Weekly Current Affairs (15th to 21st January 2023) Part - 2 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Shukrayaan I

Context: Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Venus mission, Shukrayaan I may be postponed to 2031. ISRO’s Venus mission was expected to be launched in December 2024.

• Both the U.S. and the European space agencies have Venus missions planned for 2031 — VERITAS and EnVision, respectively — while China may launch around 2026 or 2027.

What Causes the Delay?

• ISRO had originally planned to launch Shukrayaan I in mid-2023 but the pandemic pushed the date to December 2024.
  • Other ISRO missions, including Aditya L1 and Chandrayaan III, have also been affected by manufacturing delays and commercial launch commitments.
• Optimal launch windows from Earth to Venus occur once around every 19 months. This is why ISRO has ‘backup’ launch dates in 2026 and 2028 should it miss the 2024 opportunity.
• But even more optimal windows, which further reduce the amount of fuel required at liftoff, come around every eight years.
• Right now the 2031 window is considered very good by the experts.
• The mission is also “waiting for formal approval and money”, which are required before spacecraft assembly and testing.

What is Shukrayaan I Mission?

About:

• Shukrayaan I will be an Orbiter Mission. Its scientific payloads currently include a high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and a ground-penetrating radar.
• SAR would examine Venus’ surface, despite the clouds around the planet, which lowers visibility.
• It refers to a technique for producing high-resolution images. Because of the precision, the radar can penetrate clouds and darkness, which means that it can collect data day and night in any weather.
• The mission is expected to study Venus’s geological and volcanic activity, emissions on the ground, wind speed, cloud cover, and other planetary characteristics from an elliptical orbit.
• Shukrayaan-I will be launched on either GSLV Mk II or GSLV Mk III, the latter allows more instruments or fuel to be carried, according to ISRO.

Objectives:

• Investigation of surface process and shallow subsurface stratigraphy. Until now, no prior observation of the sub-surface of Venus has been done.
• Stratigraphy is a branch of geology in which rock layers and layering are studied.
  • Study of the structure, composition and dynamics of the atmosphere.
• Investigation of Solar wind interaction with Venusian ionosphere.

Significance:

• It will help to learn how Earth-like planets evolve and what conditions exist on Earth-sized exoplanets (Planets that orbit a star other than our sun).
• It will help in modelling Earth’s climate and serves as a cautionary tale on how dramatically a planet’s climate can change.

What is Venus?

• It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. It is the second planet from the Sun and sixth in the solar system in size and mass.
• It is the second brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon.
• Unlike the other planets in our solar system, Venus and Uranus spin clockwise on their axis.
• It is the hottest planet in the solar system because of the high concentration of carbon dioxide which works to produce an intense greenhouse effect.
• A day on Venus is longer than a year. It takes Venus longer to rotate once on its axis than to complete one orbit of the Sun.
  • That’s 243 Earth days to rotate once - the longest rotation of any planet in the Solar System - and only 224.7 Earth days to complete one orbit of the Sun.
• Venus has been called Earth’s twin because of the similarities in their masses, sizes, and densities and their similar relative locations in the solar system.
  • No planet approaches closer to Earth than Venus; at its nearest it is the closest large body to Earth other than the Moon.
  • Venus has 90 times the atmospheric pressure of Earth.

Remote Voting for Migrants

Context: Recently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has proposed a new Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RVM), which will allow domestic migrants to vote in national and regional elections.

• The EC proposed using this in a State Assembly election as a pilot so internal migrants within a state can cast their ballots.

Why the Need for Remote Voting?

Decrease in Voting Turnout:

• In 2019 general election, over 91% of its eligible citizens were registered with 67% of them coming out to vote, which is the highest voter turnout in the nation’s history.
• It is, however, worrying that a third of the eligible voters, a whopping 30 crore people, do not vote.

Internal Migration:

• One of the reasons for less voter turnout remained the internal migration that took electors away from their home constituencies.
• Electors can have their names added to the electoral rolls of the constituency they ordinarily reside in, but many chose to retain the Voter ID from their home constituencies for various reasons.

Supreme Court’s Direction:

• Hearing a petition on the alleged denial of voting opportunities to migrants, the Supreme Court (SC) had in 2015 directed the EC to explore options for remote voting.

Increasing Registrations of Unorganised Workers:

• There are nearly 10 million migrant workers, which is for the unorganised sector, registered with the government’s e-SHRAM portal. If the remote voting project is implemented, it will have far reaching ramifications.

