CNA 20 May 2023:- Download PDF Here
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related POLITY 1. Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 C. GS 3 Related ENVIRONMENT 1. Gujarat: India’s green hydrogen hub D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials ECONOMY 1. Tracking SDG progress the Bhopal way F. Prelims Facts 1. Arsenic exposure G. Tidbits 1. Supreme Court at full strength 2. Golden Globe Race H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
B. GS 2 Related
1. Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991
Syllabus: Issues & Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure
Mains: Institutional measures for better cooperation between Delhi government & Lt. Governor
Context: Union government moves ordinance to negate SC verdict on Delhi services.
Introduction:
- The Union government on May 19, 2023, brought an ordinance designating the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) as the administrator of Delhi, with the final say on the postings and transfer of all bureaucrats serving the Delhi government.
- The ordinance, promulgated by President Droupadi Murmu, seeks to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and effectively negates the recent Supreme Court judgment that gave the Delhi government the power to make laws and wield control over bureaucrats deputed to the Delhi government.
Read more on Supreme Court’s verdict on Delhi Government
Key Details:
- The ordinance introduces a new statutory body called the National Capital Civil Service Authority (NCCSA) in Delhi, led by the Chief Minister, with the Chief Secretary and Principal Home Secretary as members.
- The NCCSA will make decisions through majority voting on matters such as transfers, postings, and vigilance issues of Group A officers and DANICS officers in Delhi.
- The Lieutenant Governor (L-G) will implement the NCCSA’s recommendations but can request relevant information for officers belonging to All India Services and DANICS serving the Delhi government. If the L-G disagrees with the recommendation, they can send it back to the Authority for reconsideration.
- Ultimately, the final decision rests with the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
- The ordinance ensures that the decision of the Lieutenant Governor is binding and final, even in cases of disagreement.
Read more on the Government of NCT Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021.
Nut Graf: President of India passed an ordinance designating the Lieutenant-Governor as Delhi’s administrator, granting final authority over postings and transfers of bureaucrats. The ordinance establishes the National Capital Civil Service Authority and reinforces the Lieutenant Governor’s decision-making power.
C. GS 3 Related
1. Gujarat: India’s green hydrogen hub
Syllabus: Environmental Pollution & Degradation
Mains: Potential benefits and challenges of implementing green hydrogen production
Context: Gujarat’s efforts to promote green hydrogen manufacturing and its policy framework.
Introduction:
- Gujarat is taking significant strides towards becoming the country’s leading green hydrogen manufacturing hub.
- With the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with major corporations like Reliance, Adani, ArcelorMittal, and Torrent, Gujarat is attracting substantial investments in green energy projects.
- The state aims to establish a production capacity of 8 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) of green hydrogen by 2035.
Green Hydrogen Manufacturing Policy in Gujarat:
- Gujarat is in the process of formulating a new policy that will prioritise the development of green hydrogen manufacturing.
- This policy will provide the necessary framework and guidelines for the industry’s growth in the state.
- By designating green hydrogen as a “priority sector,” Gujarat is signalling its commitment to fostering a favourable environment for investment and innovation in this field.
Land Allotment and Incentives:
- To facilitate the establishment of green hydrogen projects, the Gujarat State Cabinet has approved the allocation of 1.99 lakh hectares of land in the Kutch-Banaskantha border areas.
- This move accommodates the proposals of the corporates that have signed MoUs, covering a total area of 3.26 lakh hectares. Initially, the land parcels will be leased for a period of 40 years.
- The state government also plans to incentivize industries investing in green hydrogen projects through a range of incentives. These incentives will aim to attract and support the growth of the industry in Gujarat.
- Additionally, the land allotment policy stipulates that companies must achieve 50% of their green hydrogen production capacity within five years of plant commissioning and 100% within eight years.
Opportunities and Corporate Commitments:
- Several major corporations, including Reliance and Adani, have pledged significant investments in Gujarat’s green hydrogen sector.
- The Reliance group plans to invest ₹5.6 lakh crore in setting up a renewable energy park and a green hydrogen park.
- The Adani group has committed to investing over ₹4.13 lakh crore in green hydrogen and associated ecosystems, with a goal to produce up to 3 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually.
