[Mission 2023] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 20 June 2023

GS Paper 2

 Syllabus: Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of the Vulnerable Sections

Source: DTE  

Please refer to a previous article on a similar theme: Child trafficking in India

Context: According to the ILO, a shocking 10.1 million children in India find themselves engaged in various forms of labour.

Child labour:

• A form of modern slavery, child labour includes any work that deprives children of their childhood, potential and dignity, and physical or mental development. (ILO)
• The practice includes trafficking, sexual exploitation, debt bondage, and exploitation in armed conflicts.
• Article 24 of the Indian constitution prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in any factory or mine or employed in any hazardous employment.

Impact:

• Perpetuates the vicious cycle of poverty (child labour → poor education, health → less economic opportunities → poverty), denying children their fundamental rights and a better future.
• Child labour exposes children to physical (injuries, health complications and long-term developmental issues) and mental harm (anxiety, emotional trauma and a sense of hopelessness).

Prevalence in India:

• According to the latest National Sample Survey data, UP leads with an estimated 2.1 million child labourers.
• UP together with Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and MP constitute nearly 55% of the total working children in India.
• Rural-urban distribution: The prevalence of child labour in rural areas (14%) is close to three times higher than in urban areas (5%).
• Gender distribution: Child labour is more prevalent among boys than girls at every age.
• Sectoral distribution: The agriculture sector accounts for 70% of child labour (112 million), followed by 20% in services and 10% in industry).
• Their educational status: Nearly 28% of children aged 5-11 years and 35% of children aged 12-14 years involved in child labour are out of school.

Case study – The plight of child labourers in India’s Aligarh:

• Aligarh is known for its renowned lock industry.
• Children as small as 12, are employed by the lock manufacturing units for a paltry sum of Rs 120.

Steps taken:

National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme:

• The Union Ministry of Labour & Employment has been implementing the scheme for the rehabilitation of child labourers through District Project Societies under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate.
• Under the scheme, the children in the age group of 9-14 years are rescued/withdrawn from work and enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres (STCs), where they are provided with –
  • Bridge education,
  • Vocational training,
  • Mid-day meals, stipend, health care, etc. before being mainstreamed into the formal education system.
• The NCLP scheme has now been subsumed under Samagara Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

The role played by the ILO:

• It plays a crucial role in setting international labour standards and advocating for their implementation.
• It facilitates dialogue and cooperation to address labour challenges through its tripartite structure, bringing together representatives of workers, employers and governments.

Way ahead:

• The theme for World Day Against Child Labour 2023 (June 12) is “Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!” – highlighting the connection between social justice and the issue of child labour.
• Therefore, there is a need to prioritise –
  • Access to quality education empowers them with the knowledge and skills they need to break free from the clutches of labour.
  • Enforcement of labour laws and providing social protection.

Conclusion:

The battle against child labour necessitates a united front – a resolute stance against this grave injustice that brings together governments, non-profits and individuals from all walks of life.

Insta Links:

Child trafficking in India

GS Paper 3

 Syllabus: Environment Conservation

Source: Forbes

 Context: The United Nations has adopted the High Seas Treaty, the first-ever international treaty aimed at protecting and governing activities such as fishing, mining, and oil extraction in international waters.

About the ratification:

The treaty, officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ), has been signed by nearly 200 nations after 15 years of discussions. However, the treaty still needs to be ratified by at least 60 member nations to take effect. The next ocean conference in June 2025 in Nice, France, is expected to witness the completion of ratifications.

Aim: Its purpose is to prevent species extinctions caused by overfishing, oil extraction, deep-sea mining, and other environmentally impactful activities on the high seas.

Important features:

• It establishes Marine protected areas (MPAs) and puts more money into marine conservation and new rules for mining at sea.
• Arrangements for sharing marine genetic resources, such as biological material from plants and animals in the ocean.
• Requirements for environmental assessmentsfor deep sea activities like mining.
• Richer nations have pledged money for the delivery of the treaty. For example, the EU announced nearly 820m euros (£722.3m).
• It also includes guidelines to measure the environmental impacts of high sea activities like fishing and mining and requires countries to present an assessment of those impacts to the UN about any activities that the country is doing in international waters.
• A new group called the Conference of Parties will oversee and enforce compliance with the treaty’s terms.

Insta Links:

How to save our high seas from overfishing and pollution?

Prelims Links: UPSC 2014

GS Paper 3

 Syllabus: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Source: ET

 Context: India is moving ahead to establish theatre commands, aiming to build integrated war-fighting machinery in a cost-effective manner.

What are Theatre Commands? 

