Current Affairs – October 17, 2024

{GS1 – A&C – Buddhism} Abhidhamma Divas *

Context (PIB): International Abhidhamma Divas was celebrated by Ministry of Culture in association with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).

It commemorates the descent of Lord Buddha from the celestial realm of the thirty-three divine beings (Tāvatiṃsa-devaloka) to Sankassiya, known today as Sankisa Basantapur in Uttar Pradesh.
The place is documented by the Aśokan Elephant Pillar, signifying the importance of the place of event.
It coincides with the end of the first Rainy Retreat (Vassa) and the Pavāraņā festival, a time when monks and nuns conclude their retreat period with a ceremony.

Teachings of Abhidhamma

The Abhidhamma Piṭaka is the third part of the Pāli Canon. It contains the profound moral psychology and philosophy of the Buddha’s teaching, in contrast to the simpler discourses in the Sutta Piṭaka and the rules and regulations in the Vinaya Piṭaka.
Comprised of seven books, the Abhidhamma teachings offer a detailed framework for understanding the nature of existence. They address the processes of birth, death, and mental phenomena in a precise and abstract manner.
Traditionally, it is believed that Buddha first taught the Abhidhamma to the gods in the Tavatimsa heaven and later conveyed these teachings to his disciple Sariputta, who expanded upon them in the six core books of the Abhidhamma Piñaka.

The Pali Canon contains the Vinaya Pitaka (rules for monastics) and the Sutta Pitaka (discourses of the Buddha and his principal disciples).

{GS2 – Policy – IC – Judiciary} Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF) **

Context (TH): Rising litigation costs and case backlogs in India, highlighting TPLF as a solution for improving access to justice and the need for a national regulatory framework.

Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF) is when an external party funds a litigant’s legal expenses in exchange for a share of any settlement or award. The funder bears the financial risk, enabling those with limited resources to pursue high-cost litigation.

Challenges in India’s Current Justice System

Case Pendency: Over 40 million cases are pending across courts, including 80,000 in the Supreme Court, leading to significant delays in justice.
High Litigation Costs: Rising legal fees make justice unaffordable for many. E.g. corporate legal battles can cost lakhs or crores, excluding most citizens from seeking redress.
Judicial Vacancies: As of 2023, over 400 posts in the higher judiciary and 5,000 in subordinate courts remain unfilled, worsening case backlogs.
Low Judge-to-Population Ratio: India has 20 judges per million people, far below the Law Commission’s recommended 50 judges per million.
Access to Justice for the Poor: Studies show 70% of India’s prison population is under trial, largely due to the inability to afford bail or legal representation.

Benefits of Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF)

Equaliser in the Courtroom: TPLF empowers individuals and marginalised communities to challenge powerful corporations, such as small businesses, suing large e-commerce firms without financial strain.
Boosting Public Interest Litigation (PIL): TPLF supports underprivileged groups and NGOs in filing PILs, like tribal communities in Odisha, challenging corporate environmental violations.
Specialized Case Support: TPLF funds costly litigation in medical malpractice and intellectual property, benefiting sectors requiring expert testimony.
Social Impact Litigation: TPLF aids cases on environmental protection and labour rights, enabling textile workers in Gujarat to seek justice without fear of financial ruin.
Consumer Justice: TPLF enhances consumer protection litigation, as seen in Australia, which led to a 92% success rate in class-action lawsuits.

Criticisms of Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF)

Cherry-Picking Cases: Funders focus on profitable cases, neglecting socially important ones, as seen in Australia, where TPLF favours high-return class actions.
Influence on Litigation Strategy: Funders can interfere in case strategy, risking client autonomy, as observed in some U.S. TPLF agreements.
Lack of Regulation: India lacks a comprehensive TPLF framework, unlike Hong Kong, which regulates funder control and mandates transparency.
Profit-Driven Demands: Funders in the UK often take 30-50% of settlements, raising concerns about fairness for litigants.

Way Forward

Comprehensive Regulatory Framework: Establish a TPLF framework ensuring funders’ financial stability and clients’ rights, inspired by Hong Kong’s 2019 Code for disclosure and accountability.
Licensing Funders: Regulate TPLF funders as financial service providers, similar to Australia, to ensure ethical compliance and financial integrity.
Court Involvement: Implement Singapore’s model of court oversight in TPLF cases to balance judicial fairness with funder involvement.
Funder Accountability: Adopt the UK’s requirement for full disclosure of TPLF agreements to ensure transparency and ethical conduct.
Safeguarding Client Autonomy: Protect litigants’ decision-making power to prevent undue funder influence, as monitored by UK courts.
Capping Funder Profits: Introduce caps on funders’ returns to ensure fair compensation for litigants, avoiding excessive claims like the 30-50% seen in the UK.

Context (TH): The Indian government is considering a policy change to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by including antibiotics in the definition of new drugs.

India is the largest consumer of antibiotics globally in terms of absolute volume.

Definition of New Drugs

According to Rule 122E of the Drug and Cosmetic Rules 1945, a new drug has not been used in the country or recognised as effective and safe by the licensing authority.
It can be an approved drug with modified claims, including new indications or routes of administration.

