Weekly Current Affairs (15th to 21st July 2024) Part - 1 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

GS3/Environment

Boosting Lighthouse Tourism in India

Why in news?

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways announced plans to boost lighthouse tourism under Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 in India during a stakeholders meeting organised by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships in Vizhinjam, Kerala.

What is a Lighthouse?

About:

• A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and used as an aid to navigation for mariners and local fisherman.
• Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, safe entries to harbours.
• Currently, India has established & maintaining 194 lighthouses along the coastal line & Islands of Indian waters.

Historical Role of Lighthouses in India

• Ancient India: The Rigveda and Satapatha Brahmana mention navigation in the Purva (East) and Paschima (West) Samudra. The Rigveda also describes sea voyages by Varuna and Vashistha.
• Mythological Connections: The story of ‘Manu,’ being rescued from a flood, highlights early Indian knowledge of sea and navigation.
• In the century A.D., Pallava king Narasimhavarman-I established a lighthouse at Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), using log fires to guide ships.

Significant Modern Marvels

• Description
• Image

Tangasseri Lighthouse, Kollam, Kerala

• Tallest lighthouse in Kerala, constructed by the British. It is painted in white and red bands, making it a fascinating sight.

Mahabalipuram Lighthouse,Tamil Nadu

• Old lighthouse from the colonial period, built next to an ancient lighthouse commissioned by Mahendra Pallava of the Pallava dynasty. Though non-functional, it is open for visitors to explore.

Kaup Beach Lighthouse, Udupi, Karnataka

• The existing lighthouse was constructed by the British in 1901 and has undergone various improvements over the years, including the installation of different lighting equipment.

Vizhinjam Lighthouse, Kovalam, Kerala

• A lighted beacon was established in nearby Kolachal in 1925, and a day mark beacon was provided at Vizhinjam in 1960. A major lighthouse was completed in 1972 it is One of the oldest and most picturesque lighthouses in India.

Fort Aguada Lighthouse, Goa

• A well-preserved Portuguese structure and one of Goa's prime attractions. It offers dreamy sea views, making it a must-visit spot.

Chandrabhaga, Odisha

• Chandrabhaga lighthouse, located near Konark, has endured severe cyclones like the Super Cyclone (1999), Phailin (2013), and Fani (2019).

Role of Modern Lighthouses in India

• Modern lighthouses continue to guide ships, mark ports, and send signals, serving as valuable backups to GPS technology.
• After the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks lighthouses were equipped with state-of-the-art radars for coastal surveillance.
• The Indian government established the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to facilitate communication between fishermen and lighthouses.

Benefits of Boosting Lighthouse Tourism in India

• Cultural Heritage: Lighthouses offer historical and cultural value, making them educational hubs and events like India’s First Lighthouse Festival “the Bharatiya Prakash Sthamb Utsav”, held at the historic Fort Aguada in Goa celebrates India’s rich maritime heritage, promoting awareness and appreciation of historical lighthouses that have been largely ignored.
• Economic Development: India has identified 75 lighthouses for potential investment in tourism development, promising economic benefits to surrounding areas.
• Environmental Awareness: The focus on heritage lighthouses promotes eco-friendly tourism practices that can protect coastal environments while drawing visitors.

Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030

• Maritime India Vision 2030 is a ten-year blueprint for the maritime sector in India, released by the Prime Minister at the Maritime India Summit in November 2020.
• MIV 2030 has identified key interventions in 4 areas: brownfield capacity augmentation, developing world-class Mega Ports, development of transhipment hub in Southern India, and infrastructure modernisation.
• India aims to achieve a 5% share in world exports in the next 5 to 10 years, requiring aggressive growth in exports.
• India aims to become the leading seafaring nation by focusing on education, research, and training.

Key Interventions of MIV 2030

• Enhance logistics efficiency and cost competitiveness through 200+ port connectivity projects, mechanisation, technology adoption, evacuation time reduction, cost reduction, coastal shipping promotion, and portland industrialization.
• India aims to achieve 40% of its national energy from renewable sources by 2030.
• The MIV 2030 has identified key interventions to enhance India's position as a leader in safe, sustainable, and green ports.

Mains Question

Q. Discuss the historical significance of lighthouses in India and their role in maritime navigation. How can boosting lighthouse tourism contribute to preserving this heritage and boost India’s economy?

GS3/Economy

Revamping Buffer Stock

Why in news?

• Recently, open market sales of wheat and chana have curbed soaring inflation in cereals and pulses, highlighting the rationale for expanding buffer stocks to include other staples amidst rising climate-induced supply disruptions and price fluctuations.

