1. CONSTITUTION ORDERS BILL 2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Amid ongoing protests in Jammu and Kashmir by the Scheduled Tribe Gujjar-Ba- karwal community, the Rajya Sabha on Friday cleared the way for the addition of the Pahari ethnic group to the Union Territory's ST list.

Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• About: The Bill amends the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Odisha.
• Communities added to the list of Scheduled Tribes:  The Bill adds following communities to the list of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha: (i) Muka Dora, Mooka Dora, Nuka Dora, Nooka Dora (for districts of Koraput, Nowrangapur, Rayagada, and Malkangiri), and (ii) Konda Reddy, Konda Reddi.
• Certain communities moved from list of Scheduled Castes to Scheduled Tribes:  The Bill removes Tamadia and Tamudia communities from the list of Scheduled Castes in Odisha, and instead adds them to the list of Scheduled Tribes.
• Synonyms for certain communities:  The Bill also adds synonyms or phonetic variations for certain communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha.

Addition or Removal from SC/ST Lists: 

• Constitutional Basis: The inclusion or exclusion of any community in the Scheduled Tribes or Scheduled Castes list comes into effect only after the President assents to a Bill that amends the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.
• Process to include/exclude tribes in the SC/ST list:

oArticle 342(1): The President may with respect to any State or Union Territory, and where it is a State, after consultation with the Governor thereof, by public notification, specify the tribes or tribal communities or part of or groups within tribes or tribal communities as Scheduled Tribe in relation to that State or Union Territory as the case may be.

oArticle 342(2): Parliament may be law include in or exclude from the list of Scheduled Tribes specified in a notification issued under clause (1) any tribe or tribal community or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community, but save as aforesaid a notification issued under the said clause shall not be varied by any subsequent notification.

---

2. POLYGAMY IN INDIA Syllabus GS Paper 1 – Social Issues)

Context: The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly recently passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2024 after a two-day discussion, aiming to bring uniformity in personal laws governing marriage, divorce, and inheritance across communities in the state (excluding tribals).

Sources of Government Data on Polygamy

• Decadal Census and NFHS: The government collects data on polygamy primarily through the decadal census and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
• Limitations: Both sources have limitations, with the census relying on indirect inference and the NFHS having a smaller sample size.
• Census Data on Polygamy: The census infers polygamy based on the difference in the number of married men and women.
• 2011 Census Limitation: The most recent census was in 2011, posing a limitation due to its age.
• Sampling Size Limitation: NFHS-5 (2019-21) sampled only a small fraction (less than 1%) of households, limiting its representativeness.
• 1974 Study: The last major study on polygamy in 1974 highlighted variations across religious groups.
• Religious Disparities: Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists had higher polygamy rates than Muslims according to the 1974 study.
• Discrepancy Analysis: The 2011 census revealed a significant difference between the number of married men and women.
• Community Variances: Hindus showed the highest gap, followed by Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and Buddhists.
• Religious Breakdown: NFHS-5 data revealed varying polygamy rates across religions, with Christians having the highest incidence.
• Scheduled Tribes: Scheduled Tribes reported the highest overall incidence at 2.4%.

Polygamy in India

• About: Polygamy is defined as marriage between one person and two or more spouses simultaneously. 
• Types of Polygamy: Polygyny, Polyandry and Bigamy

Legal Provisions

• Hindu Marriage Act 1955: It made Hindu polygamy would be abolished and criminalized.
• Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936: It had outlawed bigamy.
• Muslim Personal Law Application Act (Shariat) of 1937: Polygamy is not prohibited in Muslim legislation because it is recognised as a religious practice, hence they tend to preserve and practice it.
• Indian Penal Code (IPC): Marrying again during the lifetime of a husband or wife, imposes a penalty for bigamy or polygamy, including imprisonment for up to seven years and a fine.
• Article 44: The provision states that the State shall strive to ensure a Uniform Civil Code for all citizens.

---

3. STARTUP INDIA SEED FUND SCHEME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) provides financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization through eligible incubators.

