UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 25th July 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Why in News?

Recent genomic data has shed light on the reasons for demise of the Copper Age.

Key highlights of the data:-

• Previous analyses of ancient genomic data have suggested that two major genetic turnover events occurred in Western Eurasia.
  • First event: associated with the spread of farming around 7,000-6,000 BC and
  • Second event: resulting from the expansion of pastoralist groups from the Eurasian steppe starting around 3,300 BC.
  • The period between these two events, the Copper Age, was characterized by a new economy based on metallurgy, wheel and wagon transportation, and horse domestication.
• What happened between the demise of Copper Age settlements (around 4,250 BC) and the expansion of pastoralists is not well understood.
• According to the recent data, it is found that while there was genetic continuity between the Neolithic and Copper Age groups, from around 4500 BC groups from the northwestern Black Sea region carried varying amounts of ancestry from Copper Age and steppe-zone populations.
• This finding shows that the groups had cultural contact and mixed nearly 1,000 years earlier than previously thought.
• The transfer of technology between farmers and transitional hunters from different geographical zones was integral to the rise, formation and expansion of pastoralist groups around 3300 BC.
• According to the authors, the early admixture during the neolithic appears to be local to the North West Black Sea region of the fourth millennium BC and did not affect the hinterland in southeastern Europe.

About Copper Age:-

• It is also called the Chalcolithic period.
• It describes a transitional period in human prehistory between the Neolithic period (New Stone Age) and the Bronze Age. 
• The Chalcolithic cultures followed the Bronze Age Harappa culture.
• Time Period in India: It spanned around 2500 BC to 700 BC.
• Location: This culture was mainly seen in the Pre-Harappan phase, but in many places, it extended to the Post-Harappan phase too
• It is characterized by the use of both stone tools and the beginning of metalworking, specifically the utilization of copper.
• Defining characteristics of this period: the simultaneous use of stone tools and early metal objects, primarily copper.
• The Chalcolithic culture corresponds to the farming communities, namely Ahar or Banas, Malwa, and Jorwe.
• Domestication and Agriculture: The people of this age started doing animal husbandry and agriculture.
• Crops: wheat, rice, millet, lentil, urad and moong etc.
• Salient Features: The Chalcolithic culture of a region was defined by its ceramics and other cultural equipment like copper artefacts, beads of semi-precious stones, stone tools and terracotta figurines

Source: The Hindu

Safdarjung Tomb

Why in News?

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is set to finish conservation and restoration work on the central dome of Safdarjung Tomb soon, officials familiar with the matter said recently.

About Safdarjung Tomb:

• Safdarjung Tomb is the last garden tomb constructed in the late Mughal Empire Style. 
• Location: At the Intersection of Safdarjung Road and Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi, India.
• It was built in 1753- 54 as mausoleum of Safdarjung, the viceroy of Awadh under the Mughal Emperor, Mohammed Shah. It was built by his son, Nawab Shujaud Daula.
• Architecture:
  • Also known as ‘Safdarjung ka Maqbara,’ the tomb is built on a square plan and has a central dome and is made of marble and sandstone.
  • The dome is surrounded by four smaller domes and four minarets.
  • The exterior of the tomb is decorated with intricate latticework and calligraphy.
  • The interior of the tomb is decorated with marble and gold leaf.
  • The tomb is surrounded by lush green gardens. The garden is in the Mughal Charbagh garden style, and is a smaller version of the garden of Humayun Tomb.

Who was Safdarjung?

• Safdarjung (1708 – 5 October 1754), whose full name was Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan, was a major figure in the Mughal court during the declining years of the Mughal Empire.
• He became the second Nawab of Awadh when he succeeded Saadat Ali Khan I (his maternal uncle and father-in-law) in 1739.
• In 1739, Safdarjung was appointed the Prime Minister of the Mughal Empire by Emperor Muhammad Shah.
• He served as Prime Minister for five years, during which time he helped to stabilize the Mughal Empire and to improve its relations with other powers in the region.
• After his term as Prime Minister, Safdarjung returned to Awadh, where he ruled as Nawab for the next 15 years.
• He was a capable ruler, and he helped to make Awadh one of the most prosperous provinces in the Mughal Empire.
• He built many mosques, madrasas, and other public buildings in Awadh, and he also supported the arts of music, poetry, and painting.
• He died in 1754, and he was buried in Safdarjung Tomb, Delhi.

