[Mission 2022] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 27 JANUARY 2022

GS Paper 2:

Topics Covered: Government policies and issues arising out of their implementation.

Context:

The Padma awards are announced every year on the eve of Republic Day.

• As many as 128 people ranging from veteran politicians, businessmen, scientists and doctors to artists and ordinary people engaged in public service were announced to have been selected for conferment of Padma awards this year.
• While most accepted the awards gracefully, former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee refused to accept it.

What are Padma awards?

They are the highest civilian honour of India after the Bharat Ratna.

Instituted in 1954 along with Bharat Ratna.

• The awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service).
• The award seeks to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

Limitations and exceptions:

• The awardees do not get any cash reward but a certificate signed by the President apart from a medallion which they can wear at public and government functions.
• The awards are, however, not a conferment of title and the awardees are expected to not use them as prefix or suffix to their names.
• A Padma awardee can be given a higher award only after five years of the conferment of the earlier award.
• Not more than 120 awards can be given in a year but this does not include posthumous awards or awards given to NRIs and foreigners.

Eligibility:

All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards. However, government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for these awards.

• The award is given for “special services” and not just for “long service”. “It should not be merely excellence in a particular field, but the criteria has to be ‘excellence plus’.

Who nominates the awardees?

• Any citizen of India can nominate a potential recipient.
• One can even nominate one’s own self.
• All nominations are to be done online where a form is to be filled along with details of the person or the organisation being nominated.
• An 800-word essay detailing the work done by the potential awardee is also to be submitted for the nomination to be considered.

Who selects the awardees?

All nominations received for Padma awards are placed before the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.

• The Padma Awards Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Home Secretary, Secretary to the President and four to six eminent persons as members.
• The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President of India for approval.

Is the recipient’s consent sought?

There is no provision for seeking a written or formal consent of the recipient before announcement of the award. However, before the announcement, every recipient receives a call from the Ministry of Home Affairs informing him or her about the selection. In case the recipient expresses a desire to be excluded from the award list, the name is removed.

Insta Curious:

Did you know that in 1954 only Padma Vibhushan existed with three sub-categories – Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg and Tisra Varg? These were subsequently renamed as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri in 1955.

Sources: Indian Express.

GS Paper 2:

Topics Covered: Role of NGOs.

Context:

The Supreme Court has asked 6,000-odd NGOs to go back to the government for redressal of their grievances on non-renewal of their Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration.

• A petition was filed in the court asking the NGOs to be allowed to continue receiving and utilising foreign funds until the pandemic is over.

Please note:

• The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act registration is mandatory for any NGO or association to receive foreign funds or donations.

Background:

• The registration of thousands of NGOs was up for renewal in 2020-21. The Ministry had declined to renew the FCRA registration of 179 NGOs, while 5,789 associations did not apply for a renewal before the December 31 deadline.
• After the exercise, the number of active FCRA-registered NGOs is down from 22,762 to 16,907.

On what basis is approval cancelled?

The government reserves the right to cancel the FCRA registration of any NGO if it finds it to be in violation of the Act.

• Registration can be cancelled if an inquiry finds a false statement in the application; if the NGO is found to have violated any of the terms and conditions of the certificate or renewal; if it has not been engaged in any reasonable activity in its chosen field for the benefit of society for two consecutive years; or if it has become defunct.
• It can also be cancelled if “in the opinion of the Central Government, it is necessary in the public interest to cancel the certificate”, the FCRA says.
• Registrations are also cancelled when an audit finds irregularities in the finances of an NGO in terms of misutilisation of foreign funds.

How FCRA regulates NGO funding?

FCRA regulates foreign donations and ensures that such contributions do not adversely affect the internal security of the country.

The Act, first enacted in 1976 was amended in the year 2010 and then 2020.

Section 5 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 gives the Union government “unchecked and unbridled powers” to declare an organisation as being one of political nature and deny it access to funds from sources abroad.

• FCRA is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Applicability:

• The provisions of the Act apply to the territory of India, to citizens of India who may be outside India and to companies or their branches outside India that are registered or incorporated in India.
• The entities covered by the Act include an individual, a Hindu undivided family, an association, or a registered company.

For how long is approval granted?v

Once granted, FCRA registration is valid for five years. NGOs are expected to apply for renewal within six months of the date of expiry of registration. In case of failure to apply for renewal, the registration is deemed to have expired, and the NGO is no longer entitled to receive foreign funds or utilise its existing funds without permission from the ministry.