- These investments encompass the establishment of solar photovoltaic module factories, electrolysers, energy storage batteries, fuel cells, and wind and solar projects.
India’s Net-Zero Emission Goals:
- Aligned with the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), India has set an ambitious target of becoming a net-zero emission country by 2070.
- To achieve this goal, India aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030, with a plan to source 50% of its energy from renewable sources.
- To further support the development of green hydrogen, the Indian government allocated ₹19,744 crore in the recent Union Budget for the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
- This mission aims to promote the establishment of a green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT per annum and a renewable energy capacity addition of approximately 125 GW by 2030. The policy also seeks to attract investments exceeding ₹8 lakh crore and generate over 6 lakh jobs by 2030.
- Gujarat, with its favourable policy regime and robust infrastructure, intends to be a key player in India’s green energy ecosystem, expecting investments worth around ₹10 lakh crore over the next 15 years.
Nut Graf: Gujarat government through its new policy framework, land allocation, and incentives has laid a solid foundation to attract investments and foster innovation in the green hydrogen sector. The commitments made by major corporations and the support of the National Green Hydrogen Mission further validate the immense potential of Gujarat’s green hydrogen industry.
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
1. Tracking SDG progress the Bhopal way
Syllabus: Sustainable Development Goals.
Mains: Voluntary Local Review.
Prelims: Voluntary Local Review and Sustainable Development Goal.
Context: Bhopal released its Voluntary Local Review.
Details:
- The United Nations members (193) adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015.
- The Agenda consists of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets as a plan of action for ‘people’, ‘the planet’, and ‘prosperity’.
- The member states are mandated to submit a Voluntary National Review (VNR) to the UN’s High-Level Political Forum (HLPF).
- Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) are recently introduced for reporting local implementation of SDGs at the sub-national and city levels.
- There is an increasing global movement on the localization of SDGs. In this context, Bhopal became the first city to join the movement after releasing its VLR.
India’s Progress in SDGs:
- India’s second VNR was presented by NITI Aayog in the HLPF of 2020.
- Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI) published a National Indicator Framework (NIF) to review and monitor India’s progress.
- NIF contextualizes the UN’s Global Indicator Framework.
- Moreover, nearly 23 states and UTs prepared a vision document based on SDGs.
Significance of Voluntary Local Review:
- It should be noted that cities are the most important stakeholders as 65% of the 169 targets cannot be successfully achieved without the involvement of local urban stakeholders.
- VLR demonstrates local actions and encourages sustainable and equitable transformation of people.
- It aligns the city’s action with the State-level action plan and the country’s VNR.
- Cities will have the freedom to choose their VLR approach as per their priority and logistical comfort.
Case Study of Bhopal:
- The Bhopal Municipal Corporation, UN-Habitat, and a collective of over 23 local stakeholders have collaborated in Bhopal for its VLR.
- It has mapped 56 developmental projects to the SDGs on three pillars:
- People: SDGs 1,3,4,5.
- Planet: SDGs 6,13,15.
- Prosperity: SDGs 7,8,11.
- The quantitative assessment of city indicators under Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11).
- It analyzes the status of solid waste management practices, public transportation, and open spaces per capita.
- It also analyzes the areas that need to be improved like shelter, pollution, city planning, etc.
- Efforts are also made to engage people in the process.
Other Examples of Voluntary Local Review:
- In the city of Canterbury in the United Kingdom, instead of the local government, residents and local groups came together to form a coalition that conducted a VLR.
- It also petitioned the local government to work with city-level groups to advance SDGs.
- The local government of Dhulikhel (Nepal), Singra (Bangladesh), and Amman (Jordan) published their VLRs in 2022.
Conclusion:
Other cities should follow Bhopal’s example and showcase their innovations and emerging collaborations in this direction.
Related Link:
Gist of AIR Spotlight [NITI Aayog Sustainable Development Goals India Index]
Nut Graf: The localization of the Sustainable Development Goals through Voluntary Local Review is a great step for monitoring and achieving Agenda 2030. In this direction, Bhopal has chalked out an approach suited to itself. It should be emulated both nationally and internationally.
F. Prelims Facts
Syllabus: GS03-Environment
Prelims: Arsenic contamination
Context: Study on the impact of arsenic consumption.
