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2023 02 18

Table of Contents:

GS Paper 1:

  1. Group of lunar meteorites throw light on the origin of basalts on the Moon: ISRO
  2. Special Marriage Act

GS Paper 2:

  1. Is Indian diplomacy on the defensive?

GS Paper 3:

  1. What are hallucinating chatbots?
  2. The report alleges a conflict of interest behind India’s fortified food programme

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

  1. Integrated rice-fish farming

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

  1. ‘Feathering’
  2. Special Category Status
  3. Jal Jan Abhiyan
  4. REAIM 2023
  5. Non-cytotoxic nanocomposite coatings
  6. Lead poisoning
  7. World Pangolin Day
  8. UAPA
  9. Dharma Guardian

Group of lunar meteorites throw light on the origin of basalts on the Moon: ISRO

GS Paper 1

Syllabus: Geography/ Awareness in space.

Source: The Print

Context: A team of scientists from Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), the United States, and Japan has found a unique group of ancient lunar basaltic meteorites, suggesting a new scenario for the origin of lunar basalts.

More about the findings:

  • The Apollo, Luna, and Chang’E-5 missions have brought to Earth an extensive collection of mare basalts.
    • Mare basalts are formed by the partial melting of the lunar mantle, made of mostly pyroxene and olivine
  • Apollo mare basalts are highly rich in potassium, rare earth elements, and phosphorous known as Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT).
  • KREEP is the acronym for a place that has deposits of potassium (chemical symbol – K), rare earth elements (REE), and phosphorus (chemical symbol – P).
  • These are rich in radioactive elements that provide the heat to melt rocks resulting in KREEP-rich basalts.

  • ISRO stated that the result shows that these basalts must be a result of low-pressure melting on the Moon, similar to those in other terrestrial bodies, such as Earth and Mars.
  • They also reveal that these basalts originated from a cool, shallow, and compositionally distinct part of the lunar interior.

February 18, 2023 /18 Feb 2023, GS3, Mare Basalts, Moon, SCIENCE, Today's Article

Special Marriage Act

GS Paper 1

Syllabus: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

Source: Indian Express

Context: Recently several interfaith couples including some celebrities chose to marry under a secular personal law i.e. through the Special Marriage Act, of 1954.

About Special Marriage Act, 1954:

  • The Special Marriage Act of 1954 (SMA) was passed by Parliament on October 9, 1954. It governs a civil marriage where the state sanctions the marriage rather than the religion.

Need for such an act:

  • Laws, such as the Muslim Marriage Act, of 1954, and the Hindu Marriage Act, of 1955, require either spouse to convert to the religion of the other before marriage.
  • However, the SMA enables marriage between inter-faith or inter-caste couples without them giving up their religious identity or resorting to conversion.

Who can get married under the Special Marriage Act?

  • The applicability of the Act extends to the people of all faiths, including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, across India.
  • The minimum age to get married under the SMA is 21 years for males and 18 years for females.

What is the procedure for a civil marriage?

  • As per Section 5 of the Act, the parties to the marriage are required to give a notice, in writing, to a “Marriage Officer” of the district in which at least one of the parties has resided for at least 30 days immediately preceding the notice.
  • The parties and three witnesses are required to sign a declaration form before the Marriage Officer.
  • Once the declaration is accepted, the parties will be given a “Certificate of marriage” which is essentially proof of the marriage.

Challenging the Special Marriage Act, 1954: We had previously covered here.

Insta Links:

Special Marriage Act

February 18, 2023 /18 Feb 2023, GS2, Indian Society, Polity, social justice, Special Marriage Act, Today's Article

Is Indian diplomacy on the defensive?

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: International Relations

Source: TH

Context: The article will focus on India’s Defensive diplomacy. 

Recent developments worrying India:

  • BBC documentary raising questions about the current PM’s role in the Gujarat riots of 2002, and accusing the central government of instigating and condoning majoritarian violence.
  • The Hindenberg Research accused Adani Enterprises Limited of several share market manipulations and false filings.
  • India came under criticism for increasing its imports of Russian oil.
  • The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reacted to the above developments by calling them western hypocrisy, a colonial mindset, and a conspiracy to break Indian democracy. 

What are the major worries for the MEA/Government?

  • The larger trend of criticism in the year of G20
  • Will dent India’s image, and make diplomacy much more difficult
  • Will hurt India’s economic growth, which is just recovering from Covid, the Ukraine War, and the global recession
  • Come from a colonial mindset and could lead to racist attacks on India and the diaspora
  • Worry about other international mechanisms being used like the FATF, etc.

Some bright spots for India:

  • NSA’s visit to Washington-UK-Moscow: Many agreements on technology cooperation, strategic issues, Afghanistan
  • MEA’s visit to Australia, Fiji
  • The upcoming visit of German Chancellor Scholz
  • SCO Summit in June, G20 Summit in September
  • Therefore, little to indicate that Western countries are trying to target India in any way or isolate it.

How does Defensive diplomacy work?

  • Public statements, engaging media in foreign countries, embassies lobbying with Parliamentarians.
  • Visa Bans/ Deportations/ Restricting western NGOs from working or funding projects in India in a specific field.
  • Punitive actions: Actions like raiding the BBC offices in India.

Conclusion: According to Kenneth Waltz (Book – Theory of International Politics), defensive diplomacy encourages states to undertake defensive and moderate policies as their first concern is not to maximize power but to maintain their position in the system.

Note: The following books can help an aspirant (especially with PSIR optional) to understand not only defensive diplomacy but also India and the World –

  • A Life in Diplomacy by Maharajakrishna Rasgotra
  • Pax Indica: India and the World of the Twenty-first Century Kindle Edition by Shashi Tharoor
  • The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World by S. Jaishankar
  • Walking With Lions: Tales From A Diplomatic Past by K. Natwar Singh
  • Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger

Insta Links:

Diplomacy for Viksit Bharat

February 18, 2023 /18 Feb 2023, 18 Feb CA, Defensive diplomacy, GS 2, Today's Article, Today’s article

What are hallucinating chatbots?

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life

Source: TH

Context: Google warned of the pitfalls of artificial intelligence (AI) in chatbots, as it can sometimes lead to “hallucination”.

Background: These reports emerged as OpenAI (ChatGPT), Google (Bard), and Microsoft (Bing’s beta) were opening up their AI-enabled chatbots for test users.

What are hallucinating chatbots?

  • AI chatbots are trained to have human-like conversations using a process known as natural language processing (NLP).
    • With NLP, they can interpret human language as it is written, which enables them to operate more or less on their own.
  • Hallucination in AI chatbots is when a machine provides convincing but completely made-up answers (untrue facts). It is not a new phenomenon.
  • For example, after being live on Twitter for just 24 hours in 2016, Microsoft’s chatbot Tay started parroting racist and misogynistic slurs back at users.

Why do AI chatbots start hallucinating?

  • Because these models require the capability to rephrase, summarise and present intricate tracts of text without constraints.
  • Facts, not being sacred, can be treated in contextual form when sifting through the information, as these models are unable to distinguish between contextual information and facts.
  • For example, when asked, “What does Albert Einstein say about black holes?” AI models can return a quote made famous on the Internet rather than factual information.
  • The problem becomes acute when complex grammar source material is used.

The biggest challenge: Identification of hallucinated texts

Way forward:

  • A method to recognize hallucinated output and include filters in AI models to recognize and eliminate such texts is being researched.
  • Tabulate and collect hallucinated texts from AI models.

Related news: India’s AI penetration factor at 3.09, highest among all G20, OECD countries

Source: TH 

Context: According to a Nasscom report titled, “State of Data Science and AI Skills in India,” India ranked first in terms of AI skill penetration and AI talent concentration and 5th in AI scientific publications. 

Highlights of the report:

●       AI today has become the foundational technology for the world’s digital transformation.

●       AI-led disruption in India’s core sectors alone has a potential impact of $500 billion on India’s economy in GVA (gross value added) terms by 2026.

●       The current demand-supply gap in AI and Data Science (DS&AI) stands at 51%, significantly lower than major economies such as the US.

●       As of August 2022, India’s total demand for DS&AI stood at 629K with an installed talent base of 416K.