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)

• Launch: Flagship initiative introduced in April 2021 under the Startup India initiative.
• Objective: To provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization.
• Operational Period: Implemented from April 1, 2021, with a 4-year span and a fund allocation of Rs. 945 crores.
• Implementation: Under the purview of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), part of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Funding Mechanism: DPIIT establishes an EAC responsible for executing and monitoring the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS).
• Grant Allocation: Selected incubators are eligible for grants of up to Rs 5 Crores each.
• Startups' Funding: Incubators, in turn, provide startups with up to Rs 20 lakhs for proof of concept validation, prototype development, and product trials.
• Eligibility Criteria:

oStartup Recognition: DPIIT-recognized startups incorporated within the past 2 years are eligible.

oBusiness Idea Requirements: Startups must have a viable business idea with market fit, potential for commercialization, and scalability.

oTechnology Integration: Essential requirement for startups to incorporate technology in their core product, service, business model, or distribution methodology.

oMonetary Support Limit: Startups should not have received more than Rs 10 lakh from any other Central or State Government scheme.

oPromoter Shareholding: At the time of application, Indian promoters must hold a minimum of 51% shareholding in the startup applying for the scheme.

The Need For Startup India Seed Fund Scheme

• Easy availability of capital is essential for entrepreneurs at the early stages of growth of an enterprise.
• Funding from angel investors and venture capital firms becomes available to startups only after the proof of concept has been provided. Similarly, banks provide loans only to asset-backed applicants.
• It is essential to provide seed funding to startups with an innovative idea to conduct proof of concept trials.

Startup India

• About: The Startup India initiative of the Government of India envisages building a robust Start-up ecosystem in the country for nurturing innovation and providing opportunities to budding entrepreneurs.

---

4. WILDFIRE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: At least 131 people have died in the wildfire that ravaged Chile in February 2024, according to the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED), the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service, Chile.

Wildfire

• About: Wildfires, also known as bushfires, brush fires, or forest fires, are expansive, uncontrollable, and potentially devastating fires that can impact both rural and urban areas.
• Spread and Unpredictability: These fires have the ability to spread rapidly, change direction unexpectedly, and can even "jump" across large distances as embers and sparks are carried by the wind.
• Causes: Wildfires can be triggered by a variety of natural causes, such as lightning, or by human activities, including carelessness like the improper disposal of items like discarded cigarettes.
• Factors: The extent of a wildfire's spread is influenced by the arrangement of the landscape, the availability of fuel (such as vegetation or dead wood), and prevailing weather conditions, including wind and heat.
• Rapid Onset and Intensity: Wildfires can initiate within seconds, transforming into intense infernos within a matter of minutes, making them highly unpredictable and dangerous.
• Naturally Occurring Wildfires: They are most frequently caused by lightning. There are also volcanic, meteor, and coal-seam fires, depending on the circumstances. 
• Human Caused Wildfires: It can be accidental, intentional (arson), or from an act of negligence.

The Recent Forest Fires (2022-2023)

• Wildfires in Hawaii (Lahaina)
• USA: Northern California
• Canada: British Columbia and Alberta province
• Russia: Black Sea town of Gelendzhik
• Spain: Tenerife, Canary Islands and La Palma
• Greece: Plataniostos in Evia Island; city of Alexandroupolis, Evros region
• India: Fires in Simlipal National Park (Odisha), Goa
• South Central Chile: Ñuble, Maule, Biobío and Auracanía.

---

5. M.S SWAMINATHAN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Agriculture)

Context: Eminent agronomist and agricultural scientist Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan will be conferred the prestigious Bharat Ratna award for his unparalleled contributions to Indian agriculture and farmers' welfare, Prime Minister of India announced.

