[Mission 2024] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 16 October 2023

GS Paper 3

 Syllabus: Science and Technology: Space

Source: TH

 Context: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has unveiled a decadal vision and strategy for the Indian space economy, aiming to significantly boost its growth.

What is IN-SPACE?

IN-SPACe is India’s single-window autonomous agency under the Department of Space, responsible for promoting and authorizing various space activities for non-governmental entities (NGEs).

• It was launched in 2020 to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure
• It acts as a single-point interface between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and everyone who wants to participate in space-related activities or use India’s space resources

The key points of IN-SPACE’s Decadal Vision and Strategy:

Emerging trends and their contribution to the Indian space sector:

Bottlenecks in the Indian space sector:

• Access to Capital: Limited funding for downstream companies, as upstream activities receive major investments.
• Human Resource Constraints: A need for technically inclined marketing personnel, but they tend to prefer established businesses with market-level salaries.
• Monopolization: High capital requirements make it challenging for many players to enter the industry, leading to potential monopolization.
• Funding Disparity: India’s space budget is significantly smaller compared to countries like the US and China.

Measures taken to promote private sector participation in the space industry:

Other Recommendations:

 A recent report by the Indian Space Association, NASSCOM and Deloitte India suggested adopting OECD’s framework for segmenting the space value chain into upstream, downstream and Auxiliary categories

• Upstream: All activities, products and infrastructure that ensure development, testing, launching, operations and monitoring of space assets
• Downstream: All applications, services and devices relying on satellites to create business value including Earth Observation, Satellite, SATCOM, etc
• Auxilliary: Additional space-related activities such as space insurance, awareness, education and training

Conclusion

The Indian space sector has an opportunity to create a vibrant ecosystem for start-ups and private enterprises. India needs to focus on building a comprehensive space policy, providing access to capital for early-stage startups, access to satellite technology for industry, improved training for satellite operations, and allowing private players to use the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) testing facilities.

Insta Links

• Milestones in India’s Space Programme
• Startups are powering India’s Space Odyssey 2.0

Mains Link:

What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme?  (UPSC 2019)

 Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology has helped India in its socioeconomic development? ( UPSC 2016)

Prelims Links

GS Paper 3

 Syllabus: Disaster Management

Source: UN DRR

 Context: The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) conducted the 2023 Global Survey on Persons with Disabilities and Disasters, following up on the 2013 survey.

About the Survey Report:

The report was released ahead of International Day for DRR (October 13). Its theme “Fighting inequality for a resilient future” is aligned with the Sendai Framework.

Aim of the survey: It is aimed to assess the preparedness of persons with disabilities for disasters, accessibility of early warning and risk information, awareness of disaster risk reduction (DRR) plans, and their participation in DRR decision-making.

What is DRR? 

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) refers to the practices and strategies aimed at minimizing the risks and vulnerabilities associated with natural and human-made disasters.

Key results of the survey:

• Limited progress in disability inclusion in DRR over the past decade, with no significant regional differences.
• Low awareness of DRR plans among disabled
• Lack of DRR plans addressing the specific needs of persons with disabilities
• Limited participation in local-level DRR decisions by persons with disabilities
• 24% of respondents had been displaced due to crises or disasters, with armed conflict or violence being the leading cause of displacement.

Recommendations:

• There is a need for dedicated leadership roles for disability inclusion and addressing underlying risk factors to promote inclusion and resilience for all.
• Compliance with international law
• Inclusion of persons with disabilities in policymaking
• Addressing intersectionalities and diversity in DRR policies and practices
• Equity between persons with and without disabilities in all measures to reduce and prevent disaster risk.

Sendai Framework for DRR 2015–2030 recognizes Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) as contributing stakeholders and emphasises the need for their inclusion in all DRR policies and practices.

India’s Initiatives: 

September 2019: NDMA came out with comprehensive guidelines under the title, ‘National Disaster Management Guidelines on Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction, 2019’ (NDMA 2019). This was the first comprehensive set of guidelines issued by any country globally on disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction (DiDRR).