Prior Reference Category under the Act:

It implies that to donate to such an NGO, a foreign donor has to take prior clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Latest 2020 amendments and criticisms associated:

• The amendments mandated that registered NGOs open a designated account in the main branch of the State Bank of India in the Capital in which the foreign contributions to their various causes would exclusively land.
• The petitioners have argued that this measure would be cumbersome for NGOs operating in rural India and far away from the Capital.

What Is A Foreign Contribution Under FCRA?

• “Foreign contribution” under FCRA covers any “donation, delivery or transfer made by any foreign source of any article” as long as it is not given as a gift for personal use, or if its market value in India at the time it was made is “not more than such sum as may be specified from time to time by the Central government”.

Exceptions:

• Any currency, or security can fall under the ambit of the Act though it excludes any money received “by way of fee or towards cost in lieu of goods or services rendered by such person in the ordinary course of his business, trade or commerce whether within India or outside India”.
• Neither are donations made by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) considered to be “foreign contribution” although a donation from a person of Indian origin who has assumed foreign nationality is treated as as “foreign contribution”.

Who Cannot Receive Foreign Contribution?

A host of entities are barred from receiving foreign funds, including election candidates, those connected with a registered newspaper, judges, government servants or employees of any entity controlled or owned by the government and members of any legislature. Political parties and their office bearers, too, are prohibited from receiving foreign funds.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. About FCRA.
2. About Foreign Funding of NGOs.
3. Applicability of FCRA.
4. Who Cannot Receive Foreign Contribution?
5. FCRA Amendments.
6. What Is A Foreign Contribution Under FCRA?
7. Prior Reference Category.

Mains Link:

Discuss the major provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and the need for such legislation.

Sources: the Hindu.

GS Paper 2:

Topics Covered: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Context:

The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced the ambitious 2022 Act to create opportunities for America’s manufacturing, preeminence in technology, and economic strength, or America COMPETES Act of 2022.

• It proposes to open new perspectives for talented people from around the world with a new home visa.

Rationale behind this legislation:

To strengthen supply chains and revitalize the engine of innovation in the country’s economy to surpass China and the rest of the world for decades to come.

Key Provisions:

1. $ 52 billion to further encourage semiconductor production in the U.S.
2. $ 45 billion for grants and loans to improve supply chain resilience and manufacturing, among other programs.
3. Funding to address social and economic inequality, climate change and immigration. For example, it offers an exemption for STEM PhDs from the green card limit and creates a new green card for entrepreneurs.
4. The bill authorizes $ 600 million a year to build manufacturing facilities to make the United States less dependent on solar components manufactured in Xinjiang, China.
5. It creates a new “W” classification of nonimmigrants for employers with a stake in a newly created entity, essential employees of a newly created entity, and their spouses and children.

Significance for India and the Indians:

It would mean more opportunities in the US for Indian talent and skilled workers.

• Every year, Indians and Indian companies corner the lion’s share of H-1B work permits issued that year. With this new category, Indian professionals will probably have a better chance of opportunities than the law is likely to offer.

Work visas for India:

There are 2.7 million Indian immigrants residing in the United States as of 2019, and the country is the second most popular destination for Indians living abroad, after the United Arab Emirates (3.4 million).

The IT revolution, arrival of internet and low-cost computers in developing nations like India has given rise to the number of people who are willing to work at relatively low costs in the USA which is a win-win situation for both the employer and the employee.

• The USA administration issues a certain number of visas each year to fill a vacuum of highly-skilled low-cost employees in IT and other related domains.
• These visas allow companies from outside the USA to send employees to work on client sites.

What are H-1B, H-2B, L and other work visas?

In order to fill a vacuum of highly-skilled low-cost employees in IT and other related domains, the US administration issues a certain number of visas each year which allows companies from outside the US to send employees to work on client sites.

H-1B: Person is Specialty Occupation: To work in a specialty occupation. Requires a higher education degree of its equivalent.

L1 visas allows companies to transfer highly skilled workers to US for a period of up to seven years.

H-2B visas allow food and agricultural workers to seek employment in the US.

J-1 Visas: It is for students on work-study summer programmes.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. Differences between H1B, F1 and M1 Visas.
2. Difference between an NRI and an OCI cardholder.
3. When OCI and PIO were merged?
4. The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 grants citizenship to?
5. Constitutional provisions related to citizenship in India.

Mains Link:

Discuss the impact of recent changes in US visa rules on Indian students in the US.

Sources: Indian Express.

GS Paper 3:

Topics Covered: Awareness in space.

Context:

ISRO’s indigenous new launch rockets, called the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), is likely to have its much-delayed, maiden development flight this April.