M.S. Swaminathan

• Early Life: Born in Kumbakonam, Madras Presidency, on August 7, 1925, Swaminathan was the second son of general surgeon MK Sambasivan and Parvati Thangammal Sambasivan.
• Professional life: After doing his post-doctoral research associateship at the University of Wisconsin's Laboratory of Genetics in the US, Swaminathan returned to India in 1954.
  Advocating Self-Reliance in Agriculture: Criticizing India's food grain imports despite a 70% dependence on agriculture, Swaminathan and Nobel laureate American agronomist toured India, developing new crop varieties.
• Achieving Self-Sufficiency: Their efforts led to the government declaring India self-sufficient in food production in 1971.
• Leadership in Agricultural Research: Swaminathan was appointed Director-General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and a secretary to the Government of India.
• International Contributions: IRRI: Becoming the first Asian director-general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines in 1982, Swaminathan served in this role until 1988.
• Global Environmental Stewardship: In 1984, he assumed the roles of president and vice-president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund.
• Awards: He was awarded the first World Food Prize in 1987 and the prize money was used to set up the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.
• Recognitions

o1961: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award

o1965: Mendel Memorial Medal from the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences

o1971: Ramon Magsaysay Award

o1986: Albert Einstein World Science Award

o1987: The first World Food Prize

o1991: Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement

o2000: Four Freedoms Award

o2000: Planet and Humanity Medal of the International Geographical Union

---

6. PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Supreme Court recently questioned whether the Preamble of the Constitution could be amended while keeping the date of adoption, November 26, 1949, intact.

• A bench of Justices posed the question to former Rajya Sabha MP who have sought deletion of the words "Socialist" and "Secular" from the Preamble of the Constitution.

Important Aspects of Preamble

• Sovereign: Sovereignty refers to the independent authority of a state, free from external control. It includes internal sovereignty (lawmaking) and external sovereignty (territory). 
• Socialist: Inserted by 42nd Amendment Act in 1976, the term "Socialist" made explicit the implicit ideals of socialism already present in the Constitution. 

oIn the case of D.S. Nakara v. Union of India (1983), the Supreme Court held that the primary objective of a socialist state is to eradicate inequality in income, status, and the standard of living.

oRegarding the inclusion of 'socialist,' Dr B.R. Ambedkar argued in Constituent Assembly debates that it goes against the essence of democracy to decide within the Constitution the type of society in which the people of India should live.

• Secular: In India, a secular state implies equal protection of all religions by the State. It was incorporated into the Constitution through the 42nd Amendment Act in 1976. 

oFundamental Rights (Articles 14, 15, 16, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30) safeguard individual and collective religious rights. 

oThe Directive Principles of State Policy include Article 44, which promotes the concept of a Uniform Civil Code.

oDr B.R. Ambedkar reasoned in Constituent Assembly debates that the term 'secular' was unnecessary in the Preamble because the entire Constitution embodied the concept of a secular state.

Whether Preamble can be amended?

• Berubari Union Case (1960): The Supreme Court (SC) ruled that the Preamble cannot be considered as a part of the Constitution and therefore cannot be amended. 
• Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973): SC clarified that the Preamble is indeed a part of the Constitution and can be amended, as long as it does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution.
• Union Government Vs LIC of India Case (1995): SC reaffirmed that the Preamble is an integral part of the Constitution, but its provisions are not directly enforceable in court. 
• Private member Bill in 2021: Former Minister KJ Alphons introduced a bill in Rajya Sabha to amend the Indian Constitution's preamble, seeking to replace "socialist" with "equitable" and make other changes.

---

7. NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT OF TRIPURA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Internal Security)

Context: A total of six militants of the banned insurgent group  National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) surrendered before police with arms and ammunition.

National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT)

• About: It is a banned Tripuri nationalist terrorist organisation based in Tripura, India.
• Formation: March 12, 1989
• Objective: To establish an ‘independent’ Tripura through an armed struggle following the liberation from ‘Indian neo- colonialism and imperialism’ and furtherance of a ‘distinct and independent identity’.
• Personal Ambitions and Religious Factors: Nayanbasi Jamatiya and Biswamohan Debbarma lead factions due to personal ambitions and religious considerations.
• Debbarma's Deposition (June 2003): Biswamohan Debbarma deposed, Mantu Koloi appointed leader allegedly at Bangladesh's behest.

oDebbarma establishes separate camps on Tripura-Bangladesh border.

