Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for October 29, 2024. If you missed the October 28, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here

FRONT PAGE

Rural uptick but urban areas new points of concern in GDP growth

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: Incipient signs of softening consumption demand, especially in urban areas, reflected in multiple high-frequency indicators and corroborated by the earnings guidance of consumer goods companies, have raised concerns about a weakening of the growth momentum in the Indian economy.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the concept of consumption in the economy?

• Why there are concerns about a weakening of the growth momentum in the Indian economy?

• What factors contribute to the recent uptick in rural demand?

• How has high food inflation impacted both rural and urban consumption?

• What are the key challenges faced by urban areas in the current economic landscape?

• How is the RBI addressing inflation, particularly in the food sector?

• In what ways do government initiatives affect rural demand and growth?

• What signs indicate a potential slowdown in urban economic growth?

• What are the expected long-term effects of current inflationary pressures on GDP growth?

Key Takeaways:

• Rural demand is seeing an uptick, high food inflation and a moderation in credit growth are possible headwinds that could slow down growth in the second quarter of 2024-25.

• The RBI has indicated that food inflation continues to be a worry and that it could be risky to talk about cutting rates at this point in time. “At this stage of the economic cycle, having come so far, we cannot risk another bout of inflation. The best approach now would be to remain flexible and wait for more evidence of inflation aligning durably with the target,” RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das wrote in the minutes of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held from October 7- 9.

• The other problem is on the external front, where protectionist measures in the US and sluggish demand in western Europe do not promise much for India’s already struggling exports.

Do You Know:

• According to the Finance Ministry’s economic review for September, rural demand continues to improve, as reflected in increasing fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) volume sales and a rise in three-wheeler and tractor sales. However, urban demand appears to moderate due to softening consumer sentiments, limited footfall due to above-normal rainfall, and seasonal periods during which people tend to refrain from new purchases, the Ministry said.

• Broader data sets clearly point to this: Corporate sector’s growth rates in revenue and profits have taken a beating if the initial trends from the financial results of listed companies for the quarter ended September 2024 are any indication, with the growth rate in net profit of 197 companies down to 6.1 per cent at Rs 83,007 crore in Q2 of 2024-25 as against 27.4 per cent (Rs 78,224 crore) in the same period of last year largely on account of a rise in expenses and input costs in the second quarter, according to data compiled by Bank of Baroda Research.

• Government spending is likely to pick up as that is overdue, but the continuing moderation in credit growth, particularly consumer credit growth means constraint in terms of discretionary activity could continue. That’s already reflective on the urban demand side.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????India’s growth outlook supported by robust domestic engines: RBI article

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

1. If the interest rate is decreased in an economy, it will (UPSC CSE, 2014)

a) decrease the consumption expenditure in the economy

b) increase the tax collection of the Government

c) increase the investment expenditure in the economy

d) increase the total savings in the economy

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

????Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments. (UPSC CSE, GS3,  2019)

Census next year, then delimitation: Plan for 2029 polls in new seats

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies I: population and associated issues

• General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: The government is set to conduct the much-delayed Census next year, and to complete the process by 2026, with suggestions being taken on whether caste enumeration would be part of the exercise, as per sources.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the main objectives for conducting the next census?

• How could the upcoming census affect political representation in various states?

• What is the significance of delimitation in relation to Lok Sabha elections?

• How might caste data collection impact future government policies?

• What are some potential challenges in implementing caste-based data in the census?

Do You Know:

• In 2002, the then NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee had delayed delimitation by 25 years via the 84th Amendment, saying this would be carried out only after “the relevant figures for the first Census taken after the year 2026 have been published”. This meant delimitation to be carried out after the 2031 Census. However, as per sources, the government now plans to begin the delimitation process by 2027 and finish it within a year, so that the next Lok Sabha elections (in 2029) can be done post-delimitation and after the implementation of women’s reservation Bill.

• To take care of the South’s delimitation concerns, the government is considering tweaking the population-areas formula. For caste count, progress is still to be made on a workable solution.

• Delimitation would have its own share of problems, with the South worried about the impact on its political share in a Parliament where a disproportionate number of seats will be from the North due to its heavily populated states.