Current Regulatory Framework in India

The Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 governs the regulation of drugs in India.
Currently, Antibiotics are not classified as “new drugs” under this Act. The lack of stringent regulation and enforcement has led to the over-the-counter availability of antibiotics without prescriptions.

Government’s Proposed Policy Change

The Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has recommended including all antibiotics in the definition of new drugs under the New Drugs and Clinical Trial (NDCT) Rules, 2019. Then, antibiotics would require central govt approval for manufacturing and marketing and could only be sold with a prescription.
The DTAB is also considering amending labelling requirements to include a blue strip or box for antimicrobial products.

Drugs Technical Advisory Board is India’s highest statutory decision-making body on technical matters related to drugs. It advises the Central and State Governments on technical matters arising from administrating the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940. It is part of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Global Comparisons and Best Practices

Several countries, including European nations, have already implemented stringent laws on the sale of antibiotics to curb AMR. For example, Sweden has a comprehensive surveillance system that tracks antibiotic use, leading to a lower incidence of AMR.

Challenges

Implementing this policy will require coordination between central and state drug regulatory authorities.
Increased regulatory burdens may lead to resistance from pharmaceutical companies.
Ensuring compliance across India’s healthcare system, particularly in rural areas, could be challenging.
Cost implications for developing new antibiotics and ensuring patient affordability must be considered.

Context (BS): The World Bank Group’s Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet Report 2024 offered a detailed post-pandemic evaluation of global efforts to eradicate poverty, enhance shared prosperity, and secure a sustainable environment.

Key Findings of the Report

Stalled Global Poverty Reduction: Global poverty reduction has nearly stopped over the past five years.
- This stagnation is attributed to a ‘polycrisis‘ — a convergence of slow economic growth, increased fragility, climate risks, and heightened uncertainty.
Regional Disparities: Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected region, accounting for 67% of the world’s extreme poor.
Non-Attainment of Targets: The global population living in extreme poverty is projected to be 8.5% in 2024 and 7.3% in 2030. These figures are significantly higher than the World Bank’s target of 3% and the UN SDGs’ goal of eliminating extreme poverty.
Global Prosperity Gap: Progress in global prosperity has stalled since the pandemic, highlighting a slowdown in inclusive income growth.
India: India has reduced extreme poverty, from 431 million people in 1990 to 129 million in 2024.

Prosperity Gap measures the average income increase needed to reach a standard of $25 per person daily. World Bank currently defines extreme poverty as living on less than $2.15 per person daily.

Pathways Out of the Polycrisis

Inclusive Growth: Policies that promote inclusive economic growth are essential. This includes investing in human capital, infrastructure, and social protection systems.
Environmental Sustainability: Ensuring that economic growth is environmentally sustainable is critical. This involves adopting green technologies and practices that reduce environmental degradation.
Resilience Building: Enhancing the resilience of vulnerable populations to economic and environmental shocks is necessary. This can be achieved through better social safety nets and disaster preparedness.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Guidelines to prevent Greenwashing

Context (PIB | IE): Central Consumer Protection Authority Issues Guidelines for ‘Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing and Misleading Environmental Claims, 2024’.

It would complement the existing Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsement for Misleading Advertisements, framed in 2022.
Objective: Shield consumers from misleading information while promoting genuine environmental responsibility within the business community.
Applicability: Guidelines shall apply to all environmental claims.

Key Features of Guidelines

Clear Definition: Defines greenwashing as “any deceptive or misleading practice” that conceals, omits or hides relevant information, or exaggerates, or makes vague or unsubstantiated environmental claims about the product or service.

Transparency Requirements: Manufacturers and service providers are required to substantiate their environmental claims with credible evidence, such as detailed information on the methodology and data used to support such claims.
Prohibition of Misleading Terms: The use of vague or misleading terms such as “eco-friendly,” “green,” and “sustainable” without proper substantiation is sought to be prohibited.
Third-party certifications are accepted in substantiation of environmental claims.
Adequate Disclosures: The companies must provide clear and accessible disclosures of material information. Claims must specify the aspect referred to (good, manufacturing process, packaging, etc.) and be supported by credible certification or reliable scientific evidence.

{GS3 – S&T – Tech} Spectrum Management

Context (IE): India will follow administrative allocation for the satellite communication spectrum.

Spectrum

“Spectrum” refers to a range of radio waves used for communication – comprising radio and microwave frequencies. Satellite spectrum refers to the radio frequencies used for satellite communications.

Frequency, the number of repetitions of the waves per second, is a key characteristic of spectrum. Frequencies are divided into different bands and are vital for wireless communication technologies like mobile networks, satellite communications, radio, television, and other forms of wireless connectivity.

Spectrum Allocation

Spectrum planning and allocation is the process of deciding the distribution of radio frequency spectrum among different radio services on either an exclusive or shared basis.

Types of Spectrum Allocation

Auction

An auction is a competitive bidding process where the government sells spectrum licences to the highest bidder. It is used for commercial telecommunications spectrum, especially in competitive markets where multiple entities vie for access.

Benefits

Favoured for its market efficiency, it allocates spectrum to those who value it most.
Transparent than administrative methods, reducing the potential for favouritism or corruption.

