Current Affairs – November 27, 2024

{GS1 – A&C – Architecture} The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904

• Context (IE): Tensions in Sambhal highlight Place of Worship Act, 1991 interpretation issues. Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid is a “protected monument” under Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904.

About The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904

• It was enacted during the tenure of Lord Curzon in British India.
• Objective: The Act aimed to ensure the conservation of monuments, sculptures, carvings, and other structures of historical, archaeological, or artistic interest.
• Protected Monuments: The Act empowered the government to declare certain monuments “protected” and regulate activities around them to prevent unauthorised digging or removal of artefacts.
• Maintenance and Preservation: It provides for the maintenance and repair of protected monuments by the government or authorised agencies.
• Acquisition: The govt. could acquire private land containing monuments if necessary for preservation.
• Penalties: Any injury to protected monuments was considered an offence punishable by law.

Read More > The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958

{GS2 – Polity – IC – FRs} Evaluating India’s Egalitarian Vision

• Context (TH): The 75th Constitution Day marks an opportunity to reflect on India’s constitutional vision of creating an egalitarian society, now shadowed by growing inequalities under the neoliberal order.

Constitutional Vision of Equality

• Article 38(2): Mandates minimizing income, status and opportunity inequalities.
• Article 39(c): Prevents wealth concentration detrimental to the common good.
• Fundamental Rights and DPSPs: Formulate a framework to ensure equality, dignity, and justice.

Judicial Endorsements for Equality

• D.S. Nakara Case (1982): Advocated for social security and decent living standards.
• Samatha Case (1997): Interpreted socialism to reduce inequalities and provide equal opportunities.

Present Status in India

• Reduced State Welfarism: Neoliberal reforms prioritized private capital over state welfare, undermining constitutional egalitarian goals.
• Income Disparity: The top 1% income share rose from 6% in the 1980s to 22.6% in 2022-23
  • State of Inequality in India Report (2022) highlights that the top 10% earn over ₹25,000 monthly and 90% earn less, underscoring severe wealth concentration.
  • Oxfam (2023) reveals that a top executive earns in one year what a minimum wage earner would take 941 years to earn.
  • Lucas Chancel and Thomas Piketty’s study equates current inequality levels to pre-Independence India.
• Caste-Based Wealth Disparities: 90% of billionaire wealth is held by upper castes, with SCs, STs, and OBCs having minimal representation; OBC wealth share dropped from 20% in 2014 to 10% in 2022, while upper caste share rose from 80% to 90%.
• Social Impact: Social capital overlaps with economic advantages, disproportionately benefiting upper castes and exacerbating inequality.

Challenges to Constitutional Ideology

• Rising income disparities.
• Weak enforcement of redistributive policies like Article 39(c).
• Persistent caste-based wealth gaps.
• Limited representation of marginalized groups in economic growth.

Way Forward

• Reaffirm Articles 38(2) and 39(c) to minimize inequalities.
• Reinforce DPSPs through effective policy and implementation.
• Introduce wealth taxes and progressive taxation to reduce disparities.
• Promote affirmative action for underrepresented groups.
• Align court interpretations with egalitarian goals to prevent wealth concentration.
• Enhance education and economic access for marginalized communities.
• Encourage public debates on inequality to sustain democratic accountability.

{GS2 – Polity – IC} Constitution Day

• Context (IE): The President of India and PM conveyed wishes on Constitution Day on 26 November.

• The Constitution Day is also known as National Law Day or Samvidhan Diwas.
• Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950. Drafted under the guidance of Dr. BR Ambedkar.
• In 2015, the Union Cabinet announced that November 26 would be considered Constitution Day to promote “constitutional values amongst citizens”.
• That year also marked the 125th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.

