Current Affairs – December 22-23, 2024

{GS2 – MoRTH – Initiatives} Automated & Intelligent Machine-aided Construction

• Context (IE): The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has deployed the Automated & Intelligent Machine-aided Construction (AIMC) system.

• Objective: To increase productivity, ensure durable and long-lasting roads, reduce dependency on traditional surveys post-construction, and tackle challenges such as outdated technologies, uncoordinated data, and poor contractor performance.
• It provides real-time data on each project’s status, with a survey going hand-in-hand with construction at every stage of the road-building process. The data generated is sent to the relevant stakeholders.
• It is already implemented in the US, Norway, and European Union countries.
• AIMCs are called intelligent machines, not AI machines, because they require project-wise information to be fed into the system, unlike AI, which works based on already available data.
• These machines will reduce manpower and expedite work, allowing construction to continue at night.

How Does the AIMC Machine Work?

• The road projects require embankment, subgrade, subbase, and base pavement layers.
• A GPS-aided motor grader will be used for earthworks, subbase, and base layers under the AIMC system.
• An intelligent compaction roller (IC roller) and Single Drum/Tandem Vibratory Roller will be used for soil, subbase, and base layer compaction.
• The GPS-aided motor grader, also known as 3D machine control technology, will process data from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and an angle sensor.
• It will calculate the precise position and orientation of the grader’s blade in real-time and compare it to the desired design surface or grade specified in the digital design plans.

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health} Higher GST on Tobacco

• Context (IE): Group of Ministers (GoM) under India’s GST Council proposes reforms to increase GST on tobacco products while lowering rates for essential items, prioritizing public health and equity.

Need for Higher Tobacco Taxation

• Public Health Crisis: Tobacco kills 1.3 million people annually in India and burdens society with healthcare costs and lost productivity.
• Effective Intervention: Taxation is proven to reduce tobacco consumption, encouraging quitting & discouraging initiation, particularly among price-sensitive groups like youth and lower-income individuals.

Benefits of Increased Tobacco Taxes

• Reduced Consumption: Higher prices discourage use, especially among youth and economically disadvantaged groups, improving public health.
• Revenue Generation: Tobacco taxes boost government revenue and support public welfare initiatives like healthcare and education.
• Enhanced Equity: Lower-income groups gain better health outcomes, and revenue reinvestment fosters social equity.

Challenges in India’s Tobacco Taxation Structure

• Tiered Tax Structure: Differential tax rates allow users to switch to cheaper alternatives, reducing the overall deterrent effect.
• Low Taxation on Bidis sustains high consumption despite significant health risks.
• Revenue Losses: Low or differential taxation, especially on bidis, leads to substantial revenue shortfalls.
• Affordability of Tobacco: Stagnant tax rates, combined with rising incomes, have made tobacco products more affordable over time.
• Inconsistent Regulation of Smokeless Products: Products like gutka and chewing tobacco are taxed and regulated inconsistently, undermining public health efforts.

Solutions for Effective Tobacco Taxation

• Unified Tax System: Adopt consistent taxation across all tobacco products to enhance revenue and eliminate substitution loopholes.
• Higher Taxation on Bidis: Align bidi taxes with cigarettes and provide alternative livelihood support for bidi workers to mitigate economic impacts.
• Inflation-Adjusted Excise Taxes: Annually revise excise taxes to offset inflation and income growth, maintaining tobacco’s unaffordability.
• Comprehensive Regulation of Smokeless Products: Standardize taxation on smokeless tobacco and implement targeted awareness campaigns.
• GST Reforms: Move all tobacco products to a 35% GST slab to align with global health recommendations and remove tiered structures.
• Revenue Utilization for Public Welfare: Allocate tobacco tax revenues to healthcare, education, and programs addressing health disparities.
• Political Resolve for Reform: Strengthen the GST Council’s commitment to prioritize public health over industry resistance.

{GS3 – Envi – CC} Democracy’s Role in Combatting Climate Change

• Context (IE | EN): Climate change is intensifying, with predictions of more extreme weather events, including floods, heatwaves, rising sea levels and forest fires.

Need for Action

• Damage to Infrastructure: Extreme weather events cause direct damage to infrastructure, agriculture and health, leading to significant economic losses.
• Revenue loss: India faces potential losses of up to 4.5% of GDP by 2030 due to climate-induced health risks and labor productivity loss.
• Fragmented Data sharing between various agencies, hampering effective decision-making.
• Increase in Climate litigation globally, with democracies often leading in addressing these challenges through legal actions and reforms.

