Current Affairs – December 25-26, 2024

{GS1 – MIH – Movements} 100 Years of the Communist Party of India

Context (IE): CPI celebrates its centenary, reflecting on its role in India’s independence struggle, social movements and defence of constitutional values against contemporary challenges.

Role in Freedom Struggle

Foundation and Early Efforts: Established in 1925, CPI emerged to represent workers, peasants, women and marginalised groups.
Poorna Swaraj Demand: First to demand complete independence, influencing leaders like Gandhi, Nehru and Bose.
Constituent Assembly Advocacy: Advocated for a sovereign Constituent Assembly and a people-centric political order, reflected in the Preamble’s “We, the People of India.”
Resistance to British Colonialism: Faced persecution in cases like Kanpur, Meerut and Peshawar conspiracies but upheld people’s causes.

Ideological Contributions

Social Justice Focus: Addressed caste, patriarchy, and inequality alongside anti-colonial efforts.
Condemnation of Untouchability: Opposed oppressive practices, with M Singaravelu denouncing untouchability at the Kanpur Conference.
Inclusive Membership: Prohibited members of communal organisations, emphasising secularism.
Mobilising Masses: Led revolutionary groups like All India Trade Union Congress, Kisan Sabha and Progressive Writers’ Association.
Land and Workers’ Rights: Advocated for land reforms and workers’ rights in Constituent Assembly debates and movements like Telangana Rebellion exemplified CPI’s commitment to grassroots mobilisation for social justice.

Role Post-Independence

Shaping Political Discourse: Influenced policies on liberty, equality, fraternity and justice.
Constitutional Protections: Advocated for economic and social rights alongside political freedoms.
Ongoing Resistance: Continues to oppose communalism and uphold constitutional values.

Contrasts with RSS

Ideological Opposition: Historically been ideologically opposed, with CPI advocating Marxist-Leninist socialism and RSS promoting Hindutva and cultural nationalism.
Policy Differences: CPI supports leftist economic policies and state control, whereas RSS, under its affiliate organisations, leans towards free-market reforms and Swadeshi principles.
Role in Freedom Struggle: RSS did not engage in India’s anti-colonial movement and aligned ideologically with British disdain for secularism, contrasting CPI’s anti-imperialist and equality-driven stance.

{GS2 – IR – Groupings} UN Internal Justice Council (UNIJC)

Context (TH): Former SC judge Madan Lokur was appointed UN Internal Justice Council chairperson.

UNICJ as part of the new internal justice system to ensure independence, professionalism and accountability in the administration of the justice system of the United Nations.
It consists of five members — a staff representative, a management representative, and two distinguished external jurists, one nominated by the staff and one by management.
The Secretary-General of the UN appoints the IJC chairmen and members.

Functions

It searches for suitable candidates for judge positions when there are vacancies in the UN Dispute Tribunal (UNDT) and the UN Appeals Tribunal (UNAT).
It provides its opinions on the justice administration system to the General Assembly, which appoints the UNDT and the UNAT judges based on the recommendations from the IJC.

In 2019, Justice Lokur was appointed to the Supreme Court of Fiji as a judge of its non-resident panel. He was the first Indian judge to be appointed as a judge in the Supreme Court of another country.

{GS2 – Polity – Laws} Land Acquisition Act, 2013

Context (IE): Punjab farmers are protesting for legal MSP guarantees and the implementation of the Land Acquisition Act 2013, citing its lack of proper enforcement.

Key Features of Land Acquisition Act 2013

Fair Compensation: Compensation is twice the market value in urban areas & four times in rural areas.
Consent: 70% consent is required for PPP projects and 80% for private acquisitions.
Social Impact Assessment (SIA): This is mandated to evaluate the acquisition’s social, environmental, and economic impacts.
Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R): Includes housing, livelihood assistance, employment, and infrastructure development in resettlement areas.
Protection of Fertile Land: Restricts acquisition of multi-cropped irrigated land unless wasteland is developed as compensation.
Return of Unutilised Land: Unused acquired land must be returned to its original owners or land banks within five years.
Transparency: Public hearings and access to SIA reports are mandatory.
Special Provisions for SCs and STs: Includes consultation and additional benefits.

Farmers’ Demands for Implementation

Non-compliance: Farmers allege the Act is not being implemented as intended, undermining its progressive provisions.
Amendments Diluting the Act: States have amended provisions, such as relaxing consent clauses for PPP projects, sparking controversies.
Unfair Compensation Examples: Protests like those in Noida highlight inadequate compensation under state implementations.
Empowerment and Financial Security: The Act’s consent and compensation clauses protect farmers’ livelihoods and dignity.

