03 Sep 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
C. GS 3 Related
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1. Operation Gaja shines spotlight on Chittoor’s kumkis
INDIAN ECONOMY
1. Three-fourths of India’s irrigation sources run on electricity: study
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
F. Prelims Facts
1. Pragyan completed its tasks; rover safely parked and set into sleep mode, says ISRO
2. What drives the process of “atlantification” in Arctic seas?
3. Using AI on X Rays can detect more TB cases
G. Tidbits
1. Community radio station lends an ear to palliative care patients
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

Nothing here for today!!!

Category: INDIAN ECONOMY

1. Three-fourths of India’s irrigation sources run on electricity: study

Syllabus-Different Types of Irrigation and Irrigation Systems

Prelims- Minor Irrigation Census, Water Consumption Patterns

Mains- Importance of Minor Irrigation Schemes, Sustainability of water usage in India

Introduction

• The sixth edition of the Minor Irrigation Census (MIC) finds that electricity is the dominant source of power for irrigation, accounting for 76% of the total sources.

Important details from the Report

• The use of electricity for irrigation has shown a slower growth rate compared to previous years, increasing from 56% in 2011 to 70% in 2017 and then to 76% in the latest report.
• The electrification of groundwater withdrawal corresponds to a rise in the use of tube wells and borewells that can extract water at greater depths.
• The number of dugwells or ponds and shallow tube wells has decreased, while the number of medium-sized (draw water from up to 70m) and deep wells (beyond 70m) has increased.
• Overall, there were 23.14 million minor irrigation schemes reported in the country by different state governments, with 21.93 million (close to 95%) being for groundwater extraction and 1.21 million for surface-water extraction. This has raised concerns about excessive groundwater withdrawal. 
• Uttar Pradesh had the largest number of Minor Irrigation schemes in the country, followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
• Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha, and Jharkhand have the highest share in surface-water schemes.
• The number of Minor irrigation schemes increased by about 1.42 million between the fifth and sixth editions.
• Privately owned, and small and marginal farmers owning less than two hectares of land were the major beneficiaries (96.6%) of these minor irrigation schemes. 

Why is the Minor Irrigation Census needed? 

• Climate and weather conditions in India are diverse and vary greatly across different regions. Some areas experience extreme heat, while others are very cold.
• Monsoons are irregular and unpredictable, and their distribution across the country is non-uniform. As a result, irrigation is essential for many parts of India.
• Non-irrigated agriculture relies solely on rainfall and is only feasible in areas with consistent soil moisture levels during crop growth periods.
• Irrigated agriculture supplements rainfall with water from human-made sources, such as rivers, lakes, or reservoirs.
• Minor irrigation schemes play a significant role in preserving India’s food security and allied industries. The Minor Irrigation Census helps understand the water usage patterns and help build sustainable irrigation. The data collected from these censuses helps policymakers plan, develop, and manage minor irrigation schemes effectively.
• It is released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti
• The first five censuses of minor irrigation schemes were conducted in 1986-87, 1993-94, 2000-01, 2006-07, and 2013-14, respectively. The recent sixth edition of this report details the trends in irrigation for the year 2017-18. 

Nut Graf: Electricity is the dominant source of power for irrigation in India, accounting for 76% of the total sources. The use of electricity has shown a slower growth rate compared to previous years, but the number of minor irrigation schemes has increased by about 1.42 million between the fifth and sixth editions. Privately owned, and small and marginal farmers owning less than two hectares of land were the major beneficiaries (96.6%) of these minor irrigation schemes.

2. What drives the process of “atlantification” in Arctic seas?

• Atlantification is an ocean phenomenon where the warm waters from the Atlantic Ocean have been diverted into the Arctic ocean causing the transformation of the Arctic Ocean from colder, fresher, and ice-capped to warmer, saltier, and increasingly ice-free.
• The ocean’s global circulation patterns cause water to flow from the Atlantic into the Arctic.
• This exchange happens primarily in deeper water, with currents carrying warm and salty Atlantic water north.
• The warm Atlantic water does not mix well with the Arctic’s surface water, which is cooler and fresher.
• The fresher Arctic water is less dense than the saltier Atlantic water, so it floats on top, trapping the Atlantic water beneath the ocean’s surface.
• However, as sea ice disappears, the surface of the Arctic Ocean is heating up. The barrier between the layers (i.e the Arctic water and Atlantic water) is weakening, allowing Atlantic water to mix more easily into the upper layer.
• This is creating a feedback loop where:
  • Warmer surface water melts more sea ice.
  • Exposure of the ocean’s surface to sunlight increases.
  • Water temperature rises, ocean stratification in the Arctic ocean is disrupted, melting more ice.
• The force driving atlantification is the Arctic Dipole, a pattern characterized by anticyclonic winds over North America and cyclonic winds over Eurasia
• The Arctic Dipole affects the influx of water from the North Atlantic through the Fram Strait affecting the distribution of ice in the region.

3. Using AI on X Rays can detect more TB cases

• AI-assisted chest X-rays, such as qXR developed by Quire.ai, can help detect presumptive TB cases early and quickly.
• In India, the 2019-2021 National TB Prevalence Survey found that nearly 43% of TB cases would have been missed without chest X-rays.
• The Indian regulatory authorities have cleared qXR, and it also meets the WHO requirement of >90% sensitivity and >70% specificity in people older than 15 years.
• However, states are awaiting a directive from the Central TB Division to adopt qXR, which could encourage widespread adoption.
• Early diagnosis and initiation of care for millions of people with TB is crucial for India’s ambitious goal of eliminating TB by 2025.
• Using qXR to read digital X-rays before molecular testing as part of community screening will reduce TB prevalence and minimize the number of molecular tests required. 
• The use of qXR increased the positivity of molecular tests by 18-27%.

Q1. Human Development Index is published by:

Q2. India’s first solar observatory mission - ‘Aditya­L1’ was launched aboard:

Q3. Which of these statements is/are correct?

Q4. The term ‘Kumki’ often seen in news refers to:

Q5. Consider the following statements with respect to Anti Dumping Duty: