1. 2G-ETHANOL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: To boost ethanol production, the Centre proposes dedicated enzyme manufacturing, with the first plant likely to be established in Manesar, Haryana, supplying 2G bio-ethanol plants in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana.

2G-Ethanol

• About: It is produced from rice-straw as opposed to the conventional method of sourcing it from molasses (sugarcane).
• Also known as: Cellulosic ethanol, "second-generation," or "advanced biofuel," is ethanol produced from a plant fiber called cellulose.

oCellulose forms the cell wall of plant cells and is a polymer made up of glucose molecules linked in a long chain, often with various chemical modifications.

• Digestibility of Cellulose: Humans and most domestic animals cannot digest cellulose, although dietary fiber, which includes cellulose, is essential for proper gut functioning.
• Utilization of Agricultural Waste: Using cellulose for ethanol production allows the inedible parts of agricultural plants, such as corn and sugarcane, to be utilized, preventing waste and increasing agricultural efficiency.
• Environmental Impact of 2G Ethanol: Cellulosic ethanol can reduce the carbon footprint of crops by up to 85% compared to first-generation (1G) ethanol, which is produced from sugar and starch.
• GHG Emission Reduction: Depending on the feedstock used, cellulosic ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 88% to 108% compared to gasoline, making it a sustainable alternative fuel that contributes to reducing air pollution.

Enzyme Derivation from Fungus

• About: The enzymes in question are derived from modifying a fungus that belongs to the broader family Penicillium funoculosum.
• Enzyme Production: Genetic engineering is required to modify the fungus to produce sufficient quantities of the enzymes, which can then efficiently hydrolyze organic waste like rice stubble.
• Fungi Growth: The fungus, found in soil and solid waste (e.g., rice stubble), can be cultivated to secrete the necessary enzymes.
• BioE3 Programme and Its Vision: The BioE3 programme, part of a larger initiative, aims to move away from fossil fuels towards biological and biotechnological solutions, positioning India at the forefront of this global shift.

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2. RULE 170 OF DRUGS ACT (Syllabus GS Paper 2 – Gov. Policies)

Context: The Supreme Court stayed the July 1, 2024 notification issued by the Ministry of Ayush, omitting Rule 170 of the Drug and Cosmetic Rules, 1945 that deals with prohibition of advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs without licensing authority’s approval.

Rule 170 

• Introduced in: 2018, is designed to prevent misleading advertise- ments of AYUSH products.
• Objective: To regulate the manufacture, storage, and sale of medicines in India, specifically targeting the control of inappropriate advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani medicines.
• Advertisement Prohibition: Rule 170 prohibits AYUSH drug manufacturers from advertising their products without obtaining prior approval and a unique identification number from the state licensing authority.
• Submission Requirements: Manufacturers must submit comprehensive details, including textual references, the rationale for the medicine from authoritative books, indications for use, and evidence of safety, effectiveness, and quality.
• Grounds for Rejection: Applications will be rejected if manufacturers fail to provide contact details, if the advertisement contains obscene or vulgar content, promotes products for the enhancement of sexual organs, includes testimonials from celebrities or government officials, refers to any government organization, or makes misleading or exaggerated claims.
• Reason for Introduction: Rule 170 was introduced following concerns raised by a parliamentary standing committee about the problem of misleading claims and the need for the AYUSH ministry to take proactive measures on this issue.

Challenges to Regulate AYUSH Drugs

• Licensing Requirements: AYUSH drug manufacturers, like those of allopathic medicines, must seek a license from the drug controller.
• Absence of Clinical Trials: Unlike allopathic medicines, AYUSH drugs do not require phase I, II, and III clinical trials or equivalence studies for approval.
• Effectiveness Proof Requirement: Drugs containing the specified ingredients or traditional drugs used for new indications must provide proof of effectiveness as per the Act.

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3. ANTI-DUMPING DUTY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has recommended imposing an anti-dumping duty on aluminium foil imported from China.