Advantages of Democratic Systems in Addressing Climate Change

• Democracy fosters free flow of info, enabling transparent policy discussions & mobilizing civil society.
• Public debates, free media, and courts drive climate reforms and keep governments accountable.
• Democracies encourage participatory decision-making, leading to more sustainable, accepted, and legitimate climate policies.
• Sweden’s strong performance in the Climate Change Performance Index, show that democracies can implement effective climate policies.

Measures to Combat Climate Change

• Accelerated climate action, setting deadlines to meet emission reduction goals.
• Enhanced political deliberation and cross-sector collaborations.
• Prioritize climate resilience & integrate climate considerations into policy-making.
• Participatory reforms, such as citizens’ assemblies and lowering the voting age, can enhance decision-making and representation in climate policies.
• Large-scale investments to transform energy sources, reduce carbon emissions, and implement climate-resilient infrastructure.

{GS3 – IE – Trade} Impact of Trump’s ‘America First’ Policy on Global Trade

• Context (IE): Trump’s “America First” policy challenges long-standing rules-based order, diminishing role of multilateral trade organisations with potential risks for smaller nations and international supply chains.

Implications of Trump’s Tariffs

• Impact on Global Supply Chains: Proposed tariffs on imports from China, Mexico & Canada could disrupt North American & global supply chains, particularly in sectors like automotive & manufacturing.
• Global Economic Losses: Fragmented world economy could lead to a GDP decline in China (-6%) and Germany (-3.2%).
• Consumer Price Hikes: Tariffs will increase costs for consumer goods such as clothing, toys and electronics, impacting everyday consumers.
• Vulnerability of Small Businesses: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are more exposed to tariff-related price hikes and supply chain disruptions.

Challenges for the Global South

• Trade Dependency: Developing nations, especially in Africa and Latin America, are heavily dependent on global trade for economic progress.
• Limited Trade Networks: Many smaller countries lack significant trade agreements, which will exacerbate the impact of trade rule collapse.
• Risk of Backlash: The rise of protectionist policies leaves the Global South vulnerable to exploitation by larger, more powerful economies.

Issues with the Decline of Multilateralism

• Eroded WTO’s Influence: WTO dispute mechanism is dysfunctional, undermining global trade fairness.
• Geopolitical Blocs: With US & China leading opposing economic blocs, smaller nations face pressure.
• Negative Impact on Smaller Economies: Countries with fewer trade partners rely heavily on the WTO to protect their interests; Trump’s policies undermine this.

Way Forward

• Reassessing Trade Policies: Nations must explore alternative trade agreements and regional blocs to mitigate the impact of the WTO’s decline.
• Diversifying Supply Chains: Companies adapt by shifting production to Vietnam and India to reduce dependence on China.
• Agility in Trade Management: Businesses must evaluate risks and diversify supply chains to protect against tariff-driven disruptions.
• Future Outlook for Smaller Countries: Developing nations must brace for tougher negotiations and the possibility of greater economic reliance on powerful economies.
• Potential for Smaller Frameworks: Despite challenges, global trade is unlikely to collapse entirely. Smaller, more agile trade agreements may emerge.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} ISRO’s SpaDeX Mission

• Context (TH): ISRO launched the SpaDex Mission, an autonomous docking technology. During the mission, two satellites will be launched into orbit around the Earth, where they will demonstrate the technology to dock and undock while in motion.

Source: ISRO

What is Orbital Docking?

• Orbital docking is the process of joining two space vehicles together in space. The docking process can be temporary or semi-permanent. For e.g., space station modules can dock with the International Space Station (ISS).
• This process, whether manned or unmanned, allows those to operate as a single unit for critical tasks such as refuelling, repair, and crew exchange.

About Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX)

• SpaDeX is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission that will demonstrate in-space docking using two small spacecraft (‘Chaser’ and ‘Target’) designed to be launched from a single PSLV class vehicle and to dock at an altitude of about 700 kilometres.
• Objective: To develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking. The mission will also demonstrate the transfer of electric power between the docked spacecraft, manage composite spacecraft control, and conduct payload operations after undocking.
• Significance: It is essential for India’s space ambitions, such as India on the Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), etc.
• Through this mission, India is marching towards becoming the fourth country in the world (after US, Russia, and China) to have space docking technology.

{Prelims – Awards} Bharat Ratna: Award History and Politics

• Context (IE): Controversy over Amit Shah’s remarks about Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the history of the Bharat Ratna has sparked debate over its political use and history.

Read in detail about Bharat Ratna.

