Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 08-01-2025

10th Anniversary of UJALA and SLNP: Celebrates a decade of transformative impact on energy efficiency in India, launched on January 5th, 2015.

UJALA Scheme:

• Promotes LED adoption, replacing inefficient lighting (ICLs and CFLs).
• Implemented by EESL under the Ministry of Power.
• Aims to save electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by replacing traditional bulbs and street lights with LEDs.
• LEDs save significantly more energy (up to 90% vs ICLs) and last longer, but upfront costs were a barrier.
• Subsidized LED bulb cost (Rs 70) made them affordable.
• Distributed via bulk buying to reduce prices.
• Significant achievements: Energy savings, cost savings, CO2 reduction, peak demand avoidance.

SLNP:

• Replaces conventional streetlights with LEDs.
• Aims to reduce energy consumption and lower operational costs for municipalities.
• Implemented by EESL in collaboration with ULBs, Municipal Bodies, Gram Panchayats and State Governments.
• EESL covers initial costs, recovers investment through payments from municipalities, ensures 95% uptime for streetlights.

ICLs vs CFLs vs LEDs: LEDs are more energy-efficient, have lower power consumption, and have low environmental impact compared to ICLs and CFLs.

78th Foundation Day: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) observed its 78th Foundation Day on January 6, 2025. Why: Marks a significant milestone in the organization’s history and its continued role in standardization.

BIS Establishment: Originally established as the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) on January 6, 1947, and later established under the BIS Act, 2016. Why: Highlights the evolution and legal framework governing the national standards body.

Ministry: Functions under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. Why: Indicates the government’s oversight and the areas BIS impacts.

Key Functions: Operates Product Certification (ISI mark), Hallmarking of Gold and Silver Jewellery, and the ECO Mark Scheme. Why: Demonstrates BIS’s role in ensuring quality and environmental standards.

Standards National Action Plan (SNAP) 2022-27: Aims to address emerging technologies, sustainability, and climate change. Why: Showcases BIS’s proactive approach to adapting to evolving global challenges.

Harmonization with International Standards: 94% of Indian standards are harmonized with ISO and IEC standards. Why: Emphasizes alignment with global benchmarks and facilitates international trade.

Hallmarking Achievement: Over 44.28 crore gold jewellery pieces have been hallmarked. Why: Illustrates the scale of BIS’s impact on quality assurance in the jewellery sector.

Twigstats: Advanced Ancestry Analysis: A new tool enhancing statistical power and accuracy in ancestry analysis.

Time-Stratified Approach: Allows researchers to focus on specific historical periods for more detailed analysis.

High-Resolution Individual Ancestry: Determines individual-level ancestry with greater precision than previous methods.

Combines C++ and R: Utilizes both C++ for performance and R for statistical computing.

Addresses Limitations of SNPs: Overcomes challenges related to DNA quality and resolving histories of closely related groups, unlike SNP-based analysis.

Haplotype-Sharing Focus: Leverages haplotype information, providing time-resolved insights into genetic ancestry.

Genealogical Tree Application: Applicable to both modern and ancient genomes for understanding population structure and ancestral origins.

DNA Basics: DNA carries genetic information, forming a double helix structure within cells. Primarily located in the nucleus, with a smaller amount in mitochondria.

Location: Yavatmal district, Maharashtra. Why: Defines the geographical area of the sanctuary.

“Green Oasis”: Known as the “Green Oasis” of Southern Maharashtra due to abundant water from rivers like Purna, Krishna, Bhima, and Tapti. Why: Highlights the area’s unique characteristic of water availability compared to its surroundings.

Basalt Area: Formed from lava flows. Why: Describes the geological composition of the sanctuary.

Varied Vegetation: Hilly, undulated terrain supporting diverse vegetation types. Why: Explains the influence of the landscape on plant life.

Flora: Rich in herbs, grasses, and bamboo forests. Why: Details the plant species found in the area.

Fauna: Diverse wildlife including Hyena, Chital, Black buck, Sambar, Jackal, Wild boar, Peacock, Monkey, Blue bull, Wild cat, Bear, and more. Why: Showcases the animal biodiversity present in the sanctuary.

