Current Affairs – November 06, 2024

{GS2 – IR – Groupings} MAHASAGAR Initiative

• Context (PIB): The third edition of MAHASAGAR (Maritime Heads for Active Security And Growth for All in the Region), a bi-annual initiative by the Indian Navy, took place.

• Theme: Training Cooperation to Mitigate Common Maritime Security Challenges in Indian Ocean Region.
• MAHASAGAR is a high-level virtual interaction among leadership in Bangladesh, Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.
• MAHASAGAR resonates with the government’s SAGAR vision.

{GS2 – IR – India-Saudi Arabia} Saudi-India Labour Cooperation

• Context (TH): Initiatives have been taken to improve the quality of the Indian workforce in Saudi.

Why Saudi Arabia is Significant to India?

• Historic Partnership: The India-Saudi Arabia relationship, established in 1947, is based on strong economic, diplomatic, and socio-cultural ties.
• Large Indian Expatriate Community: Over 2.7 million Indians reside in Saudi Arabia, contributing to sectors like construction, healthcare, education, and IT.
• Economic Contribution: Indian workers in Saudi Arabia send over US $11 billion in remittances to India annually, supporting the Indian economy.
• Trade and Investment: Bilateral trade between the countries is robust, and joint ventures, such as the Ratnagiri refinery, enhance economic collaboration.
• Pilgrimage: Saudi Arabia facilitates the Hajj pilgrimage for more than 1.75 lakh Indians annually.
• Strategic Partnership: Saudi Arabia is one of India’s key strategic partners, collaborating in political engagement, trade, investment, and security.
• Energy Security: Saudi Arabia is a major supplier of crude oil and LPG to India.
• Security: Both countries cooperate on counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing & joint defense initiatives.
• Development and Infrastructure: Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 offers opportunities for Indian companies to participate in large-scale infrastructure and development projects.

Key Areas of Cooperation

• Strategic Partnership: Established by the 2010 Riyadh Declaration, focusing on political, security, trade, investment, and cultural collaboration.
• Security and Defence: Shared concerns over terrorism led to agreements like the 2016 MoU on counter-terrorism and a 2014 MoU for defence cooperation, including joint naval exercises.
• Trade and Energy: Bilateral trade reached $27.48 billion in 2017-18. Saudi Arabia supplies 17% of India’s crude oil and 32% of LPG, with joint ventures like the $44 billion Ratnagiri Refinery project.
• Diverse Collaboration: Includes sectors like fertilisers, food security, renewable energy, ICT, healthcare, infrastructure, and civil aviation.

Initiatives for Employment & Skill Development for Indian Workers in Saudi Arabia

• Skills Verification Program: Aims to certify Indian workers’ skills to meet Saudi employment standards, enhancing job prospects for Indian expatriates.
• Bilateral Collaborations: An MoU between Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and India’s NSDC facilitates knowledge exchange and workforce skill development.
• Labor Reform Initiative (LRI): Introduced in 2021, the LRI focuses on worker mobility, improved contractual relationships, and enhanced legal protections for expatriate workers, ensuring fair wages and better working conditions.

Expanding Opportunities for Indian Women Workers in Saudi Arabia

• Supportive Infrastructure: Measures like women-only transportation and childcare facilities have improved working conditions, especially for Indian female expatriates.
• Female Empowerment: Saudi Arabia has reduced female unemployment from 14.2% to 12.8% in 2024, fostering an environment where women can thrive professionally and personally.
• Musaned Platform: Introduced in 2014, the Musaned platform ensures transparent recruitment through licensed agencies, offering digital contracts and wage tracking for female workers.

Way Forward in Strengthening Saudi-India Labour Collaboration

• Enhanced Employability and Worker Protection: Ongoing initiatives in skills development and certification will improve the employability of Indian workers in Saudi Arabia, while continued reforms will ensure better working conditions and legal protections for expatriate workers.
• Opportunities in Vision 2030: Growing demand for skilled professionals in IT, space science, and technology offers new avenues for Indian workers.
• Infrastructure for Female Workers: Expanding support systems for women will further boost female participation in the Saudi workforce.

{GS2 – Polity – IC – FRs} SC Ruling on Property Acquisition

• Context (IE): SC’s 9-judge Constitution Bench reinterpreted Art. 39(b) to limit government’s power to acquire privately owned properties under the guise of ‘material resources of the community’.
• It clarifies the balance between individual property rights and state intervention for public welfare.