●       The country was expected to be requiring over 1 million professionals equipped with DS&AI skill sets by 2024. 

Related news: Aadhar Mitra 

Source: BL 

Context: Aadhaar issuing body UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) has launched a new AI/ML-based chatbot called Aadhaar Mitra. 

Purpose: It will let individuals check their Aadhaar enrolment status, track their Aadhaar PVC card status, and information on enrolment centres.

Insta Links:

ChatGPT and the AI challenge

Prelims Links: (UPSC 2020)

With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?

  1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
  2. Create meaningful short stories and songs
  3. Disease diagnosis
  4. Text-to-speech conversion
  5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    1. 1, 2, 3, and 5 only
    2. 1, 3, and 4 only
    3. 2, 4, and 5 only
    4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Ans: 2 (UPSC Official Ans Key)

February 18, 2023 /18 Feb 2023, 18 Feb CA, AI Chatbots, GS 3, Hallucinating Chatbots, Today's Article, Today’s article

Report alleges conflict of interest behind India’s fortified food programme

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Food Security; Technology Missions

Source: DTE

Context: The public food fortification programme under India’s food safety regulator (FSSAI) has come under scanner after a report alleged conflicts of interest behind it.

Background:

  • The mandates of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Food Fortification Resource Centre (FFRC) – an industry-led organisation under the FSSAI, are the opposite.
  • FSSAI – a statutory body, is supposed to be guided by principles of food safety, which include risk assessment, transparent public consultation, protection of consumer choice, etc.
  • FFRC, on the other hand, has a sponsored promotional role – co-implementing fortification programmes, providing funding and advisory services, etc.
  • The presence of FFRC within FSSAI deserves further investigation and intervention to avoid conflict of interest.

Food Fortification:

Meaning:

  • It is defined as the practice of adding vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods during processing to increase their nutritional value.
  • The Copenhagen Consensus ranked food fortification as one of the most cost-effective development priorities.
  • It has been identified as the strategy by the WHO and FAO for decreasing the incidence of nutrient deficiencies at the global level.

Scenario in India:

  • The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022 placed India at 107th position (out of 121 nations) and the undernourished population is one of the primary reasons for this poor performance of India.
  • The momentum of food fortification accelerated in 2016 when the FSSAI established standards for the fortification of rice, wheat flour, edible oil, double-fortified salt (DFS) and milk.
  • FFRC developed the ‘+F’ logo and helped build capacity for food producers.
  • The pilot – public food fortification programme, was launched in 2019 by the government (FSSAI) in partnership with external non-profits, who are also associated with the nutraceutical industry.
  • Fortified foods are now being included in public food schemes like PDS, ICDS, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and Mid-Day Meal Scheme/Poshan, helping to address the challenge of malnutrition.

Major issues with food fortification in India:

  • The one-sided portrayal of fortification as a ‘cure-all’ without any significant scientific perspective and evidence on fortification.
  • No independent risk analysis: FSSAI’s statutory regulations caution against consuming iron-fortified food by patients with thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.
  • Conflict of interest: The studies which FSSAI relies on to promote fortification are sponsored by food companies.
  • Evaluation studies are still not publicly available.

Way ahead:

  • Fortification should be pushed for in a transparent manner by the decision-making body (FFRC) and the regulatory body (FSSAI).
  • To treat undernutrition in India, all three – dietary diversity, higher protein consumption and fortification, are essential.

Insta Links:

Food fortification

Mains Links:

What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make the food grain distribution system more effective? (UPSC 2019)

February 18, 2023 /18 Feb 2023, 18 Feb CA, FFRC, Food fortification, FSSAI, GS 3, Today's Article, Today’s article

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

Integrated rice-fish farming

Source: DTE

Context:  The Apatanis (one of the major ethnic groups of the eastern Himalayas), practise integrated rice-fish farming (rice and fish are grown together)

  • These farmers have been practising integrated rice-fish farming in their mountain terraces of Arunachal Pradesh since the 1960s.
  • This integrated rice-fish cultivation is a low-input and eco-friendly practice
    • Azolla and Lemna are also grown in the field water as nitrogen fixers
  • Fish enhances rice productivity (by 10-15 per cent) by controlling the growth of algae, weeds and insects, providing nutrient input through fish excreta and promoting tillering of the rice through the movement of fish inside the field.
  • Further, the mineralization of organic matter, puddling of mud and soil aeration by other benthos enhances rice yield here.

