UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 July 2024

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 July 2024 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles

InstaLinks :  Insta Links help you think beyond the  current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in 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.

Table of Contents 

GS Paper 2: (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 July 2024)

1. ECONOMIC SURVEY 2024 Addresses Mental Health

GS Paper 3:

1. Economic Survey 2024: Here are the key takeaways

2. INDIAN AGRICULTURE SECTOR IS A SUCCESS STORY: ECONOMIC SURVEY 2023-24

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

1. Rogue waves

2. U-WIN

3. Apophis asteroid

4. PC emulator

5. Zebra mussel 

6. Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)

7. Pralay Missiles

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 July 2024

GS Paper 2:

ECONOMIC SURVEY 2024 ADDRESSES MENTAL HEALTH

Syllabus: Social justice

 Source: PIB

Context: Economic Survey 2024 Addresses Mental Health at the Economic Level for the First Time Ever

National Prevalence of Mental Health

1. Mental Disorders: 10.6% of Indian adults suffer from mental disorders (NMHS 2015-16).
2. Treatment Gap: Ranges from 70% to 92% for different disorders.
3. Urban vs. Rural: Higher mental morbidity in urban metro regions (13.5%) compared to rural (6.9%) and urban non-metro areas (4.3%).
4. Adolescent Mental Health: Increased poor mental health among adolescents, with 11% feeling anxious, 14% experiencing extreme emotions, and 43% having mood swings (NCERT Survey), exacerbated by COVID-19.

The Economic Survey highlights the significant impact of mental health disorders on the economy:

1. Productivity Losses: Absenteeism, decreased productivity, and disability.
2. Increased Healthcare Costs: Higher expenditures for treatment and care.
3. Poverty and Mental Health: Stressful living conditions, financial instability, and limited opportunities increase psychological distress.

Government Initiatives:

Recommendations of Economic Survey:

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 July 2024 GS Paper 3:

Economic Survey 2024: Here are the key takeaways

Syllabus: Indian Economy

 Source: PIB

Context: Economic Survey 2023-24 was tabled in Parliament by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.

 What is the Economic Survey?

It provides a detailed report of the state of the national economy (from agriculture to unemployment to infrastructure) for the year that is coming to a close (2023-24) with forecasts of the upcoming financial year (2024-25).

It is prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, under the guidance of the chief economic adviser (CEA).

Once prepared, the Survey is approved by the Finance Minister and the comments or policy solutions contained in the Survey are not binding on the government. The first Economic Survey was presented for 1950-51 and until 1964, it was presented along with the budget.

The main highlights of the Economic Survey are as follows:

Chapter	Highlights
State of the Economy – Steady as She Goes	Projected real GDP growth of 6.5–7%. Real GDP grew by 8.2% in FY24. Retail inflation reduced from 6.7% to 5.4%. CAD at 0.7% of GDP. Real GDP 20% higher than FY20 level. 55% of tax from direct Tax, 45% from indirect Tax. Free food grains to 81.4 crore people.
Monetary Management and Financial Intermediation- Stability is the Watchword	RBI maintained a steady policy rate at 6.5%. Credit disbursal grew by 20.2%. Double-digit bank credit growth. Gross and net NPAs at multi-year lows. Industrial credit growth at 8.5%. Primary capital markets facilitated ₹10.9 lakh crore.
Prices and Inflation- Under Control	Retail inflation at 5.4%, lowest since pandemic. Price cuts for LPG, petrol, and diesel. LPG inflation deflationary. Food inflation increased to 7.5%. Government interventions mitigated food inflation. RBI projects inflation to 4.5% in FY25.
External Sector – Stability Amid Plenty	India’s rank in World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index improved to 38th. CAD narrowed to 0.7%. Services exports grew by 4.9% to USD 341.1 billion. India top remittance recipient at USD 120 billion. External debt to GDP ratio at 18.7%.
Medium-Term Outlook – A Growth Strategy for New India	Focus on job creation, agriculture, MSMEs, green transition, addressing Chinese competition, and deepening corporate bond market. Growth strategy based on boosting private investment, MSMEs, and agriculture.
Climate Change and Energy Transition: Dealing with Trade-Offs	India only G20 nation aligned with 2°C warming. Renewable energy capacity increased. Non-fossil sources 45.4% of installed capacity. Emission intensity reduced by 33%. Annual energy savings of ₹1,94,320 crore.
Social Sector – Benefits that Empower	Welfare expenditure grew at 12.8% CAGR. Ayushman Bharat generated 34.7 crore cards. ‘Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi’ for preschool education. Rise in higher education enrolment driven by SC, ST, OBC.
Employment and Skill Development: Towards Quality	Unemployment rate declined to 3.2%. Youth unemployment reduced to 10%. Female labor force participation rate rising. EPFO membership grew by 8.4% CAGR. Gig workforce expected to expand.
Agriculture and Food Management – Plenty of Upside Left If We Get It Right	Agriculture sector grew at 4.18%. Credit disbursed to agriculture ₹22.84 lakh crore. 90 lakh hectares under micro irrigation. Investment in agricultural research yields high payoff.
Industry – Small and Medium Matters	Industrial growth rate of 9.5%. Manufacturing sector growth driven by chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery. PLI schemes attracted ₹1.28 lakh crore investment. India’s electronics manufacturing 3.7% of global market share.
Services – Fuelling Growth Opportunities	Services sector GVA at 55%. India’s services exports 4.4% of global. Aviation sector grew 15%. Real estate sales highest since 2013. Internet density at 68.2%. E-commerce expected to cross USD 350 billion by 2030.
Infrastructure – Lifting Potential Growth	NH construction pace tripled to 34 km/day. Railways capital expenditure increased by 77%. New terminal buildings at 21 airports operationalized. Clean energy sector investment of ₹8.5 lakh crore.
Climate Change and India: Why We Must Look at the Problem Through Our Lens	Global strategies flawed; focus on overconsumption. India’s ethos of nature harmony. Emphasis on sustainable housing through traditional households. “Mission LiFE” for mindful consumption.

