Connect to Current -Daily Current Capsules 06th February 2019

Environment Conservation Emission levels rising faster in Indian cities than in China

Relevance IN – Prelims(facts regarding the study )+Mains GS III -environment

conservation

What’s the report

A study that analysed the link between population density and emissions

from transport, across India's districts.

Urbanisation is accelerating greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles in

India at a faster than in China.

On an average, an Indian emitted about 20 kg per capita while

commuting for work, with the highest (140 kg CO2) in Gurugram district

(Haryana) and the lowest (1.8 kg CO2) in Shrawasti district (Uttar

Pradesh)

Role of urbanisation in reducing emission

The experience in most developed countries was that urbanisation led to

a reduction in emissions — more urbanisation meant shorter distances

between the workplace and home and thereby, a preference for public

transport. However this didn’t effectively apply to developing countries

In China a 1% increase in urbanisation was linked with a 0.12% increase

in CO2 emissions whereas, in India, it translated into 0.24% increase in

emissions

Know! the finding of the study with context to India

India’s CO2 emission grew by an estimated 4.6% in 2017 and its per-

capita emission was about 1.8 tonnes.

In spite of being the 4th largest emitter, India's per capita emissions are

much lower than the world average of 4.2 tonnes.

India's transport patterns are very climate friendly, and much better

than those of Europe and the United States.

The mean commuting distance (among commuters) is 5.9 km, with

the lowest 1.3 km in Longleng district (Nagaland) and the highest 14

km in Dharmapuri district (Tamil Nadu).

Delhi had the highest commuting emissions per capita — a factor that

also contributed to its high level of pollution — and the national capital

region had 2.5 times higher commuting emissions than Mumbai, Kolkata,

Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.

Delhi’s higher socio-economic status and heavy reliance on private travel

modes led to higher commuting emissions than in other megacities,

What’s the way forward

There were several instances of districts with similar population density

but varying per capita emissions, a “simple-minded densification” was

an inappropriate policy for reducing commuters’ GHG emissions and

India would do well to focus on electric vehicles and efficient public

transit system.This to however ought to be tailored to a region’s

geographical context

AYUSH Conservation and Promotion of Medicinal Plants

Relevance IN – Prelims

Know! some important facts

As per information of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), an

organization under Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate

Change estimated more than 8,000 species of medicinal plants are

found in India.

The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH

is presently implementing following schemes to encourage farming /

cultivation, conservation, processing and promotion of medicinal

plants throughout the country:

Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission

(NAM). Under ‘Medicinal Plants’ component of the NAM scheme the

large scale farming / cultivation of medicinal plants is being supported.

Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable

Management of Medicinal Plants

Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plants Produce

(VCSMPP). The scheme is aimed to encourage Good Agricultural

Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs) in

medicinal plants and enhance quality and safety of their produce.

Disaster Management Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise

EXERCISE RAHAT

Relevance IN – Prelims (about operation RAHAT) +Mains (GS III disaster

management)

What’s the NEWS

Jaipur based Sapta Shakti Command will be conducting Joint

Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise EXERCISE

RAHAT on behalf of Indian Army over a period of two days on 11th and

12th February 2019.

Know! more about the joint exercise

The Joint exercise in coordination with NDMA is being conducted to

synergise efforts for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief

operations.

Representatives from Armed Forces, National Disaster Management

Response Mechanism (NDMRM), SDMA Rajasthan and DLMAs will be

participating in the exercise.

The exercise will be conducted simultaneously in three places, beginning

at Jaipur in the form of a table top exercise and at Kota and Alwar

wherein on-ground capability and coordination amongst various stake

holders will be demonstrated.

Social Justice Sentinelese Tribe

Relevance IN – Prelims( about the tribes) + Mains (GS II welfare schemes for

the vulnerable section)

Know! about the various provisions made by the government

The Government has promulgated various laws/regulations from time to

time to ensure that the rights and well being of the Sentinelese are

safeguarded.

These are being strictly implemented and enforced by the UT

Administration.

These Laws/Regulation include

i) A &N Islands (PAT) Regulation 1956,

ii) Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities)

Act, 1989,

iii) Restrictions under Foreigner (Restricted Area) Orders, 1963,

iv) Visa Manual Conditions/Passport Act 1920, and

v) Indian Forest Act, 1927 and Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Besides, some major steps taken to ensure the protection of Sentinelese are:

The entire North Sentinel Island along with 5 km coastal sea from high

water mark is notified as tribal reserve

The Sentinelese are still in isolation practicing primordial hunting and

gathering way of life. The Government respects their way of life style,

therefore, has adopted an ‘eyes-on and hands-off’ practice to protect

and safeguard the Sentinelese tribe

A protocol of circumnavigation of the North Sentinel Island has been

notified. The ships and aircrafts of Coast Guard and boats of Marine

Police make sorties around North Sentinel to keep surveillance.

Apart from the land territory the coastal sea up to fixed extent of 1 Km

to 5 Km abutting the tribal territory has also been notified as tribal

reserve so that marine resources like fish, turtle etc are available

exclusively for the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Know! more about the tribes

There are 6 aboriginal tribes in Andaman & Nicobar islands.

