National Current Affairs – UPSC/IAS Exams- 3rd March 2020

by Mentors4ias · March 3, 2020

In-flight connectivity of Internet

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: The Telecom Commission allowed in-flight connectivity of Internet and mobile communications on aircraft in Indian airspace.

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Once all legislative modalities are in place over the next 3-4 months, telecom operators, airlines, and other technological partners will be able to tie up to roll out these services.
In-flight connectivity systems primarily use two kinds of technologies. In the first, an onboard antenna picks up signals from the nearest tower on the ground, just like, say, a moving car. Unless the aircraft passes over a big water body with no towers, the connection will remain seamless up to a certain altitude.

What is the technology by which Internet will be provided on flights?

In-flight connectivity systems primarily use two kinds of technologies. In the first, an onboard antenna picks up signals from the nearest tower on the ground, just like, say, a moving car. Unless the aircraft passes over a big water body with no towers, the connection will remain seamless up to a certain altitude.
Otherwise, satellites can be used to connect to ground stations, similar to the way satellite TV signals are transmitted.
An issue with deploying satellites for on-board connectivity of Internet and mobile communications, however, is that the Telecom Commission is not amenable to allowing the use of foreign satellites as demanded by some airlines in their consultations with the telecom regulator TRAI unless they are leased by the Department of Space, making them a part of the Indian Satellite System, or INSAT.
The data is transmitted to a personal electronic device through an onboard router, which connects to the plane’s antenna.
The antenna transmits the signals, through satellites, to a ground station, which redirects the traffic to a billing server that calculates the data consumption. It is then relayed to the intercepting servers, and to the World Wide Web.
Trai wants Internet services through onboard WiFi to be made available when electronic devices are permitted to be used, only in flight/airplane mode.
Once flight mode is activated, the plane’s antenna will link to terrestrial Internet services provided by telecom service providers; when the aircraft has climbed to 3,000 m, normally 4-5 minutes after take-off, the antenna will switch to satellite-based services.
This way, there will be no discontinuity in Internet services to passengers, and cross-interference between terrestrial and satellite networks will be avoided.

Source: Hindu

State Funding of Elections

Topic: Polity and Governance

In News: Virtually turning down Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal for state funding of elections to combat corruption, the Election Commission of India has said state funding of elections as it will not be able to prohibit or check candidates own expenditure over and above provided for by states.

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The idea of state funding of elections is a concept designed to reduce corruption by funding elections with government money as opposed to individual campaign contributions.
Many recommend that state funding of elections can be the best way to achieve transparency in political funding.
It is also believed that state funding is a natural and necessary cost of democracy. It brings new and growing parties in par with the established parties, thus ensuring fair elections.
If parties and candidates are financed with only private funds, economical inequalities in the society might translate into political inequalities in government.
Under the state funding of elections, the government gives funds to political parties or candidates to contest elections.

Commissions and committees have given their reports in favour of state funding of polls.

Major among them are Law Commission report on reform of electoral laws in 1999. National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution in 2001 and the recommendations of Second Administrative Reforms Commission of 2008.

Is the state funding a good idea?

In theory, State funding would provide a level playing field for political parties and cut out money power from the equation, but in practice, things may not work out so linearly. India collects only about 16% of GDP as a tax.
The state expenditure on many essential public goods such as primary health care and public health engineering is very small.
Given this situation, the public resources have to be channeled towards and not diverted from such essential services, and that too to finance something that already gets abundantly financed.
Further, the state funding of elections will not prevent parties from lobbying and getting undisclosed supplementary private funding, with associated implications.
Therefore State funding is not the solution to the opaque funding of politics in India.

Way Ahead:

In India, the main reason for the prevalence of black money in election spending is the unrealistically low limits set by the Election Commission of India on campaign spending by political parties and candidates. More realistic campaign spending limits should be set.
Part-public funding of election campaigns is a practice in some countries. e.g United States and Britain. We could have our own version.
The strict monitoring of expenditure by political parties and their functionaries at every level, starting with the panchayat, polling booth area and municipal ward should be done.
Every party should disclose its expenditure every month at every level.
This should be open to challenge by rival parties, media, etc. Parties will have to collect money in the open.
The Election Commission could determine the actual expenditure and ask the parties to show the source of income.