Administrative Allocation

Here, the government directly assigns spectrum licences to selected entities without a bidding process. It is often used when auctions are impractical or less beneficial. The government sets eligibility criteria and grants licences accordingly.
It involves a nominal fee that covers administrative costs rather than reflecting the full market value of the spectrum. It is commonly used for government-related services or specialised sectors where low demand or sharing frequencies among multiple users is feasible.

Benefits

Provides flexibility and is useful for sectors where competition is less relevant, such as national security or public interest services.
Encourage the development of emerging industries, like satellite communications, by offering easier access to necessary resources.

Spectrum allocation at the global level

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialised agency of the United Nations.
It allocates specific portions of the electromagnetic spectrum to different services. It maintains the Radio Regulations (RR) through the World Radiocommunication Conference, held every 3-4 years.
The RR sets international standards and frequencies for satellite and other communications services to prevent interference and to ensure that all countries have equitable access to the spectrum.
Satellite internet typically operates in specific frequency bands that are internationally harmonised. Based on ITU regulations, satellite operators and terrestrial services share these bands globally.

Spectrum allocation in India

In India, spectrum management at the national level is done by dividing the country into 22 telecom circles. Telecom companies bid for a spectrum license in these circles to offer uninterrupted access.
Department of Telecommunications’s Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing manages spectrum.
The practice of auctioning for spectrum allocation began with the first auction for the 900 MHz band in 1994, marking the beginning of a transparent and competitive process in the telecom sector.
The administrative allocation method adopted in between resulted in irregularities and much lower realised value, leading to significant financial losses.
The Supreme Court, thereafter, mandated auctioning of spectrum to maintain and enhance transparency and competitiveness in the process.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommends the base price for different frequency bands, and the final allocation is decided through bidding.
- Telecom operators bid for specific spectrum bands for specific regions or circles.
- Winning bidders acquire the right to use the spectrum for a specified period, usually 20 years.
Telecommunications Act 2023 provided a non-auction route for the allocation of satellite spectrum.

{Prelims – In News} Shubha Tole Appointed President-Elect of IBRO

Context (TH): Recently, Indian woman scientist Shubha Tole was appointed president-elect of the International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO).

She is the first scientist from a developing country to be appointed to the position.

About IBRO

It is the global federation of neuroscience organisations that aims to promote and support neuroscience worldwide through training, education, research, and outreach.
IBRO’s origins date back to a 1947 meeting of electroencephalographers in London, leading to the formation of an International Federation of EEG and Clinical Neurophysiology. It was established as an independent, non-governmental organisation regulated by a Governing Council.

{Prelims – S&T – Defence} Predator MQ-9B and Hellfire missile

Context (HT): The Cabinet Committee on Security approved acquiring 31 Predator drones MQ-9B.

MQ-9B

High Altitude Long Endurance UAV manufactured by General Atomics. It can fly for 35-40 hours at altitudes over 40,000 feet. It can carry four Hellfire missiles and around 450 kgs of bombs.
With a range of about 1,800 km, it is capable of automatic take-offs and landings.
Two variants: Sky Guardian and Sea Guardian. The MQ-9B drone is a variant of the MQ-9 “Reaper” used to launch a modified version of the Hellfire missile.

Hellfire Missile

It is a multi-mission, multi-target American missile developed for anti-armour use and later developed for precision drone strikes against other target types.
It can be launched from air, sea, and ground platforms.
Other variants of it are ‘Longbow’ and ‘Romeo’. It has a range of 7.1–11 km, depending on trajectory.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Bone Ossification Test

Context (IE): A Mumbai court has recently ordered a bone ossification test to determine if one of the accused in the murder case of a political leader is a minor or not.

It is a medical procedure used to estimate a person’s age by analysing development & fusion of bones.
Ossification refers to the process by which bone tissue is formed. It starts during fetal development and continues until full skeletal maturity is reached. Different bones ossify at different stages of life.
The test involves taking X-rays of specific bones, such as the clavicle, sternum, pelvis, and wrist. These bones are chosen because they undergo significant changes as a person ages.
The test provides an estimated age range rather than an exact age. Individual variations in bone maturation can affect the results.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} MicroRNA (miRNA) *

Context (TH): Scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize for Medicine for discovering microRNA. It was first discovered in 1993.

About MicroRNA (miRNA)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA molecules, usually about 22 nucleotides long, that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level.
It typically binds to complementary sequences in messenger RNA (mRNA), leading to mRNA degradation or inhibition of translation, thereby silencing gene expression.

Applications of miRNA

Disease Biomarkers: They can be biomarkers for various diseases, including cancer. Their stable presence in body fluids makes them ideal for non-invasive diagnostic tests.
Therapeutics: These therapies aim to inhibit or replace dysregulated miRNAs. This can help correct abnormal gene expression patterns associated with diseases.
Gene Regulation Studies: miRNAs are valuable tools for studying gene regulation mechanisms, helping scientists understand complex biological processes and pathways.
Agriculture: It can be utilised in crop improvement by regulating gene expression to enhance resistance to pests and environmental stress or increase crop yield.