UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 19th September 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Gita Mehta

Subject: Art and Culture

Why in News?

Recently, Gita Mehta, a renowned writer-filmmaker passed away.

About Gita Mehta

• She was a writer, journalist and filmmaker of both Indian and American heritage. 
• She was engaged in documentary filmmaking, with focus on various wars and conflicts. 
  • One of her significant contributions was her coverage of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

Books Published

• ‘Karma Cola’, ‘Snake and Ladders’, ‘A River Sutra’, ‘Raj’ and ‘The Eternal Ganesha’.

Awards Honored

• She was conferred India’s fourth highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri, in the field of literature and education in 2019, she had declined the award.

Source: Live Mint

Moonquakes

Subject: Geography

Why in News?

An earthquake is caused when tectonic plates shift, however, the quakes themselves aren’t restricted to the earth. 

About

• Small tremors have also been detected on the moon. They aren’t the handiwork of tectonic plates.
• Instead, the moon is practically groaning from extreme temperature differences – from 121 degrees to –133 degrees Celsius, a breathtaking range of 250 degrees Celsius. The resulting strain leads to seismic activities called moonquakes.
• They can also occur due to meteors striking the lunar surface. Indeed, the surface is pockmarked with thousands of craters – not surprising because the moon’s lack of an atmosphere allows even small impacts to be powerful enough to deform the ground.
• Researchers also found another cause that the Apollo 17 lunar lander module (1972), may also have triggered some tremors.
• Scientists using artificial intelligence found that the lander itself set off very feeble seismic movements on the moon as it adjusted to the natural satellite’s drastic temperature changes.
• As countries around the world, including India, plan to establish outposts on the lunar surface, studying moonquakes and their causes is crucial.
• It will also help us build structures on the moon that don’t topple if a lander descends nearby.

Source: The Hindu

Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD)

Subject: Geography

Why in News?

 Heavy rain batters Gujarat, Narmada dam water discharge causes flooding; 9,600 shifted to safety.

About Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD):

• SSD is a concrete gravity dam built on the Narmada River at Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district.
• The dam was named after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Having a length of 1.2 km and a depth of 163 m, it is the third highest concrete dam in India, the first two being Bhakra (226 metres) in Himachal Pradesh and Lakhwar (192 meters) in Uttar Pradesh. 
• In terms of the volume of concrete involved in gravity dams, this dam will be ranked as the second largest in the world after the Grand Coule Dam in the USA.
• It is a part of the Narmada Valley Project, a large hydraulic engineering project involving the construction of a series of large irrigation and hydroelectric multi-purpose dams on the Narmada River. 
• The dam has two powerhouses – a canal head powerhouse and a river bed powerhouse with an installed capacity of 250 MW and 1,200 MW, respectively.
• Power benefits are shared among Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat in the ratio of 57:27:16, respectively.
• Reservoir: The dam forms a vast reservoir known as the "Sardar Sarovar Reservoir" or "Narmada Lake," which spans across several districts in Gujarat.

 Key Facts about Narmada River:

• It is the largest west-flowing river in the peninsula India.
• Origin: It rises from Narmada Kund, located at Amarkantak, in the Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, at an elevation of about 1057 m in the Maikala range.
• Course: The river flows through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat between Vindhya and Satpura hill ranges before falling into the Gulf of Cambay in the Arabian Sea about 10 km north of Bharuch, Gujarat.
• Length: The total length of the river from source to sea is 1312 kilometers (815 miles).
• The river has numerous waterfalls, notably the Dhuandhar Falls, southwest of Jabalpur. 
• Tributaries: The Narmada has several tributaries, with the most significant ones being the Tawa, Barna, Hiran, and Orsang rivers.

Source: Times of India

GS-II

Reforming H-1B Visa Program: Vivek Ramaswamy’s Pledge

Subject: Polity and Governance

Why in News?

Indian-American Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy vows to overhaul the H-1B visa program.

• The H-1B visa, highly sought-after among Indian IT professionals, permits US companies to employ foreign workers for specialized roles requiring theoretical or technical expertise.

Why discuss this?

• The H-1B visa are highly sought-after category used by Indian professionals in the US as many use them as a precursor for permanent residency.
• However, the waiting periods for the employment-based green card for Indians can stretch into decades.
• The US embassy in India has already processed over 9 lakh non-immigrant visa currently and is expected to pass the one million mark soon.

