UPSC Daily Current Affairs – Prelims [17th February 2023]

Lavani

Source: Indian Express

In News

The leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has instructed party members to refrain from hosting indecent public displays in the guise of Lavani, a traditional folk song-and-dance performance that has gained popularity in Maharashtra.

For a long time, the erotic aspect of Lavani has been viewed with disapproval.

What is Lavani?

• Lavani is a traditional folk art form that originated in Maharashtra, India.
• The name Lavani is derived from the word ‘Lavanya‘ which means beauty.
• In this dance form, women performers dressed in colorful nine-yard sarees with makeup and ankle bells perform to the beats of dholak in front of a live audience on a stage.
• Lavani has a long history spanning several centuries, and it gained popularity during the Peshwa era in the 18th century.
• There are various sub-genres of Lavani, with the most well-known being the Shringarik (erotic) style.
• The lyrics of Shringarik Lavani often have suggestive or teasing undertones, with the dancers using graceful movements and delicate gestures to convey erotic meanings.
• However, due to its sensual nature, Lavani has been subjected to criticism and disapproval in some quarters.

Origin and History of Lavani

• Lavani has its roots in the traditional Tamasha form of entertainment, which was popular in the rural areas of Maharashtra during the 16th century.
• Tamasha was a form of theater that combined music, dance, and drama, and was performed by itinerant performers or traveling troupes.
• Lavani emerged as a subgenre of Tamasha in the late 18th century and was characterized by its fast-paced dance movements and bold, erotic lyrics.
• Lavani was traditionally performed by women, who would sing and dance in front of male audiences. The women performers were known as Lavani dancers, and were often regarded as social outcasts because of the sexually suggestive nature of their performances.
• Despite its controversial reputation, Lavani became increasingly popular in the 19th and 20th centuries and was often performed at social gatherings, festivals, and other cultural events.
• Lavani underwent a significant transformation in the 20th century, with the introduction of new musical instruments and the incorporation of elements from other dance forms, such as Kathak and Bharatanatyam.

Mammatus clouds

Source: Hindustan Times

In News

NASA has recently unveiled its Picture of the Day, which features an awe-inspiring view of Mammatus Clouds.

What are Mammatus Clouds?

Mammatus Clouds are a type of cloud formation characterized by hanging, round-shaped bulges or pouches that protrude from the underside of a cloud.

• They are often associated with thunderstorms and other severe weather conditions, and can form in a variety of cloud types, including cumulonimbus, altocumulus, and stratocumulus.

Formation and Characteristics of Mammatus Clouds

• Mammatus clouds are a type of cloud formation characterized by their distinctive bubble-like or pouch-like protrusions hanging from the base of a cloud.
• These clouds are typically formed in association with thunderstorms or cumulonimbus clouds, which are often accompanied by heavy rain, hail, and strong winds.
• Mammatus clouds are formed when sinking air, known as a downdraft, interacts with moist air in the cloud, causing it to cool and condense into liquid or ice droplets.
• The weight of these droplets causes the cloud to become unstable, and the pouch-like structures of the mammatus clouds are formed as the moist air sinks and spreads outwards from the point of the downdraft.
• Mammatus clouds are most commonly observed on the underside of cumulonimbus clouds, but they can also occur on the underside of other types of clouds, such as altocumulus or stratocumulus clouds.
• These clouds are typically gray or dark in color, and their pouch-like structures can range in size from a few meters to several kilometers in diameter.
• Mammatus clouds are generally considered to be a sign of an approaching storm or severe weather, but they can also form in the aftermath of a storm, as the downdraft of cool air descends from the thunderstorm and interacts with the surrounding atmosphere.

Vibrant Villages Programme

Source: PIB

In News

The Union Cabinet has given the green light to the “Vibrant Villages Programme” (VVP) for the financial years 2022-23 to 2025-26.

About the Vibrant Villages Programme

• The “Vibrant Villages Programme” is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme approved by the Union Cabinet.
• The scheme is intended to facilitate the comprehensive development of villages located in blocks on the northern border of India, with the aim of improving the quality of life of people living in identified border villages.
• The VVP will provide funding for the development of essential infrastructure and the creation of livelihood opportunities in 19 Districts and 46 Border blocks across 4 states and 1 Union Territory located along the northern land border of the country.
• Vibrant Village Action Plans will be created by district administration with the assistance of Gram Panchayats.
• The scheme will focus on the development of growth centers on the Hub and Spoke Model, which will promote social entrepreneurship, youth and women’s empowerment, and other key initiatives to achieve inclusive growth.

Benefits of the Vibrant Villages Programme

• The scheme will promote the development of villages located in blocks along the northern border of India, which will encourage people to stay in their native locations, and potentially reverse the outmigration from these villages. This, in turn, will add to improved security of the border.
• The VVP will focus on the development of essential infrastructure such as all-weather roads, drinking water, and 24×7 electricity, with an emphasis on solar and wind energy. This will improve connectivity and the standard of living in these villages.
• The scheme will also aim to provide mobile and internet connectivity, which will enhance the ability of residents to communicate with the outside world and take advantage of new opportunities.
• In addition, the creation of livelihood opportunities through the VVP will help to boost economic development and create more stable, sustainable communities.