What is the Current Proposal for Remote Voting?

RVM:

• RVM is a modified version of the existing Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
• The special remote polling booths would be set up in different states when elections are on in the home state of migrants.
• The RVM can handle multiple constituencies from a single remote polling booth.
• For this, instead of a fixed ballot paper sheet, the machine has been modified to have an electronic dynamic ballot display which will present different candidate lists corresponding to the constituency number of the voter read by a constituency card reader.

Security:

• The system would have a device similar to the so voters can verify their votes.
• The units will save the number of votes for each candidate for each of the constituencies, to be tallied on counting day.
• The results would then be shared with the home RO (Returning Officer).
• A returning officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.

How do Existing EVMs Work?

• EVMs have been used on a large scale in India since 1992 and have been used in all Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections since 2000.
• The latest iteration of the machine is the M3 model, which has been manufactured since 2013. In 2010, multiple political parties approached the ECI to develop a mechanism to verify that the EVM had recorded the vote correctly.
• As a result, the ECI developed the Voter Verified Paper Trail Audit (VVPAT) machine, which has become universal in elections since mid-2017.
• The current EVM setup includes a Balloting Unit (BU), which is connected to the VVPAT printer and is located inside the voting compartment.
• The VVPAT is connected to the Control Unit (CU), which sits with the Presiding Officer (PO) and totals the number of votes cast.
• The VVPAT prints a slip with the poll symbol and candidate name once the voter presses the key on the BU, which is visible to the voter for seven seconds before being dropped off in a box inside the VVPAT.

What are the Concerns and Challenges Ahead?

• The Multi-Constituency RVM for migrant voting will have the same security system and voting experience as the EVM. This essentially means that the challenges with regard to the current EVMs will persist when it comes to the RVMs.
• Besides machine related concerns, remote voting will also face logistical and administrative challenges. These include questions on how voter registration will take place in remote locations, how names will be removed from the electoral rolls of the home constituency, how remote voting applications will be made transparent etc.
• The current VVPAT system is not voter verified in its full sense, meaning, while the voter sees their vote slip behind the VVPAT’s glass for seven seconds, it does not mean they have verified it. That would happen if the voter got the printout in their hand, was able to approve it before the vote was finally cast, and was able to cancel if there was an error.
• Under the current system, if the voter disputes what they have seen behind the screen, they are allowed a test vote in the presence of an election officer, and if the outcome of the test vote is correct, the voter can be penalized or even prosecuted. The same may persist with remote voting.

Way Forward

• For the voting process to be verifiable and correct, it should be machine-independent, or software and hardware independent, meaning, the establishment of its veracity should not depend solely on the assumption that the EVM is correct.
• The “voter should have full agency to cancel a vote if not satisfied; and that the process to cancel must be simple and should not require the voter to interact with anybody”.
• It is important that any system of remote voting has to take into account the confidence and acceptability of all the stakeholders of the electoral system – voters, political parties and election machinery, the officials are learnt to have informed the committee while political consensus is the way forward to introduce remote voting.

State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2022-23

Context: Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released a report stating that the Gross Fiscal Deficit (GFD) of states is expected to decrease to 3.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022-23, from 4.1% in 2020-21.

• This is due to a broad-based economic recovery and an increase in revenue collections.

What is the Report "State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2022-23"?

About:

• The report titled "State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2022-23" is a comprehensive analysis of the financial position of the Indian states, including the trends and challenges in their revenue and expenditure.

Finding of the Report:

• According to the RBI report, states' debt is expected to decrease to 29.5% of GDP in 2022-23, compared to 31.1% in 2020-21.
• However, the report also highlights that this is still higher than the 20% recommended by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Review Committee in 2018.
• States are anticipating an increase in non-tax revenue, which is generated from sources such as fees, fines, and royalties. This increase is likely to be driven by revenue from industries and general services.
• The report notes that states are expecting to see an increase in revenue from various sources such as State GST, excise taxes, and sales taxes in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

Measures Suggested in the Report:

• This suggests that debt consolidation should be a priority for state governments.
  • Debt consolidation refers to the process of combining multiple debts into a single, more manageable debt. This can help to lower overall interest costs, simplify payments, and make it easier to pay off the debt.
• Allocating more resources to key sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and green energy, the states can promote economic growth and development.
• The report is proposing that it would be beneficial to establish a fund that would be used to buffer capital expenditure during periods of strong revenue growth.
  • The purpose of this fund would be to maintain a consistent level of spending on capital projects, and to ensure that spending on these projects is not drastically reduced during economic downturns.
• In order to attract private investment, state governments should focus on creating a favorable environment for the private sector to operate and grow.
  • This can be achieved by implementing policies and regulations that make it easy for private companies to do business, as well as providing incentives and support for private investment.
• States also need to encourage and facilitate higher inter-state trade and commerce to realize the full benefit of spillover effects of state capex across the country.

