UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 25 May 2024

InstaLinks : Insta Links 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 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. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically.

InstaLinks : Insta Links 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 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. 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 3:

• The vital role played by Tribal Communities in Preserving Forests

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

• Was the Stone Age Actually the Age of Wood?

• Form 17C

• Recognition of Palestine

• The Pre-packaged Insolvency Resolution Process (PPIRP)

• Top Startup Cities

• Institute of Chartered Accountants Of India (ICAI)

• eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft

• AI agents

• Sympatric speciation

• Zero Debris Charter

Mapping

• Ujani dam

The vital role played by Tribal Communities in Preserving Forests

#### GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Environmental Conservation

Source: IE

Context: Droupadi Murmu (in this article) emphasized the vital role of preserving forests and advocated for listening to tribal communities, whose collective wisdom can guide ecological sustainability.

About Scheduled Tribes in India:

Aspects | Description

The Constitution of India does not define the term ‘tribe’. Article 342 (i) empowers the President to specify Scheduled Tribes. Fifth Schedule establishes Tribes’ Advisory Councils. STs constitute 8.6% of the Population (census 2011). Draft National Tribal Policy, 2006 records 698 STs in India. Bhil is the largest tribal group (38%) followed by Gonds. Madhya Pradesh has the highest tribal Population in India. Santhal are the oldest Tribes in India.

According to Lokur Committee (1965): | 1. Indication of Primitive Traits

1.Distinctive Culture
2.Shyness of Contact with the Community at Large
3.Geographical Isolation
4.Backwardness

Educational & Cultural Safeguards | Article 15(4): Special provisions for advancement of STs.

Article 29: Protection of Interests of Minorities (includes STs).

Article 46: Promotion of educational and economic interests.

Article 350: Right to conserve distinct Language, Script or Culture.

Political Safeguards | Article 330: Reservation of seats for STs in Lok Sabha.

Article 332: Reservation of seats for STs in State Legislatures

Article 243: Reservation of seats in Panchayats.

Administrative Safeguard | Article 275: Grant of special funds for welfare and administration.

Roles Tribal Population Play in Forest Conservation:

Roles | Examples

Eco-tourism Initiatives | Khonoma village in Nagaland, managed by the Angami tribe, promotes community-based eco-tourism while preserving forests and traditional practices.

Tribal Forest Guardians Program | Implementation of a “Tribal Forest Guardians” program, training tribal members as forest guards or eco-guides, leveraging their local ecological knowledge.

Tribal Knowledge Banks | Documenting traditional ecological knowledge, like the rice-fish cultivation system of the Apatani tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, and integrating it into conservation strategies.

Forest Product Value Addition and Marketing | Establishing processing units for forest products and creating market linkages, exemplified by the Hakki Pikki tribe’s Adiwasi Herbal Hair Oil.

Preservation of Sacred Groves | Garasia tribes in Sirohi district, Rajasthan preserve forests as sacred groves, protecting threatened species.

Rotational Farming and Grazing | Gond, Pradhan, and Baiga tribes of Madhya Pradesh practice Utera farming and Badi cropping system.

Sustainable Fishing Practices | Wancho and Nocte tribes of Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh employ bamboo and stone obstructions for fishing.

Wildlife Protection through Beliefs and Totems | Adi tribes of Arunachal Pradesh do not hunt animals like tigers, sparrows, and pangolins due to cultural beliefs.

Community-based Conservation Efforts | Idu Mishmis declare forest areas as “Community Conserved Areas”; Bishnoi Tiger Force combats poaching in Rajasthan.

Key Challenges Encountered by Tribals in India:

• Land Alienation and Displacement: Tribes face displacement due to development projects like mining and dams, disrupting their traditional lands.

• Lack of Implementation of Forest Rights Act: Slow implementation of the Act has led to delays and harassment, with many facing illegal evictions.

• Threats to Traditional Livelihood Practices: Conservation policies and restrictions have endangered traditional practices like shifting cultivation and hunting.