Source: Hindu

Entrepreneurship, Knowledge, Awareness, and Marketing (EKAM) Fest

Topic: Government Schemes

In News: National Handicapped Finance Development Corporation (NHFDC) under M/o Social Justice& Empowerment is organizing Exhibition-cum-Fair “EKAM Fest” at New Delhi.

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EKAM Fest is an effort for promoting entrepreneurship and knowledge among Divyangjan community, generating awareness among society about potentialities of PwDs & providing a major marketing opportunity to PwDs entrepreneurs.
NHFDC is making efforts for development of a brand and platform for marketing of products of these determined entrepreneurs. Accordingly, name of the brand has been arrived at Ekam (Entrepreneurship, Knowledge, Awareness, Marketing).

The new initiatives of NHFDC launched in Fest are as follows:-

NHFDC Swavalamban Kendra (NSK): NHFDC has taken an initiative to establish PWD owned micro skill training Centers throughout the country for skill training of PwDs. These NSKs will have a capacity to provide quality skill training to around 120 PwDs per year NSK.
Safe Cabs in Delhi and Indore: NHFDC has made arrangement with Sakha Cabs where the PwD owned commercial vehicles will be driven by the Women drivers to provide safe taxi option for the women, children and senior citizen commuters. The vehicles here are financed by NHFDC under its scheme.
Safe Drinking Water E Carts: NHFDC has recently agreed to finance E-carts fitted with RO water dispensing vending machines.

NHFDC:

· NHFDC is an Apex corporation under the aegis of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and is working since 1997.

· It is registered as a company not for profit and provides financial assistance to the Divyangjan/Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan/PwDs) for their economic rehabilitation and provides number of skill development programmes to empower them to grow & sustain their enterprises.

· To empower the Divyang and marginalized groups of the society more closely, NHFDC has taken a step forward and established NHFDC Foundation, this year. Recognizing the absence of a connect with the market which hinders fair prices and volumes in sale of the unorganized tiny Divyang entrepreneurs, NHFDC Foundation is making efforts for development of a brand and platform for marketing of products of these determined entrepreneurs.

Source: PIB

Merkel cell polyomavirus in Merkel cell carcinoma

Topic: Environment and Ecology

In News: A team from National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, has developed a diagnostic system to detect the presence of Merkel cell polyomavirus in Merkel cell carcinoma tumours.

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Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive type of skin cancer. The researchers have developed a test using the CRISPR-CAS12 technology that can identify the virus in the tumour and give off a fluorescence to indicate the presence of the virus.
This is an important development, both, from the point of view of diagnostics and giving a prognosis for the condition.
Merkel cell carcinoma is associated with old age, excessive exposure to ultraviolet light and a weak immune system.
Merkel cell polyomavirus can get integrated in the human genome and undergo a mutation which causes it to promote the cancer.
Earlier studies have shown that the Merkel cell carcinoma caused by the virus is less aggressive and progresses slower than that caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet light.

Source: PIB

Sonbhadra Gold Mines

Topic: Miscellaneous

In News: The Geographical Survey of India (GSI) provided estimates for the amount of gold that can be extracted from a site in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.

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How does the GSI arrive at estimates of minerals?

Two basic processes are involved — a study of rocks, and drilling of the ground. Laboratory analysis of the rocks indicates the possibility of these containing a particular mineral, in this case gold.
Another indicator is the age of the rocks, which is determined by radiometric dating For high possibility of containing such metals and minerals, the rocks need to be at least 700 million years old, but there can be possible exceptions.
The rocks in Sonbhadra are in the Mahakoshal region and from the Proterozoic era, which started 2,500 million years ago.
The GSI drilled the ground at some 30 places between 1998 and 2000, before compiling the report.
This eventually provides a three-dimensional image of the area, which is necessary for determining the quality of the resource and the amount available.

