National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams- 10th December 2018
Centre amends rules for minorities from three nations
Topic: Polity and Governance
IN NEWS: The Union Home Ministry has notified amendments to the Citizenship Rules, 2009, to include a separate column in the citizenship form for applicants belonging to six minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
More on the Topic:
- Under the amendments, a separate entry in the form will seek information whether the applicant belong to one of the minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Sikhs and Christians. The Centre has made the changes under Section 18 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
- The contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, is pending in Parliament, A parliamentary committee has been examining the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that proposes citizenship to six persecuted minorities — Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis, Christians and Buddhists — from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who came to India before 2014.
Concerns:
- It has run into strong resistance in the BJP-ruled Assam because it will pave the way for giving citizenship mostly to illegal Hindu migrants from Bangladesh in Assam, who came after March 1971, in violation of the 1985 Assam Accord.
- The Home Ministry re-notified rules empowering 44 Collectors in seven States, except Assam, to accept online applications from those belonging to the six communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Source:The Hindu
‘History’s greatest arms race in Asia’
Topic: International Relations
IN NEWS: According to National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon Asia is witnessing “history’s greatest arms race” as a result of a sense of insecurity stemming from tensions between the United States and China, and an “ill-defined Indo-Pacific concept.
More on the Topic:
- S. and Japan seek partners for what they call the free and open Indo-Pacific, which is an ill-defined concept because it cedes the continental order to China and leaves only the maritime order to the rest, which doesn’t serve India’s purpose because India is both a continental and maritime power.
- The other countries in the region are reacting to this by strengthening their own militaries and hedging against China. So what we are seeing is history’s greatest arms race in Asia.
Significance of India Pacific Region for India:
- Over the past year, the term “Indo-Pacific” has gained currency in strategic discourse in India. From a geopolitical perspective it represents the inclusion of the Western Pacific within the range of India’s security interests, thus stretching beyond the traditional focus on the Indian Ocean theatre.
- It is a logical corollary to India’s Look East policy having graduated to an Engage East policy. The fastest growing component of India’s external economic relations is its engagement with ASEAN, China and Japan and, more lately, Australia.
- This has resulted in a growing density of maritime traffic through the Indian Ocean and radiating all along the Western Pacific littoral. These have created a seamless stretch of ocean space linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
- As India’s regional and global profile increases, it will inevitably gravitate towards the centre of this expanded geopolitical and geo-economic space. The concept of an Indo-Pacific theatre fits in neatly with this evolving trend.
Source:The Hindu
Bioplastics
Topic: Science and Technology
In news: With the ban on single-use plastics looming, various alternatives and innovations are being mooted. One of the substitutes that has been researched over the past many years is biodegradable and compostable plastic materials, also known as bioplastic.
More on the Topic:
- Bioplastics are made using a range of materials such as sugarcane, corn and other plant-based sources but are stable enough to be used under controlled heat conditions.
- These products can be turned into compost with little damage to the environment as compared to single-use plastics.
- Among the many bioplastics, poly lactic acid, known as PLA, is seen as a viable option to single-use plastics.
- PLA products are made using raw materials like sugarcane and corn, which are converted into lactic acid and then used to make products.
- PLA products are generally made from plant resources. These products are degradable both under aerobic and anerobic conditions. They do not pollute the environment and can be used for a variety of things such as spoons, plastic containers and tumblers.
- It takes just about 1.6 kg of sugar to make 1kg of PLA, compared to other types of bioplastics that require significantly more natural resources.
Concerns:
- One of the issues with such alternative sources of plastic is the high cost of manufacturing. The cost is almost 50 times higher. Only if demand for such products increases will costs come down.
Source: The Hindu
Navy on a major capability upgrade
Topic: Internal Security
In news: In the backdrop of increasing responsibilities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and increased Chinese presence increasing the tempo of overseas deployments and exercises to an all-time high, Indian Navy has embarked on a major capability upgrade.
More on the Topic:
- With Navy ensuring the presence of atleast one major ship at all critical choke points in the IOR under its Mission Based Deployments, the operational requirements have significantly gone up.
- On the other hand, India has significantly increased its military to military engagement with friendly nations as part of its defence diplomacy and the Navy is at the forefront.