Usage: It can be used to show traditional eco-friendly organic agriculture practices.

Related Information: 

  • Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh lives at Ziro, the headquarters of the lower Subansiri district
  • They speak a local language called Taniand worship the sun and the moon.
  • They follow a sustainable social forestry system.
  • The major festivals of Apatanis are the Myoko, Dree, Yapung and Murung.
  • Apatani Plateau has a climate ranging from humid subtropical to temperate
  • In 2021, the GI tag for the Arunachal Pradesh Apatani textile product was sought

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

‘Feathering’

Source: Indian Express

Context: A preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission of Nepal on the crash of a Yeti Airlines ATR 72-500 brought to light that the propellers of the plane were found in an unusual “feathered” position.

What is ‘feathering’?

In simple terms,

Sometimes an aeroplane’s engine stops working while it’s flying. In an aeroplane with a propeller, the pilot can change the angle of the propeller blades so they cut through the air more efficiently. This is called “feathering” the propellers.

Feathering helps the aeroplane glide farther and stay at a safe speed. When pilots have to make an emergency landing, they often use feathering to help them. If the propellers keep spinning even when the engine is off, it can be dangerous if the aeroplane is flying low, but it can actually help restart the engine if the aeroplane is flying high.

Special Category Status

Source: TOI

Context: Central government will not consider demands for “special category status” for any state.

  • States such as Odisha (vulnerability to natural disasters), Andhra Pradesh and Bihar (backwardness) have been pushing for “special category status” for some years now.
  • The 14th Finance commission has clearly said no special status can be given.

About Special Category Status (SCS):

It is a classification given by the Centre to assist the development of states that face geographical and socio-economic disadvantages (on the recommendations of the 5th Finance Commission in 1969 and is the Gadgil formula).

The parameters for SCS were:

  • Hilly Terrain
  • Low Population Density And/Or Sizeable Share of Tribal Population
  • Strategic Location along Borders with Neighboring Countries
  • Economic and Infrastructure Backwardness
  • Nonviable Nature of State finances

Currently, 11 states enjoy SCS. There is no provision for SCS in the Constitution. The 14th Finance Commission has done away with the ‘special category status’ for states, except for the northeastern and three hill states.

Benefits to States with SCS:

  • States with SCS, avail 90% of funds in centrally sponsored schemes, instead of the present arrangement of 60%
  • Unspent money does not lapse and is carried forward.
  • Significant concessionsare provided to these states in excise and customs duties, income tax and corporate tax.

Jal Jan Abhiyan

Source: Newsonair

Context: PM virtually inaugurates Jal Jan Abhiyan in Rajasthan

About the campaign:

  • It is jointly run by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, and the Brahma Kumaris organization.
  • The campaign is aimed at creating collective consciousness among people towards water conservation

Important quotes by PM on water:

  • Water scarcity is being seen as a future crisis all over the world
  • Water security is a huge question for India due to its large population.
  • In the Amrit Kaal, India is looking towards the water as the future. There will be a tomorrow if there is water

Other Campaign for water:

  • Namami Gange campaign
  • Catch the Rain campaign

About The Brahma Kumaris:

It is a spiritual, educational and Philanthropic movement that originated in Hyderabad, Sindh, during the 1930s. The Brahma Kumaris movement was founded by Lekhraj Kripalani. The organisation is known for the prominent role that women play in the movement.

REAIM 2023

Source: The Hindu

Context: World’s first global summit on Responsible AI in the Military kicks off in The Netherlands.

  • The REAIM 2023 brings together governments, corporations, academia, startups, and civil societies to raise awareness, discuss issues, and possibly, agree on common principles for deploying and using AI in armed conflicts.
  • Role of AI in military domain Training and simulation to provide battlefield experience to soldiers. Surveillance, specifically in difficult-to-reach border regions, provides situational awareness.