India’s First Organic Fisheries Cluster: Launched in Soreng District, Sikkim, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

Purpose: To produce antibiotic, chemical, and pesticide-free organic fish for eco-conscious global markets. This promotes sustainable aquaculture and protects aquatic ecosystems.

Funding and Support: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will fund infrastructure, build capacities, and form Fisheries-based Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs).

Sikkim’s Organic Status: Sikkim is already India’s first fully organic state, enhancing the initiative’s viability.

PMMSY’s Role: This scheme aims to

HCES 2023-24 Released: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) provides insights into India’s consumption patterns and economic well-being.

Rising Consumption:

• Rural MPCE rose to Rs 4,122 (up 9.3%).
• Urban MPCE rose to Rs 6,996 (up 8.3%).
• Rural-urban consumption gap narrowed, indicating faster rural consumption growth.

Regional Disparities:

• Sikkim has highest MPCE, Chhattisgarh lowest.
• Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Kerala have higher-than-average consumption.
• West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh have lower spending.

Consumption Inequality: Gini coefficient decreased in both rural and urban areas, showing reduced inequality.

Food Expenditure: Increased in both rural and urban areas, reversing previous declines with highest spending on beverages, refreshments and processed food.

Non-Food Expenditure: Remains high (52.96% rural, 60.32% urban), with conveyance, medical expenses, and clothing being key.

Fractile Consumption Patterns: Top 5% consumption decreased, while bottom 5% saw significant increases.

Policy Implications:

• Rural Development: Supports schemes like PM-KISAN and MGNREGA, needs improved rural infrastructure.
• Sectoral Shifts: Focus on skilling for a service-driven economy.
• Urban Planning: Address affordable housing and public transport.
• Regional Disparities: Targeted interventions in states like Bihar.
• Consumer Protection: Regulate processed food industries.

Definition: Sonobuoys are expendable, electro-mechanical acoustic sensors deployed to detect sounds from ships and submarines.

Function: They aid in the detection, classification, and tracking of underwater vessels.

Deployment: Typically dropped from naval helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft in a strategic pattern.

Mechanism: Upon water impact, sensors descend to a set depth while a surface unit with a radio transmitter sends acoustic information back to the tracking vessel/aircraft.

Active vs. Passive: Active sonobuoys emit sound and analyze echoes, while passive ones listen for existing sounds.

Triangulation: A pattern of sonobuoys can pinpoint a submarine’s exact location.

Components: Include a buoyant housing, acoustic sensors, a power source, and a radio transmitter.

Beyond ASW: Used in scientific research, environmental studies (e.g., whale behavior), and collecting environmental data (water temperature, noise levels).

Acoustics Importance: Sonobuoys rely on acoustics, the science of sound, which has many applications beyond music and architecture like Noise control, SONAR, Medical Ultrasounds.

Supreme Court’s Call: SC emphasized the need for periodic legislative reviews to assess the effectiveness of laws, suggesting reviews every 20-50 years.

Why Periodic Reviews are Needed:

• Identifying Deficiencies: Laws can become outdated, necessitating updates or repeal.
• Ensuring Relevance: Laws should align with societal needs and address issues arising from hasty or politically motivated legislation.
• Addressing Unintended Consequences: Reviews can identify laws hindering justice or creating inefficiencies.
• Improving Accountability: Ensuring laws remain aligned with original objectives and democratic principles.
• Global Standards: Aligning laws with international best practices and human rights norms.

Challenges in Reviewing Laws:

• Lack of Political Will: Reviews can be influenced by political agendas.
• Judicial Overreach: Concerns about judiciary overstepping boundaries.
• Legal Complexity: Amendments can have unintended consequences due to interdependence of laws.
• Limited Public Participation: Low public understanding limits the impact of reviews.

Way Forward:

• Strengthening Law Commission of India: Enhancing independence and resources for better legal reforms.
• Leveraging Technology: Using platforms like MyGov and AI for public consultation and evaluating effectiveness.
• Resource Allocation: Allocating dedicated budgets for legal reforms.
• Engaging with International Best Practices: Aligning laws with international standards, as seen with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Tranquilising Necessity: Vital for conservation efforts, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and ensuring animal and human safety. Recent example: Tigress Zeenat relocated from West Bengal to Odisha using tranquilisation.