Features of NDMA guidelines:

Other efforts:

Best Practices – Disaster Response in Odisha:

Conclusion:

All the constructive steps initiated are stepping stones in India’s journey towards becoming a disability-inclusive society. These measures also open up possibilities to take the movement forward, introducing more need-based and disability-sensitive strategies by including the stakeholders and caregivers in the decision-making process.

Inta Links

• Risk-reduction strategies using traditional knowledge
• United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)

 Practice Question:

Discuss the need for Disaster risk reduction in India. What are the challenges involved and explain the global efforts in this direction? (250 words) 

Content for Mains Enrichment

Source: TH

 Tamil Nadu is close to completing its first artificial intelligence (AI)-based early warning system designed to protect wild elephants from train collisions along the Ettimadai–Walayar railway section. This initiative involves the installation of 12 e-surveillance towers equipped with thermal imaging cameras to monitor elephant movements. Once fully functional, the system will alert forest department staff and railway authorities to reduce train speed, enhancing elephant safety in the region.

Previous Measures:

Usage: The examples of initiatives can be used in Environment/ Ethics (Animal Ethics ) Questions

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Live Science

Context: Scientists have recently rediscovered the “Pontus plate,” a long-lost tectonic plate that disappeared about 20 million years ago.

• This plate was approximately a quarter the size of the Pacific Ocean and once existed beneath an ancient ocean known as the Pontus Ocean.
• The rediscovery of the Pontus plate was accidental, occurring during a study of rocks in Borneo. Researchers had originally been studying the Pacific plate when they came across rock fragments that didn’t fit with known plates’ magnetic properties.
• Computer modelling eventually revealed that these rock fragments belonged to a previously unknown tectonic plate, the Pontus plate.

This plate formed at least 160 million years ago, possibly even earlier, and eventually disappeared as it was subducted beneath the Australian and Chinese plates. This discovery sheds light on Earth’s geological history and the movement of tectonic plates.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Live Mint

Context: The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued a set of amendments to strengthen anti-money laundering(AML) standards and combat finance terrorism (CFT).

• These guidelines are based on rules established under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002.

The key amendments include:

• Additional Measures: Financial groups must implement group-wide programs to deal with money laundering. Additional measures should be taken if the host country does not meet AML/CFT requirements consistent with the home country’s standards.
• Disclosing Status: In the case of a trust, the reporting entity must ensure that trustees disclose their status at the commencement of an account-based relationship.
• Identifying Beneficial Ownership

These amendments aim to enhance the effectiveness of AML/CFT measures and strengthen the process of identifying beneficial ownership.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Al Jazeera

 Context: Human Rights Watch (HRW) says the Israeli military recently used white phosphorus munitions in Lebanon and Gaza.

• White phosphorus munitions can be delivered through artillery shells, bombs, rockets, or grenades. This substance is colourless, white, or yellow and emits a garlic-like odour.

White Phosphorous in war:

• While white phosphorus is not banned by international conventions, it is not categorized as an “incendiary weapon” intended to cause fires or burns.
• Instead, it is considered a multipurpose munition. Protocol III of the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons prohibits incendiaries or the use of other substances to attack civilian populations, but it allows militaries to argue that white phosphorus is used only as a smokescreen, signal, or to illuminate a target.
• Israel has faced accusations of using white phosphorus in Gaza in the past, notably during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009.

About White phosphorus:

It is a highly toxic, wax-like substance known for its ability to burn at extremely high temperatures, exceeding 800 degrees Celsius (1,500 degrees Fahrenheit).

It can melt metal and is often used by militaries to create smokescreens due to its fast-spreading fires and thick smoke production that can last for about seven minutes.

White phosphorus is harmful to humans and can cause severe burns, penetrating down to the bone. The chemicals can be absorbed by the body, leading to dysfunction in multiple organs, including the liver, kidneys, and heart

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

Context: Two Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under the Ministry of Railways, Ircon International Limited (IRCON), and RITES Ltd, have been granted ‘Navratna’ status.

