InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions ina your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically
Table of Contents:
GS Paper 2:
- Increase in the minimum age of marriage for women to 21 years two years after Bill is notified: Centre
- US Senate resolution for underlining backing India on McMahon Line: What is the McMahon Line?
- India-US Economic Relations
GS Paper 3:
- What are ‘Too-Big-To-Fail’ banks, and what makes Indian banks safe?
- Why do landfills catch fire and what can we do about them?
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
- Feminist foreign policy movement
Facts for Prelims (FFP)
- Bumchu festival
- Foreign lawyers and firms can operate in India: BCI
- No power to ban Caste-based rallies
- Trade in Rupee
- Smart Metering
- PM MITRA scheme
- IndiaAI ecosystem
- Personal Genomic Mapping (PGM)
- An active volcano on Venus
- The small shock from a metallic surface
- How can the EU’s carbon tax hurt India?
Increase in the minimum age of marriage for women to 21 years two years after Bill is notified: Centre
GS Paper 2
Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation
Source: TH
Context: The increase in the minimum age of marriage for women to 21 years as provisioned in the Prohibition of Child Marriage Amendment Bill, 2021, would come into effect two years after the Bill is notified following its passage in Parliament.
Background:
- According to the NFHS-5, 23% (47% in NFHS-3 and 27% in NFHS-4 ) of women between the age of 20 and 24 were married before 18 years of age.
- In India, the practice of child marriage was first legally prohibited through the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 (legal age G = 14 years and B = 18 years)
- This Act was amended in 1978 to increase the minimum age to 18 years for females, and 21 years for men.
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 replaced the 1929 Act, with the same minimum age limits.
- In 2020, the central government set up a task force (Chairperson: Ms Jaya Jaitly) to examine the correlation between the age of marriage and the mother, and the child’s health.
- The Committee suggested increasing the age of marriage for females to 21.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Amendment Bill 2021: The Bill, introduced by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and currently with the Parliamentary Standing Committee, amends the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006.
| 2021 Bill | The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 | Object and reasons of the Bill | Key issues |
| ● Increasing the age of marriage for females to 21 years and also specifies that the provisions of the Act shall override any other law, custom, usage or practice.
● Increasing the time period for filing a petition to annul child marriage to five years (i.e., 23 years).
|
● M = 21 years, F = 18 years
● A person who is married before the minimum specified age may apply to annul the marriage within two years of attaining majority (i.e., 20 years of age). |
Improvement of –
● Maternal and infant mortality rates (IMR and MMR) ● Nutrition levels ● Sex ratio at birth (SRB) ● Education, professional training and vocational courses ● Female labour force participation ● Gender equality, empowerment of women. |
● Different ages for attaining majority (18) and being allowed to marry (21)
● Prohibiting marriages between the ages of 18 and 21 years – Violates Article 19, 21 (SC in the Navtej Singh Johar case 2018) ● A person married between 18 and 21 years may also apply for annulling the marriage ● Implementation challenges – There has been limited success in curbing the marriage of girls below the age of 18 years. |
Way ahead:
- Two years from the date of notification of the amendment would provide ample time for citizens to prepare for this momentous reform.
- A staggered schedule raising the age of marriage by one year at a time, starting one year after the notification of the amendment.
Insta Links:
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Amendment Bill 2021
Mains Links:
“Empowering women is the key to controlling population growth”. Discuss. (UPSC 2019)
US Senate resolution for underlining backing India on McMahon Line: What is the McMahon Line?
GS Paper 2
Syllabus: International Relations – India and Neighbourhood – Border Dispute
Source: Indian Express
Context: Two United States Senators, have introduced a bipartisan resolution in the upper chamber of Congress reiterating that the US recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and India in Arunachal Pradesh.
- The resolution reaffirms India’s well-known and established position that Arunachal Pradesh, which China calls ‘South Tibet’, is an integral part of India.
Fig: Disputed areas between India and China
What is the McMahon Line?
- The McMahon Line serves as the de facto boundary between China and India in the Eastern Sector.