“Hamara Samvidhan, Hamara Samman” Campaign

• Launched by: Vice President of India
• Aim: To simplify constitution & spread awareness of the Fundamental Rights & Duties among all citizens.
• Legal Accessibility: Initiatives like “Sabko Nyay” and “Har Ghar Nyay” focus on educating citizens about their legal rights and guiding them on how to seek justice effectively.
• Empowering Marginalised Communities: Through the “Vidhi Jagriti Abhiyaan,” the campaign endeavours to uplift rural & marginalised communities by ensuring they can access the benefits of the GOI.
• Online Engagement Portal: The campaign has established a dedicated online portal offering resources, quizzes, discussion forums, and interactive tools to help citizens understand constitutional values.

Key Facts About the Constitution of India

• Longest Written Constitution of any sovereign country in the world.
• Languages: It was handwritten and calligraphed in both English and Hindi.
• Handwritten Artistry: Prem Behari Narain Raizada handwritten the Constitution in calligraphy. Shantiniketan artists decorated each page under the guidance of Nandalal Bose.
• Foundation: Basic structure of the Indian Constitution is based on the Government of India Act, 1935.
• Core Values: It declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality, liberty and promoting fraternity.

Borrowed Features of Indian Constitution

{GS2 – Polity – IC} SC Upholds ‘Secular, Socialist’ in Preamble

• Context (TH): Supreme Court dismissed petitions challenging the inclusion of ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ in the Preamble via the 42nd Amendment, terming them essential to India’s democratic framework.

Highlights of the Judgment

• Upheld Retrospective Amendment: The Supreme Court upheld Parliament’s authority under Article 368 to amend the Preamble, rejecting objections to retrospective applicability.
• Constitution as a Living Document: Acknowledged evolving democratic needs, justifying the inclusion of ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ to reflect India’s socio-political progress.
• Criticized Delay in filing Petitions: Emphasized widespread acceptance of the terms.
• Interpretation of Key Terms by SC
  • Secularism: Articles 14, 15, 16 prohibit discrimination based on religion, affirming neutrality of State.
  • Socialism: Reflects India’s commitment to being a welfare state without mandating rigid economic policies.

Significance of Inclusion of ‘Secular’ and ‘Socialist’

• Strengthening Democratic Values: Reinforces India’s identity as an inclusive, egalitarian, and welfare-driven state.
• Implications for Governance: Inclusion of the terms has not obstructed legislation or governance, as long as they adhere to constitutional rights and the basic structure doctrine.
• Continuity and Acceptance: The terms underline India’s resolve toward equality, liberty, and fraternity, complementing the Preamble’s ethos.

Way Forward

• Uphold Constitutional Values: Strengthen the understanding of secularism and socialism through education and public discourse.
• Judicial and Legislative Alignment: Maintain balance between judicial interpretations and legislative actions to ensure harmony with constitutional principles.
• Reflect Dynamic Needs: Periodically reassess the Constitution’s provisions to address evolving socio-political realities while safeguarding its basic structure.

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Women’s Contributions to Constitution Building

• Context (IE): As India approaches 75 years of its Constitution, it’s crucial to recognize the overlooked contributions of the women in the Constituent Assembly alongside their male counterparts.

Need for Recognition

• Historical Oversight: Women drafters have often been erased from mainstream narratives.
• Significance of Their Work: Women played key roles in shaping fundamental rights, procedural rules, and policy frameworks.
• Inclusive Historiography: Helps complete the story of India’s Constitution-making.
• Balanced Perspective: Highlights diverse opinions.
• Inspiration for Future Generations: Acknowledging their work encourages gender equality in leadership.

Key Contributions by Women Members

Participation in Committees

• Hansa Mehta and Amrit Kaur served on the Fundamental Rights and Minorities Sub-Committees.
• G. Durgabai was on the Steering and Rules Committees.

Shaping Key Articles

• Amrit Kaur: Advocated for gender equality and opposed community-based reservations.
• Hansa Mehta: Pushed for fundamental rights and a uniform civil code.
• Dakshayani Velayudhan: Opposed caste-based reservations advocating for educational empowerment and societal transformation.
• Opposed discriminatory laws against women.
• Notable dissent against allowing courts jurisdiction over property compensation.

