UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 26th February 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

'Sudarshan Setu' Bridge

Subject: Geography

Why in News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the 'Sudarshan Setu' bridge connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district.

About 'Sudarshan Setu' Bridge:

• Location: Spanning the Arabian Sea, it connects Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district.
• Length: Measures 2.32 km in total.
• Unique Design:
  • Features a footpath adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides, reflecting cultural significance.
  • Solar panels installed on the upper portions of the footpath, generating one megawatt of electricity, showcasing sustainability.
• Construction:
  • Includes 900 meters of a central double-span cable-stayed portion.
  • Additionally, there's a 2.45 km long approach road.
• Cost: Constructed at a cost of Rs 979 crore, highlighting a significant investment in infrastructure.

Key Facts about Beyt Dwarka:

• Beyt Island (also called Bet Dwarka or Shankodhar) is a small island off the coast of Dwarka, Gujarat.
• Located at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, the island is enclosed by a few temples, white sand beaches, and coral reefs.
• History:
  • It is believed to be the home of Lord Krishna when he was the king of Dwarka. 
  • It derives its name from the word ‘bet’, which translates to ‘gift’, and it is believed that Lord Krishna received it from his friend Sudama.
  • Explorations and excavations carried out under the sea have revealed the presence of settlements whose age can be traced back to the era of the Harappan civilisation and that of the Mauryan rule.
  • In the later years, the region was under the administration of the Gaekwad clan of the state of Baroda.
• Shri Keshavraj Ji Temple:
  • It is a Lord Krishna temple located on the island. It is an important site for Hindu pilgrimage.
  • The temple is 500 years old and was built by Vallabhacharya.

Source: Deccan Herald

GS-II

SAMAR Assessment Certificates

Subject: Government Schemes

Why in News?

Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over SAMAR assessment certificates to nine Industry Partners.

About SAMAR Assessment Certificates:

• Definition:
  • Benchmark to measure the competency of defence manufacturing enterprises.
  • Outcome of collaboration between DRDO and the Quality Council of India (QCI).
• Objective:
  • Provide an objective assessment of manufacturing capability.
  • Enable enterprises to benchmark their performance.
  • Create a credible database for vendor selection.
  • Strengthen the Defence manufacturing ecosystem towards self-reliance in India.
• Eligibility:
  • All defence manufacturing enterprises (MSME and Large) eligible.
• Validity:
  • Valid for 2 years from the date of issuance.
• Certification Process:
  • Based on a maturity assessment model developed by QCI.
  • Applicable to micro, small, medium, and large enterprises in defence manufacturing.

Source: PIB

G-33

Subject: International Relations

Why in News?

Ahead of the 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), a majority of the G-33 countries have called for a permanent solution to public stockholding for food security.

About G-33:

• Definition:
  • A coalition of developing and least-developed countries within the realm of agriculture trade negotiations.
• Membership:
  • Currently comprises 47 member nations.
  • Main countries include India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines, Turkey, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Korea.
• Establishment:
  • Formed prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference during the Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, specifically focusing on agriculture.
• Objectives:
  • Dominated by India.
  • Holds "defensive" concerns regarding agriculture in WTO negotiations.
  • Aims to limit market opening requirements for developing countries.
• Advocacy:
  • Calls for the creation of a "special products" exemption allowing developing countries to exempt certain products from tariff reductions.
  • Advocates for a "special safeguard mechanism" permitting tariff increases in response to import surges.

Source: Live Mint

India stops Ravi water glow to Pakistan

Subject: International Relations

Why in News?

India has completed the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project, halting the flow of water from the Ravi river into Pakistan after 45 years of waiting.

• Under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, India possesses exclusive rights to the waters of the Ravi river, enabling it to utilize the resource for local agricultural purposes.

About Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project

• The Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project, situated on the Ravi River, is a significant initiative aimed at harnessing water resources for irrigation and hydropower generation in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
• The project comprises a 5 m high concrete gravity dam, a 7.7 km long hydel channel, two head regulators, and two powerhouses.
• It is expected to generate up to 206MW of electricity and provide irrigation to Punjab (5,000 Ha) and Jammu and Kashmir (32,173 Ha).

Historical Context

• Foundation laid in 1995: Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao initiated the project, which faced delays due to disputes between regional governments.
• Commitment by Prime Minister Modi: In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to optimize water resources from the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers for Indian farmers, leading to renewed efforts to complete the project.