- All this comes in the backdrop of China increasing its presence and establishing permanent facilities in the IOR.
- China deploys six to eight warships in the IOR at any given time and the eighth Chinese submarine since 2013 to enter the region returned to its base.
New Additions:
- 32 ships and submarines are presently under construction in Indian shipyards. These include the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant, Project-15B destroyers, Project-17A stealth frigates, P-28 Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvettes, Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) and Scorpene class submarines. In addition, Government approval has also been accorded for 56 Ships and six submarines.
- The Navy currently has 117 ships, 15 submarines and over 200 aircraft and has set an ambitious target of 200-ship force by 2027.
- India has signed a series of logistics agreements — US, France, Singapore and more in the offing — which the navy expects will increase its reach and also offset the deficiencies in numbers in the near term.
- Navy has also signed white shipping agreements with 19 countries of which 12 have been operationalized for increased Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).
Source: The Hindu
‘Toxic’ talc
Topic: Science and Technology
In news: The debate over whether talcum powder poses serious health risks is in the spotlight again. A risk assessment draft on talc published by Health Canada, the country’s public health department, states that talcum powder is harmful to the lungs when inhaled during breathing and could possibly cause ovarian cancer when used by women in the genital area.
More on the Topic:
- In India, talcum powder is among the most widely known talc-based self-care products. From fighting perspiration and odour, to helping lend the user a ‘fairer’ skin tone, a large number of Indian consumers rely on talcum powder and the market is estimated to be worth about ₹700 crore.
- Breathing in products containing talc can lead to coughing, difficulty in breathing, decreased lung function, scarring of the lung tissue.
- The draft cites research on talc by organisations including the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Source: The Hindu
Gujarat stares at acute water crisis
Topic: Environment and Ecology
In news: Following a deficit monsoon, Gujarat is staring at an acute water crisis as the 204 dams and reservoirs that supply water for drinking and irrigation to various parts of the State are drying up even before the winter ends.
More on the Topic:
- Kutch, parts of Saurashtra and north Gujarat are likely to face acute water shortage in the coming months as local water sources have almost dried up and they have to rely only on the Narmada project.
Sustainable solution for Water shortage:
- Integrated Water Resource Management through reuse and aquifer recharge promotes long-term sustainable solutions to water supply and wastewater issues.
- The long-term effects of climate change, evidenced by a proven increase in average temperatures and rainfall reduction in the region, calls for water professionals with political support from government leaders, to optimise water resource management and increase desalination and water reuse.
- Rain water harvesting must be promoted.
- Proper waste water recycling and sustainable use of water in agriculture(avoid flood irrigation and opt for drip irrigation) can help to reduce water scarcity to a large extent.
Source: The Hindu
The marvel at Bhitargaon
Topic: Art and Culture
IN NEWS: Bhitargaon temple is in news as it needs conservation efforts.
More on the Topic:
- The village Bhitargaon had been part of an ancient city called Phulpur. The temple was simply known as Dewal, or temple, by the locals.
- It is one of the earliest surviving brick temples of India. Though Cunningham had placed it as belonging to the 7th century, it has subsequently been identified as belonging to the late Gupta period, to the 5th century.
- The temple has a tall pyramidical spire (shikhara) above the inner sanctum (garbha griha). This shikhara became the standard feature of the Nagara temple architecture of India.
- The walls are 8 ft thick. They are decorated with terracotta sculptures on panels fitted into niches separated by bold ornamental pilasters made for the purpose.
- According to Cunningham, because of the Varaha incarnation at the back of the temple, it was probably a Vishnu temple.
Source: The Hindu
Andaman’s sea kraits
Topic: Environment and Ecology
IN NEWS: A four-year study has helped shed more light on the mysterious terrestrial life of Andaman sea kraits snakes.
More on the Topic:
- Banded sea kraits hunt for their prey in coral reefs. Though they spend a lot of time underwater, they have to get back to land to digest their prey, lay eggs and even slough their skin. Yet very little is known about their terrestrial lives for they are mostly
- The researchers encountered 805 yellow-lipped sea kraits and 39 blue-lipped sea kraits on the surveys.
- Giving legal protection to sandy beaches and implementing the ban on certain activities (including sand mining and tourism) can help conserve these species.