Issues Faced by Women in the Assembly

• Gender Bias: Women often faced disrespect, interruptions, and were relegated to “back benches”.
• Discrimination in Debates: Renuka Ray faced heckling during debates for her opposition to property rights favoring the elite and stood for socialism.
• Male dominance often overshadowed female voices.
• Contributions not well-documented in Constituent Assembly Debates.
• Traditional narratives have marginalized women drafters.
• Instances like Nehru dismissing socialist concerns reflect systemic bias.

Way Forward

• Scholarly Research: Encourage studies like The Founding Mothers of the Republic by Achyut Chetan to shed light on women’s roles.
• Educational Inclusion: Integrate the contributions of women drafters into academic curricula.
• Public Awareness: Promote their legacy through media, literature, and public commemorations.
• Gender Equality in Leadership: Use their struggles as a blueprint for addressing contemporary gender disparities.

{GS3 – Envi – CC} Climate Talks: Challenges and Issues

• Context (IE): The COP29 meeting in Baku ended with an underwhelming deal on climate finance, raising concerns over the future of global climate negotiations.

Problems in Climate Talks

Inadequate Financial Support

• Developed nations pledged only $300 billion annually by 2035, far below the $1 trillion required.
• Current financial commitments are insufficient to meet the massive demands of the climate crisis, leaving developing countries at a disadvantage.

Ineffective Emission Reductions

• Global emissions need a 43% reduction by 2030 from 2019 levels, but current actions project only a 2% cut.
• Developed nations like the US and EU fall short, with EU targeting a 60% cut and the US 45% by 2030.

Dilution of Multilateral Commitments

• Kyoto Protocol’s binding targets for developed nations have been weakened under the Paris Agreement, shifting to voluntary “nationally determined contributions”.
• Binding commitments and enforcement mechanisms are largely absent.

Delayed Financial Implementation

• Pledged funds for climate finance are delayed, with actual mobilization scheduled for 2035.
• Efforts to expand the contributor base to include emerging economies like China have been resisted.

Erosion of Equity

• The UNFCCC system contradicts global power dynamics, as developed nations resist binding responsibilities, weakening its effectiveness.
• The shift from “polluter pays” principle to shared responsibilities undermines fairness, blurring the distinction between developed and developing nations’ obligations.

Implications of Disagreements

• Developing Nations struggle to finance climate adaptation and mitigation due to insufficient support from developed countries.
• Risk of missing the 1.5°C temperature target under the Paris Agreement due to weak commitments.
• Erosion of trust between developed and developing nations may lead to further fragmentation of climate negotiations.

Way Forward in Climate Action

• Mobilize at least $1 trillion annually for developing nations and establish transparent mechanisms to track and ensure timely disbursement of pledged funds.
• Reintroduce binding emission targets and enforce penalties for non-compliance to ensure accountability in meeting climate goals.
• Facilitate transfer of clean energy technologies to developing countries and promote joint ventures in green technology innovation.
• Establish global systems to monitor emissions, track progress, and ensure transparency in nationally determined contributions and financial commitments.
• Foster deeper international cooperation on climate policies and ensure that all nations are held accountable for their role in the climate crisis.
• Engage the private sector in funding and implementing climate solutions, ensuring broader participation in sustainable development.
• Revisiting Equity Principles: Reinstate clear distinctions in responsibilities based on historic emissions and current capabilities, ensuring developed nations lead emission reduction efforts.
• Expanding Contributor Base: Include emerging economies like China in climate finance contributions to ensure a more equitable financial support structure.

{GS3 – IE – Growth} Revival of Indian Economy

• Context (IE): India’s economy shows promising growth above 7% despite concerns around inflation and urban consumption patterns.