Source: Hindustan Times

Why in News?

The Union government has launched the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ campaign as a grand culmination of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,’ celebrating 75 years of Indian Independence.

Meri Maati Mera Desh

• This initiative aims to honor and commemorate the sacrifices of martyrs.
• It includes freedom fighters, defense personnel, and members of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and State Police, who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

Five-Point Agenda

1. Shilaphalakam Installation: Memorials will be erected, adorned with the names of those who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. The veers (bravehearts) will be remembered and respected for their immense contribution to the country’s freedom, unity, and integrity.
2. Pledge of Commitment: A solemn pledge will be taken by people at the memorial sites, reaffirming their unwavering commitment to the nation and its values.
3. Vasudha Vandhan: Every gram panchayat or village will participate in ‘Vasudha Vandhan’ by planting 75 saplings of indigenous species, rejuvenating Mother Earth, and developing Amrit Vatikas (Eternal Gardens).
4. Veeron Ka Vandan: Freedom fighters and the families of deceased freedom fighters will be honored and felicitated. Retired defense personnel, CAPF, and State Police personnel, along with the families of those who lost their lives in the line of duty, will also receive recognition for their invaluable service to the nation.
5. National Flag Hoisting: The National Flag will be proudly hoisted, and the National Anthem will resonate in unison, filling the air with patriotism and pride.

Implementation and Events

• Events will be organized at various levels, from panchayat and village to block, urban local bodies, state, and national levels.
• Soil from every panchayat/village will be collected by young volunteers and brought to the block, from where ‘Mitti Kalash’ (pots of soil) will be ceremoniously transported to Delhi.
• The collected soil will be utilized to create a unique garden, the Amrit Vatika, at the Kartavya Path in Delhi, honoring the heroes of Indian freedom struggle and national integrity.

Source: PIB

GS-II

Why in News?

 Recently, an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) found that there was a delay of 17-50 months in identifying areas and people affected by mining in Chhattisgarh.

About Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG):-

• Incumbent CAG of India: Shri Girish Chandra Murmu.
• CAG is an independent authority under the Constitution of India.
• The Constitution of India provides for an independent office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in Chapter V under Part V.
• He is the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.
• He is the guardian of the public purse. 
• Appointment: CAG is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
• Tenure: 6 years or 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.
• Removal: CAG can be removed by the President only in accordance with the procedure mentioned in the Constitution which is the manner same as the removal of a Supreme Court Judge.
• He is ineligible to hold any office, either under the Government of India or of any state, once he retires/resigns as a CAG.
• Salary: His salary and other service conditions cannot be varied to his disadvantage after the appointment.
• Conditions of service: His administrative powers and the conditions of service of persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department are prescribed by the President only after consulting him.
• The administrative expenses of the office of CAG, including all salaries, allowances and pensions are charged upon the Consolidated Fund of India that is not subject to vote.

Functions of CAG:-

• CAG audits the accounts related to all expenditures from the Consolidated Fund of India, the Consolidated Fund of each state and UT’s having a legislative assembly.
• He audits all expenditures from the Contingency Fund of India and the Public Account of India as well as the Contingency Fund and Public Account of each state.
• He audits all trading, manufacturing, profit and loss accounts, balance sheets and other subsidiary accounts kept by any department of the Central Government and the state governments.
• He audits the receipts and expenditures of all bodies and authorities substantially financed from the Central or State revenues; government companies; other corporations and bodies, when so required by related laws.
• He audits the accounts of any other authority when requested by the President or Governorg. Local bodies.
• He advises the President with regard to the prescription of the form in which the accounts of the Centre and States shall be kept.
• He submits his audit reports relating to the accounts of the Centre to the President, who shall, in turn, place them before both houses of Parliament.
• He submits his audit reports relating to the accounts of a State to the Governor, who shall, in turn, place them before the state legislature.
• CAG also acts as a guide, friend and philosopher of the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament.

