of the bird species found in India are endemic, meaning they are not reported in other parts of the world.
- On the 108th foundation day of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the publication called “75 Endemic Birds of India” was unveiled.
- India is home to 1,353 bird species, representing approximately 12.4% of the global bird diversity. Out of these, 78 (5%) are endemic to the country.
- Three of the endemic species mentioned in the publication have not been sighted in recent decades:
- The Manipur bush quail (Perdicula manipurensis) is categorized as “endangered” by the IUCN Red List, and its last recorded sighting dates back to 1907.
- The Himalayan quail (Ophrysia superciliosa) holds a “critically endangered” status, and its last sighting was recorded in 1876.
- Jerdon’s courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) is classified as “critically endangered,” and its last confirmed sighting occurred in 2009.
- ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee emphasized the importance of conserving the habitats of endemic bird species to prevent them from dwindling out.
- The publication aims to raise awareness among the general public, especially students, about the presence of endemic bird species in restricted spaces.
- The Western Ghats region has the highest number of endemic species, with 28 bird species recorded, including the Malabar grey hornbill, Malabar parakeet, Ashambu laughingthrush, and the white-bellied sholakili.
2. FATF trying to safeguard Non-Profit Organisation
- The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is planning to revise its current recommendations that aim to protect non-profit organisations (NPOs) from terrorist financing abuse, as these recommendations may inadvertently harm legitimate NPO activities.
- The revision will focus on Recommendation 8 of the FATF Standards, which pertains to non-profits, and its interpretive note. Additionally, an updated best practices paper on the issue will be adopted.
- The proposed amendments were prepared by a project team established after the FATF’s June 2022 plenary, where they agreed to consider changes to the recommendation.
- The revisions are intended to tackle the problem of overly applying preventive measures to the Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) sector in certain countries, while considering the adverse effects on legitimate NPO activities.
- The deadline for public comments on these proposed revisions is August 18, and they will be discussed further at the FATF’s October plenary.
3. Importance & concerns of Starlink
- Context:
- The article discusses the impact of Starlink’s satellite internet service, controlled by Elon Musk, on global geopolitics, particularly its significance in the Russia-Ukraine war and the need for more satellite constellations.
- Introduction
- In January 2023, images of an unmanned Ukrainian drone with a retrofitted Starlink satellite dish circulated on Telegram channels in Russia.
- Pro-Russian paramilitary groups claimed that the integration of Starlink’s satellite internet service allowed remote control of the drone, raising concerns about its potential use in the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Elon Musk’s tweet denying the use of Starlink for long-range drone strikes highlighted how a tech CEO could alter the rules of engagement in a conflict.
- Starlink’s Importance in Ukraine
- Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet access became crucial for communication in war-stricken Ukraine after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.
- The Ukrainian government faced challenges in controlling internet access as it depended on Musk’s Starlink service, giving him significant control over connectivity in the country.
- Warping the Internet’s Functionality
- Traditional infrastructure operates on a public utility principle, but satellite internet companies like Starlink can exert control over connectivity due to the lack of regulation and the technology’s nature.
- After the protests in Iran, the government shut down internet access, but Starlink provided connectivity, enabling activists and protestors to communicate securely.
- However, Starlink’s monopoly raises concerns when Musk denies countries’ requests for connectivity or restricts specific uses, leaving decisions to tech company employees rather than governments.
Also read Space Internet.
- The Need for More LEO Satellite Constellations
- Starlink’s monopoly results from several factors, including Musk’s foresight and light regulation from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
- Rival firm OneWeb faced challenges when Russia demanded their satellites not be used against Moscow, showing the importance of government-specific projects for satellite constellations.
- The European Union and China have initiated plans for their satellite constellations to compete with Starlink, emphasising the need to decentralise the power concentrated in one company.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Consider the following statements about the Financial Action Task Force (FATF):
- FATF researches money laundering and terrorism financing.
- It sets international standards to combat illegal financial activities.
- India is not a member of the FATF.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
FATF sets international standards to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing. India has been a member of FATF since 2010.
Q2. What is the primary focus of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for railway stations in India?
- Improving railway tracks and signalling systems.
- Reducing travel time between cities.
- Developing stations as city centres with improved amenities and urban integration.
- Enhancing freight transportation efficiency.
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme focuses on developing railway stations as city centres with improved amenities and urban integration for better passenger experience.
Q3. Consider the following statements about the Global Tiger Forum (GTF):
- It was established in 1994 to protect tigers globally.
- GTF convenes its General Assembly every two years.
- It aims to provide leadership and a common approach worldwide to save tigers, their prey, and habitats.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
It was established in 1994 with its headquarters in New Delhi. It convenes its General Assembly every three years, and aims to protect tigers, their prey, and habitats.
Q4. Match the following endemic bird species with their respective International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conservation status:
Bird Species IUCN Conservation Status
- Manipur bush quail A. Critically Endangered
- Jerdon’s courser B. Least Concern
- Indian Eagle-Owl C. Endangered
Select the correct match from the options below:
- 1-A, 2-B, 3-C
- 1-B, 2-C, 3-A
- 1-B, 2-A, 3-C
- 1-C, 2-A, 3-B
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
Manipur bush quail is listed as endangered, Jerdon’s courser is listed as critically endangered, and Indian Eagle-Owl is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Q5. Which of the following islands is known for being an "eco-friendly" trash island where ash from the incinerated garbage is dumped?
- Pulau Ubin
- Sentosa Island
- Pulau Semakau
- Lazarus Island
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
Pulau Semakau is a trash island near Singapore where ash from the city’s incinerated garbage is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- It is argued that India’s surplus sugarcane production is pushing the country’s agriculture towards a crisis. Do you agree? Critically examine. (250 words, 15 marks) [GS-3; Economy and Agriculture]
- Examine the role of low-earth orbit satellites owned by private entities in wars & conflicts. (250 words, 15 marks) [GS-3; Security]
Read the previous CNA here.
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