UPSC Daily Current Affairs – Prelims [16th February 2023]

Parhaiyas of Jharkhand

Source: TH

In News

The study, titled “Parhaiyas of Jharkhand,” investigates the extent to which government initiatives have reached and impacted the Parhaiya community, as well as the obstacles that have impeded their execution.

• The Parhaiyas are one of the nine tribal groups classified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the state of Jharkhand, which is one of the 75 such groups identified throughout the country.

Food and Pension Schemes

• Regarding food and pension programs, a staggering 88% of PVTG households in Jharkhand are listed under the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the Antyodaya scheme.
• Additionally, the state government of Jharkhand launched the Adim Jan Jati Pension (AJJP) scheme in 2025, which grants a monthly pension of ₹600 to households belonging to these vulnerable communities.

Issues with the implementation of schemes

• Challenges in implementing government schemes:
  • Lack of proper education among vulnerable communities
    • Difficulty for them to take advantage of opportunities provided by government programs
  • Prevalence of exploitative labor contracts
    • Forced laborious work for children and adults
    • Disenfranchisement of these groups, exacerbates their already dire situation
  • Bureaucratic and technological barriers
    • Lack of a new ration card or Aadhar-related issues, such as biometric authentication, preventing approximately 12% of households from accessing such schemes
    • Need to address these issues to ensure disadvantaged communities have access to basic needs
  • Poor levels of digital infrastructure in rural areas
    • Difficulty delivering necessary services and benefits to the most vulnerable populations
• Solutions to address challenges:
  • Introduce more schemes and policies that promote long-term solutions
    • Stable employment opportunities
    • Education
    • Maternity and healthcare benefits
  • Promote sustainable development
    • Ensure vulnerable communities have the resources and support they need to thrive
• Progress has been made, but more work is needed to ensure the well-being and prosperity of all members of society.

President’s Colour Award

Source: Live Mint

In News

The Haryana Police was awarded the prestigious President’s Colour Award in recognition of its exceptional service to the nation.

• The President of India approved the award for the Haryana Police due to their commendable track record of commitment to professionalism, outstanding service to humanity, and consistent maintenance of performance and integrity.

About President’s Colour Award

• The President’s Colour Award is a highly esteemed honor presented by the President to an armed forces or police unit that has demonstrated exceptional service to the nation.
• It serves as a recognition of the sacrifices made by police personnel in the line of duty and as a tribute to their unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the people.

Haircut

Source: TH

In News

India has urged China to provide debt relief to poor countries and support their economic recovery. In this regard, India has emphasized that expecting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to take a haircut to settle Chinese debt is not a sustainable solution.

What is a “haircut”?

• A “haircut” is a term used when a bank or creditor country agrees to accept less than the full amount that was originally owed in a specific loan account.
  • For example, if a bank (such as the IMF) is owed Rs 10,000 crore by a borrower (like Pakistan) and it agrees to take back only Rs 8,000 crore, it would take a 20% haircut, which means it is incurring a loss of 20% of the original amount owed.

Windfall Tax

Source: ET

In News

• In July 2022, India introduced a windfall profit tax on domestic crude oil producers and refiners due to their high profits resulting from the global increase in crude and product prices caused by the Russian-Ukraine war.
• The windfall tax was initially set at Rs 2,100 per tonne. However, in a recent development, the Indian government has reduced the windfall tax on crude oil to Rs 1,900 per tonne.
• This move will provide some relief to domestic crude producers and refiners by reducing their tax burden.

What is a Windfall tax?

• A windfall tax is a tax levied on sudden or unexpected profits made by a particular company or industry.
• It is often implemented during times of economic crisis or extreme market volatility when companies may see a sudden increase in profits.
• The aim of a windfall tax is to ensure that companies pay their fair share of taxes on these extraordinary profits and prevent excessive profits from being retained by a single industry or company.
  • An example of a windfall tax was the one introduced by the UK government in 1997, which applied to the profits of private utility companies (gas, water, electricity, and telecoms) that had been previously owned by the state.
  • The windfall tax was imposed on the excess profits made by these companies due to the favorable regulatory environment and the selling off of state-owned assets at below-market prices.
  • The tax was introduced as a one-off measure and raised a total of £5.2 billion for the UK government.

Marburg virus

Source: The Hindu

In News

The central African nation of Equatorial Guinea has confirmed its first outbreak of the highly infectious Marburg virus disease (MVD).

What is Marburg virus?

• Marburg virus is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever, similar to Ebola, and is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
• The virus is highly infectious and can cause severe illness and even death.
• The confirmation of the Marburg virus outbreak in Equatorial Guinea has raised concerns among health officials and has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to send a team of experts to assist with the response efforts.
• Marburg virus disease is a severe and highly virulent illness that causes hemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 88 percent.
• The disease can cause a variety of symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and bleeding from the gums, nose, and other mucous membranes.
• Due to its high fatality rate, the Marburg virus disease is considered a significant public health concern.

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