Constitutional Provisions regarding the CAG:-

• Article 148–151: the appointment, oath and conditions of service, Duties and Powers of CAG.
• Article 279: The calculation of “net proceeds” is ascertained and certified by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, whose certificate is final.
• Third Schedule: Section IV of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of India prescribes the form of oath or affirmation to be made by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India at the time of assumption of office.
• Sixth Schedule: According to this schedule, the District Council or Regional Council should be kept in such form as the CAG prescribes with the approval of the President.
  • In addition, these bodies’ accounts are audited in such manner as CAG may think fit, and the reports relating to such accounts shall be submitted to the Governor who shall cause them to be laid before the Council.

Source: DTE

Why in News?

The government recently introduced the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, in the Lok Sabha.

About National Dental Commission Bill, 2023:

• The Bill seeks to repeal the Dentists Act, of 1948.
• The bill also aims to make dental education affordable and make quality oral healthcare accessible.
• It seeks to replace the Dental Council of India with the National Dental Commission (NDC).
• National Dental Commission (NDC):
  • It will draft policies and maintain quality standards in dental education and the profession.
  • The new commission will also regulate fees for 50% seats in private dental colleges.
  • Composition:
    • The composition of the NDC will be similar to that of the National Medical Commission (NMC), which had replaced the Medical Council of India.
    • The head office of the National Dental Commission shall be at New Delhi and it will consist of a chairperson; eight ex officio members; and 24 part-time members. 
    • They will be appointed by the central government.
    • Members of NMC, health ministry, AIIMS, New Delhi will be among the eight ex-officio members.
    • Out of 24 part-time members, a total of 19 members will be appointed on rotational basis from amongst the nominees of the states and union territories for two years.
    • Other five members who will be appointed for four years will include two dental faculties from any central or state or autonomous government institutes; three members who have special knowledge and professional experience in areas including management, law, medical ethics, health research, consumer or patient rights advocacy, science and technology and economics.
    • According to Bill, the commission’s members will declare their assets and liabilities at the time of entering and demitting office and also declare all professional and commercial engagements.
• Dental Advisory Council:
  • Under the provisions of the bill, the central government will constitute an advisory body – the Dental Advisory Council. 
  • The council will advise the commission and will also be the platform through which states and UTs will put forth their views.
  • It will also advise the Commission on measures to “enhance equitable access to dental education and uniform system of examination.”
• The Bill will make provision for an exit test for dentists on the lines of the National Exit Test that is likely to be implemented for those completing MBBS.

Source: DTE

GS-III

Controlled Human Infection Studies (CHIS): India takes its first step towards opening door to CHIS

Why in News?

India has taken its first step to introduce Controlled Human Infection Studies (CHIS), used in many countries for vaccine and treatment development.

What are Controlled Human Infection Studies (CHIS)?

• Alleviating the impact of infectious diseases on human health remains a key global health priority.
• In controlled human infection studies (CHIS), healthy volunteers are intentionally exposed to pathogens in a controlled environment.
  • This is done in order to promote understanding of the pathogenesis, transmission, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in humans.
• Such studies may be conducted –
  • to gain insights into how pathogens infect human hosts and cause disease,
  • to better understand immune responses to infection, or
  • to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines and drugs designed to prevent and treat infectious diseases.
• CHIS have a long history and have made important contributions to the treatment and prevention of many infectious diseases of global health importance.
• Although recognition of the potential value of CHIS is leading to such studies increasingly being conducted in a wider range of contexts, they remain a relatively unfamiliar research method.

How do CHIS Work?

• Researchers recruit a group of healthy adult volunteers to take part. They give an in-depth explanation of the process and the risks involved, and they monitor the volunteers' health throughout the study.
• The study could involve testing –
  • Vaccines – doctors give the volunteers a dose of the vaccine, then administer a controlled dose of the relevant challenge agent, for example a virus.
  • Treatments – doctors administer the challenge agent, then give volunteers a treatment.
• There are strict guidelines in place to protect the people taking part, and they are financially reimbursed for their time.
• In many of the developed countries, CHIS has been used to study malaria, typhoid, dengue, etc.