Definition: Wildlife tranquillisation involves using sedative drugs to safely capture, handle, or relocate wild animals for conservation, research, or rescue.

Regulation: Governed by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and overseen by State Forest Departments under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, with support from trained veterinarians and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Tools and Methods: Primarily utilises dart guns propelled by compressed CO2 to deliver sedative-filled syringes remotely. Darts have hypodermic needles and stabilising features.

Drugs Used:

• Opioids (e.g., M99/etorphine, sometimes morphine): Used for large mammals.
• Alpha-Adrenergic Tranquilizers (e.g., Xylazine & Ketamine): Commonly combined for animals like deer and tigers, allowing controlled sedation and reversibility.

Reversal Agents: Antidotes like Naloxone are used to reverse the effects of tranquillisation.

Applications:

• Conservation/Relocation: Safely move animals from conflict areas to protected zones.
• Research/Monitoring: Capture animals for health checks, tagging, and migration studies.
• Rescue Operations: Aid injured or stranded animals for veterinary care and rehabilitation.

Why in News: Tamil Nadu CM announced a USD 1 million prize to decipher the Indus Valley script, reigniting the century-old mystery.

Indus Valley Script: Used by the Indus Valley Civilization (2600–1900 BCE) in present-day Pakistan and northwest India. Undeciphered despite numerous attempts.

Script Characteristics: Pictograms and motifs on seals, tablets, and metal. Generally written right to left. Inscriptions are short, averaging 5 characters. Likely a logosyllabic system, possibly using a rebus principle. Purpose may include trade, tax, or religious notations.

Language Theories: Dravidian hypothesis links it to Old Tamil. Early theories connected it to Sanskrit, but this is contested. Some argue it’s not a language but a symbolic system.

Challenges to Decipherment: Lack of bilingual texts (like the Rosetta Stone). Short, fragmentary texts. Unknown language with no known descendants. Variations in symbol interpretations. Limited archaeological evidence and unexplored sites. Technological constraints limit AI’s effectiveness.

Significance of Decipherment: Unlocking the Harappan language and its linguistic roots. Understanding Harappan culture, religious beliefs, societal norms, and sociopolitical structures. Tracing India’s cultural and linguistic evolution. Contributing to the understanding of ancient writing systems and cross-cultural exchanges. Revealing ties to Vedic practices and links to Dravidian or Indo-European languages.

UJALA Scheme Overview: Launched in May 2015 as the LED-based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP), it aims to promote energy efficiency by replacing traditional bulbs with LEDs.

World’s Largest: It is the world’s largest zero-subsidy LED distribution program.

Implementation: Implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under the Ministry of Power.

Key Goals: To save 85 lakh kWh of electricity and 15,000 tonnes of CO2 by replacing traditional lighting with LEDs. This includes 77 crore traditional bulbs/CFLs and 3.5 crore streetlights.

Eligibility: Open to all domestic households with a metered electricity connection.

Payment Options: Consumers can purchase LEDs through EMI or upfront payment.

Inclusive Growth: EESL involves Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in LED distribution.

Significant Savings: The scheme achieves annual energy savings of 47,883 million kWh, reduces peak demand by 9,586 MW, and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 3.87 crore tonnes annually.

Cost Reduction: UJALA has significantly reduced LED bulb prices from INR 300-350 to INR 70-80 through e-procurement and bulk purchasing.

LED Basics: An LED is a semiconductor device that emits light when electricity passes through it. It’s a solid-state lighting technology, different from incandescent or fluorescent lamps.

Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) Defined: NUE is the ratio of crop yield to nitrogen absorbed by the plant (from soil or atmosphere). It’s crucial for efficient agriculture.

Traditional Methods’ Drawbacks: Traditional methods rely heavily on inorganic nitrogen fertilizers, which increase costs for farmers and contribute to nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and greenhouse gases.

Novel Approach: Systemic Regulation of NO: A new study focuses on improving NUE by regulating Nitrogen Oxide (NO) levels in plants. This influences high-affinity nitrate transporters (HATs) activity, which are key for nitrogen uptake.