- It specifically represents the boundary between Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet, from Bhutan in the west to Myanmar in the east.
- China has historically disputed the boundary and claims the state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR).
When was it drawn:
- The McMahon Line was drawn during the Shimla Convention of 1914, officially described as the Convention Between Great Britain, China, and Tibet.
- China was represented at the convention by the government of the Republic of China, which was in power in the mainland from 1912 to 1949.
- The McMahon Line delimited the respective spheres of influence of Tibet and British India in the eastern Himalayan region in what is today India’s Northeast and northern Myanmar. The border in this region was undefined prior to the signing of the convention.
What happened at the Shimla Convention of 1913-14?
- The convention attempted to settle the question of Tibet’s sovereignty and avoid further territorial disputes in the region.
- The treaty divided the Buddhist region into “Outer Tibet” and “Inner Tibet” – the former would “remain in the hands of the Tibetan Government at Lhasa under Chinese suzerainty”, though China was not allowed to interfere in its affairs.
- The latter would be under the direct jurisdiction of the newly formed Republic of China.
- The latter of these newly decided boundaries would later be called the McMahon Line after McMahon, the chief British negotiator.
Why China did not sign the convention:
- Arguing that Tibet had no independent authority to enter into international agreements.
How was the border between British India and China decided?
- Following the “highest watershed principle”. This principle, considered to be the most logical way of drawing borders in mountainous regions by the British, basically drew the border along the highest ridge between two river plains.
Status of the McMahon line since 1914:
- After the communists took power in 1949, they pulled China out of all international agreements and the so-called “unequal treaties”.
Fig: McMahon Line
Insta Links:
India-US Economic Relations
GS Paper 2
Syllabus: Bilateral Relations
Source: PIB
Context: India and the United States of America held the 5th Ministerial level meeting of the bilateral Commercial Dialogue recently
Various dimensions of India-US Economic relations:
| Dimension | Examples |
| Basis of commercial relations | · Complementarity of India-US economic system
· 3D= India’s Domestic Demand, Democracy and Demography (skilled worker) · Common security interests: US supports India’s emergence as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific as a region of peace, stability, and growing prosperity. |
| Trade | · India-US bilateral trade is valued at $157 billion (2021)
· India has a Trade surplus with the US (about $32bn in 2021) · Top exports to the US: Pharmaceuticals, Services, precious stones, and machinery · Mutual collaboration in sharing of information to tackle offshore tax evasion |
| Investment | · The US is one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment in India (FDI inflows of over $46 billion from 2000 to 2021)
· India is also one of twelve countries partnering with the United States on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) |
| Technology and Innovation | · U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET)
· MoU signed on establishing a semiconductor supply chain and innovation partnership for Supply Chain Resilience. · It will complement India’s Semiconductor Mission with US CHIPS and Science Act · Agreement on establishing a Semiconductor Sub-committee under Commercial Dialogue. |
| Energy | · The US is a supplier of oil and gas to India (become 2nd largest Oil supplier in 2021; Currently: Russia is the top supplier)
· Both countries will work together in Global Biofuels Alliance and also in hydrogen technologies · U.S.-India Energy Industry Network (EIN) for facilitating U.S. industry involvement in the Clean EDGE Asia initiative · United States joined the International Solar Alliance |
| Defence | · The US is 2nd largest supplier of defence equipment to India (US supplied 16% of India’s imported arms between 2016 and 2020, as per SIPRI)
· Major defence deals: Purchase of Apache helicopters and P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, M777 howitzers |
Challenges in Economic Relations:
- Imposition of tariffs by the US on Indian steel and aluminium products
- India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat Campaign has been misunderstood as protectionism
- Withdrawal of duty-free benefits to Indian exporters under the GSP programme has affected India’s export-oriented sectors
- US’ hostility towards other countries like Iran and Russia, who are traditional allies of India, has also created differences.
- India’s purchase of S-400 from Russia and the US’ policy in Afghanistan are also challenges that are affecting the India-US relationship.