What is Gross Fiscal Deficit (GFD)?

• GFD measures the overall financial health of the state government and is calculated by subtracting total revenue from total expenditure.
• A decrease in GFD is generally considered a positive sign as it indicates that the state government is able to balance its revenue and expenditure more effectively.

What are the Measures of Government Deficit?

• Revenue Deficit: It refers to the excess of government’s revenue expenditure over revenue receipts.
  • Revenue Deficit = Revenue expenditure – Revenue receipts
• Fiscal Deficit: It is the gap between the government’s expenditure requirements and its receipts. This equals the money the government needs to borrow during the year. A surplus arises if receipts are more than expenditure.
  • Fiscal Deficit = Total expenditure – (Revenue receipts + non-debt creating capital receipts).
• Primary Deficit: Primary deficit equals fiscal deficit minus interest payments. This indicates the gap between the government’s expenditure requirements and its receipts, not taking into account the expenditure incurred on interest payments on loans taken during the previous years.
  • Primary deficit = Fiscal deficit – Interest payments
• Effective Revenue Deficit: It is the difference between revenue deficit and grants for creation of capital assets.
  • The concept of effective revenue deficit has been suggested by the Rangarajan Committee on Public Expenditure.

Sugar Exports

Context: According to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), sugar mills in India have entered into contracts to export 55 lakh tonnes of sweetener.

• The government has allowed sugar mills to export 60 lakh tonnes of sugar till May in the 2022-23 marketing year (October-September).

What is the Present Status of the Sugar Industry in India?

About:

• Sugar industry is an important agro-based industry that impacts the rural livelihood of about 50 million sugarcane farmers and around 5 lakh workers directly employed in sugar mills.
• In (Oct-Sep) 2021-22 India emerges as the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar and world’s 2nd largest exporter of sugar.

Geographical Conditions for the Growth of Sugar:

• Temperature: Between 21-27°C with hot and humid climate.
• Rainfall: Around 75-100 cm.
• Soil Type: Deep rich loamy soil.
• Top Sugarcane Producing States: Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka.

Growth Drivers for Sugar Industries:

• Impressive Sugar Season (Sep-Oct): All records of sugarcane production, sugar production, sugar exports, cane procured, cane dues paid and ethanol production was made during the season.
• High exports: The exports were the highest at about 109.8 LMT without any financial assistance and earned foreign currency of about Rs. 40,000 crores in the year 2021-22.
• Indian Government Policy Initiatives: Timely government initiatives in the last 5 years have taken them out of financial distress in 2018-19 to the stage of self-sufficiency in 2021-22.
  • Encouraging Ethanol Production: The Government has encouraged sugar mills to divert sugar to ethanol and also export surplus sugar so that mills may have better financial conditions to continue their operations.
  • Ethanol Blending with Petrol (EBP) Programme: The National Policy on Biofuels 2018, provides an indicative target of 20% ethanol blending under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme by 2025.
• Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP): The FRP is the minimum price that sugar mills have to pay to sugarcane farmers for procurement of sugarcane.
  • It is determined on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and after consultation with State Governments and other stakeholders.

Problems Associated:

• Competition from Other Sweeteners: The Indian sugar industry is facing increasing competition from other sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup, which is cheaper to produce and has a longer shelf life.
• Lack of Modern Technology: Many of the sugar mills in India are outdated and lack the modern technology needed to produce sugar efficiently. This makes it difficult for the industry to compete with other sugar-producing countries.
• Environmental Impact: Sugarcane cultivation requires large amounts of water and pesticides, which can have a negative impact on the environment.
  • Additionally, sugar mills often release pollutants into the air and water, which can harm nearby communities.
• Political interference: Sugar industry in India is heavily influenced by politics, with the state and central government having a significant role in determining the prices, production, and distribution of sugar. This often leads to a lack of transparency and inefficiency.