A theatre command in the military refers to a specific geographical area where military operations are planned, coordinated, and executed under a single command. It is a way of organizing and managing military forces within a particular region or theatre of operations.

• The idea behind the Theatre Command System is to enhance coordination and synergy among the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Currently, almost all major countries like China, Russia, the US, the UK and France work on a theatre command concept.

Case of China:

• China reorganised its 2.3-million People’s Liberation Army into five theatre commands in 2016 to enhance offensive capabilities and establish improved command-and-control structures.
• Its Western Theater Command looks after the entire border with India.

Case of India: 

Why does India need theatre commands?

• India currently has 19 military commands.
  • 17 of them are service-oriented – 7 each for the Army and the Air Force and the Navy has 3.
  • A Tri-Service Command – Andaman and Nicobar Command, and the Strategic Forces Command (SFC looks after the country’s nuclear stockpile).
• The aim is to bring all the individual commands into four or five unified or theatre commands to streamline military operations and enhance coordination and efficiency in a rapidly evolving security landscape.
• This will aid in better planning, military response and a unified approach to fighting future wars while also lowering costs.

Case study – Acquisition of Apache attack helicopters from the US:

• While the Indian Air Force got 22 Apaches, the Army has also placed orders for six of these choppers.
• The end result is a loss of at least Rs 2,500 crore and haphazard operational planning.

Steps taken towards theaterisation in India:

• The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023 includes a provision regarding a joint services command.
• The cross-staffing initiatives are aimed at areas of commonality, such as equipment like UAVs and the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
• Steps are being taken to introduce “common annual confidential reports” for all two and three-star generals across the armed forces to synergise the appraisal system for tri-Service appointments.

Progress in India’s theatre commands plans:

• A consensus has been reached among the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force regarding the plan.
• The revised proposal entails the establishment of 3 integrated theatre commands, each led by a senior 3-star general (Lieutenant Generals, Air Marshals, or Vice Admirals).
• These commands will be responsible for managing –
  • The northern borders with China,
  • The western front with Pakistan, and
  • The maritime command in peninsular India.
• The original proposal for an Air Defence Command (ADC) has been discarded since ‘air defence’ and ‘offensive air’ missions are interdependent and cannot be carried out in isolation during conflicts.
  • Therefore, air assets will not be owned by a theatre command but will shift from one to another based on the contingency faced.

Way ahead:

• To get the most out of the theatre commands, a national security strategy and the right tri-service structures must be in place.
• The theatre commands should be future-ready to deal with the emerging forms of warfare in the space and cyber domains and should not increase the decision-making chains.

Insta Links:

The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

Source: TH

Renowned author Salman Rushdie has been awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for his literary work and his unwavering spirit in the face of constant danger.

The prize organizers commended Rushdie’s narrative vision, literary innovation, humour, and wisdom. Despite the physical and psychological consequences he has faced, including a stabbing incident in 2022, Rushdie continues to write imaginatively and with a deeply human approach.

The jury recognized his resolve, positive attitude, and the enriching impact he has on the world through his storytelling.

Source: PIB

The iGOT Karmayogi Platform has launched a curated collection called DAKSHTA (Development of Attitude, Knowledge, Skill for Holistic Transformation in Administration) for young professionals and consultants engaged in government work.

This collection consists of 18 courses designed to enhance functional, domain, and behavioural competencies necessary for effective duty discharge such as data-driven decision-making, code of conduct, communication skills, public policy, stress management, and more.

The iGOT Karmayogi Platform serves as a comprehensive online portal for capacity building, combining different hubs for learning, competency management, career development, discussions, events, and networking. The platform is managed by Karmayogi Bharat, a government-owned not-for-profit organization under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

1. Muthuchandra Rao, a renowned puppet artist from the Kanniyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, has been invited to perform at the Fetna 36th Convention in the United States (Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA)).

Recognized for his artistry and recipient of the Tamil Nadu government’s Kalaimamani Award, Mr Muthuchandra Rao will showcase “Thol Pavai Koothu,” a form of puppetry.

He will also train Tamil children in making dolls and puppets, as well as voice modulations. The aim is to promote traditional arts and divert children’s attention from smartphones. Mr Muthuchandra Rao’s troupe uses goat skin for making puppets, and they have prepared performances with themes relevant to modern times.

Tholpavaikoothu is a form of Shadow puppetry made of three Tamil terms, thol, meaning leather, pavai, meaning doll, and koothu, meaning the play or drama. This form of art is especially popular in the Madurai, Kanyakumar (TN), Palakkad Thrissur and Malappuram districts of Kerala

Source: TH

The ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) plans to expand its tuber-based “rainbow diet” campaign to more areas in India with significant tribal populations.

