1. SUGGESTIONS FOR 3 NEW CRIMINAL BILLS (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 - Polity)

Context: The Centre has decided to withdraw the three new criminal law bills from Lok Sabha to bring in new draft laws, reflecting some of the changes suggested by the Parliamentary panel.

Key Changes and Provisions

• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, replaces the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860.
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, replaces The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973 (originally enacted in 1898).
• Bharatiya Sakshya (BS) Bill, 2023, replaces the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

New Suggestions in Bills

• The BNS 2023 is meant to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which provides protection from prosecution to a person of unsound mind.
• The committee has accordingly recommended that the word ‘mental illness’ in this Sanhita may be changed to ‘unsound mind’.
• the committee has expressed concerns there is a need to retain the provision to safeguard the sanctity of the institution of marriage, while it can be tweaked to address the gender discrimination aspect.

New provisions in Bills

• Mob lynching is subject to penalties of seven years imprisonment, life imprisonment, or the death penalty.
• Fast-track justice is facilitated through video trials and electronic filing of First Information Reports (FIRs).
• The definition of sedition has been broadened, and provisions against corruption, terrorism, and organized crime have been strengthened.
• New forms of punishment, such as community service and solitary confinement, have been introduced.

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2. RETAIL INFLATION Syllabus GS Paper 3 - Economy)

Context: Recently, India has witnessed a decline in retail inflation, dropping from an average of 7.1% in April-October 2022 to 5.4% in the corresponding period of 2023.Inflation

• About: Inflation may be defined as a sustained rise in the general level of prices brought about by high rates of expansion in aggregate money supply over a period of time.
• Measured By: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
• Inflation tracks how the prices of a collection of goods and services change on average as time passes.
• Two main sets of inflation indices: The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
• Rural, Urban Inflation: Inflation faced by rural consumers eased from 5.33% in September to 5.1%, but urban households saw a fractional increase in inflation at 4.65%.
• Retail Inflation

oAbout: It is also known as Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation, which is the speed at which prices of items people purchase for their personal needs go up over a period.

oIt checks how much the cost changes for a set of items that families usually get, like food, clothes, homes, transport, and medical help.

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3. HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Recently, according to the population assessment, there is no indication of a decline in the populations of Asiatic lions, tigers, and elephants.

Human Wild Life Conflict

• About: Human-wildlife conflict refers to the negative interactions or conflicts that arise when human activities intersect with the natural behaviour and habitat of wildlife.
• Causes of Human-Wildlife Conflict

oHabitat Loss and Fragmentation

oCompetition for Resources

oEncroachment into Wildlife Territories

oChanges in Land Use

oHuman Waste and Food Availability

oClimate Change

oInsufficient knowledge and understanding

Impacts of Human-Wildlife Conflict

• Livelihood and Economic Losses: For instance, studies estimate that farmers in some regions of India experience annual crop losses of up to 20%, leading to economic losses of millions of dollars.
• Conservation Challenges: According to a survey conducted in India, 40% of respondents expressed negative perceptions of wildlife, associating them with threats to agriculture and human safety.
• Human Casualties and Injuries: In 2020, India recorded approximately 800 reported cases of human injuries caused by wildlife attacks, with the majority occurring in conflict-prone regions.
• Displacement and Relocation: Over the past decade, an estimated 100,000 people in India have been displaced or forced to relocate due to human-wildlife conflicts, resulting in social and cultural disruptions in affected communities.

Plan Bee: Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has adopted an innovative technique called ‘Plan Bee’ to save elephants from train accidents.

• It is an amplifying system imitating the buzz of a swarm of honey bees to keep wild animals from getting killed on the railway tracks.

Project Re-Hab: Started by KVIC.

• Under this project fencing of bee boxes is installed in areas from where elephants move towards the human settlements and farmers’ agriculture. The bee-boxes fencing on the routes of movement of elephants will block the path of wild elephants preventing them from attacking humans and destroying farmers’ crops.