What is the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA)?

• Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) is a premier sugar organisation in India.
• It is the interface between the Government and sugar industry (both private and public sugar mills) in the country.
• The prime objective is to ensure that the functioning and interest of both the private and public sugar mills in the country are safeguarded through conducive and growth-oriented policies of the Government.

Way Forward

• Remote Sensing Technology: Despite the importance of sugarcane in the water, food and energy sectors in India, there are no reliable sugarcane maps for recent years and in time series.
• There is a need to deploy remote sensing technologies to map sugarcane areas.
• Diversification: The sugar industry in India should diversify its operations by exploring other products such as biofuels and organic sugar.
• This would help to reduce the risk associated with fluctuations in sugar prices.
• Encouraging Research and Development: The industry should invest in research and development to improve crop yields and reduce the environmental impact of sugar production.
• Encouraging Sustainable Practices: The industry should encourage sustainable practices, such as water conservation, integrated pest management, and reduced use of pesticides, in order to reduce the negative impact of sugar production on the environment.

17th ASER 2022

Context: Recently, the 17th Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022 was released by NGO Pratham, which highlights the impact of the pandemic on education.

• The report unveils high enrolment of children in schools which is a good performance indicator for government programmes like Nipun Bharat Mission.

What is ASER?

• The ASER, is an annual, citizen-led household survey that aims to understand whether children in rural India are enrolled in school and whether they are learning.
• ASER has been conducted every year since 2005 in all rural districts of India. It is the largest citizen-led survey in India.
• ASER surveys provided representative estimates of the enrolment status of children aged 3-16 and the basic reading and arithmetic levels of children aged 5-16 at the national, state and district level.

What are the Findings of the Report?

• Enrollment in Government Schools:
  • According to the ASER, 2022 the country has seen an increase in the enrollment of children in government schools.
• Basic Reading and Arithmetic Skills:
  • There has been a decline in the basic reading and arithmetic skills of young children in Class 3 and Class 5 in India.
• Proportion of Girls not Enrolled:
  • The decrease in the proportion of girls not enrolled in schools for the age group 11-14 from 4.1% in 2018 to 2% in 2022 is a significant improvement and a positive development.
  • This indicates that efforts to promote gender equality in education have been effective and have helped to increase the enrollment of girls in schools.

Hybrid Immunity

Context: A recent study in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases held that “hybrid immunity” provides better protection against severe Covid-19, while all immunity against a re-infection wane within a few months.

• The study is based on a meta-analysis of 11 other studies on the protective effectiveness of previous SARS-CoV-2 (Covid) infection and 15 studies on the protective effectiveness of hybrid immunity.

What is Hybrid Immunity?

• Hybrid immunity from an infection is a combination of natural protection along with the immunity provided by the vaccine.
• It appears to result in stronger protection than just infection or vaccination alone.
• In the case of Covid-19, hybrid immunity is when someone recovers from a Covid infection before getting vaccinated.

What are the Highlights of the Study?

Better Protection:

• A hybrid immunity offers a “higher magnitude and durability” of protection as compared to infection alone, emphasizing the need for vaccination.
• However, with the faster-spreading omicron variants leading to more infections and consequently more people developing this hybrid immunity.

Efficacy of Hybrid Immunity:

• Protection against severe disease and hospitalisations from a Sars-CoV-2 infection alone was found to be 82.5% at three months after the last shot or infection.
  • This protection stood at 74.6% at 12 months and 71.6% at 15 months.
• Protection against reinfection declined faster, standing at 65.2% at three months and dropping to 24.7% at 12 months and 15.5% at 15 months.
• In comparison, hybrid immunity with just the primary vaccine doses was found to be 96% at three months and 97.4% at 12 months.
  • The same can offer 69% protection against reinfection at three months, dropping to 41.8% at 12 months.
• The effectiveness of hybrid immunity gained from infection coupled with the primary as well as a booster dose stood at 97.2% at three months and 95.3% at six months.

Implications:

• It can be used to tailor guidance on the number and timing of SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations.
• It said that in regions with high Sars-CoV-2 sero-prevalence, the primary vaccination – focused mainly on those at the highest risk of severe disease such as the old or co-morbid – can offer high protection against severe disease and hospitalisation for at least one year.