• The amendments required for a delimitation process include changes to Article 81 (which defines the composition of the Lok Sabha), Article 170 (composition of Legislative Assemblies), Article 82, Article 55 (deals with the presidential election process for which value of each vote in the electoral college is decided on the population basis), Articles 330 and 332 (covering reservation of seats for the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies, respectively).

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????The next Census

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

2. With reference to the Delimitation Commission consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE, 2012)

1. The orders of the Delimitation Commission cannot be challenged in a Court of Law.

2. When the orders of the Delimitation Commission are laid before the Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly, they cannot effect any modification in the orders.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

3.Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE, 2009)

1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times.

2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

THE CITY

What has been done to curb vehicle pollution? NGT notice to police

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story:The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the Delhi Police Commissioner and Traffic Commissioner to file a response detailing the actions taken to control vehicular pollution. It also observed that a transparent process should be followed to invoke different stages of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Key Points to Ponder:

• What actions are taken specifically to control vehicular pollution during high AQI periods?

• What is the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)?

• What is stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan?

• Bharat Stage III and Bharat Stage IV-what you know about this?

• What are Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BSES)?

• Being landlocked makes Delhi’s air pollution worse-How far you agree with this?

• How is public transportation involved in efforts to reduce vehicular emissions?

• How does the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) address different levels of air pollution?

• What role does the National Green Tribunal (NGT) play in managing Delhi’s air quality issues?

• What measures are enforced under each stage of GRAP as the AQI worsens?

• How effective has GRAP been in improving Delhi’s air quality in the past?

Key Takeaways:

• The green body, which was hearing a Suo motu plea based on a report last year by The Indian Express, also pulled up the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for “lapses” in preventing the dip in the air quality. It observed that despite the bench’s emphasis earlier on taking effective steps, there was no improvement in air quality.

• The bench directed CAQM to “disclose the steps taken by it this year until September to ensure that the air quality does not dip in the coming months of winter”.

• The directives were issued on October 24 during a hearing by the Principal Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel.

• In response to a CAQM submission on the GRAP schedule, the Tribunal stated: “It is not disclosed as to what duration is treated to be sufficiently long duration. We feel that objective criteria need to be applied, and a transparent process needs to be adopted for invoking the different stages of GRAP.”

Do You Know:

• The BS — Bharat Stage — emission standards are norms instituted by the government to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion engine equipment, including motor vehicles. India has been following European (Euro) emission norms, although with a time lag of five years.

• India introduced emission norms first in 1991, and tightened them in 1996, when most vehicle manufacturers had to incorporate technology upgrades like catalytic converters to cut exhaust emissions.

• Fuel specifications based on environmental considerations were notified first in April 1996 — to be implemented by 2000, and incorporated in BIS 2000 standards. Following the landmark Supreme Court order of April 1999, the Centre notified Bharat Stage-I (BIS 2000) and Bharat Stage-II norms, broadly equivalent to Euro I and Euro II respectively. BS-II was for the National Capital Region and other metros; BS-I for the rest of India.

• From April 2005, in line with the Auto Fuel Policy of 2003, BS-III and BS-II fuel quality norms came into existence for 13 major cities, and for the rest of the country respectively. From April 2010, BS-IV and BS-III norms were put in place in 13 major cities and the rest of India respectively.

• As per the Policy roadmap, BS-V and BS-VI norms were to be implemented from April 1, 2022, and April 1, 2024, respectively. But in November 2015, the Road Transport Ministry issued a draft notification advancing the implementation of BS-V norms for new four-wheel vehicle models to April 1, 2019, and for existing models to April 1, 2020. The corresponding dates for BS-VI norms were brought forward to April 1, 2021, and April 1, 2022, respectively. Soon afterward, however, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkariannounced that the government had decided to leapfrog to BS-VI from April 1, 2020, skipping BS-V all together.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Delhi’s annual crisis

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

4. In the context of WHO Air Quality Guidelines, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2022)

1. The 24-hour mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 15 μg/mÑ and annual mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 μg/m3.