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4. WPI TO PPI (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, the National Statistical Commission (NSC) has been scrutinizing the working group report outlining the roadmap for introducing the Producer Price Index (PPI) in India as a replacement for the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), and we are eagerly awaiting their recommendations.

oPPI is different from WPI in the way that it measures the average change in prices received by producers and excludes indirect taxes.

Wholesale Price Index (WPI)

• About: The WPI is a gauge used to monitor and record fluctuations in the prices of bulk goods at the wholesale level within India.
• Published by: Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Base year: WPI has been revised from 2004-05 to 2011-12 in 2017.
• Formula: WPI = (Total value of the basket of goods and services at current prices / Total value of the basket of goods and services at base year prices) x 100
• Component of WPI: Manufactured products = 65% approx (64.2% now)

oPrimary articles = 20% approx (22.6% now)

oFuel and power = 15% approx (13.1% now)

Producer Price Index (PPI)

• About: It is a family of indexes that measures the average change over time in selling prices received by domestic producers of goods and services. PPIs measure price change from the perspective of the seller.
• Calculation: PPI = (Value of Total Output at Current Prices ÷ Value of Total Output at Base Year Prices) x 100
• Coverage of PPI: Mining, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Fishing, Forestry, Gas, Electricity, Waste and Scrap materials.

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5. IAADB-2023 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Scheme)

Context: The recently inaugurated India Art, Architecture, and Design Biennale 2023 is taking place from the 9th to the 15th of December, with the opening ceremony held at the historic Red Fort in Delhi.

India Art, Architecture, and Design Biennale 2023 (IAADB)

• About: The Biennale is designed to initiate a holistic conversation between artists, architects, designers, photographers, collectors, connoisseurs, curators, art professionals, gallerists, academic institutions, researchers, students and youth to strengthen the cultural dialogue and provide them with avenues and opportunities.

oIt is being organised with the intention of it being a global cultural initiative and the flagship programme of the Ministry of Culture.

• Aim: To invigorate the cultural space and creative industries and leverage the Arts for Global Cultural Diplomacy & Connect.
• Theme: Doors of India, Gardens of India, Baolis (step-wells) of India, Temples of India, Architectural Wonders of Independent India, Indigenous Design and Women in Architecture and Design.
• Objective:

oShowcase traditional, grassroot artisans as well as contemporary designers, curators & thought leaders cutting across age, gender & genre lines.

oCelebrate the best that our country has to offer in the fields of ancient, modern, contemporary and tech driven art, architecture and design.

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6. CSE REPORT ON WASTE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Governance)

Context: Recently, a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) stated that Delhi generates the highest amount of construction and demolition waste among the 35 non-attainment cities, with a daily output of 3,711 tonnes.

Key Highlights of Report

• Top Generators( according to the SBM 2.0): Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru.
• The Capital’s number was followed by Ahmedabad, Faridabad and Noida. The report also pointed to flaws in calculating C&D waste under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0.
• The data from micro-action plans in PRANA shows that only 35 cities (26% of the 131 non-attainment cities that have uploaded their plans) have provided statistics on C&D waste generation.
• Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities (PRANA) is part of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) designed to improve local air quality.

Swachh Bharat Mission

• About: It is the world’s largest sanitation initiative was launched by the Prime Minister of India
• Launched: In 2014
• Nodal Ministry:  Ministry of Jal Shakti
• Aim: To accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to focus on sanitation.

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

• Launched: January 2019
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Target: To achieve 20% to 30% reduction in concentrations of PM10(particulate matter of diameter between 10 and 2.5 micrometer) and PM2.

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7. KRISHI UDAN SCHEME (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Scheme)

Context: The Government has said that 58 Airports in the country have been covered under the Krishi Udan Scheme.