• Loss of Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Erosion: Migration to urban areas risks the loss of traditional knowledge and cultural practices.

• Impact of Climate Change: Tribes, reliant on natural resources, are vulnerable to climate change impacts, affecting agriculture and livelihoods.

• Lack of Education: Inadequate infrastructure and language barriers hinder tribal education, leading to a preference for immediate employment over schooling.

• Health and Nutrition Issues: Economic backwardness results in health problems and malnutrition among tribal populations.

• Gender Issues: Environmental degradation and commercialization affect gender roles and create societal challenges.

• Erosion of Identity: Modern institutions conflict with traditional tribal laws, leading to concerns about preserving cultural identity and language extinction.

Solutions for Tribal Forest Conservation:

• Listen to Tribal Communities: Incorporate tribal wisdom for ecologically sustainable practices.

• Amend Curriculum: Adapt forest service training to address climate change and conservation challenges.

• Learn and Propagate: Engage with tribal communities, learn from their practices, and propagate their sustainable methods.

• Balance Tradition and Modernity: Acknowledge and integrate traditional knowledge with modern conservation approaches.

• Participatory Forest Management: Strengthening participatory forest management models like Joint Forest Management (JFM) by ensuring tribal communities’ active involvement in decision-making processes.

Insta Links:

• Indigenous Knowledge – Konda Reddi tribe

• The ‘Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights Act)’

Prelims Link:

Q.1 Consider the following pairs: (UPSC 2013)

| Tribe | State

1.| Limboo (Limbu) | Sikkim
2.| Karbi | Himachal Pradesh
3.| Dongaria Kondh | Odisha
4.| Bonda | Tamil Nadu

Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans: A

Q.2 Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India: (UPSC 2019)

• PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.

• A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.

• There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.

• Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1, 3 and 4

Ans: C

3 Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, who shall be the authority to initiate the process for determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights or both? (UPSC 2013)

(a) State Forest Department

(b) District Collector/Deputy Commissioner

(d) Gram Sabha

Ans: D

• At the national level, which ministry is the nodal agency to ensure effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006?

(a) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (b) Ministry of Panchayati Raj (c) Ministry of Rural Development (d) Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Ans: D

Was the Stone Age Actually the Age of Wood?

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

Context: New research suggests that the Stone Age, known for stone tools, might also be termed the “Wood Age” due to advanced woodworking.

A study of 300,000-400,000-year-old wooden artefacts from Schöningen, Germany, reveals that these tools required significant skill and precision. The study identified 187 wooden artifacts showing varied woodworking techniques.

The Stone Age, lasting from 3.4 million years ago to around 6,000-4,000 years BP, is traditionally divided into the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods, characterized by stone tool use and a hunter-gatherer lifestyle transitioning to settled agriculture.

Period | Time Frame | Characteristics

Paleolithic Age | 500,000 – 10,000 BCE | Divided into three phases:

Early/Lower Palaeolithic (500,000 B.C. – 50,000 B.C.): Hand-axes, cleavers, choppers.

Middle Palaeolithic (50,000 B.C. – 40,000 B.C.): Flakes, points, scrapers.

Upper Palaeolithic (40,000 B.C. – 10,000 B.C.): Blades, borers, advanced tools.

Mesolithic Age | 10,000 – 6000 BCE | Transitional phase between Paleolithic and Neolithic; hunting, fishing, food gathering, and early domestication of animals.

Neolithic Age | 6000 – 1000 BCE | Polished stone tools, stone axes; development of early agriculture and animal domestication.

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: NDTV

Context: A dispute has arisen over the Election Commission’s (EC) handling of voter turnout data, particularly related to Form 17C.

• Form 17C records detailed polling data, including the number of votes cast and rejected at each booth.

• The Commission maintained there is no legal mandate for it to make public the total number of votes cast in each polling station. It says copies of Form 17C are shared with the polling agents present immediately upon the close of polling.

About Form 17C:

The Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 require the EC to maintain two forms- Forms 17A and 17C. Form 17A records the details of every voter who enters a polling booth and casts their vote. Form 17C contains the total number of votes cast.