Benefits of CHIS:

• CHIS offers accelerated, cost-effective, and efficient outcomes using smaller sample sizes in comparison to large clinical trials.
• Its social value includes potential contributions to public health response to diseases of concern, healthcare decision-making, policies and economic benefits, improved pandemic preparedness, and community empowerment.

News Summary:

• Due to ethical issues, CHIS has till now been a no-go area in India.
  • Ethical issues involved are deliberate harm, possible disproportionate payment and hence inducements, third-party risk, withdrawal from the study and research with vulnerable participants.
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) notes that India has so far stayed away from CHIS, because regardless of the potential scientific benefits, these studies are ethically sensitive and raise concerns about contentious research ethics.
• However, the ICMR’s Bioethics Unit has introduced a consensus policy statement which is now open for comment and argues the case for bringing in CHIS.
• The document talks of the need, benefits, and challenges associated with CHIS.

Need for CHIS in India:

• India carries a high burden of morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. They contribute about 30% of the disease burden in the country.
• Finding novel, efficient, and cost-effective alternatives to existing methods of research in these diseases and their prevention is imperative to reduce this burden.
• CHIS can provide unique insights into disease pathogenesis and also accelerate the development of novel medical interventions.

Source: The Hindu

Why in News?

Despite recent setbacks, including the withdrawal of Foxconn Technology Group from a joint venture with Vedanta, Ltd., India remains committed to its semiconductor ambitions.

What are Semiconductors?

• Semiconductors are a class of materials that exhibit a unique property of electrical conductivity, lying between conductors and insulators.
• Unlike conductors, which allow electricity to flow freely through them, and insulators, which do not conduct electricity at all, semiconductors have an intermediate level of electrical conductivity.

Key characteristics of semiconductors include:

1. Electrical Conductivity: Semiconductors conduct electricity better than insulators but not as effectively as conductors. Their conductivity can be controlled and modified.
2. Band Gap: Semiconductors have an energy band gap that separates the valence band, where electrons are tightly bound, from the conduction band, where electrons can move more freely. This band gap is smaller than that of insulators but larger than that of conductors.
3. Temperature Dependency: The conductivity of semiconductors is highly temperature-dependent. As the temperature increases, their electrical conductivity also increases.
4. Doping: Semiconductors can be intentionally doped with impurities to alter their electrical properties. Doping introduces additional charge carriers, either electrons or holes, which can enhance or diminish conductivity.

Semiconductors and Transistors

• Semiconductor Chip Composition: At its core, a semiconductor chip consists of transistors crafted from materials like silicon. Transistors encode information as 0s and 1s and manipulate them to create new data.
• Three Parts of a Transistor: A transistor comprises the source, the gate, and the drain. By manipulating the gate to open or close, data is stored and manipulated in the semiconductor chip.
• Metal Layers and Connectivity: Transistors are connected to multiple metal layers on top, forming a complex network of electrical connections that enable the chip to execute multiple tasks.

Understanding Semiconductor Nodes

• Naming Convention: Semiconductor nodes were historically based on two numbers: gate length and metal pitch. As transistors shrunk, this naming convention evolved.
• Discrepancy and Progress: With advancing miniaturization, both gate length and metal pitch ceased to contribute to node names. Today’s cutting-edge 7 nm node has no physical parameter close to 7 nm.

Importance of Legacy Nodes

• Advantages of Legacy Nodes: While advanced nodes range from 10 nm to 5 nm, India’s current focus is around 28 nm or higher. Starting with legacy nodes offers advantages for cost-effective applications in robotics, defence, aerospace, industry automation, automobiles, IoT, and image sensors.
• Revenue Source: Commercial fabs maintain the production of legacy nodes alongside advanced nodes, catering to various demands. The revenue from legacy nodes is still significant in the semiconductor market.

India’s Semiconductor Journey

• Sensible Approach: India’s choice to start with legacy nodes is strategic. It equips the country for long-term success, as demand for legacy nodes in applications like electric cars and infotainment systems increases.
• Future Potential: With continuous improvement and development, India’s semiconductor industry has the potential to grow and become a global hub for semiconductor technology.