2. In a year, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during the periods of inclement weather.

3. PM10 can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the bloodstream.

4. Excessive ozone in the air can trigger asthma.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 3 and 4

(b) 1 and 4 only

(c) 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1 and 2 only

GOVT & POLITICS

Karnataka govt okays internal quota in SC communities, sets up commission

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies I: Social empowerment

• General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections

What’s the ongoing story: The Karnataka Government has agreed to implement internal reservation for Scheduled Caste (SC) communities, and formed a one-man commission to ‘compile data’ and take further steps.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is reservation under the Indian Constitution?

• What do you understand by affirmative action?

• What is your understanding of the “internal reservation for Scheduled Caste (SC) communities”?

• What is the purpose of the internal reservation system implemented by the Karnataka government?

• How does the internal reservation affect various Scheduled Caste (SC) communities?

• What role does the newly appointed commission play in evaluating SC reservations?

• What challenges can internal reservation policies face?

• How internal reservations expected to impact social and economic development?

• What are the expected social and economic outcomes of this policy?

Key Takeaways:

• The decision was announced after a Cabinet meeting held Monday. According to Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil, the commission will be headed by a retired high court judge and a report will be submitted in three months. Until the recommendations of the commission are out, Karnataka will not issue notifications for fresh recruitment in government jobs, the minister said.

Do You Know:

• The internal reservation is based on a Supreme Court judgment. Karnataka will study the terms of reference issued in Telangana for a similar commission to assess the various parameters required to provide internal reservation for SC communities. Earlier this year (prior to the SC order on internal quotas), the Congress government had argued that internal reservation was only possible if the Centre amended Article 341(3) of the Constitution.

• Previously, the Sadashiva Commission had recommended distributing the 15 per cent quota reserved for SCs with 6 per cent to SC left, 5 per cent to SC right, 3 per cent to Bhovi, Lambani, Koracha and Korama communities, and one per cent to other SC groups.

• Article 341 of the Constitution allows the President, through a public notification, to list as SC “castes, races or tribes” that suffered from the historical injustice of untouchability. SC groups are jointly accorded 15% reservation in education and public employment.

• Article 341(1) of the Constitution gives the President the power to “specify the castes, races or tribes” in a state, which shall “for the purposes of this Constitution be deemed to be Scheduled Castes in relation to that State or Union territory, as the case may be”. Following such a notification, Article 341(2) states that only Parliament can include or exclude “any caste, race or tribe” from the list of SCs.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Internal inequalities must stay at the heart of sub-quota conversation

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

????Whether National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine. (UPSC CSE, GS2, 2018)

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

POWER THAT HASN’T PEAKED

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: Somit Dasgupta Writes: Last month, the UK’s last coal-based generation plant at Ratcliffe-on-Soar (Nottinghamshire) was taken off the grid. The country’s first coal plant was set up more than 140 years ago and the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant had been in operation since 1967. The pace at which coal-based generation has been brought down in the UK is phenomenal.

Key Points to Ponder:

• India’s stand on coal phase-out-Know in detail

• From “phase-out” of coal to “phase-down” of Coal-what you understand by this?

• What are the primary reasons India cannot phase out coal as the UK has?

• How does coal contribute to India’s energy security?

• What are the economic implications of reducing coal dependency for India?

• How does the availability of renewable energy sources in India compare with coal?

• What role does coal play in India’s employment sector?

• What challenges does India face in scaling renewable energy?

• What steps can India take to gradually reduce its reliance on coal?

Key Takeaways:

• The UK government has been pursuing a policy of closing down coal mines since the 1990s for reasons other than climate change — mainly political. In 2015, the government decided to completely phase out all coal-based plants by 2025 — the deadline was later advanced to October 2024.

• To get rid of coal-based generation, the government relied on market drivers and regulatory interventions. Practically all governments in the UK have increased the cost of carbon dioxide emissions and the EU made emission norms more strict.

• The government also introduced mandatory use of carbon capture and storage for all new coal-based plants. These measures ensured that coal-based generation became increasingly more expensive and unprofitable. Developers decided to move out to other pastures.

• The UK imports a fair amount of electricity and imports have gone up considerably this year. In the second quarter of 2024, it imported 20 per cent of its electricity demand. The UK was not dependent on domestic coal-based generators and the country could easily fill the gap through imports.