Challenges in Implementation

Delays in Processes: Procedural requirements (SIA & consent clause) cause delays in project execution.
High Costs: Compensation and R&R provisions impose financial burdens on public and private projects.
Balancing Development with Justice: Ensuring social justice while catering to infrastructure demands is a significant hurdle.
State-Level Amendments: Modifications at state level lead to legal battles & inconsistent enforcement.

Way Forward

Uniform Implementation: Enforce the Act uniformly across states without dilutions.
Streamlining Procedures: Simplify processes like SIA to reduce delays while maintaining transparency.
Financial Support Mechanisms: Introduce policies to manage higher compensation costs effectively.
Farmer Empowerment: Strengthen mechanisms ensuring fair compensation and consent to protect farmers’ rights.

{GS3 – IE – Issues} Outlook for the Indian Economy for 2025

Context (IE): The Finance Minister has called the slowing Q2 growth a “temporary blip,” while RBI downgraded GDP growth forecasts for 2024-25 from 7.2% to 6.6%.

Key Drivers for Sustainable Economic Growth

Job Creation Needs: India requires sustained growth to generate 8 million jobs annually by 2030.
Current Economic Trends: The economy is projected to stabilise at a 6.5% growth rate in 2024, reflecting long-term trends amidst a cyclical slowdown.
Increased Fiscal Spending: Post-election fiscal spending and a restarted capital expenditure cycle drive investment-led growth.
Services Sector Growth: IT exports and remote work trends boost services surplus, though AI technologies pose risks to long-term growth.
MSME Recovery: Rural MSMEs are rebounding, improving employment, consumption and female labour participation.
Potential Industrial Investments: Capital goods order backlogs indicate growth prospects, particularly in sectors like thermal power.
Government’s Role: Sustained fiscal efforts and strategic investments are critical to maintaining economic momentum and addressing disparities.

Challenges Affecting Investment

Growth Rate Challenges: A 6% growth rate may be insufficient to reduce wealth disparities and support generational mobility.
Policy-Driven Inflation: Overestimated GDP growth by RBI led to higher interest rates, exacerbating inflation issues.
Weak Corporate Growth: Slowed due to weak urban demand, high inflation, and political uncertainty.
Investment Barriers: Corporate tax cuts fail to boost investment; tax laws and administration remain obstacles.
Declining Household Savings: Sharp drop in savings rate & rising debt levels threaten financial stability.
Low Credit Growth: It weakens economic momentum, especially in housing & industry.
Fiscal Sustainability Concerns: State subsidies like farm loan waivers strain fiscal health despite government deficit reduction efforts.
Emerging Financial Risks: Rising bad loans in personal loan and credit card segments signal instability.

Way Forward

Reforms: A relatively clear election calendar in 2025 offers a chance to push through pending reforms, including labour codes.
Investment Environment: Reforming tax laws and creating a stable business environment will be essential for unleashing private investments.
Financial Stimulus: Need for strategic fiscal measures to revive credit growth, especially for MSMEs.
Targeted Government Policies: States must balance fiscal prudence with welfare schemes to avoid inflationary pressures.

{Prelims – PIN} Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Context (IE): On 25 December, the President, PM, and other dignitaries paid tribute to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Sadaiv Atal Memorial on his 100^th birth anniversary.

Early Stage of AB Vajpayee

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
In 1939, he became the Swayamsevak (volunteer) in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In 1944, he was elected general secretary of the Arya Samaj’s youth branch, Arya Kumar Sabha, in Gwalior.
He entered national politics during the Quit India Movement of 1942.
In 1947, Vajpayee started working as a journalist for the newspapers Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly by Deendayal Upadhyaya), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly), and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun.
Later, influenced by Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Vajpayee joined the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) in 1951.
He was a founding member of the Janata Party in 1977, following the unification of anti-Congress forces during the Emergency. In 1980, Vajpayee and other BJS leaders established the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and became its first president.
He has been elected to the Lok Sabha nine times and to the Rajya Sabha twice. Contesting from New Delhi, he won the seat and served as External Affairs Minister in the Morarji Desai-led government.
He took oath as PM for the first time in 1996 (13 days), Second time in 1998-1999 (13 Months) and Third time in 1999-2004 (Full term). He was the first non-Congress PM to serve a full term.