• RITES Ltd, in its 50th year of operation, is a prominent transport infrastructure consultancy and engineering firm in India, offering services in various sectors such as transportation, railways, highways, airports, and mor
• IRCON, with 47 years of experience, specializes in railways, highways, and high-tension substation engineering and construction. The company has executed various projects in railway construction, electrification, tunnelling, and more, both in India and abroad.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: The Print

Context: India’s Drug Controller General (DCGI) has granted market authorization for CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T) cell therapy developed by ImmunoACT, a spin-off company from IIT-Bombay.

• This ground-breaking treatment, known as NexCAR19, is now approved for use in cases of relapsed-refractory B-cell lymphoma and leukaemia.
• The therapy’s market authorization follows extensive scrutiny of data from phase 1 and 2 clinical trials by the Central Drugs Standards and Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TOI

 Context: NASA has launched a spacecraft called ‘Psyche’ on a six-year mission to study a unique metal-rich asteroid also named ‘Psyche.’

• This asteroid orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
• The primary goal of the Psyche mission is to explore the iron core, a previously unexplored aspect of planet formatio
• For the first time, the mission will examine a celestial body primarily composed of metal rather than rock and ice.
• Additionally, it aims to gain insights into the internal structure of terrestrial planets, including Earth, by directly studying the interior of a differentiated body, which would otherwise remain hidden.

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: PIB

 Context: The Indian government has introduced two green initiatives in preparation for the upcoming UN Climate Summit, COP 28 – Green Credit Program (GCP) and Ecomark scheme Under LiFE Initiative

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Hindustan Times

 Context: A new species of toad, called Bufoides bhupathyi, has been discovered in the Dampa tiger reserve of Mizoram, India.

• This marks the third species in a genus found in the north-eastern region of India.
• The previous two species, Bufoides meghalayanus and Bufoides kempi, were found in Meghalaya.
• To resolve taxonomic confusion, field surveys were conducted, leading to the discovery of Bufoides bhupathyi, which is distinct from other similar species in terms of interdigital webbing, colouration, skin tuberculation, and the presence of ovoid, tuberculated, and depressed parotid glands.
• The new species is currently known to exist only in the Dampa tiger reserve and is likely to meet the criteria for being assessed as critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• It has been named after S Bhupathy, a prominent herpetologist who served as the principal scientist at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History in Coimbatore.

Sports

Source: TH

 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made amendments to the Olympic Charter to strengthen its human rights commitments during its 141st Session. These changes include additional wording in the Fundamental Principles of Olympism.

They aim to promote and respect human rights across their three spheres of activity: as an organization, as the owner of the Olympic Games, and as the leader of the Olympic Movement.

Additionally, the IOC’s Framework on Fairness, Inclusion, and Non-Discrimination aims to ensure inclusion in elite sports without discrimination based on gender identity or sex variations while preserving fair competition.

About IOC:

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) (founded: 1894; HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland) is a non-governmental sports organization responsible for organizing the Olympic Games and governs National Olympic Committees (NOCs). In 2009, the UN General Assembly granted the IOC Permanent Observer status. The IOC Session is the annual meeting of IOC members where each member has one vote, and its decisions are final.

Mapping

Source: TH

 Context: ISRO is establishing a second spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, dedicated to Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) developed by the private sector.

This spaceport will be operational in about two years and will exclusively serve the private sector, with no ISRO rocket launches planned from there.

The SSLV is a cost-effective, flexible launch vehicle capable of deploying around 500kg satellites in a 500-km orbit. Additionally, a small space manufacturing park is planned near the spaceport, offering further support to private sector initiatives.

Kulasekharapatnam is a town in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. It was an ancient port dating to the 1st century AD and was contemporaneous to the existence of Kollam, Cheran, and Pandyan ports.