• New ISRO Chairman Somanath himself is credited with the design and development of the SSLV during his time as director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram since 2018.

What is SSLV?

The SSLV is intended to cater to a market for the launch of small satellites into low earth orbits.

• It can carry satellites weighing up to 500 kg to a low earth orbit.
• The SSLV is the smallest vehicle at 110-ton mass at ISRO.
• It will take only 72 hours to integrate. Only six people will be required to do the job.
• The cost will be only around Rs 30 crore.
• It is best suited for launching multiple microsatellites at a time and supports multiple orbital drop-offs.

Need for?

Launch of small satellites into low earth orbits has become significant in recent years on account of the need for developing countries, private corporations, and universities for small satellites.

• About 15 to 20 SSLVs would be required every year to meet the national demand alone.

What is PSLV?

The launch of small satellites has until now been dependent on ‘piggy-back’ rides with big satellite launches on ISRO’s work-horse – the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle which has had over 50 successful launches so far.

• PSLV can launch satellites weighing in the range of 1000 kg. But, it takes 70 days to integrate this launch vehicle.
• It is the third generation launch vehicle of India. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.

Read More about PSLV here.

Difference between PSLV and GSLV:

• India has two operational launchers- Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
• PSLV was developed to launch low-Earth Orbit satellites into polar and sun synchronous orbits. It has since proved its versatility by launching geosynchronous, lunar and interplanetary spacecraft successfully.
• On the other hand, GSLV was developed to launch the heavier INSAT class of geosynchronous satellites into orbit. In its third and final stage, GSLV uses the indigenously developed cryogenic upper stage.

Different orbits:

1. Geostationary orbit (GEO)
2. Low Earth orbit (LEO)
3. Medium Earth orbit (MEO)
4. Polar orbit and Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO)
5. Transfer orbits and geostationary transfer orbit (GTO)
6. Lagrange points (L-points)

For details, refer this.

Insta Curious:

What do you know about the New Space India Limited (NSIL), the newly-created ISRO commercial arm?

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. What is a geostationary orbit?
2. What is a geosynchronous orbit?
3. What is a polar orbit?
4. What is a transfer orbit?
5. About PSLV.

Mains Link:

What are communication satellites? Discuss their significance for India.

Sources: Indian Express

GS Paper 3:

Topics Covered: Developments in science and technology.

Context:

Serbians have been taking to the streets, blocking main roads and bridges and halting traffic, to protest against Rio Tinto’s plans to mine lithium in the Jadar valley near Lozinca town in the country.

Potential:

• As reported by Reuters, the mine would have produced enough lithium to operate one million electric vehicles along with boric acid and sodium sulphate.
• When fully functional, the mine would have created “58,000 tonnes of refined battery-grade lithium carbonate” every year, which would have made it Europe’s most lithium-producing mine.

What’s the concern?

While the country has already been ridden with industrial pollution, a new mine would only make it worse, polluting the land and water in the area.

• Serbia has ranked as Europe’s fifth and the world’s 32nd most polluted country in a list of 98 countries.
• According to a 2019 report by Global Alliance on Health and Pollution, Serbia is one of the top ten countries with the most deaths due to pollution — 175 deaths per 100,000.

About Lithium:

It is a soft, silvery-white metal. Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element.

It is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in mineral oil. It is an alkali metal and a rare metal.

Key Characteristics and Properties:

• It has the highest specific heat capacity of any solid element.
• Lithium’s single balance electron allows it to be a good conductor of electricity.
• It is flammable and can even explode when exposed to air and water.

Uses:

1. Lithium is a key element for new technologies and finds its use in ceramics, glass, telecommunication and aerospace industries.
2. The well-known uses of Lithium are in Lithium ion batteries, lubricating grease, high energy additive to rocket propellants, optical modulators for mobile phones and as convertor to tritium used as a raw material for thermonuclear reactions i.e. fusion.

Prescribed substance:

The thermonuclear application makes Lithium as “Prescribed substance” under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 which permits AMD for exploration of Lithium in various geological domains of the country.

• Under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, “Prescribed Substance” means any substance including any mineral which the Central Government may, by notification, prescribe, being a substance which in its opinion is or may be used for the production or use of atomic energy or research into matters connected therewith and includes uranium, plutonium, thorium, beryllium, deuterium or any of their respective derivatives or compounds or any other materials containing any of the aforesaid substances.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. About Lithium.
2. Properties.
3. Uses.
4. Lithium reserves in India.
5. Lithium reserves across the world.

Mains Link:

Discuss the advantages of lithium ion batteries.

Sources: Indian Express.