What is the Buffer Stock Policy of the Government of India?

• Buffer stock refers to a reserve of a commodity that is used to offset price fluctuations and unforeseen emergencies.
• The concept of buffer stock was first introduced during the 4 Five Year Plan (1969-74).

A buffer stock of food grains in the Central Pool is maintained by the Government of India (GOI) for:

• Meeting the prescribed minimum buffer stock norms for food security.
• Monthly release of food grains for supply through Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS).
• Meeting emergency situations arising out of unexpected crop failure, natural disasters, etc., and price stabilization or market intervention to augment supply so as to help moderate the open market prices.
• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs fixes the minimum buffer norms on a quarterly basis.
• The buffer stock figures are normally reviewed after every five years.
• The government has engaged the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED), Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium (SFAC), and Food Corporation of India (FCI) to procure pulses for buffer stock.
• In addition to buffer norms, the Government has prescribed a strategic reserve of wheat (since 2008) and rice (since 2009).
• In 2015, the government created a buffer stock of pulses of 1.5 lakh tonnes to control the fluctuation of prices of pulses.

Presently, stocking norms fixed by the Government comprise of:

• Operational stocks: for meeting monthly distributional requirements under TPDS and OWS.
• Food security stocks/reserves: for meeting the shortfall in procurement.
• Food grains stock in the Central Pool consists of stock held by the states participating in the Decentralised Procurement Scheme and the state government agencies (SGAs) both buffer and operational requirements.

What are the Benefits and Challenges of Buffer Stocks?

Benefits:

• Food Security: To ensure the availability of food grains for the public, especially the vulnerable sections, during adverse conditions like droughts, floods, or other crises.
• Price Stabilization: To maintain stable prices of essential food grains in the market by regulating supply.
• Support to Farmers: Assures farmers of a minimum price for their produce, which helps in stabilizing their income and encourages continued agricultural production.
• Disaster Management: Provides immediate relief during natural disasters by supplying food grains without delay. E.g. During Covid-19 supply of free ration.

Challenges:

• Storage Issues: India faces significant challenges in terms of inadequate storage facilities, leading to wastage and spoilage of food grains.
• Procurement Imbalance: There is often an imbalance in the procurement of different grains, leading to excess stocks of some and shortages of others.
• Financial Burden: Maintaining large buffer stocks entails high financial costs related to procurement, storage, and distribution.
• Inefficiencies in Distribution: The PDS often faces issues like leakages, pilferage, and corruption, which hinder the effective distribution of buffer stocks.
• Quality Concerns: Ensuring the quality of stored food grains over extended periods is a significant challenge.

Way Forward

• Diversify Procurement Practices: Government procurement is currently limited to rice, wheat, and a few pulses and oilseeds. Expanding this to include other essential food items, like staple vegetables, skimmed milk powder (SMP), could help stabilize prices further.
• Scientific Evaluation of Buffer Stock Norms: Use econometric methods and time-series data to logically evaluate and set norms for operational and strategic buffer grain stocks, based on decennial census data and food grain distribution commitments.
• Dynamic Buffer Norms: India's current quarterly buffer stock norms should consider a more dynamic approach aligned with real-time data.
• Utilize data from the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation, and Farmers Welfare and the National Sample Survey Office to adjust buffer stock levels based on factors like crop yield forecasts, international market trends, and potential disruptions.
• Technological Integration: Explore integrating technology like blockchain for transparent and secure buffer stock management. Additionally, consider utilizing weather forecasting data from the India Meteorological Department to preemptively adjust buffer stocks based on potential weather events impacting production.
• Financial Prudence: Ensuring that the financial burden of maintaining buffer stocks is managed through better budgeting and reducing procurement inefficiencies.
• Private Sector Participation: Explore collaboration with private players to leverage their expertise in areas such as storage facilities, logistics, or risk management strategies, alongside FCI's management of buffer stocks.
• Unbundle Competing Objectives: Separate the goals of price stabilization, food security, and production incentives to avoid conflicts and inefficiencies in buffer-stocking operations.

Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the need to diversify buffer stocks in India. What are the key challenges associated with this diversification?

GS3/Science and Technology

India’s Deep Drill Mission

Why in News?

• Recently, the Ministry of Earth Science has initiated the process of scientific deep drilling of the earth's crust to a depth of 6 km with the assistance of a specialized institute called Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory (BGRL) in Karad, Maharashtra. The drilling has reached a depth of 3 km.