Historical Context

• Articles 19(1)(f) and 31: Originally, the right to property was guaranteed as a fundamental right.
• 44th Amendment Act, 1978: Removed property as a fundamental right, introducing Article 300A as a constitutional right, stating that no one can be deprived of property without lawful authority.
• Article 39(b): DPSP advocating for equitable distribution of ‘material resources’ to serve common good.
• Article 31C: Provides immunity to laws aligned with Articles 39(b) and 39(c), stating they cannot be challenged under Articles 14 (right to equality) or 19 (right to freedom) if they promote public welfare.

Judicial Interpretation of Article 39(b) in Past Cases

• State of Karnataka v. Shri Ranganatha Reddy (1977): Held that private resources should generally not fall under “material resources of the community.” However, Justice Krishna Iyer dissented, suggesting that private resources could be included to promote socialist redistributive justice.
• Sanjeev Coke Manufacturing v. Bharat Coking Coal (1983): This case Supported Iyer’s view, allowing the nationalisation of coal mines as material resources for the community.
• Mafatlal Industries v. Union of India (1996): Further expanded the scope of Article 39(b), indicating it could include private and public assets for material needs.

Recent Supreme Court Judgment

• Key Ruling: The Court ruled that the state can acquire private property only with clear, transparent justification for public welfare, ensuring fairness to private owners.
• Criteria for ‘Material Resources of the Community’:
  • Purpose and Public Utility: Only properties essential for societal welfare — such as infrastructure, energy, and water resources, qualify as material resources for state acquisition.
  • Proportionality and Fairness: Any state acquisition must balance public welfare benefits with the impact on private owners, justifying the acquisition.
  • Economic Impact and Social Equity: Resources with a pronounced economic or societal impact qualify, but general private property does not.

Impact of the SC Judgment

• Strengthened Individual Property Rights: Private property can only be acquired with clear, substantial public welfare justification, ensuring the protection of individual rights.
• Transparency in State Acquisitions: The state must present clear evidence that acquisitions serve verified public welfare needs.
• Curtailed State Power: Limits Article 39(b) to prevent arbitrary classification of private property as ‘community resources’, minimising overreach.
• Enhanced Investment Climate: Reinforced property protections build investor confidence, making ownership more predictable and stable.
• Targeted Redistribution for Social Equity: Article 39(b) is now restricted to policies with direct public benefits, promoting fairness and reinforcing a secure environment for high-value assets.
• Sectoral Boost for Economic Growth: By securing property rights, the ruling supports real estate and industrial growth, positively impacting the economy.

Way Forward and Conclusion

• Empowering Judicial Oversight: Courts should be empowered to rigorously assess state actions regarding property, ensuring acquisitions meet standards of fairness, proportionality, and necessity.
• Refined Legislative and Judicial Scrutiny: Future laws invoking Article 39(b) must justify property acquisitions as essential for public welfare, with stricter scrutiny by courts.

{GS2 – Polity – IC – FRs} SC Verdict on UP Madarsa Education Act, 2004

• Context (IE TH): SC upheld the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004, reversing an Allahabad High Court decision that deemed it a violation of secularism.

• The Act combines secular subjects with Islamic studies to provide a structured academic framework.
• It established the UP Board of Madarsa Education, primarily composed of Muslim community members, to standardise curriculum, conduct examinations, and confer certificates from Class 10 (Maulvi) to Master’s level (Fazil).
• Madarsas are primarily funded by state governments, and initiatives like the 2009 Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM) aim to integrate modern education.

Highlights from SC’s judgement

• Partial Upholding of the Act: The SC upheld state regulation of madrasa education but struck down madrasas’ authority to confer higher degrees like Fazil and Kamil due to conflicts with the UGC Act.
• Balancing Minority Rights & Educational Standards: The Court emphasised the need to balance minority rights with the need for secular education standards.
• Article 28(3) Protection: Students in minority institutions are protected from compulsory religious instruction, ensuring secular education alongside religious learning.
• Secularism & Constitutional Validity: Secularism must coexist with religious autonomy, and only direct constitutional violations can invalidate an Act.
• Religious Institutions’ Autonomy: Under Article 30, madrasas can maintain their identity while complying with state-mandated secular standards.
• Religious Education: Allowed religious education but prohibited compulsory religious instruction.
• Balanced Regulation: State regulation can coexist with religious autonomy, ensuring a balance between secular principles and religious identity.

Key Implications of the Supreme Court Verdict

• Impact on UP Madrasas: The ruling mandates integrating secular education within UP Madrasas while preserving their religious identity, setting a model for similar institutions.
• Secular Standards Compliance: Madrasas are now required to uphold secular educational standards in alignment with Article 21A.
• Preservation of Religious Identity: The verdict upholds the balance, allowing madrasas to continue religious teachings within a secular framework.
• Broader Influence on Religious Education: The decision may affect other religious institutions, including gurukuls and convent schools, encouraging re-evaluating the religious-secular educational balance.
• Precedent for Secular-Religious Balance: SC emphasised the importance of secular standards in religious institutions, creating a benchmark for cultural autonomy alongside national education norms.