Ethical risks:

  • The distinction between civil and military assets and populations,
  • The principle of proportionality of force deployment is compromised.
  • Data biases

Unique non-cytotoxic nanocomposite coatings developed to prevent post-surgical infections

Source: PIB

Context: A newly developed nanocomposite coating can inhibit biofilm formation and also kill attached bacteria, thereby helping tackle growing post-operative infections, a common occurrence these days due to antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

  • Post-operative surgical site infections (SSIs), affect 11 per cent of patients in low and middle-income countries.
  • Conventionally antibacterial coatings containing biocides like nano silver, nano copper, triclosan, and chlorhexidine have been used to prevent bacterial infections.
  • Although, Triclosan and chlorhexidine exhibit antibacterial effects towards a broad spectrum of bacteria, they and other biocides are found to produce cytotoxicity.

Lead poisoning

Source: DTE

Context: Lead poisoning is a huge public health concern in India

About Lead Poisoning 

It is a type of poisoning that occurs when lead accumulates in the body, often over a period of months or years.

  • Children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning because their bodies are still developing.
  • 23 states exceed the permissible blood lead level of 5 µg/dL margin (WHO safe limit)

Symptoms: Fatigue, Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, anaemia, a dark line along the gums, and muscle paralysis or weakness of limbs. 

Implications:

  • High Blood Lead Levels: Half the children in India report high blood lead levels (UNICEF report)
  • Disability-Adjusted Life Years: Lead toxicity in India contributes to 4.6 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (number of years lost due to disease burden) and 165,000 deaths annually.
  • Adverse Health Impact: Once lead enters the bloodstream, it goes directly to the brain, particularly in children.

Steps taken:

  • Lead Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regulations protect workers from toxic metal exposure.
  • Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022

Lead, ingested or inhaled, is a health hazard. After the addition of lead to petrol has been banned, what still are the sources of lead poisoning? ( UPSC 2012)

  1. Smelting units
  2. Pens and pencils
  3. Paints
  4. Hair oils and cosmetics

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans: B

World Pangolin Day

Source: TH

Context:  On the eve of World Pangolin Day observed on February 18, TRAFFIC (a not-for-profit organisation working on the international trade of animals and plants), has reported that 1,203 pangolins have been found in illegal wildlife trade in India from 2018 to 2022.

About Pangolin

  • Pangolins are among the most trafficked wild mammals globally.
  • India is home to two species:
    • Indian Pangolin (EN), found across the subcontinent
    • Chinese Pangolin (CR), is found across a larger area in south Asia.
  • Both species are included under India’s Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (Jail term for those hunting animals listed here)
  • Appendix I of CITES (meaning they are most endangered)
  • Ecological Importance: They play a vital role in ecosystem management, mostly in aerating and adding moisture to the soil as well as the succession of plant communities through burrowing.

About TRAFFIC

TRAFFIC, the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (Est. 1976 by World Wide Fund for Nature) is a global non-governmental organisation monitoring the trade in wild animals and plants that focuses on biodiversity and sustainable development.

UAPA

Source: IE

Context: The Home Ministry has notified Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF) as terrorist organisations under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

  • It also notified alleged Khalistan operative Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda as a “terrorist” (Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)
  • There are now a total of 44 designated terrorist organizations under the First Schedule of the Act.

What is an Unlawful activity?

It refers to any action taken by an individual or association intended to disrupt the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India.

About UAPA

UAPA was passed in 1967. It aims at the effective prevention of unlawful activity associations in India.

  • For information about the provisions of the act: Click here

An organization called to be involved in terrorism if it:

  • Commits or participates in acts of terrorism, or
  • Prepares for terrorism, or
  • Promotes or encourages terrorism
  • is otherwise involved in terrorism.

Dharma Guardian

Source: TH

Context: The fourth edition of the India-Japan bilateral Army exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ began at Camp Imazu in Shiga province, Japan and will go on till March 2

  • 2022 marked 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
  • It is an annual training exercise

Other joint exercises between India and Japan: Shinyu Maitri (Air force)

  • JIMEX (Navy)
  • Sahayog-Kaijin (Coast guards)
  • Veer Guardian (Air force)