• The UK has made some progress in the decarbonisation of the power sector though it hasn’t got rid of carbon footprints completely. It is highly dependent on gas which is half as dirty as coal.

Do You Know:

• The power demand in India is surging. In 2022, the requirement grew about 8% — or at nearly double the pace of the Asia Pacific region, around more than 149.7 terawatt-hours (TWh) in comparison to the previous year, according to a recent report by Reuters.

• The nuclear sector contributes less than 3 per cent to the electricity mix. Growth in renewable generation may look spectacular but its far less than what is required to meet the demand in 2030.

• The primary reason for this increase is higher economic activity. Industrial and commercial activity are among the biggest consumers of energy in the country. Homes account for a fourth of India’s power use and agriculture for more than a sixth in recent years, the report said.

• India will witness the largest energy demand growth of any country or region in the world over the next 30 years, according to the latest World Energy Outlook by the International Energy Agency (IEA). It also added that the country’s requirement for electricity for running household air conditioners is estimated to expand nine-fold by 2050 and will exceed total power consumption in the whole of Africa today.

• The staggering levels of power demand have become a formidable challenge for India. As a result, it has doubled down on its coal production. It spiked from 778 million tons in 2021-22 to 893 million tons in 2022-23, a 14% growth, according to the coal ministry. India has also set a target of 1.31 billion tonnes of coal production for 2024-25 and aims to increase it to 1.5 billion tons by 2030.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Coal phase-out in COP28 pledge, India refrains from endorsing it

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

????Environmental Impact Assessment studies are increasingly undertaken before a project is cleared by the Government. Discuss the environmental impacts of coal-fired thermal plants located at coal pitheads. (UPSC CSE, GS3, 2014)

THE IDEAS PAGE

Junk Model Code of Conduct

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

What’s the ongoing story: Yogendra Yadav writes: It is time to junk the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). It is time to recognise that it is not just harmless fiction; this is a weapon of distraction and disruption. And it is time to name and shame the Election Commission of India (ECI) for reducing this democratic innovation to a farce.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the Model Code of Conduct?

• When does the Model Code of Conduct come into effect?

• How Election Commission described MCC?

• What restrictions does the Model Code of Conduct impose?

• Is the Model Code of Conduct legally binding?

• What are the primary criticisms of the current Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in India?

• How does the MCC impact political campaigning during elections?

• What challenges arise from enforcing the MCC consistently across states?

• How does the MCC influence the relationship between political parties and the Election Commission?

• What alternatives to the MCC have been proposed by Yogendra Yadav?

Key Takeaways:

• Yogendra Yadav writes, “My own experience of observing elections tells me that every “winnable” candidate in an assembly election spends anything between Rs 10 to 50 crore (the official upper limit is Rs 40 lakh), besides the money spent by the party. Paid news is no longer a scandal, and you would be joking if you complained about the unfair advantage to the ruling party. Should you wish to go beyond anecdotal evidence, the report of the Independent Panel for Monitoring Indian Elections, 2024, is a useful summary statement of how the letter and spirit of the MCC is observed only in its breach.”

• The Representation of the People Act, 1951 lays down the dos and don’ts for parties and candidates. Section 123 specifies “corrupt practices” that attract punitive action. Besides, there are normal laws of the land that govern any public action, speech or gathering that apply during elections as well.

• In any case, there is the overriding mandate of Article 324 of the Constitution that gives the EC wide-ranging powers of “superintendence, direction and control” of elections. The Supreme Court has recognised that the ECI can do pretty much whatever is necessary to conduct “free and fair” elections.

Do You Know:

• The Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued to regulate political parties and candidates prior to elections. The rules range from issues related to speeches, polling day, polling booths, portfolios, content of election manifestos, processions and general conduct, so that free and fair elections are conducted.

• According to the Press Information Bureau, a version of the MCC was first introduced in the state assembly elections in Kerala in 1960. It was largely followed by all parties in the 1962 elections and continued to be followed in subsequent general elections.

• In October 1979, the EC added a section to regulate the ‘party in power’ and prevent it from gaining an unfair advantage at the time of elections.