Understanding H-1B Visa Program

• The H-1B visa program is crafted to facilitate the entry of skilled foreign workers into the United States, enabling them to work for American companies.
• It is particularly sought after by Indian IT professionals as it permits U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in specialized roles demanding theoretical or technical expertise.
• Despite its popularity, the H-1B visa program faces criticisms for extended waiting periods and the use of a lottery system for selection.

Ramaswamy’s Perspective

• Personal Experience: Ramaswamy acknowledged his own immigrant experience and contended that the H-1B system is detrimental to all parties involved.
• Merit-Based Reform: He advocated for replacing the lottery system with a meritocratic admission process, describing the current system as a form of indentured servitude that primarily benefits sponsoring companies.
• Eliminating Chain Migration: He also emphasized the need to eliminate chain-based migration, arguing that family members who join immigrants are not merit-based contributors to the country.

Historical Context and Comparisons

• Resonance with Trump: Ramaswamy’s stance on H-1B visas draws parallels with Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.
• Hard stance: Despite hiring foreign workers under H-1B visas for his businesses, Trump initially adopted a hardline stance on these workers before later softening his rhetoric.

Source: Indian Express

Transformations and Trends in the Indian Parliament over 75 Years

Subject: Polity and Governance

Why in News?

India’s parliamentary journey spanning 75 years reflects a dynamic and evolving landscape of political representation, legislative processes, and societal changes.

• From shifting demographics to parliamentary practices and electoral dynamics, this retrospective analysis sheds light on the fascinating facets of India’s parliamentary evolution.

Key Trends in Indian Parliament

Conclusion

• As India’s Parliament embarks on its journey of 75 years, these trends provide a fascinating glimpse into the evolving dynamics of the nation’s highest legislative body.

Source: The Hindu

GS-III

Operation Sajag

Subject: Defence

Why in News?

Coastal security drill ‘Operation Sajag’ conducted by Indian Coast Guard along the west coast.

About Operation Sajag:

• It is a coastal security drill conducted by the Indian Coast Guard along the west coast.
• It involved all stakeholders of the Indian coastal security construct.
• A total of 118 ships, including those from Customs, Marine Police, Ports, and the Indian Navy, participated in the drill.
• The drill facilitates revalidation of the coastal security mechanism and brings awareness among the fishermen at sea.
• During the drill, extensive checking and verification of documents and crew passes of all fishing boats, barges and craft at sea was undertaken.
• Biometric card readers have also been issued to security agencies.
• Besides monitoring of dhows, island security and community interaction programmes have been institutionalised under the coastal security construct.

 Key Facts about Indian Coast Guard:

• It is an armed force that protects India's maritime interests and enforces maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.
• History: it was formally established in 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an independent armed force of India.
• Parent ministry: It operates under the Ministry of Defence.
• Administration: The organization is headed by the Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG).
• HQ: New Delhi

 Source: PIB

Over 75% of European bumblebee Species Threatened

Subject: Environment and Ecology

Why in News?

More than 75% of European bumblebee species may be threatened in the next 40-60 years according to a paper published in Nature. 

Key Points of the Study

• Population decline: Around 38-76% of European bumblebee species currently considered as non-threatened are projected to see their ecologically suitable territory shrink by at least 30% by 2061-2080.
• Key drivers of population loss: Degradation of habitats and alterations of climate due to human activity are identified as key drivers of these estimated population declines.

About Bumblebee

• The bumblebee (Bombus) is a genus of bees considered to be especially important for the pollination of crops in the cold and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. 
• Bombus species are social bees, with each nest containing a female bee and other male and worker bees.
• The species live and nest in open farmland & fields. It feeds on food plants like sunflowers & clovers.

Way Ahead

• There is a need for conservation measures and policies that mitigate the human impact on important ecosystems.
• Understanding the trajectory of insect populations is important for devising conservation efforts.

Source: The Hindu

Defence Ministry nods to buy Pralay Ballistic Missiles

Subject: Defence

Why in News?

The Defense Ministry has granted approval for the acquisition of a regiment of ‘Pralay’ ballistic missiles, earmarked for deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Line of Control (LoC).

• It is the first time that a ballistic missile will be inducted into the services for conventional operations.

Pralay Missile: Key Features

Strategic significance

• Longest Range: ‘Pralay’ will emerge as the longest-range surface-to-surface missile within the Army’s inventory.
• Strategic Role: ‘Pralay,’ in conjunction with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, will play a central role in India’s planned Rocket Force, augmenting the nation’s strategic posture.
• Imperative: China and Pakistan have already deployed ballistic missiles for tactical purposes, prompting India’s acquisition of ‘Pralay’ missiles.

Source: The Hindu