On the basis of features, they can be divided into Negrito and Mongoloid.

Great Andamanes Onge, Jarawa and Sentinelese are negrito while

Nicobarese and Shompen are mongoloid.

Shompens and Nicobarese seem to be descendents of primitive Malay

These tribes still keep a separate entity and don;t cover their bodies. The

tribal groups in the two respective regions have very little in common in n

the ethnic, linguistic or cultural sense. Their life styles are also very

different.

Factoids Safe City Project

Relevance IN – Prelims

Know! about the project

Empowered Committee of Officers for Nirbhaya funds scheme has

approved pilot Safe City projects in eight selected metropolitan cities,

namely, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad,

Ahmedabad and Lucknow with a view to provide safety to women in

public places

The cost of the projects is shared between the Central Government and

the concerned States in 60:40 ratio. The Safe City Project in Delhi is fully

funded by the Central Government.

Economic Developments

NFDC declared winner under Miniratna Category by Ministry of

MSME

Relevance IN – Prelims( about NFDC) + Mains (GS III economic development

+ GS II welfare schemes for the vulnerable section)

What’s the NEWS

National Film Development Corporation of India has been selected as

Winner under the Miniratna Category (Category II) by Ministry of Micro,

Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

This has been done as part of endeavour by Ministry of MSME to

felicitate select CPSEs to recognize their exemplary work towards

promotion of SC/ST entrepreneurs.

The performance parameters for the same were procurement from SC/ST

entrepreneurs, number of vendor development programmes for SC/ST

and number of SC/ST entrepreneurs benefitted as per data uploaded on

Sambandh Portal.

Know! about NFDC

National Film Development Corporation Ltd. (NFDC), incorporated in

the year 1975, was formed by the Government of India with the primary

objective of planning and promoting an organized, efficient, and

integrated development of the Indian film industry.

NFDC has so far funded / produced over 300 films. These films, in

various Indian languages, have been widely acclaimed and have won

many national and international awards.

Ministry of I&B has taken the lead with a long-term objective of

positioning and promoting India as a preferred destination for filmmakers

across the world, by setting up the Film Facilitation Office (FFO), which

is housed under the aegis of NFDC.

National affairs 53rd Edition of “Know India Programme”

Relevance IN – Prelims( about KIP) + Mains (GS II Indian diaspora)

What’s the NEWS

The 53rd edition of Know India Programme for Young Indian Diaspora

involves 40 participants (24 female and 16 males) from Fiji, Guyana,

Mauritius, Portugal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname and Trinidad &

Tobago.

The partner states of this edition are Maharashtra and Daman & Diu.

Know! about the programme

The Know India Programme is organised by the Ministry of External

Affairs, Government of India with the objective of familiarizing the India

Diaspora Youth, in the age group of 18-30 years, with developments and

achievements made by the country and bringing them closer to the land of

their ancestors.

The programme provides a unique forum for students and young

professionals of India origin to visit India, share their views, expectations

and experiences and to bond closely with the contemporary India.

KIP helps them understand the Indian traditions, heritage and their family

connections.

Social Justice & Empowerment Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

Relevance IN – Prelims( about the yojana) + Mains (GS II welfare scheme by

the government + government intervention and policies)

Know! all about the yojana

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has introduced a

scheme for providing physical aids and Assisted Living Devices for

Senior Citizens belonging to BPL category named “Rashtriya Vayoshri

Yojana (RVY)” on 1st April, 2017 with the objective of providing

Senior Citizens, belonging to BPL category and suffering from age

related disabilities/ infirmities, with such physical aids and assisted

living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions.

Under the Scheme, assisted living devices such as Walking Sticks, Elbow

Crutches, Walkers/ Crutches, Tripods/ Quadpods, Hearing Aids,

Wheelchairs, Artificial Dentures and Spectacles are provided free of cost

to the beneficiary senior citizens.

The Scheme is being implemented through the “Artificial Limbs

Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO)”, a Public Sector Undertaking

under the Ministry of SJ&E, as the sole Implementing Agency.

The devices are distributed in the camp mode. The beneficiaries are

identified through Assessment Camps organised in collaboration with the

respective State Government/District Administration and the devices are

distributed in Distribution Camps organised in the selected districts.

For the senior citizens aged 80 years or more, the devices are provided at

their doorsteps.

Prelims Practise Question

Consider the following statements

There are 6 aboriginal tribes in Andaman & Nicobar islands divided into

Negrito and Mongoloid in which Great Andamanes Onge, Jarawa and

Sentinelese are negrito while Nicobarese and Shompen are mongoloid.

The Know India Programme is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs,

Government of India with the objective of familiarizing the India Diaspora

Youth, in the age group of 18-30 years

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has introduced a scheme for

providing physical aids and Assisted Living Devices for Senior Citizens

belonging to BPL category named “Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)”

Find the correct statement from the option given below

a. 1 and 3

b. 1 2 and 3

c. 1 and 2

d. None

Keep learning Keep evolving

Team CL IAS