Key Indicators Reflecting Economic Revival

• GDP Growth: Expected to remain above 7%, with Bank of Baroda forecasting 7.3-7.4%.
• Purchasing Managers Index (PMI): Composite index averages above 60, highest in 5 years; above 50 indicates positive economic momentum.
• GST Collections: ₹12.74 lakh crore in first 7 months, surpassing last year’s ₹11.64 lakh crore.
• Automobile Sales: Two-wheeler sales up by 16%, passenger cars show a 9% rise in October after festive season boost.

Issues Impacting Economic Growth

• Inflation: Stands at 6.2%, driven primarily by food prices; onion & tomato prices particularly concerning.
• Muted Rural Demand: Affected by lower farm output and high inflation in recent years.
• Consumer Goods Consumption: Urban stress and cultural abstention (e.g., during “shradh” period) led to subdued sales.
• Investment Patterns: “K-shaped” investment activity; consumer goods industries underutilize capacity, hindering fresh investments.

Positive Developments Supporting Economic Revival

• Rural Economy: Good kharif crop with higher cultivation area; reservoir levels at 87% to benefit rabi crops. Farm output growth forecasted at 3.5-4%.
• Investment Momentum: Strong investments in infrastructure-related sectors like metals, cement, machinery, chemicals, and power.
  • Housing Sector: Growth seen across premium, middle-income, and tier-2/3 cities.
  • Renewable Energy: Significant capacity additions in power investments.
• Backward Linkages: Government capex on roads, railways, and urban development spurring demand for steel, cement, and machinery.

Concerns

• Inflationary Pressures: Import tariffs and Immigration policies could exacerbate inflation.
• Global Economic Environment: Uncertainties due to geopolitical changes (e.g., US policies under Donald Trump).
• Policy Measures: RBI maintains growth forecast at 7.2% but rules out rate cuts in the near term.

Way Forward

• Tackling Inflation: Enhance agricultural productivity and streamline supply chains for perishable goods to stabilize food prices.
• Enhancing Rural Demand: Boost MSP for crops and expand employment schemes like MGNREGA to increase rural purchasing power.
• Stimulating Investments: Promote private investment in consumer goods and incentivize renewable energy projects to sustain growth.
• Sustaining Government Capex: Prioritize infrastructure projects and adopt public-private partnerships for urban and rural development.
• Policy Adjustments: Align monetary policies with inflation trends and diversify trade partnerships to mitigate global economic risks.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} Proba-3 Mission

• Context (IE): ISRO will launch the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission from Sriharikota.

• This mission, utilising ISRO’s PSLV rocket, aims to study the solar corona, the Sun’s outermost and hottest part, and will attempt the first-ever “precision formation flying” in space.

Significance of Proba-3 Mission

• It involves two satellites, the Occulter Spacecraft and the Coronagraph Spacecraft, that will launch together, separate, & fly in tandem to create an artificial solar eclipse.
• By blocking the Sun’s bright light, these satellites will allow scientists to study the Sun’s surrounding atmosphere and other objects in space.
• Solar Corona: Due to the corona’s high temperatures (up to 2 million degrees Fahrenheit), it is difficult for instruments to observe closely. The corona is important for understanding space weather phenomena like solar storms and winds.
• Extended Observation: Natural solar eclipses allow about 10 minutes of corona observation per event. Proba-3 will provide six hours of continuous observation, equivalent to 50 such events annually.

Instruments Onboard on Proba-3 Mission

• Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun (ASPIICS): This coronagraph has a field of view between the Sun’s outer and inner corona and includes an occulting disk to block sunlight.
• Digital Absolute Radiometer (DARA): It continuously measures the Sun’s total energy output .
• 3D Energetic Electron Spectrometer (3DEES): It measures electron fluxes through Earth’s radiation belts, aiding space weather studies.