Mains Links:

Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments. (UPSC 2019)

Prelims Links: UPSC 2015

INDIAN AGRICULTURE SECTOR IS A SUCCESS STORY: ECONOMIC SURVEY 2023-24

Syllabus: Indian Economy: Economic Survey

 Source: PIB

Key Highlights of Agriculture and Allied sector from the Economic Survey:

Category	Highlights
Success Story of Indian Agriculture	From food deficit and importing country in the 1960s to net exporter of agricultural products.
Growth Rate and Employment	Agriculture sector registered an average annual growth rate of 4.18% over the last five years; supports 42.3% of the population and contributes 18.2% to GDP.
Investment in Agriculture Research	Investment yields high returns; for every rupee invested, there is a payoff of ₹13.85.
Foodgrain and Oilseed Production	Record production of 329.7 million tonnes in 2022-23; oilseeds area increased by 17.5% from 2014-15 to 2023-24.
e-NAM Scheme and FPOs	e-NAM portal registered over 1.77 crore farmers; 8,195 FPOs registered, with significant financial support provided.
Agricultural Price Support	MSP increased for all crops since 2018-19 with a margin of at least 50% over production costs.
Social Security for Farmers	PMKMY provides monthly pensions to farmers; 23.41 lakh farmers enrolled as of July 2024.
Crop Insurance	PMFBY offers comprehensive risk cover for crops; insured area reached 610 lakh ha in 2023-24.
Allied Sectors Growth	Livestock and fisheries sectors show significant growth, contributing to farm incomes and economic stability.
Food Processing Sector	GVA increased from ₹1.30 lakh crore in 2013-14 to ₹1.92 lakh crore in 2022-23; sector accounts for significant share in India’s exports.
Three Great Challenges	Agriculture must address food and nutritional security, climate change adaptation/mitigation, and sustainable use of water, energy, and land.
Transition to Nutritional Security	Need to shift from basic food security to nutritional security; demand for pulses, millets, fruits, vegetables, milk, and meat is growing.
Policy Recommendations
	1.      Invoke export bans only in exceptional cases; allow farmers to benefit from higher international prices.
	2.      Re-examine inflation-targeting framework to exclude food prices; address hardships for low-income consumers via direct benefit transfers or coupons.
	3.      Increase Total Net Irrigated Area; promote efficient water utilization technologies like drip irrigation and fertigation.
	4.      Promote crop-neutral incentive structures to address climate considerations.
Private Sector Investment	Vital for technological advancement, improved production methods, marketing infrastructure, and reduction in post-harvest losses.
Structural Transformation Needed	Requires transformation due to water scarcity and climate change; reverse migration during COVID and extreme weather conditions in 2024 highlight the need for policy reevaluation.
Sustainable Farming Initiatives	PM-PRANAM initiative promotes reduced use of chemical fertilizers and adoption of sustainable practices.