Krishi Udan Scheme

• About: It is an international and national routes to assist farmers in transporting agricultural products to help improve their value realization.
• Launched: August 2020
• Aim: To ensure seamless, cost-effective, time-bound air transportation and associated logistics for all Agri-produce originating especially from Northeast, hilly and tribal regions of the country. 
• Implementation Agency: AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited (AAICLAS)
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Objectives
• To increase the share of air in the modal mix for transportation of Agri-produce, which includes horticulture, fishery, livestock & processed products.
• Providing more air connectivity (national and international) between origin-destination airports aimed at bringing in improved logistics efficiency.
• Improving infrastructure and performance in processing of air cargo by all stakeholders, including Agri-produce, horticulture, fisheries, livestock products at airports and off-airport facilities, by regulatory participating governmental agencies (PGAs).
• Imparting special focus to air freight of organic and natural produce of NER, Tribal and Hilly Districts.

KRISHI UDAN 2.0

• About: The scheme proposes to facilitating and incentivizing movement of Agri-produce by air transportation.

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8. VINBAX-2023 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, the Indian Armed Forces contingent arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, to participate in the fourth edition of the Joint Military Exercise VINBAX-2023.

VINBAX-2023

• About: It is an annual military training event, alternating between India and Vietnam.
• Venue: Hanoi, Vietnam

oInception Instituted in 2018, the inaugural edition of VINBAX occurred in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.

• Edition 2022: The most recent edition of VINBAX was conducted at Chandimandir Military Station in August 2022.
• Objective: To foster a collaborative partnership and promote interoperability.

oTo share best practices, guided by Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peacekeeping Operations.

• Aim: To further strengthen defense cooperation between the friendly armies of India and Vietnam.
• Training Activities: Encouraging the exchange of ideas is a key focus, with both contingents jointly rehearsing tactics, techniques, and procedures.

oModern methods for constructing infrastructure in operational areas, such as roads, culverts, helipads, ammunition shelters, and observation posts, will be shared.

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9. ARTICLE 370 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Prime Minister of India said that the Supreme Court’s verdict on the abrogation of Article 370 is historic and constitutionally upholds the decision taken by the Parliament of India on 5th August 2019.

Article 370 and its Removal

• Background: The Constituent Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir (through Article 370) was empowered to recommend which articles of the Indian Constitution should apply to the state.

oClause 3 of the article 370 gives the President of India the power to amend its provisions and scope.

• Removal of Article 370:

oAmendments were made to make applicable the entirety of India’s Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

oIt was done when the State was under President’s Rule with no elected Legislative Assembly in place.

oIn 2019, the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order 2019, issued by the President, withdrew the special status of J&K and extended all provisions of the Indian Constitution to J&K.

oThe J&K (Reorganisation) Act 2019 bifurcated J&K into two UTs - J&K was an UT with a Legislative Assembly; Ladakh was without an Assembly.

Supreme Court ruling

• On temporary nature of Article 370:

oIt was intended as an interim arrangement until the Constituent Assembly of the State was formed since in the interim, and

oThe provision was adopted because of the special circumstances in the state, which was experiencing war conditions.

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10. CINEREOUS VULTURE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Recently, the cinereous vulture has been sighted at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, marking the first occurrence of this bird in Delhi in over five decades.

Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)

• About: A winter migrant, the cinereous vulture travels thousands of kilometres from Europe towards western India — including Rajasthan, Gujarat
• Characteristics: The raptor is a sober dark brown shade flanked by broad wings and a slightly wedged tail. It is an altitudinal migrant — which means it migrates from a higher to a lower altitude.
• IUCN Status: Near Threatened
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Under Schedule IV
• Threats: Poisoning from diclofenac, loss of natural habitats, food dearth and contamination, hunting and electrocution by power lines.

Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

• Coverage Area: 32.71 km2 area on the Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli hill range.
• Location: Delhi-Haryana border lies in Southern Delhi as well as northern parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana state.

oIt is also part of the Sariska-Delhi Wildlife Corridor, which runs from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan to Delhi Ridge.

• Vegetation: Dry deciduous,
• Flora: Consists of Prosopis juliflora as the dominant exotic species and Diospyros montana as the dominant native species in the sanctuary.
• Fauna: Golden Jackals, Striped-Hyenas, Indian crested-Porcupines, Civets, Jungle Cats, Snakes, Monitor Lizards, Mongoose etc.

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