Source: medindia

Key Achievements and Policies of AB Vajpayee

Golden Quadrilateral: A massive highway network project connecting India’s major cities, revolutionising connectivity and boosting economic activity.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: Launched to provide free and compulsory education to children aged 6-14 to improve literacy rates and educational access.
Delhi-Lahore Bus Service: Initiated to foster peace and improve relations between India and Pakistan.
Agra Summit: A diplomatic effort to resolve issues between India and Pakistan, though it did not result in a formal agreement.
Pokhran-II Nuclear Tests: Conducted in 1998, they established India as a nuclear power and asserted its strategic autonomy.
Architect of Coalition Politics (NDA): Successfully led the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), demonstrating the ability to manage a coalition government.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: It was established in 2003 to celebrate the contributions of the Indian diaspora and strengthen their connection with India.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana: Launched to improve rural road connectivity, enhancing access to markets, healthcare, and education for rural populations.
Telecom Revolution: Implemented policies that broke the BSNL monopoly, making telecommunications more accessible and affordable.
Kargil War: Managed the Kargil conflict with Pakistan in 1999, ensuring India’s territorial integrity and demonstrating strong leadership.
Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA): It was enacted in 2002 to strengthen anti-terrorism operations, though it was repealed in 2004 due to concerns about human rights violations.
Chandrayaan-1 Mission: In 2003, Vajpayee made announcement Chandrayaan-1 mission. This mission, which was launched in 2008.

Awards and Literary contributions

Poetry Book: Meri Ikyavana Kavitaem, Samvedna – An Album with Jagjit Singh. Sakti Se Santi, Kucha Lekha, Kucha Bhashana, Rajaniti ki Rapatili Rahem, Back to Square One are other prominent works.
He was awarded Padma Vibhushan (1992) and India’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna in 2015.
Good Governance Day is celebrated annually on December 25th, coinciding with his birth anniversary, to honour his contributions to governance and development in India.

Also refer to Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Archaea

Context (PIB): Scientists have discovered the survival strategies of Archaea, ancient organisms that use toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems to defend against harsh conditions.

Archaea, meaning “ancient things” in Greek, are some of Earth’s oldest life forms. Belongs to Eukaryotes.
TA systems are found in bacteria and archaea, indicating their importance in evolution, though their roles in archaea are not fully understood.

Key Points of the Research

The study examined the survival of S. acidocaldarius. This organism lives in volcanic pools heated to 90 °C on Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and other volcanic regions worldwide.
During heat stress, a stress-activated protease (yet to be identified in archaea) breaks down the VapB4 protein, which inhibits the activity of the VapC4 toxin. Once VapB4 is degraded, the VapC4 toxin is released, preventing protein production.
This inhibition of protein production is part of a survival strategy, helping cells become “permanent cells” during stress. These permanent cells rest, conserve energy, and avoid making damaged proteins, aiding their survival until conditions improve.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Greek Yogurt

Context (N24): CEO of Epigamia (Greek yoghurt product) passed away due to a cardiac arrest.

Yoghurt is a dairy product that has been consumed since ancient times. The Greeks were the first to document its use in 100 BC.
Greek yoghurt differs from other yoghurts because it undergoes a straining process to remove the whey. Whey is a liquid containing lactose, a natural sugar in milk.
It provides several nutrients and is particularly rich in protein, vitamin B12, riboflavin (B2), and selenium.
It’s also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, zinc, pantothenic acid, vitamin A, and potassium. Additionally, It contains smaller amounts of nutrients like magnesium, choline, and copper.

Benefits of Greek Yoghurt

Improves Bone Health: Calcium and protein help strengthen bones and reduce osteoporosis risk.
Reduces Appetite and Hunger: Its high protein content helps people feel fuller for longer, potentially aiding in weight management.
Boosts Metabolism: It can help boost metabolism and support weight loss efforts.
Improves Gut Health: It contains probiotics that support a healthy gut microbiome, aiding digestion and overall gut health.
Lowers Blood Pressure: Greek yoghurt can help lower blood pressure due to its potassium content.
Reduces the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Helps reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Suitable in Lactose Intolerance: Generally suitable for people with lactose intolerance as it contains less lactose than regular yoghurt.

Difference Between Regular Yogurt and Greek Yogurt

Aspect	Regular Yogurt	Greek Yogurt
Production Process	Heating milk, adding bacteria, fermenting to pH of 4.5, cooling & adding other ingredients	Heating milk, adding bacteria, fermenting, straining to remove whey and other liquids
Consistency	Smooth, drinkable or spoonable	Much thicker due to straining
Taste	Slightly sour but generally sweeter than Greek yoghurt	Tangier than regular yoghurt
Nutrient Density	Lower protein content	Higher protein content due to straining
Milk Requirement	Less milk is required per batch	More milk to make the same batch size
Cost	Generally less expensive	More expensive due to more milk requirement

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Neoantigens

Context (IE): The Russian mRNA vaccine under development can be “personalised” based on the genetic analysis of each person’s tumour to identify mutations called neoantigens.

What are Neoantigens?

Neoantigens are newly formed antigens that arise from mutations in cancer cells. Unlike normal antigens, neoantigens are unique to cancer cells and not found in healthy cells.
This makes them ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy because they help the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells without harming normal tissue.

How do Neoantigens Work?

They are presented on the surface of cancer cells by molecules called human leukocyte antigens (HLA).
When immune cells, such as T cells, recognise these neoantigens as “non-self,” they initiate an immune response specifically targeting the cancer cells.