Recognition of Palestine

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

Context: Ireland, Norway, and Spain plan to formally recognize the state of Palestine, highlighting a shift in international opinion. Recently, 143 countries, including India, called for UN recognition of Palestine. The International Criminal Court has sought arrest warrants for Israeli leaders and Hamas for war crimes.

• These recognitions are symbolic acts aimed at influencing Israel’s actions in Gaza and supporting moderate Palestinian The international community is urging Israel to reconsider its stance on the two-state solution.

About Palestine:

Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is located in the southern Levant region of West Asia. It comprises the West Bank and Gaza Strip, bordering Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. The capital is Jerusalem, with Ramallah as the administrative centre. Historically, the region has seen various rulers and holds religious significance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. After the Ottoman Empire’s fall, the British controlled Palestine until the establishment of Israel in 1948, which led to the displacement of many Palestinians. The Oslo Accords in the 1990s led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority. Currently, the West Bank is partly governed by the Palestinian Authority, while Hamas controls the Gaza Strip.

Major challenges include the Israeli occupation, settlement expansions, and the status of Jerusalem and refugees. Despite these issues, Palestine has a highly educated population, an emerging economy, and significant tourism. As of May 2024, it is a non-member observer state at the UN since 2012.

The Pre-packaged Insolvency Resolution Process (PPIRP)

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Economic Times

Context: The Pre-packaged Insolvency Resolution Process (PPIRP) has successfully facilitated the full settlement of operational creditors’ claims for five companies.

About The Pre-packaged Insolvency Resolution Process (PPIRP):

• The Pre-Packaged Insolvency Resolution Process (PPIRP) is a mechanism for resolving corporate insolvency that was added to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) in 2016.

• It’s designed to be faster and more efficient than other processes and to minimize disruption to businesses.

The PPIRP process involves:

• Preparing and negotiating a resolution plan before insolvency proceedings begin

• Implementing the plan immediately when insolvency proceedings start

• Completing the entire process within 120 days

Top Startup Cities

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

Context: PitchBook recently released its 2024 global Venture Capital ecosystem rankings, spotlighting the top 50 startup cities worldwide.

Mumbai secured the 32nd spot, Bengaluru ranked 34th, and Gurugram made it to 48th place. The report highlights a surge in innovation and growth in the global startup landscape, attracting significant investments and fostering multi-billion-dollar valuations.

The top five cities were:

• San Francisco Bay Area, USA

• New York City, USA

• Beijing, China

• Shanghai, China

• Los Angeles, USA

India has emerged as the 3rd largest ecosystem for startups globally as of 31st May 2023. India ranks 2nd in innovation quality with top positions in the quality of scientific publications and the quality of its universities among middle-income economies.

Government initiatives:

• National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI)

• Startup India Action Plan (SIAP)

• Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems (RSSSE)

• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS): Provides financial aid to startups for various stages like proof of concept, prototype development, and market entry.

• National Startup Awards: Recognizes exceptional startups and ecosystem enablers for their contributions to innovation and economic growth.

• SCO Startup Forum: Launched to enhance startup ecosystems collectively among SCO countries.

• Prarambh Summit: Provides a platform for startups and young innovators worldwide to showcase ideas and inventions.

PitchBook, renowned for its comprehensive financial data and insights, serves as a vital resource in the capital markets, with offices in London, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Institute of Chartered Accountants Of India (ICAI)

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: LiveLaw

Context: The Supreme Court upheld a regulation by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), limiting chartered accountants to accepting a maximum number of tax audit assignments per financial year.

What is ICAI?

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body established under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949, by the Indian Parliament to regulate the chartered accountancy profession in the country. It operates under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, with its headquarters in New Delhi. As the world’s second-largest professional body of chartered accountants, ICAI is governed by a Council comprising elected and nominated members. Its functions include regulating the profession, conducting examinations and education, providing continuing professional education, formulating accounting standards, ensuring ethical standards, and exercising disciplinary jurisdiction. Additionally, ICAI contributes input on policy matters to the government.