Conclusion:
The demographic dividend in India provides a significant opportunity for technology transfer, manufacturing, trade, and investment between the US and India. There is huge potential for more commercial partnerships esp. as US companies are adopting the “China Plus One” strategy.
Insta Links
Mains Links
What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still unable to find India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s National self-esteem and ambitions’. Explain with suitable examples. ( UPSC 2019)
Prelim Links
India Government Bond Yields are influenced by which of the following? (UPSC 2021)
- Actions of the United States Federal Reserve.
- Actions of the Reserve Bank of India.
- Inflation and short-term interest rates.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 Only
(c) 3 Only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer:D
Why do landfills catch fire and what can we do about them?
GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Disaster Management
Source: TH
Context: The Kochi landfill site around Brahmapuram that caught fire was a stark reminder that Indian cities need to be prepared for more such incidents as summer approaches.
What triggers landfill fires?
- A landfill site is a site for the disposal of waste materials and is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal.
- The landfill sites in India are not scientifically planned. The efficiency of waste processing is only 30-40%, while India’s municipalities are collecting over 95% of the waste generated in cities.
- The wastes are not segregated due to which the landfill sites receive mixed wastes which include organic waste/ignitable material/plastics.
- Higher temperature + flammable material = a chance for the landfill to catch fire.
- The anaerobic decomposition (breakdown of organic waste in the absence of oxygen) generates methane gas and heat.
- As soon as the methane gas comes in contact with oxygen, the combustible materials at the dumping site catch fire easily.
Challenges:
- The landfill fires take time to exhaust,
- The fires emit greenhouse gases,
- Multiple ignition points,
- Lack of constant water supply and
- The danger involved in climbing the tall mounds of garbage.
Is there a permanent solution?
- Closing landfills in a scientific manner (SoPs including managing the methane emissions). This solution is unsuitable in the Indian context as the land can’t be used again for other purposes.
- Clear the piles of waste through bioremediation, i.e., excavate old waste and use automated sieving machines to segregate the flammable refuse-derived fuel (RDF) from biodegradable material.
- The recovered RDF (plastics, rags, and clothing) can be used as fuel in cement kilns, and the biosoil can be given to farmers to improve their soil.
- There will be a need to landfill the harmless portion.
Immediate measures to manage landfill fires:
- Divide a site into blocks depending on the nature of the waste.
- Blocks with fresh waste should be separated from blocks with flammable material.
- Different blocks should be separated using a drain or soil bund and a layer of soil should cap each block → turned regularly for aeration → helps cool the waste heap.
- The most vulnerable part of the landfill should be capped with soil.
- In addition,
- Sites should be equipped with water tankers with sprinklers
- The municipality should have a plan of action in advance
- Waste-processing workers should have response training, etc.
Way ahead:
- The Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 state that only non-recyclable, non-biodegradable and non-combustible waste should go to a sanitary landfill.
- The problem needs to be addressed at two levels – at the level of public policy (domain of the government), and of the public itself (reducing waste generation/disposal, segregating waste).
Best practice (Indore) – “India’s Cleanest City” for the sixth consecutive year:
- MP’s largest city/state’s commercial capital, with a population of 35 lakh, is garbage bin-free, even though it generates 1,200 tons of dry waste and 700 tons of wet waste daily.
- While segregation of garbage into ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ categories is common, in Indore it happens in six categories at a collection point.
Insta Links:
Mains Links:
What are the impediments in disposing of the huge quantities of discarded solid waste which are continuously being generated? How do we safely remove the toxic wastes that have been accumulating in our habitable environment? (UPSC 2018)
Prelims Links: (UPSC 2019)
As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following statements is correct?
- Waste generator has to segregate waste into five categories.
- The Rules are applicable to notified urban local bodies, notified towns and all industrial townships only.
- The Rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities.
- It is mandatory on the part of the waste generator that the waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district.
Ans: (c)
What are ‘Too-Big-To-Fail’ banks, and what makes Indian banks safe?
GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development
Source: IE
Context: Recent banking crisis in the US has raised the question of how secure Indian banks are in the age of start-ups and digitisation.