What is Scientific Deep Drilling?

Scientific deep drilling involves penetrating deep into the Earth's crust to study its composition, structure, and processes. This research offers insights into geological formations, natural resources, and Earth's history. It aims to advance understanding of tectonics, earthquake mechanisms, and geothermal energy potential.

Techniques and Methods

• Rotary Drilling: Uses a rotating drill bit attached to a drill string, cooled by drilling mud to cut through rock formations.
• Percussion Drilling (Air Hammering): Utilizes high-pressure air to power a hammer that efficiently breaks rock and flushes out cuttings.
• Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking): Enhances fluid flow in rock formations.
• Geophysical Surveys: Employ seismic, magnetic, and gravitational methods to map subsurface structures.

Other Ways to Study the Earth's Interior

The Earth's interior can be studied through direct methods like drilling and sampling rock from deep boreholes, as well as indirect methods such as seismic wave analysis, gravity measurements, and studying Earth's magnetic field.

Seismic Waves

• Provide valuable information about the Earth's interior structure.
• Help infer the composition and properties of different layers through wave behavior.

Gravitational and Magnetic Field Measurements

• Indicate changes in density and composition of the Earth's interior.
• Help identify boundaries between the core, mantle, and crust.

Heat Flow Measurements

• Provide clues about temperature and thermal properties of different layers.
• Crucial for understanding Earth's internal processes and dynamics.

Meteorite Composition

• Insights into composition and formation of the Earth's interior.

Key Findings from the Deep Drilling Mission in Koyna

• Region's Critical Stress: Koyna region highly stressed, susceptible to small perturbations triggering earthquakes.
• Water Presence to 3 km: Indicates deep percolation and circulation.
• Insights into Reservoir-triggered Earthquakes: Reveals significant geological information.
• Rock Information: Provides data on physical and mechanical properties of rocks.

Significance of Deep Drilling Mission

• Enhanced Earthquake Understanding and Geohazard Management.
• Verification of Geological Models.
• Technological Innovation and Self-Reliance.
• Global Scientific Contribution.

Challenges with Deep Drilling Missions

• Rig Capacity.
• Drilling Complexity.
• Core Handling.
• Borehole Stability.

Conclusion:
The 3 km pilot drilling data will guide future 6 km plans, including equipment and sensor design for temperatures of 110-130°C. Koyna's findings enable diverse research, from fault zones to deep subsurface microbes, with industrial potential. International interest includes projects on carbon capture in deep Deccan traps. This effort strengthens India's scientific drilling capacity and broadens interdisciplinary knowledge.

Mains Question:

What is Scientific Deep Drilling? What are its significance and challenges?

GS3/Defence & Security

Rise in Militancy in Jammu

Why in news?

• The Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has witnessed a notable increase in militant attacks since mid-2021, culminating in recent incidents including the ambush on Army vehicles in Kathua district and targeted strikes in other areas. This resurgence marks a shift from historical patterns, raising alarms about security vulnerabilities and implications for regional stability.

Reasons for Rise in Militancy in Jammu

Strategic Shift:

• The pursuance of zero terror policy in Kashmir have provided militants an opportunity to operate in Jammu. In 2020, perceived low militancy in Jammu led to troop movements to Ladakh (along LAC after the Galwan Accident), potentially prompting militants to relocate.

Strategic Importance of Jammu:

• Jammu serves as a crucial gateway to the rest of India, making it an attractive target for militants aiming to disrupt normalcy and create fear.

Geostrategic Considerations:

• The proximity to the Line of Control (LoC) provides militants easier access from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, facilitating infiltration and logistics support. Recent incidents indicate a deliberate effort to establish footholds in hilly and forested terrains across districts like Rajouri, Poonch, and Reasi.

Economic Disparities:

• Lack of economic opportunity and development in remote and border areas of Jammu create fertile ground for recruitment of local youths by militant groups.

Political Alienation:

• Perceived political alienation among certain communities, exacerbated by historical grievances and administrative challenges, can foster sympathy or support for militant ideologies.

Lack of Human Intelligence:

• The locals who provided information decades ago are now in their 60s or 70s, and the security forces have not nurtured relations with younger generations, highlighting a gap in human intelligence gathering.

Challenges in Dealing with Rise in Militancy

Geographical Terrain:

• The 192-km international border (IB) in Jammu and the 740-km in Kashmir are potential infiltration points. Despite security measures, militants may have exploited tough terrains and forested areas along these borders for infiltration. The recent attacks in Kathua suggest a revival of old infiltration routes.