Awardees and Trends

• 53 awardees till date, including prominent politicians (Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, S. Radhakrishnan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, BC Roy, Govind Ballabh Pant, etc.)
• Posthumous: Granted in exceptional cases.
• Politicians dominate the list, even those not active at the time of their award (Purushottam Das Tandon).

Posthumous Bharat Ratna Awards

• Award is generally not conferred posthumously but is granted in exceptional cases.
• 18 posthumous awards (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Morarji Desai & M.G. Ramachandran)

Also, refer to Bharat Ratna Awardees 2024

Ambedkar’s Bharat Ratna

• Awarded posthumously in 1990 by the Janata Dal government under VP Singh.
• His elevation was influenced by the rise of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and a shift in Dalit politics.
• Seen as part of a broader political strategy to appeal to SC/ST voters & the legacy of Ambedkar.

Congress and the Bharat Ratna

• Congress, despite their association with award, were not always first to confer it on non-Congress figures.
• Morarji Desai, a former Congress leader, was awarded in 1991 by a non-Congress government.
• Similarly, Pranab Mukherjee and P.V. Narasimha Rao received it from the Modi govt.

BJP and Bharat Ratna

• In over 10 years, the Modi government has awarded 10 Bharat Ratnas.
• Notable recipients: Atal Bihari Vajpayee (2015), Madan Mohan Malviya (2015), Nanaji Deshmukh (2019), LK Advani, and MS Swaminathan (2024).

{Prelims – Awards} The Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Award

• Context (IE): Indian PM was awarded Kuwait’s highest national award, Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer.

• It was instituted in 1974 in memory of Mubarak Al Sabah, who ruled Kuwait from 1896 to 1915. Under his reign, Kuwait gained more autonomy from the Ottoman Empire.
• The award is conferred on Heads of state, Sovereigns of foreign countries, and members of foreign royal families. The award symbolises friendship and goodwill between Kuwait and other nations.

About Kuwait

• Geography: It is located in the Middle East, bordered by Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.
• Currency: Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)
• Oil Reserves: Kuwait has the world’s sixth-largest proven oil reserves.
• Cultural: It is known as the “Hollywood of the Gulf” because of its popular culture, including television, soap operas, theatre, music, and radio.

Relations with India

• Kuwait is India’s sixth-largest crude oil supplier, meeting 3% of its energy needs.
• Indian exports to Kuwait surpassed $2 billion for the first time. Kuwait Investment Authority’s investments in India exceeded $10 billion.
• The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait and is regarded as the community of first preference among the expatriate communities.

{Prelims – In News} Google’s Gencast Model

• Context (TH): Google DeepMind created a weather prediction tool called GenCast. It is a machine-learning weather prediction model using a “diffusion model” approach, similar to AI image generators.

• It uses the Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) process to generate weather forecasts.
• It generates multiple forecasts to capture complex atmospheric behaviours like extreme weather events, tropical cyclone tracks, and wind power production leading to more accurate predictions.
• It can predict the weather for 15 days in just 8 minutes.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio – Diseases} Dinga Dinga Virus

• Context (LM): The outbreak of the Dinga Dinga virus has affected women and girls in Uganda.

• The illness is locally known as ‘Dinga Dinga’ (meaning ‘shaking like dancing’), and patients experience high fever, extreme weakness and uncontrollable body shaking.
• The symptoms of Dinga Dinga are reminiscent of the Dancing Plague of 1518, where people in Strasbourg danced uncontrollably for days due to an unknown cause.
• Cause: The exact cause of this virus remains unknown. Speculations range from viral infections to environmental factors, but no definitive cause has been identified yet.
• Current Treatment: Health officials treat the illness with antibiotics, and most patients recover within a week of medical care.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Obstructive Sleep Apnea

• Context (TH): U.S. approves first drug treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

Source: drvishwanath

• The drug Zepbound is approved for people who are obese or overweight and have a related health condition, such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
• Zepbound works by activating receptors of hormones secreted from the intestine to reduce appetite and food intake. Studies show that by reducing body weight, Zepbound also improves OSA.

About Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

• It is a common sleep disorder that occurs when the throat muscles relax and narrow the airway during sleep, leading to interrupted breathing.
• Symptoms: Frequent wakeups in the middle of the night, pauses in breathing while asleep, snoring, night sweats, feeling restless, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
• Risk factors: Obesity, large neck size, being middle-aged or older, abnormalities in the head and neck’s soft and bony tissue structure, developing high blood pressure, having a stroke or heart attack.
• Treatment: Lifestyle changes, continuous positive airway pressure machine, oral appliances, surgery.