Concerns raised against Madaras act

• Allahabad High Court’s Perspective
  • Violation of Secularism: The HC ruled that mandatory religious studies in madrasas undermined the state’s duty to provide neutral education, leading to religious-based educational discrimination.
  • Right to Education (Article 21A): The Court argued that madrasas lacked quality secular education, violating the compulsory education mandate under Article 21A.
  • Conflict with UGC Act: The HC found that madrasas conferring higher degrees, like Fazil and Kamil, conflicted with the UGC Act, which reserves degree-awarding powers for recognised universities.
• NCPCR’s Standpoint: Raised concerns about madrasas being unsuitable for proper education, highlighting issues like curriculum quality, teacher eligibility, and opaque funding.

{GS3 – Agri – Food Security} Hunger Hotspots: FAO-UNWFP

• Context (DTE): A report by the FAO and the UN-WFP, “Hunger Hotspots: FAO–WFP Early Warnings on Acute Food Insecurity”, reveals a grim projection for food insecurity across 22 countries and regions.

Key Findings

• Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali are on the highest alert for acute food insecurity.
• New Additions to Hunger Hotspots List:
  • Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, and Niger have been added to the list of hunger hotspots.
  • Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Somalia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe remain on the list.

Causes of food Insecurity

• Economic and Political Turmoil: Myanmar faces exacerbated economic turmoil due to conflict. Haiti experiences rising violence, forcing displaced communities back into hunger.
• Violence in Sahel region: Chad faces conflict and insecurity worsened by a refugee influx from Sudan. Northern Nigeria is dealing with a worsening security situation.
• Weather and Climate Variability: La Niña will likely increase flood risks in Southern African nations, including Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Potential drought in Ethiopia, eastern Kenya, and Somalia.

{GS3 – Envi – Air Pollution} Underutilisation of NCAP Fund

• Context (IE): Delhi only used 32% of its funds under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

• The NCAP aims to reduce particulate matter pollution (PM10) by 40% by 2025-26 or to meet National Ambient Air Quality standards.
• Cities are using NCAP funds primarily for road dust control through the procurement of anti-smog guns, water sprinklers, road paving, and the development of green spaces.

Data about the NCAP fund utilisation

• Amritsar, Jhansi, Pune and Navi Mumbai utilised more than 90% of the allocated fund. Amritsar has shown a 38% improvement in PM10, while ironically, Navi Mumbai’s PM10 levels have worsened by 11%.
• Faridabad has utilised 39%, Ghaziabad has used 89%, and Noida has the lowest fund utilisation at 11%.
• Major Pollution Sources: Road dust, vehicular emissions, and the industrial sector are identified as major contributors to pollution in non-attainment cities (NACs).

Recommendations for Improved NCAP Implementation

• Accelerate Source Apportionment Studies: Cities must prioritise and expedite these studies to understand specific pollution sources and devise effective strategies.
• Monitor Fund Allocation and Usage: Regular audits and reviews of fund utilisation can help address inefficiencies and ensure funds are used as intended.
• Enhance Coordination with Local Governments: Collaboration between central and local authorities can improve implementation timelines, particularly for machinery procurement and deployment.
• Increase Transparency and Public Accountability: Publishing city-level data on fund utilisation and pollution reduction progress can enhance public accountability and encourage cities to meet targets.
• Focus on Rapidly Deployable Solutions: Investing in readily deployable pollution control measures, such as anti-smog guns and road dust mitigation, can yield immediate improvements.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Harare Declaration

• Context (DTE): The inaugural Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC 2024) ended in Zimbabwe with the adoption of the Harare Declaration on Africa’s climate health.

• Objective: To combat the detrimental health effects of climate change (CC) and improve the well-being of African populations.

Focus areas

• Prioritise climate change as a public emergency and promote inclusive community dialogue.
• Invest in studies assessing the impacts of CC on health in Africa and identify effective interventions.
• Improve early warning systems to track climate-related health risks, enabling effective, timely responses.
• Build climate-resilient health systems by enhancing the capacity of health infrastructures to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Updated NBSAP 2024-2030

• Context (PIB): India launched its updated NBSAP during COP 16 of the CBD in Colombia, aligning with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework focusing on 3 themes — reducing biodiversity threats, promoting sustainable resource use, and enhancing conservation tools.