Community Relations:

• Building and maintaining trust between security forces and local communities, essential for intelligence gathering, remains a persistent challenge amid historical grievances and demographic diversity.

Intelligence Gathering:

• Gathering accurate and timely intelligence is difficult due to the presence of local sympathisers and the use of sophisticated communication technologies by militants. The challenge lies in facing high-tech, well-trained militants who adeptly cover their tracks.

External Support:

• Allegations of cross-border support from Pakistan, including weapons supply via drones underscore the external dimensions influencing local militancy dynamics.

Communal Fault Lines:

• Jammu's demographic diversity has historically been vulnerable to communal tensions during periods of heightened violence. Recent incidents indicate a deliberate strategy to stoke communal fears and divisions.

Way Forward

Border Security Measures:

• Enhancing border surveillance and fortifying vulnerable points and International Border (IB) is essential to curb cross-border infiltration. Investing in data analysis software is crucial for better interpretation of information collected through surveillance systems.

Technological Advancements:

• Deploying advanced surveillance technologies, drones, and night-vision equipment enhances operational effectiveness and real-time monitoring of militant activities.

Legal and Political Frameworks:

• Strengthening legal frameworks against terrorism financing and ensuring robust mechanisms for prosecuting suspects are essential for effective counter-terrorism operations.

Community Engagement:

• Initiatives aimed at socio-economic development, youth empowerment, and fostering inter-community dialogue are essential to mitigate local support for extremist ideologies.

Diplomatic Outreach:

• Diplomatic efforts to address cross-border implications of militancy, coupled with international cooperation on counterterrorism, can help disrupt external support networks.

Policy Review:

• Continual review of security policies and adaptation to evolving militant tactics are necessary to maintain proactive security measures and minimise civilian casualties.

Mains Question:

Q. Examine the factors contributing to the resurgence of militancy in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir. Discuss the implications of this resurgence on regional stability and suggest measures to address these challenges.

GS2/Polity

SC to Examine Use of Money Bills in Legislation

Why in news?

Recently, Chief Justice of India (CJI) has agreed to list petitions challenging the government's use of the route to pass contentious amendments in the Parliament. This issue is crucial as it concerns the circumvention of the Rajya Sabha and potential violations of Article 110 of the Constitution.

What are the Concerns Regarding the Money Bill?

Circumventing the Rajya Sabha:

• Passing contentious amendments as a Money Bill allows the government to circumvent the Rajya Sabha, undermining the bicameral nature of Parliament.
• The classification of a bill as a money bill limits the Rajya Sabha to only recommending changes, without the power to amend or reject the bill.
• Bypassing the Rajya Sabha reduces the opportunity for comprehensive debate and oversight.

Violation of Article 110:

• There are concerns that certain amendments labelled as Money Bills do not strictly adhere to the provisions of Article 110.

Speaker's Certification:

• The Speaker of the Lok Sabha can certify a bill as a Money Bill under Article 110, a decision not subject to judicial review. This raises concerns about potential misuse of power.

Specific Cases Highlighting Concerns:

• Aadhaar Act: The classification of Aadhaar Act, 2016 as a Money Bill led to controversy.
• Finance Act, 2017: Amendments within this Act faced challenges regarding their classification as Money Bills.
• Prevention of Money Laundering Act Amendments: Amendments granting extensive powers raised questions about their classification.

What are the Potential Consequences of Misclassifying Money Bills?

Legal Challenges:

• Misclassifying bills can lead to prolonged legal battles, adding uncertainty to the legislative process.

Legislative Precedents:

• Inappropriate use of Money Bills could set a precedent for bypassing the Rajya Sabha.

Public Trust:

• Controversies surrounding Money Bills can erode public trust in the legislative process.

Broader Implications for Indian Democracy:

• The debates highlight the importance of maintaining a balance of power between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
• Ensuring adequate scrutiny and debate is crucial for legislative transparency and accountability.

What is a Money Bill?

About:

• Article 110 of the Constitution defines a Money Bill, focusing on specific financial matters such as taxation, borrowing regulation, and appropriation of funds.

Legislative Procedure:

• Money Bills can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha and must be recommended by the President.
• After passing the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha has limited powers over Money Bills.
• Once presented to the President, a Money Bill cannot be returned for reconsideration.

Mains Question:

Q. Evaluate the concerns associated with the government's use of Money Bills to pass contentious amendments. How do these provisions ensure or undermine legislative accountability?