• The MCC comes into force from the date the election schedule is announced until the date that results are out. The MCC contains eight provisions dealing with general conduct, meetings, processions, polling day, polling booths, observers, the party in power, and election manifestos.

• As soon as the code kicks in, the party in power — whether at the Centre or in the States — should ensure that it does not use its official position for campaigning. Hence, no policy, project or scheme can be announced that can influence the voting behaviour. The party must also avoid advertising at the cost of the public exchequer or using official mass media for publicity on achievements to improve chances of victory in the elections.

• The code also states that the ministers must not combine official visits with election work or use official machinery for the same.

• The issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer in the newspapers and other media is also considered an offence. The ruling government cannot make any ad-hoc appointments in Government, Public Undertakings etc. which may influence the voters.

• Political parties or candidates can be criticised based only on their work record and no caste and communal sentiments can be used to lure voters. Mosques, Churches, Temples or any other places of worship should not be used for election propaganda.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Model Code is only moral code, but carries weight

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

????Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in the light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct. (UPSC CSE, GS2, 2022)

EXPRESS NETWORK

New MIDH guidelines to support vertical farming, hydroponics among 4 components

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.

What’s the ongoing story:The Union Government has reportedly decided to include four new components – Hydroponics, Aquaponics, Vertical Farming, and Precision Agriculture – under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) – a Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS) that promotes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Know about Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

• What are the main objectives of the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)?

• How do the revised cost norms under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) support horticultural development?

• What specific sectors within horticulture benefit most from Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) funding?

• How do these guidelines aim to improve farmer income in horticulture?

• What role does technology play in Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) strategy for horticulture?

• How are small and marginal farmers supported under the new Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)?

Key Takeaways:

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has begun the process of revising the MIDH operational guidelines and cost norms and the same will be released within a month. The cost norms under the MIDH may see an upward revision of 20 per cent as compared to the existing rates.

• The cost norms and guidelines were last fixed in April 2014. Since then, the Centre has not revised MIDH guidelines. The Centre supports pre-production, production, post-harvest management, processing, and marketing activities under the MIDH.

Do You Know:

• The horticulture sector in India has seen a big jump in production in recent years. India’s total horticulture production increased to 334.60 million metric tonnes in 2020-21 from 240.53 million metric tonnes in 2010-11. In fact, the horticulture production is higher than the production of food grains in the country. India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world. The annual allocation of the MIDH is Rs 2,000 crore for the current financial year (2024-25).

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Govt approves Rs 1,766-crore ‘Clean Plant Programme’ to boost horticulture sector

EXPRESS NETWORK

Greenhouse gas levels surge to a new record in 2023: WMO

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination:General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: Planet-warming greenhouse gas (GHG) levels surged to a new record in 2023, with annual mean levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), the most important GHG in the atmosphere, rising by 2.3 parts per million (PPM) between 2022 and 2023, the World Meteorological Organization said Monday. This was the 12th consecutive year when the annual mean CO2 rose by over 2 PPM.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What factors contribute to the recent surge in global greenhouse gas levels?

• How does the WMO measure and monitor greenhouse gas levels globally?

• What are the main greenhouse gases identified in the report, and how do they impact climate change?

• How have current greenhouse gas levels compared with past records?

• What are the implications of increased greenhouse gas levels for global warming targets?

• How does the WMO recommend countries address rising emissions?

• What impact does the surge in greenhouse gases have on ecosystems and public health?

Key Takeaways:

• The globally averaged surface concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide GHG reached new highs in 2023, with CO2 at 420 ppm.

• According to the WMO, the last time the earth had a similar CO2 concentration was 3-5 million years ago, when temperatures were 2-3°C higher and sea levels were 10-20 metres higher than they are now.

• The increase in CO2 between 2022 and 2023, WMO said, was slightly higher than the 2021-2022 period but slightly lower than the average annual growth rate over the last decade, and was partly caused by natural variability.

• CO2 emissions caused by large vegetation fires and a possible reduction in carbon absorption by forests combined with stubbornly high fossil fuel CO2 emissions from human and industrial activities drove the CO2 increase in 2023, according to WMO’s annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.