Conclusion

• India’s focus on legacy nodes lays a solid foundation for its semiconductor ambitions.
• Embracing these nodes equips the nation for growth and positions it as a player in the global semiconductor landscape.
• With a commitment to innovation and advancement, India has the potential to become a key player in the semiconductor world.

Source: Indian Express

Why in News?

Recently, Union Minister Jitendra Singh expressed satisfaction with the research work conducted on Cannabis Project by CSIR-IIIM.

Background:-

• Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, recently visited the cannabis cultivation field of CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu at its Chatha Farm.

About Cannabis Project:-

• It is the first-ever cannabis medicine project in India.
• Location: Jammu.
• Implementing Agencies: CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine.
• CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine
• International Collaborations: It will be established in collaboration with Canada.
• This project will be the first major foreign investment in Jammu and Kashmir after it became a Union Territory (UT).
• Significance: The medicine prepared from Cannabis is used to produce pain-relief medicine.

About CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine:-

• Established: 1941
• Historical Background:-
  • It was established as a research and production center, known as the Drug Research Laboratory of J&K State.
  • It was later taken over by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) of Govt. of India in 1957 as Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu.
  • The Mandate of Institute was redefined in 2007 and its name changed to the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM).
• Mandate: to discover new drugs and therapeutic approaches from Natural Products, both of plant and microbial origin, enabled by biotechnology, to develop technologies, drugs and products of high value for the national and international markets.
• Function and duties: Discovery of novel pharmacologically active natural products from plants and microbial species and translating them into drug leads and candidates by medicinal chemistry, preclinical pharmacology and clinical development.

About Cannabis:-

• According to the WHO, cannabis is a generic term used to denote the several psychoactive preparations of the plant Cannabis sativa.
• Cannabis, weed, pot, and marijuana all refer to the same group of plants known for their relaxing and calming effects.
• Cannabis is made up of more than 120 components, which are known as cannabinoids.

Medical uses:-

• The most common uses for medical cannabis are in severe or long-term pain, due to:-
• Chemotherapy (cancer treatments)
• Painful muscle spasms.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Cancer-related pain
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS-related weight loss or nausea/vomiting
• Huntington’s disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscle spasms
• Neuropathy
• Parkinson’s disease

Short-term effects of cannabis:-

• relaxation
• giddiness
• experiencing things around you, such as sights and sounds, more intensely
• increased appetite
• altered perception of time and events
• focus and creativity

Side effects:-

• coordination issues
• delayed reaction time
• nausea
• lethargy
• anxiety
• increased heart rate
• decreased blood pressure
• paranoia

Long-term effects of cannabis:-

• Brain development: According to some research, people who start using cannabis in their teens may have more memory and learning problems than those who don’t use cannabis in their teens.
• Dependence: Some people can also become dependent on cannabis or even experience withdrawal symptoms when not using cannabis, such as irritability, low appetite, and mood swings.
• Respiratory problems: Smoking cannabis carries similar risks to smoking tobacco.

Legal Regulations in India:-

• Under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985, the production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transport, and use of cannabis is a punishable offence. 
• The Act was enacted in 1985 which succeeded the Dangerous Drugs Act 1930.
• The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is vested with the power to charge individuals in cases related to the illegal use and supply of narcotics.
• The NDPS Act defines:-
  • Ganja: flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant but it clearly excludes the seeds and leaves.
  • Charas: the separated resin extracted from the cannabis plant.
• The Act illegalizes any mixture with or without any neutral material, of any of the two forms of cannabis, charas and ganja, or any drink prepared from it.
• The legislature left seeds and leaves of the cannabis plant out of the ambit of the Act because the serrated leaves of the plant have negligible tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content.
• ‘Bhang’, which is a paste made out of the leaves of the cannabis plant is hence not outlawed.
• Similarly, CBD oil, an acronym for cannabidiol derived from the leaves of the cannabis plant, would not come under the NDPS Act.
• The NDPS Act does not permit the recreational use of cannabis in India.

Source: AIR