Benefits for India

• ISRO’s Technological Collaboration: Proba-3, labelled ESA’s technology demonstration mission, highlights ISRO’s reliable and cost-effective launch capabilities.
• Scientific Collaboration: Indian solar physicists may gain exclusive access to Proba-3 data and have been involved in setting the mission’s scientific goals.
• Collaboration with Aditya L1: Post-launch, India plans to collaborate with ESA’s Proba-3 team to use data from Proba-3 and India’s first solar mission, Aditya L1, fostering advancements in solar research.

{Prelims – Envi – Species} Nilgiri marten (Martes gwatkinsii)

• Context (TH): The study shows that development & agriculture threaten the habitat of Nilgiri marten.

Source: thekidsworld

• It is the only marten species native to India.
• Native: Endemic to the Western Ghats. Found across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka in Brahmagiri, Nilgiris, Anamalai, Cardamom & Agasthyamalai hills.
• Habitat: Shola ecosystems and Pampadum Shola National Park (Kerala). It typically prefers evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. Mostly occurs in tea, acacia, coffee, cardamom, and wattle plantations.
• Features: It looks almost like a civet or a mongoose — a small mustelid with chocolate-coloured fur and a canary yellow throat.
• IUCN Status: Vulnerable | WPA, 1972: Schedule II

{Prelims – S&T – Defence} Storm Shadow and Oreshnik Missiles

• Context (IE): In the recent Ukraine-Russia war, Ukraine used Storm Shadow missiles against Russia, prompting Russia to retaliate with its Oreshnik hypersonic missile.

About Storm Shadow Missile

• Naming: Known as ‘Storm Shadow‘ in the UK and ‘SCALP-EG’ in France.
• Type: Low-observable, long-range, air-launched cruise missile.
• Development: Jointly developed by the UK and France.
• Range: More than 250 kilometers.
• Target: Designed to strike high-value stationary targets such as airbases, radar installations, communication hubs, and port facilities.
• Guidance Systems: Uses inertial navigation, GPS, and terrain referencing for low flight.
• Targeting: Equipped with an infrared camera to match the target with a stored image.
• Operated by: Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale, Mirage 2000 and Tornado.
• Service: Used by the air forces of Egypt, India, Italy, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE.

About Oreshnik Missiles

• Type: Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).
• Developed by: Russia.
• Payload: Can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads.
• Range: Estimated to have a range of around 5,500 kilometres.
• First Use: Deployed in combat for the first time in 2024 during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
• Based on: The RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
• Manoeuvrability: Hypersonic speeds and mid-flight manoeuvrability make it difficult to intercept.

Read More > ATACMS

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Ingestible Jet-Powered Capsules

• Context (IE): New ingestible capsules release drugs directly inside the stomach or other parts of the digestive system. These pills can be used instead of injections to give medicines like insulin.

• Injections can cause infections, skin irritation, and other adverse effects. They may cause discomfort, making oral alternatives highly desirable.

About New Ingestible Capsules

Development and Inspiration

• Natural Inspiration: Researchers drew inspiration from cephalopods like squids and cuttlefish, which use jet propulsion to move and release ink.
• Adaptation: This jetting principle was adapted to deliver drugs in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, ensuring more medication is absorbed before the body breaks it down.

Mechanism of Action

• Jet Propulsion Mechanics: Capsules utilise compressed carbon dioxide or tightly coiled springs to create the necessary force to eject liquid drugs.
• Trigger System: A carbohydrate trigger keeps the gas or spring compressed. This trigger dissolves upon exposure to stomach humidity or acidity, allowing the gas or spring to expand and propel the drug out of the capsule.

Advantages of the Capsules

• High Bioavailability: They offer a more efficient method for delivering macromolecule drugs orally, as they have high bioavailability (the degree to which a drug is absorbed and utilised by the body).
• Patient-Friendly: They offer a less invasive and more comfortable alternative to traditional injections, potentially improving patient compliance and overall treatment outcomes.