About National Financial Regulatory Authority (NFRA):

It is an Indian body established under the Companies Act 2013 to enforce accounting and auditing standards, oversee auditor work, and recommend standards. It has the authority to investigate professional misconduct by chartered accountants or CA firms, impose penalties, and bar them for up to 10 years.

eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: DTE

Context: IIT Madras-incubated ePlane Company is set to launch eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft in Bengaluru.

What are eVTOLs (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft)?

These are vehicles that can take off and land vertically using electric propulsion. They use electric motors to drive rotors or propellers, with energy stored in batteries, typically lithium-ion. eVTOLs are designed to operate in urban areas, reducing traffic congestion, and air pollution, and improving connectivity and emergency services.

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

Context: GPT-4o by OpenAI and Project Astra by Google represent a new breed of AI known as AI agents.

Unlike conventional voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, AI agents can engage in real-time, multi-modal interactions with humans, processing various inputs including text, images, and voice. They perceive their environment through sensors, process information using algorithms, and take action. Unlike large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-3 and GPT-4, AI agents offer more natural and immersive interactions, understanding context and providing personalized responses. They have potential applications in customer service, education, healthcare, and more, but also raise concerns about privacy, security, and bias.

Sympatric speciation

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IITB

Context: A study by researchers at IIT Bombay, challenged the traditional view that new species can only develop in geographically isolated areas (allopatric speciation).

• Instead, it demonstrates that new species can evolve in the same area without geographic barriers, a process known as sympatric speciation.

• The study used a genetic-based model focusing on birds to investigate how environmental resources, genetic factors, and mating preferences contribute to sympatric speciation.

Key findings include:

• Disruptive Selection: Variations in environmental resources lead to different traits being favoured, such as birds developing different beak sizes to utilize specific food resources. This helps maintain distinct groups within the same population.

• Sexual Selection: Contrary to previous beliefs, mating preferences based on advantageous traits (like beak size) rather than arbitrary traits (like feather colour) drive sympatric speciation.

• Genetic Architecture: The genetic control of traits significantly impacts the likelihood of new species forming. Genetic flexibility in traits like beak size facilitates speciation even with minimal disruptive selection.

Zero Debris Charter

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: ESA

Context: Recently, twelve nations signed the Zero Debris Charter at the ESA/EU Space Council, committing to making space activities debris-neutral by 2030.

The signatories include Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, alongside the European Space Agency (ESA) as an International Organisation. This initiative, first introduced at the ESA Space Summit in November 2023, aims to lead global efforts in space debris mitigation and remediation.

What is the Zero Debris Charter?

The Zero Debris Charter aims to achieve debris-neutrality in space by 2030. The Charter is part of ESA’s comprehensive Zero Debris approach, which involves significant internal reforms and the development of debris mitigation technologies under its Space Safety Programme. ESA estimates over one million pieces of space debris larger than one-centimetre orbit Earth, posing severe risks to satellites and astronauts.

Space debris, comprising non-functional objects in Earth orbit, poses threats to infrastructure and increases collision risks. India’s initiatives include Debris Free Space Missions (DFSM) by 2030 and Project NETRA for space situational awareness. Globally, efforts like the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee and Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines are crucial for addressing this issue.

#### Mapping

Source: NDTV

Context: Six people, including two children, drowned after their boat capsized in the Ujani dam backwaters in Maharashtra’s Pune district due to strong winds and rains.

About Ujani Dam:

Ujani Dam is on the Bhima River near Ujjani village in Solapur district, Maharashtra. The dam generates 12 MW of hydroelectric power.

About Bhima River:

It is also known as the Chandrabagha River, it is a major tributary of the Krishna River. Originates in the Bhimashankar hills near Karjat, Pune District, Maharashtra. Flows southeast through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana, merging into the Krishna River at Kadlur, Karnataka. Pandharpur, an important pilgrimage centre, is situated on its right bank.