Payment Aggregators

Source: IE

In News

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted in-principle approval to 32 firms, including Amazon and Google, to operate as online payment aggregators.
• This means that these companies will be able to facilitate electronic transactions between merchants and consumers, and will be subject to regulatory oversight by the RBI.

What are Payment Aggregators?

• Payment aggregators are third-party payment service providers that enable merchants to accept multiple payment methods through a single platform or interface.
• Payment aggregators act as intermediaries between the merchant and the payment methods, such as credit cards, debit cards, net banking, e-wallets, and mobile payment apps.
• Merchants can integrate with a payment aggregator’s platform through APIs or plugins, and can start accepting payments from multiple payment methods without having to integrate with each payment method individually.
• Payment aggregators offer a range of services, including payment processing, fraud detection and prevention, reconciliation, settlement, and reporting.
• Payment aggregators typically charge merchants a transaction fee or a percentage of the transaction amount for their services, and may also charge additional fees for value-added services, such as recurring payments, international payments, and customized branding.
• Major payment aggregators in the market include Paytm, Razorpay, PayU, Instamojo, and BillDesk, among others.

Advantages of Payment Aggregators

• Access to multiple payment methods: Payment aggregators enable merchants to accept a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, net banking, e-wallets, and mobile payment apps, which can help increase customer reach and convenience.
• Faster time-to-market: Payment aggregators provide a ready-to-use platform or interface for accepting payments, which can save merchants time and money in integrating with each payment method individually.
• Improved risk management: Payment aggregators offer fraud detection and prevention tools, which can help merchants reduce the risk of chargebacks and fraudulent transactions.
• Better customer experience: Payment aggregators provide a seamless and consistent payment experience across different payment methods, which can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Disadvantages of Payment Aggregators

• Higher transaction fees: Payment aggregators typically charge higher transaction fees than payment gateways, which can increase the cost of payment acceptance for merchants.
• Lack of control: Payment aggregators do not offer full control over the payment process, which can limit customization options and make it difficult to address customer issues or complaints.
• Potential security and privacy risks: Payment aggregators handle sensitive financial and personal information of both the merchant and the customer, which can pose security and privacy risks if not handled properly.
• Payment disputes and delays: Payment aggregators may sometimes delay payment settlements to the merchant, or may hold funds in case of payment disputes, which can impact cash flow and cause inconvenience to merchants.

Payment Aggregators vs Payment Gateways

Feature	Payment Aggregators	Payment Gateways
Integration	Aggregates transactions of multiple merchants into a single account or merchant ID	Requires merchants to have their own merchant account and payment gateway integration
Payment methods	Offers a wide range of payment methods, including e-wallets and mobile payment apps	Typically offers a fixed set of payment methods, such as credit cards, debit cards, and net banking
Transaction fees	Generally charge higher transaction fees than payment gateways, as they provide additional services such as fraud detection and prevention, reconciliation, settlement, and reporting	Transaction fees may be lower compared to payment aggregators
Control and customization	Limited customization options, with less control over the payment process	Provides more control and customization options over the payment process, such as customized branding and checkout pages
Regulatory framework	Subject to specific regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements	Also subject to specific regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements

RBI norms for a company applying for aggregator authorization

• The company must have a minimum net worth of Rs 15 crore in the first year of application (March 2021), and at least Rs 25 crore by the second year (March 2023).
• The company must fulfil the “fit and proper” criteria, which includes criteria such as not having a criminal record, not being declared bankrupt, and having a good track record of financial soundness.
• The company must be compliant with global payment security standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
• The company must be a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, and must not have any non-banking financial company (NBFC) or payment system operator (PSO) as a subsidiary or associate company.
• The company must establish a formal publicly disclosed customer grievance redressal and dispute management framework with a Nodal officer, to ensure timely and effective resolution of customer complaints and disputes.

Thwaites Glacier (‘Doomsday Glacier’)

Source: DTE

In News

• A recent discovery indicates that Thwaites Glacier, located in Antarctica, is in a precarious state due to the intrusion of warm ocean water into its vulnerable areas.
• The collapse of this glacier could result in a sea level increase of over 0.5 meters and could lead to the destabilization of the adjacent glaciers, ultimately contributing to a potential three-meter surge in sea levels.

About Thwaites Glacier

• Thwaites Glacier is an expansive glacier located in the Amundsen Sea, which flows into Pine Island Bay in Antarctica. It is wider than most other glaciers and is approximately the size of the US state of Florida.
• Thwaites Glacier is referred to as the ‘Doomsday Glacier’ due to its instability, and a potential collapse could lead to a catastrophic rise in sea levels.
• Currently, Thwaites contributes four percent to the average sea-level rise rate of 1.5 inches per decade.

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