Key points from the Economic Survey for Allied Sectors:

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 July 2024 Facts for Prelims (FFP):

Rogue waves

Source: IE

Context: Researchers have developed an AI program that predicts rogue waves by analysing data from 172 ocean buoys.

• Rogue waves, defined as waves twice the size of surrounding waves, pose significant threats to ships, coastal infrastructure, and human lives.
• Traditionally unpredictable, these waves form when swells from distant weather systems converge or when ocean currents compress swells.
• The AI, trained on 20-minute wave pattern samples, can predict rogue waves up to five minutes in advance with around 73-75% accuracy.

Future advancements in AI and data collection may further improve prediction accuracy, potentially leading to near-perfect forecasts.

U-WIN

 Source: IE

Context: The Indian government is rolling out U-WIN, an online vaccine management portal for childhood immunization, similar to the CoWIN platform used during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• U-WIN aims to create digitized and individualized immunization records for children up to six years old and pregnant mothers.
• The platform will track all vaccinations, send reminders to parents, and provide a downloadable digital vaccine certificate.
• U-WIN will also help health workers by generating lists of due vaccinations and allow the government to study immunization trends.
• U-WIN will be linked to the existing eWIN platform for inventory management, ensuring efficient vaccine distribution and tracking.

The platform is expected to improve vaccination compliance through reminders, ensure portability of vaccination records, reduce errors, and provide detailed data on individual immunization, helping to reach unvaccinated children and improve overall public health outcomes.

Apophis asteroid

 Source: IE
 Context: The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses) to study the Apophis asteroid when it passes within 32,000 km of Earth in 2029.

• This close approach, happening only once every 5,000 to 10,000 years, presents a unique opportunity for in-depth asteroid research.
• ESA’s Ramses spacecraft will accompany the 375-meter-wide asteroid, conducting extensive studies on its physical and orbital characteristics before and after the flyby.
• This mission follows NASA’s commitment to a similar mission with its OSIRIX-APEX spacecraft.
• The data gathered will enhance planetary defense strategies and provide insights into the Solar System’s formation.

This initiative underscores the growing focus on asteroid research, crucial for developing measures to protect Earth from potential asteroid collisions, as demonstrated by NASA’s successful DART mission in 2022.

PC emulator

 Source: TH

Context: Apple recently approved a PC emulator for iOS, allowing users to run classic software, particularly games, on iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS.

• An emulator is software that enables one device to mimic another, allowing software designed for one system to run on another without redesigning.
• Emulators are generally legal as they do not use proprietary code. However, running or distributing copyrighted ROMs without ownership is illegal.
• Emulators can pose security risks if downloaded from unofficial sources, potentially containing malware.
• They may also impact device performance due to their resource-intensive nature.

Zebra mussel

 Source: Phys.org

Context: Zebra mussel larvae, an invasive species, have been discovered in the Colorado River near Grand Junction, Colorado.

• This poses a severe threat to the river’s ecosystem and infrastructure.
• Zebra mussels are difficult to remove once established and can rapidly spread, disrupting ecosystems by eliminating essential food sources and attaching to hard surfaces, leading to clogged pipes and damaged equipment.

Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)

 Source: IE

Context: The Supreme Court of India granted bail to a Nepali citizen detained for over nine years under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), citing his right to a speedy trial.

• The bench emphasized that statutory restrictions should not override the constitutional right to life and personal liberty if the trial is significantly delayed.
• This ruling follows a precedent set in the 2021 Union of India v. K A Najeeb case and continues a trend where the SC has granted bail despite UAPA’s strict provisions due to prolonged incarcerations.

Pralay Missiles

 Source: EurAsian Times

Context: Armenia is interested in acquiring India’s Pralay missile to counter Azerbaijan’s Israeli-origin LORA missiles.

• This potential deal would enhance India’s reputation as a missile exporter, following the success of the Brahmos missile export.
• The Pralay, developed by DRDO, has a higher percentage of indigenous content compared to the Brahmos, making it more profitable for India.
• The Pralay is a mobile, canister-based short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) with a range of 150-500 km, utilizing inertial guidance and a DSMAC seeker for terminal guidance.
• It features a quasi-ballistic trajectory and terminal manoeuvring capabilities, making it difficult to intercept.
• The missile can carry various warheads and is designed to have a low radar signature.

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 23 July 2024 [PDF]

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