What happens to the ore now?

Once the GSI gives an estimate, the state government conducts an auction and the winner undertakes the extraction.

Source: Hindu

Bureau of Energy Efficiency: New Initiatives

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: BEE has launched star rating programme for Deep Freezer and Light Commercial Air Conditioners (LCAC) on its foundation day.

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The Star Labeling Programme has been formulated by Bureau of Energy Efficiency, as part of its mandate, under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
Under this Programme, BEE has covered 24 appliances till date wherein 10 appliances are under mandatory regime.
Through launch of Energy Efficient “Deep Freezers” and “Light Commercial Air Conditioners (LCAC) under voluntary regime, 26 appliances would now be covered under this programme.
Deep freezer and LCAC are major energy guzzlers in commercial space, therefore, it is imperative that these two appliances shall be included in the program to save energy and reduce CO2 emission.
With these two products only, a total savings of around 9 Billion units of electricity is expected to be saved for the country by FY 2030.

Urja Dakshata Information Tool (UDIT):

BEE also launched Urja Dakshata Information Tool (UDIT) (www.udit.beeindia.gov.in), a first ever initiative taken by BEE with World Resources Institute (WRI), to facilitate a database on energy efficiency.
UDIT is a user-friendly platform that explains the energy efficiency landscape of India across industry, appliances, building, transport, municipal and agriculture sectors.
UDIT will also showcase the capacity building and new initiatives taken up by the Government across the sectors in the increase energy efficiency domain.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency is an agency of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Power created in March 2002 under the provisions of the nation’s 2001 Energy Conservation Act. The agency’s function is to develop programs which will increase the conservation and efficient use of energy in India.

Source: Hindu

Schemes to protect Culture

Topic: Government Policies

In News: Minister of State (I/c) of Culture and Tourism briefed the schemes to protect culture in Loksabha recently.

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Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs): To preserve & promote various forms of folk art and culture of the tribals throughout the country including West Bengal, the Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur. These ZCCs organize various cultural activities and programmes all over the country on regular basis.

These ZCCs under Ministry of Culture are also implementing a number of schemes for promoting the folk/tribal art and culture, details of which are as below:

Award to Young Talented Artists: The Scheme “Young Talented Artists” is carried out to encourage and recognize the young talents especially in the field of rare art forms. Talented youngsters of the age group of 18-30 years are selected and given a onetime cash award of Rs. 10,000/-.
Guru Shishya Parampara: This scheme envisages transmitting our valued traditions to the coming generations. Disciples are trained under veterans in art forms which are rare and vanishing. Rare and vanishing art forms of the region are identified and eminent exponents are selected to carry out the training programmes in ‘Gurukula’ tradition. The monthly remuneration for Guru, Accompanist and Pupils is provided each for the period of six month to maximum 1 year for one scheme. The names of the Gurus are recommended by the State Cultural Affairs Departments.
Theatre Rejuvenation: To promote theatre activities including stage shows and Production oriented workshops, etc. Honorarium Up to Rs. 30,000/- per show excluding TA & DA is paid.
Research & Documentation: To preserve promote and propagate vanishing visual and performing art forms including folk, tribal and classical in the field of music, dance, theatre, literature, fine arts etc. in print/ audio – visual media.
Shilpgram: To promote folk and tribal art and crafts of the zone by organizing seminar, workshops, exhibitions, craft fairs, design development and marketing support to the artisans living in the rural areas.
Octave: To promote and propagate the rich cultural heritage of North East region comprising of eight States namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura to the rest of India.
National Cultural Exchange Programme (NCEP): It can be termed as the lifeline of the Zonal Cultural Centers. Under this scheme, various festivals of performing arts, exhibitions, yatras etc are organized in member States. Artists from other zones/states are invited to participate in these programmes. Participation of artists from the Zone in festivals held in other parts of the country are also facilitated.
Sahitya Akademi, an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, encourages the preservation and promotion of languages, especially the unrecognized and tribal languages. The Akademi periodically organizes language conventions throughout the country in this regard.