Background:
- Despite the recent bank failures in the US (SVB), which occurred more than a decade and a half after the 2008 global financial crisis, Indian banks remained unaffected.
- India has established Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs)/Too-Big-To-Fail banks to protect itself from 2008/SVB-like episodes.
Too-Big-To-Fail banks:
| What are D-SIBs? | How are they selected? | Significance |
| ● A bank that might substantially disrupt the financial system (because of its size, lack of substitutability, and interconnectedness) in the event of its failure.
● In 2010, the Switzerland-based Financial Stability Board (FSB) recommended that all member countries should put in place a framework to reduce risks attributable to Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs) in their jurisdictions. ● The D-SIB framework was announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2014. ● RBI has classified SBI, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank as D-SIBs. ● These banks have to earmark additional capital and provisions to safeguard their operations. ● This avoids moral hazard due to the perception that government support at times of distress encourages risk-taking, reduces market discipline, etc. |
● The RBI follows a two-step process.
● First, a sample of banks to be assessed for their systemic importance is decided. ○ Banks (based on Basel-III Leverage Ratio Exposure Measure) having a size beyond 2% of GDP will be selected in the sample. ● Next, the D-SIBs are segregated into buckets based on their systemic importance scores.
G-SIBs: ● The Basel accord, in consultation with the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), has identified a list of G-SIBs. ● There are 30 G-SIBs currently (none from India). ● Including JP Morgan, Citibank, HSBC, Bank of America, Bank of China, Barclays, etc.
|
● The failure of a large bank anywhere can have a contagion effect around the world.
● The failure of a bank → damages confidence in the banking system → affects the domestic/global economy due to the interconnected financial systems. ● As a result, government action was seen as being necessary for many jurisdictions to guarantee financial stability. |
How is Indian banking unique?
- Sound regulatory practices and government interventions when banks have faced difficulties (Yes Bank).
- Different balance sheet structures – household savings constitute a major part of bank deposits in India, which can’t be withdrawn in bulk quantities.
- A large chunk of Indian deposits is with public sector banks, and with very strong private sectors lenders such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank.
Way ahead:
- The RBI’s guidelines of 2018 advising banks to create an Investment Fluctuation Reserve is just the kind of countercyclical tool that has relatively insulated Indian lenders from interest rate risks.
- Still, the RBI must remain on guard to ensure neither global contagion nor management missteps threaten any local lender.
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
Feminist foreign policy movement
Source: TH
A feminist foreign policy (FPP) is a policy of a state that prioritizes peace, gender equality, and environmental integrity; and seeks to disrupt colonial, racist, patriarchal, and male-dominated power structures.
E.g.
- Germany mandates that gender equality be prioritized in its diplomatic engagement and development goals. It will allocate 8% of its development funds to projects that specifically target gender equality, and protecting women, girls, and marginalized groups from violence.
- Similarly, other countries, including Canada, Chile, Mexico, France, Mongolia, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, have also adopted a feminist approach to foreign policy.
Usage: Similar to Gender Budgeting (as also implemented in India), the concept of Gender foreign policy can be used in International Relations, Women related Questions, PSIR and Sociology Papers.
Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Bumchu festival
Source: Sikkim Tourism
It is held annually at Tashiding Monastery in West Sikkim on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (usually in February or March)
- Name: Bumchu means “pot of sacred water” in Tibetan
- Features: The festival is centred around the opening of a vessel containing holy water, which is believed to be an indicator of the fortunes of the coming year.
- History: It commemorates a supernatural occurrence that took place under Chogyal Chakdor Namgya (in the 18th century)
The festival attracts devotees from all over Sikkim and neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Nepal.
Foreign lawyers and firms can operate in India: BCI
Source: TH
Context: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has notified the Rules for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India, 2022.
What does the Rule say?
It allows foreign lawyers and law firms to practise in India but not appear in court.
- Eligibility: The lawyer or firm should be entitled to practice law in their home countries
- Limitations: They cannot practice Indian law in any form or before any court of law, tribunal, board, or any other authority legally entitled to record evidence on oath.