Introduction:
- Recent research indicates that even low levels of arsenic consumption can impact cognitive function in children, adolescents, and young adults, in addition to known higher-level health risks.
- The study found that arsenic exposure resulted in reduced grey matter and weaker connections in key brain regions.
- The study also suggests that chronic arsenic exposure may constitute a global “silent pandemic” affecting a significant portion of the population.
- While individual impacts on cognition were limited, the collective effect of arsenic exposure was more pronounced.
- Arsenic exposure has been shown to disproportionately affect impoverished communities, according to previous studies.
- Further investigations are necessary to find the relationship between arsenic and brain function, along with exploring other environmental factors like air pollution.
- Efforts have been made by governments in Bihar and West Bengal to address arsenic contamination through piped water access and arsenic removal plants.
Arsenic contamination:
- Arsenic is introduced into soil and groundwater during weathering of rocks and minerals followed by subsequent leaching and runoff.
- Arsenic is emitted into the atmosphere by high-temperature processes such as coal-fired power plants, burning vegetation and volcanism.
- Arsenic has found its way into the food chain – mainly rice, wheat and potato.
- Arsenic contamination in groundwater has been a growing concern in several parts of the country.
- Arsenic is present in the groundwater as it is used on a large scale for irrigation by farmers. That is how it finds its way into the food chain as well.
- In India, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Chhattisgarh are reported to be most affected by arsenic contamination of groundwater above the permissible level.
Impact on health:
- Arsenic can occur in an organic form. Inorganic arsenic compounds (such as those found in water) are highly toxic while organic arsenic compounds (such as those found in seafood) are less harmful to health.
- The immediate symptoms of acute arsenic poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. These are followed by numbness and tingling of the extremities, muscle cramping and death, in extreme cases.
- The first symptoms of long-term exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic (for example, through drinking water and food) are usually observed in the skin and include pigmentation changes, skin lesions and hard patches on the palms and soles of the feet (hyperkeratosis).
- These occur after a minimum exposure of approximately five years and may be a precursor to skin cancer.
- In addition to skin cancer, long-term exposure to arsenic may also cause cancers of the bladder and lungs.
- Other adverse health effects that may be associated with long-term ingestion of inorganic arsenic include developmental effects, diabetes, pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular disease.
- Arsenic-induced myocardial infarction, in particular, can be a significant cause of excess mortality.
- In Taiwan, arsenic exposure has been linked to “Blackfoot disease”, which is a severe disease of blood vessels leading to gangrene.
- This disease has not been observed in other parts of the world, however, and it is possible that malnutrition contributes to its development.
- Arsenic is also associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant mortality, with impacts on child health, and exposure in utero and in early childhood has been linked to increases in mortality in young adults due to multiple cancers, lung disease, heart attacks, and kidney failure.
G. Tidbits
1. Supreme Court at full strength
- Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud administered the oath of office to Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and K.V. Viswanathan, bringing the Supreme Court of India back to its full strength of 34 judges.
- The Supreme Court of India comprises the Chief Justice and 33 other Judges appointed by the President of India.
- Justices Mishra and Viswanathan replaced retiring Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and M.R. Shah.
- The swearing-in ceremony took place in the presence of the full court and members of the Bar, following their speedy appointments approved by the government.
- Justice Viswanathan, who could become the 58th Chief Justice of India in August 2030, is the ninth lawyer directly elevated to the Supreme Court Bench. Justice Mishra previously served as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
- Commander (retd.) Abhilash Tomy returned to India after creating history as the first Indian to complete the Golden Globe race.
- He finished second in the 2022 edition after South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer.
- The Golden Globe Race is a non-stop, solo, unassisted yacht race around the world which was held for the first time in 1968-69.
- This race prohibits the use of modern technology and restricts boat designs and technology to those prior to 1968.
- Participants are not allowed to use GPS, satellite communication, or navigational aids, but are provided with a satellite phone for medical emergencies.
- Satellite phones would be available for extremely restricted use, up to four short messages a day, and use of the GPS chart plotter carried in a sealed box (for emergency) would lead to disqualification from the race.
- And the sailing would be along a stipulated route, rounding the three great capes, the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Cape Leeuwin in Australia and Cape Horn in Chile.
- In the 1968 race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston became the first person to complete a non-stop solo circumnavigation.