Anti-Dumping Duty

• About: It is imposed when imported goods are priced at less than the normal price charged in the exporter's domestic market.

oIt is an instrument to ensure fair trade and is not just a measure of protection per se for the domestic industry.

• Regulatory Authority: The Department of Commerce recommends the anti-dumping duty, provisional or final.

oThe Department of Revenue in the Finance Ministry acts upon the recommendation within three months and imposes such duties.

• WTO's Provisions Related to Anti-Dumping Duty: The use of anti-dumping measures as an instrument of fair competition is permitted by the World Trade Organisation.
• Validity: valid for a period of five years from the date of imposition unless revoked earlier.
• Sunset Review: can be extended for a further period of five years through a sunset or expiry review investigation.

oA Sunset review/ expiry review is an evaluation of the need for the continued existence of a program or an agency.  It allows for an assessment of the effectiveness and performance of the program or agency.

oA review can be initiated suo moto or on the basis of a duly substantiated request received from or on behalf of the domestic industry.

Countervailing duty (CVD)

• About: It is a specific form of duty that the government imposes in order to protect domestic producers by countering the negative impact of import subsidies. It is thus an import tax by the importing country on imported products.
• Regulation in India:In India, the CVD is imposed as an additional duty besides customs on imported products when such products are given tax concession in the country of their origin.

oIt is administered by the Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), in the commerce and industry ministry’s department of commerce. 

oThe department of commerce recommends anti-dumping duty, provisional or final.

o

Customs duty:

• About: It refers to the tax imposed on goods when they are transported across international borders. In simple terms, it is the tax that is levied on import and export of goods. The government uses this duty to raise its revenues, safeguard domestic industries, and regulate movement of goods.

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4. PROJECT NAMAN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Indian Army recently launched the first phase of Project NAMAN, with General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, and President of the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), in attendance.

Project Naman

• About: It is designed to provide dedicated support and services to Defence Pensioners, Veterans, and their families.
• SPARSH Implementation: Utilizes the SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha) digital system to streamline pension processes and improve accessibility.
• Collaboration: Involves a tripartite MoU between the Indian Army’s Directorate of Indian Army Veterans, CSC e-Governance India Limited, and HDFC Bank Limited signed in September 2023.
• Service Range: Offers SPARSH-enabled pension services, Government to Citizen (G2C) services, and Business to Consumer (B2C) services at a single location.
• Initial Phase Rollout: 14 CSCs established in key Indian cities including New Delhi, Jalandhar, Leh, Dehradun, Lucknow, Jodhpur, Bengdubi, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Secunderabad, Saugor, Guntur, Ahmedabad and Bangalore.
• Community Impact: Provides essential care and support not only to veterans but also to the entire resident population of military stations and surrounding localities.
• Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs): Managed by VLEs selected from veterans or Next of Kin (NOKs), who are trained by CSC e-Governance India Limited.
• Financial Support for VLEs: HDFC Bank provides VLEs with a ₹20,000 monthly grant for the first 12 months to aid in the centres' stabilization and sustainability.

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5. FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE (FMD) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Union government has decided to establish foot-and-mouth disease-free zones across eight states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)

• About: It is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that has a significant economic impact.
• Affected Species: The disease impacts cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants but does not affect horses, dogs, or cats.
• Susceptibility: Intensively reared animals are more susceptible to FMD compared to traditional breeds.
• Transboundary Animal Disease: FMD is a transboundary animal disease (TAD) that disrupts livestock production and regional and international trade.
• Human Health: FMD does not pose a threat to human health or food safety and is unrelated to hand, foot, and mouth disease, a different childhood illness.
• Caused by: An aphthovirus from the family Picornaviridae.

• Transmission

oExcretions and Secretions: FMD is present in all excretions and secretions from infected animals.

oAerosol Transmission: A large amount of aerosolized virus is expelled by infected animals, which can infect others via respiratory or oral routes.

oMortality Rates: FMD is rarely fatal in adult animals but can have high mortality rates in young animals.