Significance of Nitric Oxide (NO): NO is important to the physiology of plants. It activates high-affinity nitrate transporters, which are crucial for nitrogen uptake, especially when nitrogen is scarce.

Sustainable Solution: This NO-focused method offers a more sustainable alternative to traditional fertilization, potentially increasing crop yields while minimizing nitrogen fertilizer use and environmental impact.

Food Security Implications: Research offers a promising pathway for more efficient agricultural practices, important for addressing global food security challenges.

Liquid Nitrogen (Additional Info): Liquid nitrogen is an inert, cryogenic liquid that is very cold.

Ancient Ethnic Group: The Toda are one of the oldest ethnic groups residing in the Upper Nilgiri plateau, Tamil Nadu. This is significant as it highlights their long history and unique cultural heritage.

Clan Structure: They are divided into five clans: Paiki, Pekkan, Kuttan, Kenna, and Todi. This demonstrates a structured social organization within the tribe.

Unique Language: The Todas have their own unwritten language. This underscores their distinct cultural identity and the importance of preserving their linguistic heritage.

Traditional Hamlets: They live in closed communities called “munds.” This showcases their communal lifestyle and close-knit social structure.

Patrilineal Society: The Toda society follows a patrilineal descent system and is further divided into endogamous groups (Tharthazoll and Theveioll). This signifies the importance of lineage and kinship in their social organization.

Traditional Governance: They have a traditional government called ‘Noim’, headed by a headman (Monegar) who dispenses justice. This reflects their self-governance and traditional legal system.

Buffalo Herding & Embroidery: Their livelihood depends on buffalo herding and distinctive red-and-black embroidery (with a GI tag). This highlights their unique economic activities and artistic skills.

‘Modhweth’ Festival: They celebrate the ‘Modhweth’ (buffalo) festival annually. This festival is important for its socio-cultural significance.

e-Shram Portal Enhanced with Multilingual Support: The e-Shram portal, a Government of India initiative for unorganized workers, has been upgraded with 22 languages via the MEITY’s Bhashini project. Previously, it was available only in English, Hindi, Kannada, and Marathi.

Objective: To establish a centralized database of unorganized workers for effective policy implementation and improve access to social security schemes.

Key Features: Universal Account Number (UAN) for registered workers, simplified registration process, multilingual support, grievance redressal mechanism, integration with employment and skill opportunities, and capturing family details for migrant workers.

Data Sharing with BOCW Welfare Boards: e-Shram data of construction workers is shared with respective BOCW Welfare Boards for registration and access to relevant schemes.

Data Sharing Portal (DSP): A Data Sharing Portal facilitates secure sharing of e-Shram beneficiary data with State and UT governments for targeted social security and welfare scheme implementation.

Bhashini Platform: India’s AI-led language translation platform, enabling easier access to the internet and digital services in Indian languages, including voice-based access, and facilitating content creation in Indian languages.

Biggest Functioning Hindu Temple: Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, is the largest operating Hindu temple in India, spanning 156 acres. This makes it a significant cultural and religious landmark.

Dedicated to Lord Ranganatha: The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his reclining form as Ranganatha. This highlights the temple’s importance as a Vaishnavite center.

Self-Manifested Shrine: It is one of the eight self-manifested shrines (Swayam Vyakta Kshetras) of Lord Vishnu. This adds to its religious sanctity and importance.

Location on an Islet: Situated on an islet formed by the Cauvery and Coleroon rivers.

Rich History: While the temple’s existence dates back to the 2nd century BC, archaeological inscriptions are available from the 10th century CE onwards. It underwent changes under various dynasties like the Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagar kings, and Nayaks of Madurai.

Dravidian Architecture: The temple complex is a prime example of Dravidian architecture, featuring massive walls, 21 gopuras, 50 sub-shrines, 9 sacred pools, and a golden Vimana.

Rajagopura: Home to the 236-feet Rajagopura, the tallest temple tower in India.

Hall of 1000 Pillars: It features a hall with 1000 pillars showcasing intricate sculptures from the Vijayanagara period (1336-1565).

Dravidian Architecture Style: Dravidian architecture is a temple architecture style from South India, that involves Pallava, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagar, and Nayakas periods and primarily found in the Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala regions.