The campaign aims to promote biofortified tubers and value-added products made from them to combat malnutrition and ensure a balanced diet. In the current fiscal year, the campaign will be launched in Odisha, targeting nine districts with large tribal populations.

What are Tuber crops?

Tuber crops are plants that produce edible underground storage structures called tubers. These tubers serve as a source of nutrients and energy for the plant. Examples of tuber crops include potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and cassava.

• The initiative focuses on popularizing orange-fleshed sweet potato, purple-fleshed sweet potato, and purple-fleshed yam, which are rich in beneficial compounds.

ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (HQ: Thiruvananthapuram) focuses on research and development related to tuber crops such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and cassava

• The CTCRI has previously introduced biofortified sweet potato varieties in Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura.
• The institute has also unveiled a “Tuber Crops Rainbow Diet Plate” featuring biofortified sweet potato, cassava, and millets.
• The CTCRI’s efforts aim to develop improved tuber varieties and explore tuber-millet combinations for nutritious value-added products.

Source: Hindustan Times 

Context: NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), plans to enhance communication and monitoring in Indian waters by setting up mobile satellite service (MSS) terminals on motorized and fishing boats across 13 coastal states.

• The project aims to establish a dedicated MSS satcom network for emergency communication, asset tracking, and surveillance. The system will utilize India’s own navigation satellite system, NavIC, and will include dedicated ground stations, satellite terminals, and Xponders for field deployment.

Significance:

• This initiative intends to improve the security of fishermen, enhance national security, enable two-way communication with fishermen, provide periodic location access, issue weather alerts, identify international water border violations, and deliver accurate navigation alerts.
• The Xponders will feature built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transceivers, and a multilingual app is being developed for communication between the app and transponders.

About NAVIC:

Navigation in Indian Constellation (NavIC) is an Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

IRNSS consists of eight satellites, three satellites in geostationary orbit and five satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

Source: DTE

 Context: Recently, a non-native alligator gar fish, known for its crocodile-like head and razor-sharp teeth, was found in one of Kashmir’s idyllic lakes, raising apprehensions about its impact on the native fish species.

About Alligator gar fish:

• Alligator Gar Fish is a ray-finned euryhaline fish and is one of the biggest freshwater fish in North America and the largest species in the ‘gar’ family.
• This predator fish has an alligator-like head and razor-sharp teeth. It was also found in some parts of India like Bhopal, Kerala and from waterbodies of Maharashtra and Kolkata.
• IUCN status is the least concerned.

Source: TH

 Context: Scientists in Chile have uncovered the remains of a previously unknown species of herbivorous dinosaur, challenging existing beliefs about the range of duck-billed dinosaurs.

About the Duck-billed dinosaur:

• The newly discovered dinosaur, named Gonkoken nanoi, lived 72 million years ago in what is now Chilean Patagonia.
• Measuring up to four meters in length and weighing a ton, these slender dinosaurs were capable of both bipedal and quadrupedal postures to access vegetation at different heights.

Significance of the discovery:

• The finding suggests that Chilean Patagonia served as a haven for ancient species of hadrosaurs, a type of duck-billed dinosaur that was prevalent in North America, Asia, and Europe during the Cretaceous period.
• This discovery expands our understanding of the distribution and evolution of these dinosaurs in the southern hemisphere.

Source: TOI

Context: The indigenously developed TAPAS 201 UAV has achieved a major milestone as the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy have successfully demonstrated transferring of command-and-control capabilities of the UAV.

About TAPAS UAV:

• The indigenously developed TAPAS 201 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV has been designed and developed by the Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE)
• TAPAS 201, a multi-mission UAV is being developed to carry out the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance roles for the three Armed Forces with an endurance of 24 to 30 hours.
• Dubbed the Indian version of the U.S. Predator drones, TAPAS 201 is capable to carry different combinations of payloads like Medium Range Electro Optic, Long Range Electro Optic, Synthetic Aperture Radar, Electronic Intelligence, Communication Intelligence and Situational Awareness Payloads to perform missions during day and night.
• The MALE UAV was earlier referred to as RUSTOM.

Mapping

Source: TH

India announced the gifting of the indigenously-built missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam. This gesture strengthens the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam and reinforces defence cooperation as a key pillar of their relationship.

Vietnam is located on the eastern margin of the Indochinese peninsula. It borders the Gulf of Tonkin, the Gulf of Thailand, and the Pacific Ocean, along with China, Laos, and Cambodia.