• Split and Reasons

oInternal Division (February 2001): Split into Biswamohan Debbarma and Nayanbasi Jamatiya factions.

oReasons: include reluctance to nominate Joshua Debbarma as 'Tripura Kingdom' King, fund misappropriation, lavish lifestyles, and forced religious conversions.

---

8. PRIVATE JETS AS POLLUTER (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: American Pop star’s legal team has threatened legal action against Jack Sweeney, 21-year-old University of Central Florida student who runs social media accounts sharing publicly available information about private jet landings and take-offs.

The problem with private jets

• Major Polluters: Private jets, when assessed per capita, rank among the leading contributors to pollution globally.
• Alarming Discrepancy: According to a 2023 report by Transport and Environment, a European climate NGO, private jets prove to be 5 to 14 times more polluting per passenger than commercial planes, and a staggering 50 times more polluting than trains.
• Significant Carbon Footprint: The same report highlighted that private jets have the potential to emit approximately 2 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per hour, equivalent to about a quarter of the yearly carbon emissions of an average European.
• Celebrities and Billionaires' Impact: An estimate from a report by British media outlet Yard suggested that, in 2022, celebrities and billionaires contributed roughly 3376.64 tons of CO2 emissions each through their private jets alone.
• Soaring Private Jet Usage: Despite environmental concerns, private jet usage has consistently risen over the years. A Reuters report in May 2023, citing a Greenpeace study, revealed a 64% increase in private flights in Europe during 2022, resulting in the emission of over 5.3 million tonnes of CO2.

Representative of a much larger problem

• Disproportionate Environmental Impact: Private jet travel exemplifies how the affluent significantly contribute to CO2 emissions and climate change, reflecting an unequal environmental impact.
• Focus on Responsibility Amid Global Warming: The escalating consequences of global warming prompt heightened scrutiny on culpability, with attention directed towards the actions of the rich and powerful.
• UN Acknowledgment of Wealth Disparity: The United Nations emphasizes the profound influence of lifestyles on the planet, noting that the top 1% of the global population is accountable for more greenhouse gas emissions than the bottom 50%.

---

9. BANDIPUR NATIONAL PARK (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: A proposal for a 236 kilometre broad-gauge railway line that will run through Bandipur National Park has conservationists rallying to protect the protected area.

Bandipur National Park

• Established: In 1931 as Venugopala Wildlife Park

oExpanded with the name Bandipur Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1973.

• Location: Two contiguous districts (Mysore and Chamarajanagar) of Karnataka and located at the tri-junction area of the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala
• Rivers: It is surrounded by River Kabini in its north and River Moyar in its south.
• Vegetation: Dry deciduous to tropical mixed deciduous.
• Flora: Rosewood, Indian kino tree, sandalwood, Indian laurel, clumping bamboo, giant clumping bamboo etc.
• Fauna: Wild Asian elephants, bengal tiger, gaur, sloth bear, golden jackal, dhole, four-horned antelope, etc.

Other Tiger Reserves in Karnataka

• Bhadra Tiger Reserve
• Nagarahole Tiger Reserve
• Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve

---

10. INDIAN OCEAN CONFERENCE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, the External Affairs Minister of India traveled to the Australian city of Perth to attend a two-day conference on the Indian Ocean.

Indian Ocean Conference

• About: It is a flagship consultative forum for countries in the Indian Ocean Region, organized annually by the Ministry of External Affairs, in association with the India Foundation.
• 7th edition held in: Perth, Australia 
• Theme of the 7th Conference is: 'Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean'.
• Started in: 2016
• Aim: To deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in Region (SAGAR).

Significance of the Indian Ocean Conference (IOC)

• Enhancing Regional Collaborations: The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) strives to fortify alliances with countries in the Indian Ocean region, fostering stronger partnerships.
• Promoting Political Engagement: The conference serves as a platform to elevate regional political involvement, encouraging active participation and dialogue among member nations.
• Crisis Decision-Making Facilitation: One of the primary objectives of the IOC is to facilitate effective decision-making during crisis situations, ensuring timely and coordinated responses.
• Global Event Discussions: Participating countries seize the opportunity to engage in discussions about ongoing global events, enabling them to stay well-informed and make strategic decisions for future actions.

---