• Symptoms: FMD is marked by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue, lips, mouth, teats, and between hooves.

oThe disease can cause severe production losses and leave animals weakened even after recovery.

• Official Status Recognition: FMD was the first disease for which the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) established official status recognition.
• Vaccination: Vaccines are available but must be matched to the specific type and subtype of the virus causing the outbreak.

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6. BONDA TRIBE (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Indian Society)

Context: Recently, a 19-year-old student cracked the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), who is set to become the first member of the Bonda tribal community.

Bonda Tribe

• Location: The Bondas are exclusively found in Malkangiri district of Odisha and are mostly concentrated in Khairaput block of the district.
• Tribal Status: They are a particularly vulnerable tribal group and one of the oldest tribes of India.

• Also known as: Bondo, Bondas, Bonda Paraja, and Bhonda.
• Linguistic Group: They belong to the Austro-Asiatic racial stock and speak Remo, an Austro-Asiatic dialect.
• Cultural Divisions: The Bondas are divided into two groups due to their distinct cultural practices:

oLower Bondas: Reside in the Malkangiri district in south Odisha, bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

oUpper Bondas: Live in the remote villages of the district’s hilly terrain.

• Their dressing style is quite unique:

oWomen: Semiclads and adorned with various rings and pieces of jewelry; they traditionally avoid covering their upper bodies, using heavy necklaces and a short loincloth called Nadi.

oMen: Wear a narrow strip of loincloth and use distinctive adornments.

• Occupation: They are primarily farmers but also engage in hunting, gathering forest products, and performing labor.

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7. FLUOXETINE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: A recent study has shown that prolonged exposure to fluoxetine (Prozac) can significantly disrupt the behavior and reproductive traits of male guppy fish. 

Fluoxetine

• About: Fluoxetine is a widely used medication for treating depression, panic, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
• Mechanism of Action: It works by inhibiting the uptake of serotonin by nerve cells, which helps alleviate symptoms of these conditions.
• Effects of High Fluoxetine Concentrations:

oImpact on Guppy Fish: At low concentrations, fluoxetine decreases activity levels and increases refuge-seeking behavior in male guppies.

üGuppy fish referred to as the millionfish or rainbow fish and is among the most widely distributed tropical fish globally, as well as one of the most popular freshwater aquarium species.

oDose-Specific Effects: High fluoxetine concentrations lead to increased variation in body condition, while low concentrations affect sperm numbers.

oImportance of Individual Responses: This highlights the need to consider individual-level responses to pollution, as population-level effects might differ.

oChanges in Pace of Life Syndromes: Fluoxetine alters biological and behavioral traits, suggesting that higher activity levels in polluted waters could be energetically costly and detrimental to health.

oReproductive Behavior: Larger reproductive organs are associated with lower sperm quality, indicating that pollution may disrupt reproductive behavior and success.

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8. IMPORTANT SECTIONS OF PMLA ACT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Internal Security)

Context: In a series of decisions, the Supreme Court has highlighted the rights of people accused of money laundering, even in the face of stringent provisions on arrest and bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).

Important Sections Related to Arrest and Bail

• Section 19 of the PMLA: It gives the ED the power of arrest if the material it possesses gives it reason to believe an individual is guilty of money laundering. The accused must be informed of the grounds of arrest “as soon as may be”.
• Section 19(1) of the PMLA: It provides that the ED must have “reason to believe” that the accused is “guilty”, the court stated that these reasons must meet a high threshold and effectively be in the form of “evidence admissible in court”.
• Section 45 of the PMLA: It provides stringent “twin conditions” for bail, requiring an accused to prove that he has not committed an offence under the PMLA (reversing the standard burden of proof in criminal cases) and is not likely to commit any offence while on bail.
  • Section 50 of the PMLA: It allows the ED to summon “any person” and require them to make statements during an investigation.
  • Section 25 of the Evidence Act, 1872 (now Section 23 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023): It confessions made to police officers are not admissible as evidence during trial.
  • Section 436A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973: It states that if a person has been detained for up to half the maximum period of imprisonment for that offence while the trial or investigation is underway, they shall be released on bail.
  • Section 479 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita: It states that if more than one offence or multiple cases are pending against someone common in money laundering cases the section on bail will not apply.