• The El Nino weather phenomenon, which leads to warmer weather and reduced rainfall, especially in South Asia, caused record high temperatures, drier vegetation and wildfires, thus releasing more GHGs into the earth.

Do You Know:

• From 1990 to 2023, radiative forcing—the warming effect on our climate—by long-lived greenhouse gases increased by 51.5 per cent, with CO2 accounting for about 81 per cent of this increase, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Annual Greenhouse Gas Index cited in the WMO Bulletin.

• The WMO said that given the extremely long life of CO2 in the atmosphere, even if emissions reduce rapidly due to net zero targets, the observed temperature levels will persist for several decades.

• It also pointed out that climate feedback concerns were not limited to CO2 alone. Methane present in the earth’s atmosphere saw the largest three-year increase between 2020 and 2022. Observations and model simulations pointed to a rise in methane emissions from natural wetlands in response to warmer temperatures and particularly wetter land conditions during the 2020-2022 La Nina conditions.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????National plans to tackle climate change short of target: UN report

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

5. What is the ‘Greenhouse Gas Protocol’? (UPSC CSE, 2016)

a) It is an international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify and manage greenhouse gas emissions.

b) It is an initiative of the United Nations to offer financial incentives to developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adopt eco-friendly technologies.

c) It is an intergovernmental agreement ratified by all the member countries of the United Nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to specified levels by the year 2022.

d) It is one of the multilateral REDD+ initiatives hosted by the World Bank.

EXPLAINED

Why SC said Aadhaar cannot be used as proof of date of birth

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story:The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 24) held that Aadhaar cards cannot be used as proof of age, given that other official documents such as the School Leaving Certificate serve the purpose.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Why did the Supreme Court determine that Aadhaar is not sufficient for verifying date of birth?

• What are the legal implications of Aadhaar not being accepted as proof of date of birth?

• What alternative documents are accepted for date of birth verification in India?

• How does this ruling affect individuals relying solely on Aadhaar for identity verification?

• How Aadhaar’s mandate has expanded over the years

Key Takeaways:

• In its judgement, the SC referred to Section 94 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 which states that the “matriculation or equivalent certificate from the concerned examination Board” can be used as evidence to determine the age of a person brought before a Board or Committee under the Act. It supplemented this with High Court judgements mandating the use of the School Leaving Certificate to determine a person’s age instead of the Aadhaar card.

• The Supreme Court in a 13-page ruling pulled up the High Court for overreach, saying it should have limited its decision to determining if the tribunal order was “afflicted by perversity, illegality or any other such vice which may compromise it beyond redemption”.

• It also relied on the 2018 SC Constitutional Bench ruling where Justice Dr. A K Sikri described Aadhaar as “proof of identity”, as well as a UIDAI circular reiterating that Aadhaar is “not a proof of date of birth”.

Do You Know:

• A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Ujjal Bhuyan was tasked with determining the compensation to be given to the family of a man named Sika Ram who died following a motorcycle accident. In April 2015, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Rohtak, Haryana, directed the insurance company to pay compensation of Rs 19,35,400.

• Compensation in cases of death under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MVA), is determined by certain factors including the income and age of the deceased, as well as the number of dependants. The age is used to determine the multiplier, a numerical value that reflects future financial contributions from the deceased to the dependants, based on what would have been their potential earning capacity and life expectancy.

• On appeal, the Punjab & Haryana High Court reduced the compensation to Rs. 9,22,336 noting that the deceased was 47 years old according to his Aadhaar card when he died, meaning a multiplier of 13 under the MVA. The victim’s family appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that he was actually 45 at the time of the accident according to his School Leaving Certificate, and the multiplier should be 14 instead.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Aadhaar seeding with voter ID: EC wants law amended to clarify it’s voluntary

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

????Two parallel run schemes of the Government, viz the Adhaar Card and NPR, one as voluntary and the other as compulsory, have led to debates at national levels and also litigations. On merits, discuss whether or not both schemes need run concurrently. Analyse the potential of the schemes to achieve developmental benefits and equitable growth. (UPSC CSE, GS2, 2014)

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