- Permission: They are only permitted to practice transactional work/corporate work (such as joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, IPR), can advise clients on foreign law, international law and international arbitration matters in India
Section 29 of the Advocates Act, states that only advocates enrolled with BCI can practise law.
Benefits:
It will help attract foreign direct investment and make India a hub of international commercial arbitration. The new rules enable foreign lawyers and law firms to register with the BCI to practice in India if they are. It will further incentivise Legal Process Outsourcing (LPOs) in India.
About BCI:
The Bar Council of India (est. 1961; HQ: New Delhi) is a statutory body established under section 4 of the Advocates Act 1961 that regulates legal practice and legal education in India. Its members are elected from amongst the lawyers in India and as such represents the Indian bar.
No power to ban Caste-based rallies
Source: HT
Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has submitted before the Allahabad high court that it has no jurisdiction to ban caste-based rallies of political parties organised during the non-election period and nor does it have the power to ban such parties from contesting subsequent elections.
| Power available with ECI | Limitations |
| Model Code of Conduct (MCC) prohibits campaigning or seeking votes on basis of caste, creed or religion.
|
MCC can be enforced only during an election period and not during the non-election period |
| Registration of Political Parties: Section 29A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for registration with ECI | However, there is no provision in Law for review of registration or for cancelling registration of any political party on any ground |
About ECI
The Election Commission of India (est. 25th Jan 1950; HQ: New Delhi) is a constitutional body. It conducts the elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President of India, Parliament, State Legislative Assemblies and Legislative councils and regulates electoral processes in the country.
Trade in Rupee
Source: BS
Context: RBI has permitted banks from 18 countries to open Special Vostro Rupee Accounts (SVRAs) to settle payments in rupees
What is the Internationalisation of the Rupee?
It is a process of increasing rupee acceptance across the world for cross-border trading.
- Benefits: India will have to rely less on foreign currencies and holding foreign exchange reserves; Reduced Vulnerability to External Shocks and Currency Risks; Increasing bargaining power of Indian Enterprises
What is SVRA?
SVRA is an account that domestic banks hold for foreign banks in the former’s domestic currency, the rupee, which allows domestic banks to provide international banking services to their clients who have global banking needs without having to be physically present abroad.
- RBI had issued a framework for Trade settlement in Ruppe (in July 2022) through SVRA
Other initiatives for the Internationalization of Ruppee are: Cross border trading in Ruppe (e.g. Masal Bond); Currency swap agreements
Smart Metering
Source: FE
Context: The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has flagged concerns over the deployment of advanced metering infrastructure using unlicensed spectrum in the 865-868 MHz frequency band
What is Smart Meter?
A smart meter is an electronic device that records information such as consumption of electric energy, voltage levels, current, and power factor.
- Smart meters communicate the information to the consumer for greater clarity of consumption behaviour, and electricity suppliers for system monitoring and customer billing.
- Smart meters are part of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution that records consumers’ electricity usage at different times of the day and sends it to an energy supplier.
What is Smart Grid?
Smart grids are energy networks that can automatically monitor energy flows and adjust to changes in energy supply and demand accordingly.
What is the Issue?
The use of unlicensed spectrum for communication for Smart grid meters will make these systems much more prone to vulnerabilities, threats and cyber-intrusions.
Why does Power utility use an unlicensed spectrum?
- Unlicensed spectrum is considered an inexpensive and barrier-free option for meeting communication requirements.
- They currently use of 865-868 MHz band for “Tracking, Tracing and Data Acquisition Devices” and “Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Applications”.
Initiatives taken: Integrated Power Development Scheme; National Smart Grid Mission; Smart Meter National Programme; Prepaid Smart metering (under Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS))
PM MITRA scheme
Source: The Hindu
Context: The Ministry of Textiles will shortly name the States identified for implementation of Prime Minister MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) scheme.
About “PM-MITRA” Scheme:
- The scheme aims to realize the vision of building an Aatmanirbhar Bharatby positioning India strongly on the Global textiles map.