• India had adopted the ‘Whole-of-Government’ & ‘Whole-of-Society’ approach in updating its NBSAP.

Evolution and Development of NBSAP

• India’s biodiversity conservation tradition predates global movements like the Convention on Biological Diversity, with formal biodiversity management starting with the first NBSAP in 1999.
• The NBSAP evolved through the GEF Project (2000-2003), leading to the National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) in 2008, refined in 2014 to align with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
• India’s commitment to biodiversity was demonstrated through various reports and updates, including a 2019 overview addressing status, threats, strategies, and governance frameworks.

Updated National Biodiversity Targets

• Conservation Areas: Target to conserve 30% of land and water areas.
• Sustainable Consumption: Promote sustainable consumption and reduce food waste by 50%.
• Ensure Equitable Benefit Sharing from genetic resources & traditional knowledge.
• Invasive Species Management: Aim to reduce introduction & establishment of invasive species by 50%.
• Pollution Reduction: Halve nutrient loss and pesticide risk to minimise environmental pollution.

Governance and Implementation

• National Coordination: Led by MoEFCC with support from 23 central ministries.
• State and Local Involvement: Engagement of State Biodiversity Boards, UT Biodiversity Councils and Biodiversity Management Committees flowing through the Biological Diversity Act in 2002.
• Financial Commitment: Rs 81,664 crore allocated for biodiversity initiatives from 2025-2030, with international finance and private sector involvement through mechanisms like Green Bonds etc.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} India’s first analogue space mission

• Context (TH): India’s first Mars and Moon analogue mission at Leh in Ladakh has been inaugurated.

• Organisations involved: ISRO, AAKA Space Studio, University of Ladakh, IIT Bombay, and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.
• Objective: To simulate life in an interplanetary habitat. For the next 21 days, an analogue astronaut will reside within the habitat. It is part of ISRO’s Gaganyaan program.

Why Ladakh was chosen?

• The mission site was chosen as it closely resembles Martian and lunar surfaces, offering a natural laboratory for testing habitat sustainability, life support systems, and the human experience of isolation.
• The Diurnal shifts from 15°C to -10°C, which simulate the thermal challenges of extraterrestrial environments, enabling testing of the habitat’s thermal insulation.
• Ladakh’s oxygen levels are only 40% of sea level, allowing researchers to test life support systems for low-pressure conditions similar to Mars.

{Prelims – PIN – Middle East} Al-Jawf Region

• Context (DTE): The Al-Jawf region in Saudi Arabia witnessed a historic winter phenomenon, with snowfall blanketing the desert for the first time in recorded history.

• It is one of the most fertile regions in Saudi Arabia. Human presence here dates to the Stone Age.
• The region is renowned for its olive cultivation, boasting the world’s largest modern olive farm, a record noted in the Guinness Book. The region is one of the coldest regions in Saudi Arabia during winter.

{Prelims – S&T – Space} Proba-3 Mission

• Context (PIB): India will launch the EU‘s Solar Observatory Satellite Proba-3. It will be India’s third such launch for the EU, with previous missions supporting the Proba-1 and Proba-2 satellites.

• World’s first mission for precise formation flying in space. It uses two satellites to act like a single big structure in space. It will be launched with India’s PSLV-XL rocket by ISRO.
• It will create a 144-meter solar coronagraph offering a continuous and clear view of the Sun’s corona (the Sun’s outer layer), which is typically hard to observe.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} IL-35-Immunotherapy

• Context (PIB): IL-35 (a specific protein), a new immunotherapy treatment that could help manage Type 1 and autoimmune diabetes, was discovered.

• IL-35 works by:
  • Regulating immune cells called macrophages, T-cells, and regulatory B-cells play a role in controlling immune responses.
  • Preventing immune cells from attacking pancreatic beta cells is important for insulin production.
  • Lowering certain immune cells that produce inflammatory chemicals reduces inflammation in the pancreas — a major factor in type 1 and autoimmune diabetes.

Read More > Diabetes.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Richard Cash

• Context (IE): Richard Cash, the American physician behind Oral Rehydration Therapy, died recently.

• Richard lived in Bangladesh and India for extended periods, where his work saved millions of lives.
• First clinical trials of ORT in cholera patients were held in Bangladesh in the late 1960s. In 2006, the Royal Thai Government awarded him the Prince Mahidol Award.

Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT)

• This treatment uses a standardised formula (Oral rehydration solution) to provide water, sodium, chloride, potassium, bicarbonate (or citrate), and glucose to dehydrated people, including children.
• This low-cost dehydration treatment can be given to dehydrated children at home without any help.
• It does not stop diarrhoea but addresses only the dehydration issue.