- Knox-Johnston used the boat called Suhaili, which was built in Bombay with assistance from the Royal Bombay Yacht Club in 1963.
- The GGR is the longest sporting event in the world.
- The 2022 edition commenced on September 4, 2022, from Les Sables-d’Olonne in France.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. With respect to Alternative Investment Funds (AIF), which of the following statements is/are correct? (Level-Medium)
- AIF is any fund established in India which is a privately pooled investment vehicle that collects funds from sophisticated investors, both Indian or foreign, for investing.
- AIF includes funds covered under Indian market regulator SEBI’s mutual fund regulations.
- Real estate funds, debt funds, private equity funds, funds for distressed assets, etc. are registered as Category III AIFs.
Options:
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- Statement 01 is correct, Alternative Investment Funds (AIF) are any privately pooled investment fund (whether from Indian or foreign sources) in the form of a trust, a company, a body corporate, or a Limited Liability Partnership, as defined by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012.
- Statement 02 is incorrect, AIF does not contain funds that are subject to the SEBI’s laws. Family trusts, employee welfare trusts, and gratuity trusts are not counted as AIFs.
- Statement 03 is incorrect, AIFs which do not undertake leverage or borrowing other than to meet day-to-day operational requirements and as permitted in the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012. Various types of funds such as real estate funds, private equity funds (PE funds), funds for distressed assets, etc. are registered as Category II AIFs.
Q2. Consider the following statements: (Level-Easy)
- Angel tax is levied on the capital raised by a listed company by selling shares to investors above the fair market value.
- An entity will be considered a startup up to 10 years from the date of its incorporation and registration, and an entity will continue to be recognised as a startup if its turnover for any of the financial years since incorporation and registration does not exceed ₹100 crore.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
- Statement 01 is incorrect, Angel tax is a term used to refer to the income tax payable on capital raised by unlisted companies via the issue of shares where the share price is seen in excess of the fair market value of the shares sold.
- The excess realisation is treated as income and taxed accordingly.
- Statement 02 is correct, Criteria that are considered for DPIIT startup recognition are,
Image Source: Startupindia.gov
Q3. Herschel Island, that was seen in the news recently, is a part of which country? (Level-Difficult)
- Argentina
- Australia
- Canada
- Mexico
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation: Herschel Island is an island in the Beaufort Sea (part of the Arctic Ocean), which lies 5 km off the coast of Yukon in Canada, of which it is administratively a part.
- It is in news as a study reveals that the thawing permafrost in Herschel Island is likely to destabilise thousands of industrial sites and linked contaminated areas in the Arctic, which could result in the spread of toxic substances across the region.
Q4. Which of the following statements is/are incorrect? (Level-Easy)
- The right to protest is recognised as a fundamental right.
- The right to peaceful protest is included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations.
Options:
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
- Statement 01 is incorrect, The right to protest is under article 19(1) (a), article 19(1)(b) and Article 19(1)(c) which gives the citizen the right to freedom of expression and the right to meet peacefully without weapons and the right to form associations or trade unions.
- Statement 02 is incorrect, The right to peaceful protest is included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. The right of peaceful assembly includes the right to hold meetings, sit-ins, strikes, rallies, events or protests, both offline and online.
Q5. Two important rivers - one with its source in Jharkhand (and known by a different name in Odisha), and another, with its source in Odisha - merge at a place only a short distance from the coast of Bay of Bengal before flowing into the sea. This is an important site of wildlife and biodiversity and a protected area. Which one of the following could be this? (Level-Difficult) (PYQ-CSE-2011)
- Bhitarkanika
- Chandipur-on-sea
- Gopalpur-on-sea
- Simlipal
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation: Brahmani river originates in Jharkhand and is known by the name of Burhabalang in Odisha. Baitarani river originates in Odisha. Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at the delta of Brahmani and Baitarani rivers before they merge into the Bay of Bengal.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Evaluate India’s progress on various Sustainable Development Goals. Identify some of the initiatives taken by the Government in this regard. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS-2; Governance)
- Green Hydrogen may hold the key to solving India’s renewable energy issues. Discuss. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS-3; Environment)
Read the previous CNA here.
CNA 20 May 2023:- Download PDF Here
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