Source: The Hindu

GS-III

Loss and Damage Board

Subject: Environment

Why in News?

Developed countries have delayed nominating members to the Loss and Damage Board, hampering efforts to fully operationalise the fund to developing countries in time.

About Loss and Damage Board:

• COP27:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Agreement: Reached on providing loss and damage funding to nations most vulnerable and impacted by climate change effects.
• COP28:
  • Establishment: Formally established the fund.
  • Decision Text: Stated the establishment of a board to govern and supervise the fund.
  • Board's Tasks:
    • Setting up strategic direction for the Fund.
    • Determining governance and operational modalities.
    • Formulating policies, frameworks, and work programme.
    • Making relevant funding decisions.
• Board Composition:
  • Members: 26 in total.
  • Distribution: 12 from developed countries and 14 from developing nations.

What is the Loss and Damage Fund?

• Definition:
  • Global financial package aimed at rescuing and rehabilitating countries facing the cascading effects of climate change.
  • Compensation: Rich nations, responsible for global warming, must pay to poor nations facing rising sea levels, floods, droughts, and cyclones.
• Categorization:
  • Economic Loss and Damage:
    • Negative impacts with monetary value (e.g., costs of rebuilding infrastructure, loss of agricultural revenue).
  • Non-economic Loss and Damage:
    • Negative impacts without monetary value (e.g., trauma from cyclones, loss of community, loss of biodiversity).

Source: Down to Earth

Island On The Air (IOTA) Programme

Subject: Science and Technology

Why in News?

A dedicated team of amateur radio operators (HAMs) embarked on a significant journey from the cyclone shelters of Nachugunta Island, Andhra Pradesh, to participate in the Island on the Air (IOTA) expedition Programme.

About Island On The Air (IOTA) Programme:

• It is a pioneering programme that connects radio amateurs worldwide with stations on islands.
• It was established in 1964.
• It is managed by IOTA Ltd in collaboration with the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), categorising islands into groups for communication.

 Key Facts about Amateur Radio (HAM Radio)

• Definition:
  • Popular hobby utilizing radio frequency spectrum for non-commercial purposes.
  • Engages HAM radio operators in communication using designated radio frequencies.
• Activities:
  • Include contests, emergency communication support, experimentation, technical learning, and community engagement.
• Features:
  • Offers a blend of technical learning, community engagement, and global connectivity.
  • Emphasizes innovation and service.
• Regulation in India:
  • Governed by the Indian Wireless Telegraphs (Amateur Service) Amendment Rules, 1984.
  • Defines 'Amateur service' as self-training intercommunications and technical investigation without pecuniary interest.
• Eligibility:
  • Any citizen of India above 12 years of age can become a HAM.
  • Requires qualification in the Amateurs Station Operators’ examination (ASO) and obtaining a valid Amateur wireless telegraph station licence.

Source: PIB

Understanding Large Language Models (LLMs)

Subject: Science and Technology

Why in News?

The introduction of generative AI, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has sparked widespread discussions about artificial intelligence, allowing computers to learn, think, and communicate.

• At the heart of this technology lies Large Language Models (LLMs), empowering computers to understand and generate human-like text.

• LLMs, according to Google, are large language models capable of solving common language problems through extensive training.
• These models are trained on large datasets and can handle various language-related tasks across different areas.

• Large: LLMs are trained on vast amounts of data and have many parameters, which determine their abilities.
• General Purpose: They can tackle a wide range of language tasks, regardless of specific topics or resource limitations.

• Architecture: LLMs come in different types, each suited for specific language tasks.
• Training Data: They can be trained in various ways, including on specific topics or for multilingual understanding.
• Size and Availability: LLMs differ in size and availability, with some being freely accessible and others proprietary.

• LLMs use deep learning techniques, like artificial neural networks, to predict the next word or sequence based on previous inputs.
• Similar to how a baby learns language through exposure, LLMs analyze patterns in data to make predictions.

• LLMs are used for text generation, conversation, translation, and summarization, among other tasks.
• They are vital for content creation, marketing, and virtual assistance.

Advantages offered

• Versatility: LLMs can handle various tasks due to their general language understanding.
• Generalization: They can apply patterns learned from data to new problems, even with limited information.
• Continuous Improvement: LLMs get better with more data and parameters, ensuring ongoing development.

Source: Indian Express