  Important Judgements

  • Vijay Madanlal Choudhary v. Union of India (2022): a three-judge bench led by upheld all the challenged PMLA provisions, including the restrictive bail conditions and the wide powers of investigation and arrest granted to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). 

  oThe court held that this did not violate the right against self-incrimination under Article 20(3) of the Constitution.

  • Pankaj Bansal v Union of India (2023): It found that the grounds were informed orally in some cases and in writing in others. The court said an accused has a fundamental right to be informed of the grounds of arrest under Article 20 of the Constitution of India.

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9. CANCER CELLS & TREATMENT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Using human breast cancer cells, a team of scientists at the Kolkata-based Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) has discovered a new target (CDK1 protein and the TDP1 enzyme) for killing cancer cells, which can potentially lead to new therapies.

New Target for Killing Cancer Cells

• About: Developing novel anti-cancer therapeutics may become possible through a combinatorial targeting of two key molecules — the CDK1 protein and the TDP1 enzyme.
• Current Anti-Cancer Drug Targets: Camptothecin, topotecan, and irinotecan target the enzyme topoisomerase 1 (Top1), which is involved in DNA replication and transcription.
• Critical Role of Top1 in Mitosis: Top1 plays a critical role in mitosis by relaxing DNA supercoils generated during transcription, essential for proper chromosome function.

oTop1 is crucial for maintaining DNA structure during replication and transcription, and drugs targeting Top1 disrupt this process, killing many cells, including cancer cells.

• Research Focus: For the past decade, researchers at IACS have been investigating DNA repair pathways that provide resistance to camptothecin and its derivatives, aiming to develop targeted or personalized chemotherapy, especially for breast and ovarian cancers.
• Cancer Cells' Resistance Mechanisms: Cancer cells can activate repair mechanisms using the TDP1 protein, counteracting the effects of Top1-targeting drugs.
• Role of DNA Repair: Understanding the overexpression of DNA repair proteins like Top1, TDP1, or CDK1 in cancers can provide critical insights into tumor biology, aiding in diagnosis, prognosis, and the development of targeted therapies.
• Identification of TDP1 in DNA Repair: Researchers at IACS identified TDP1 as a key DNA repair protein in cancer cells, discovering that phosphorylation of TDP1 during cell division helps remove it from chromosomes.

• DNA Repair Process with CDK1 Inhibitors: Targeting the CDK1 protein can disrupt the Top1-mediated DNA repair process, potentially killing cancer cells by causing chromosomal instability and halting cell division.
• Synergistic Effects of Combining Inhibitors: Combining CDK1 inhibitors with Top1 inhibitors may enhance cancer treatment effectiveness by targeting different aspects of the cell cycle and DNA replication, making it harder for cancer cells to survive.

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10. NAMIBIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Places in News)

Context: Namibia plans to cull hundreds of its most majestic wild animals, including dozens of elephants and hippopotamuses, to provide meat for its 1.4 million people nearly half the southern African nation’s population who are reeling under the worst drought in a century.

Namibia

• About: It is located on the southwestern coast of Africa. 
• Bordered by: Angola to the north, Zambia to the northeast, Botswana to the east, South Africa to the southeast and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. 

oIt ranges from arid in the north to desert on the coast and in the east.

• Rivers: Kunene (Cunene), the Okavango (Cubango), the Mashi (Kwando), and the Zambezi on the northern border and the Orange on the southern.
• Caprivi Strip: Namibia has a long, narrow eastern extension (the Caprivi Strip) based on a German misconception that access to the Zambezi—despite the Victoria Falls—meant access to the Indian Ocean.
• Drought in Namibia: The drought began in Botswana in October 2023, spread and intensified across Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, and affects most of southern Africa today, according to a report by the European Commission.
• Namibia had declared national emergencies because of extreme droughts in 2013, 2016 and 2019.

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