UPSC Daily Current Affairs – Prelims [01st March 2023]

Stupa

Source – TH

In News

In Odisha’s Jajpur district, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) discovered a stupa that dates back 1,300 years, which was found within a mining site used to supply Khondalite stones to the 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.

Features

• A stupa could be 5-metre tall
• May belong to the 7th or 8th century

What is a Khondalite Stone?

• Named after the Khond tribe of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, Khondalite is a type of foliated metamorphic rock known by other names such as Bezwada Gneiss and Kailasa Gneiss.
• These stones were extensively used in the construction of ancient temple complexes.

Westerlies governed Trans-Himalayas

Source – DST

In News

• The Westerlies had a larger impact on the climate and landscape of the Trans-Himalayan region than the Indian Summer Monsoon, according to a recent study.
• The study also revealed that the Westerlies and Indian Summer Monsoon had periodic shifts in defining the climatic variations of the region.

Sediments from glacial lakes in the Ladakh Range were gathered by the researchers to obtain a climate change record spanning the last seven thousand years.

Significance of the study

• The Himalayan region is crucial because it is among the most glaciated mountain areas on Earth, apart from the poles.
• Understanding past climate changes, evaluating the effects of global warming and climate variability, and planning for the region’s future will be aided by this understanding.

Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) portal

Source – TH

In News

Under the IT Rules, 2021, the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) portal was launched by MeitY.

Purpose

The portal will enable individuals who are unhappy with social media firms’ content removal requests to be heard by one of the government’s three committees.

Background

• The IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 were updated last year, mandating social media companies to respect citizens’ rights under the Indian Constitution’s Articles 14, 19, and 21.
• Three committees were established to receive complaints and put these changes into effect.

The powers of Governors regarding assembly sessions

Source – IE

In News

According to the Solicitor General’s statement to the SC, the Punjab Governor had called for a budget session of the state Assembly.

Background

• Minutes before the SC was scheduled to hear the Punjab government’s challenge against the Governor’s refusal to call for the Vidhan Sabha’s Budget session, this was announced.
• The Governor had cited Article 167 of the Constitution, which pertains to the Chief Minister’s obligation to provide information to the Governor.

Can the Governor refuse to summon the assembly?

• Article 163(1) of the Indian Constitution states that there shall be a council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister to aid and advise the Governor in exercising his/her functions, except in cases where discretion is required by the Constitution.
• According to Article 174, a Governor has the power to summon the House at a time and place of their choosing.
• Article 174 (2) (a) permits a Governor to prorogue the House from “time to time,” and 174 (2) (b) authorizes them to dissolve the Legislative Assembly.
• A joint reading of these provisions indicates that the Governor has limited discretion in summoning the House, such as when the CM’s support is disputed or they have lost the House’s backing.
• In the 2016 Nabam Rebia case, the SC ruled that the power to summon the House is not solely vested in the Governor.

Legislator facing disqualification can’t attend floor test: Supreme Court

Source – TH

In News

The Chief Justice of India stated that permitting an MP or MLA, who is facing disqualification under the anti-defection law, to participate in a floor test resulting from their own actions would defeat the fundamental objective of the Tenth Schedule.

About Anti-Defection Law

• The Tenth Schedule was introduced in the Indian Constitution through the 52nd Amendment Act of 1985.
• It lays down the process of disqualification on the grounds of defection.
• The presiding officer has the authority to disqualify a member on proven grounds of defection.
• The purpose of the Tenth Schedule is to prevent legislators from changing their political affiliations during their tenure in office.
• Allowing an MP or MLA who is facing disqualification under the anti-defection law to participate in a floor test caused by his own doings will defeat the very purpose of the Tenth Schedule, according to the Chief Justice of India.

How price signals guide the allocation of goods

Source – TH

In News

• In a market economy, prices convey information to producers and consumers, known as price signals. These signals indicate the relative scarcity of goods in the economy and the demand for them among consumers.
• Prices play a crucial role in coordinating the production and distribution of goods and services across the economy. Despite the lack of a central planner to direct allocation, prices facilitate the allocation of resources in large economies.

Example

• In a market with limited supply of water, high prices will incentivize consumers to use water more carefully.
• High prices will also incentivize water producers to bring more water into the market, as it offers them an opportunity to earn higher profits.
• The interplay of prices between consumers and producers helps to allocate resources in the market without the need for a central planner to direct the allocation.

3 national flagship programmes launched

Source – LM

In News

The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying has launched three national flagship programs.

Genetic Improvement Programme of Indian White Shrimp (Penaeus indicus)	Currently, shrimp farming heavily relies on one exotic species – the Specific Pathogen Free stock of Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei). The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has launched three national flagship programmes to promote the growth of the sector. One of these programmes is PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which aims to establish a National Genetic Improvement Facility for shrimp. The facility will help diversify the species of shrimp and promote indigenous species. The Ministry has also laid the foundation stone for the Genetic Improvement Facility.
National Surveillance Programme on Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD)	India is a major fish-producing country, but it incurs a yearly cost of over 7000 cr due to aquatic diseases. Thus, early detection and management of these diseases are crucial. The Central Sector scheme, which has been in operation since 2013, has been included in PMMSY. In Phase II, the ministry will establish a National Information System on Aquatic Diseases throughout India. The farmer-based disease surveillance system will be strengthened to ensure that cases of diseases are reported immediately, investigated, and farmers receive scientific assistance.
Shrimp Crop insurance product developed by ICAR-CIBA	Need: Despite high profitability, shrimp farming in India is considered a risky business, which makes it difficult for banking and insurance institutions to invest in the sector. Features: To address this issue, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has launched an insurance scheme for shrimp farmers. Under this scheme, farmers will receive compensation for 80% of their input costs in case of total crop loss. Total crop loss occurs when the loss is more than 70%. Achievement: India has witnessed a significant growth in shrimp production over the last decade, with a growth rate of about 430%. The shrimp farming sector has become highly profitable, leading to its growth and stability.

About the Fisheries sector in India:

• India is the world’s second-largest producer of fish through aquaculture.
• India is also the fourth-largest exporter of fish globally, accounting for 7.7% of the world’s fish production.

Adenovirus

Source – HT

In News

An adenovirus outbreak of unprecedented magnitude is currently affecting West Bengal.

About Adenovirus

• Adenoviruses are non-enveloped viruses with a double-stranded DNA genome enclosed in an icosahedral nucleocapsid. They were first isolated from human adenoids in 1953.
• Adenovirus is a highly contagious virus that is easily transmitted in close-contact settings such as hospitals, childcare centres, schools, and summer camps.

Symptoms

• Symptoms resembling the common cold or flu
• Presence of fever
• Sore throat
• Acute bronchitis, also known as a “chest cold”, characterized by inflammation of the airways of the lungs
• Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs
• Pink eye, or conjunctivitis
• Acute gastroenteritis, causing inflammation of the stomach or intestines and leading to symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain.

Treatment

Supportive care is the main approach for treating an adenovirus infection, as there is no specific treatment available for it.