- The PM MITRA parks will provide the best ecosystem for the textile industry to be collectively present in one location, with plug-and-play infrastructure, and improve the competitiveness of the textile value chain.
- It will also give a boost to the five F (farm, fibre, factory, fashion, foreign) vision of the Prime Minister.
IndiaAI ecosystem
Source: BS
Context: The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY) set up a task force for framing a draft roadmap for the artificial intelligence ecosystem
About the INDIAai (The National AI Portal of India) platform:
- Aim: It will help in boosting research and facilitate tools required for the growth of the start-up community.
- Implementation: It is a joint venture by MEITY, NEGD and NASSCOM
- Potential: AI is expected to add USD 967 billion to the Indian economy by 2035
Other Initiatives taken for AI: MeitY’s FutureSkills PRIME initiative (for re-skilling of IT professionals); National AI Portal; National Programme on Responsible Use of AI for Youth; National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence; Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) (India founding member)
Alphafold
Source: TH
It is an AI system that could predict the structure of almost every protein catalogued by science, which could lead to breakthroughs in discovering medicines. It has been developed by DeepMind, a subsidiary of Alphabet
Personal Genomic Mapping (PGM)
Source: FE
Context: Reliance Industries will introduce personal genomic mapping (PGM) to the Indian market.
What is Genome?
All the genetic information of an organism is called its genome. It consists of nucleotide sequences of DNA.
What is PGM?
Genetic mapping can offer firm evidence that a disease transmitted from parent to child is linked to one or more genes.
- Potential: PGM is expected to grow by 2.4 times by 2032.
- Benefits: PGM can identify and assess genes associated with a disease, and help with healthcare choices and precision medicine. PGM provides clues about which chromosome contains the gene and precisely where the gene lies on that chromosome.
- Concerns: Ethical concerns exist around the possible use of PGM data for “designer” babies and the high cost involved and potential data abuse.
Active volcano in Venus
Source: The Hindu
Context: A new analysis of radar images obtained earlier has yielded new evidence indicating Venus is currently volcanically active.
More about the analysis:
- Researchers said radar images taken by NASA’s Magellan spacecraft showed that a volcanic vent about 1.6 km wide on the Venusian surface expanded and changed shape over an eight-month span in 1991.
- The vent is situated on Maat Mons, which at about 9 km tall is the planet’s highest volcano and second-highest mountain.
About Venus:
Venus is slightly smaller than Earth. Its thick atmosphere – mainly carbon dioxide – traps heat in a runaway greenhouse effect, rendering Venus the solar system’s hottest planet.
A small shock from a metallic surface
Source: The Hindu
Context: There have been stray reports from different parts of India of commuters experiencing a small electric shock when they touch metallic surfaces in public.
About Static shocks:
- Static shocks are technically called electrostatic discharges.
- The ‘shock’ is the product of the transfer of electrons from one material to another because they have different electrical permittivity.
Why does it matter?
- Electrostatic discharge happens when electric charge (usually electrons) has accumulated somewhere.
- If it happens when you touch metallic surfaces in public, such as railings or lampposts, it’s because these entities haven’t been grounded properly.
- In drier weather, without moisture, improperly grounded objects can accumulate small charges on the surface.
- Static shocks are limited to a minor discomfort as long as the exposure duration (a fraction of a second) and the amount of current transferred are both small.
How can the EU’s carbon tax hurt India?
Source: The Hindu
Context: The European Union formalised a method to stop ‘carbon leakage’ or moving production of high-polluting products to nations outside of the EU in its bid to go green called the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
- CBAM is part of the EU’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, under the European Climate Law.
How India will be impacted:
- It places carbon charge on countries that originally did not primarily cause climate change.
- CBAM tax can charge between 20 – 35 % which is far higher than the EU’s average import tariff of 2.2 per cent on manufactured products
- India’s Exports to the EU account for 15% – So exports will be affected.
- FTA will also be affected – as high CBAM will make them meaningless.
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