1. SWAMINATHAN COMMISSION (Syllabus GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The president of the ruling party criticized the former former government for ignoring the MS Swaminathan Commission's recommendations and now demanding a Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on those same suggestions.

Swaminathan Commission

• About: The late MS Swaminathan, a renowned agriculturist recently honored with the Bharat Ratna, chaired the National Commission on Farmers.
• Reports Submission: The National Commission on Farmers (NCF) submitted five reports between December 2004 and 2006.
• Government Approval: Based on the draft National Policy for Farmers (NPF), the government approved the National Policy for Farmers in 2007.
• Objective of the Policy: The policy aimed to enhance the economic viability of farming and increase farmers' net income.
• Key Policy Elements: The policy included asset reforms related to natural resources, supply of quality seeds, timely institutional credit, comprehensive social security coverage, and effective implementation of Minimum Support Prices (MSP).

Key Recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee

• Minimum Support Price (MSP) Formula: The NCF recommended that MSP should be at least 50% more than the weighted average cost of production, known as the C2+50% formula, to ensure farmers receive adequate returns.

o The former government did not incorporate the C2+50% MSP recommendation into the National Policy for Farmers finalized in 2007.

• Addressing Agrarian Crisis: The panel identified issues like incomplete land reforms, water quantity and quality, tech fatigue, and adverse meteorological factors as causes of farmers' suicides. 

o It recommended adding 'agriculture' to the Concurrent List of the Constitution.

• Land Reform and Regulation: The commission suggested prohibiting the diversion of prime agricultural land and forests to corporate sectors for non-agricultural purposes and proposed a regulatory mechanism for agricultural land sales.
• Improving Credit Availability: The commission recommended reducing crop loan rates to 4% simple interest with government support and issuing Kisan Credit Cards to female farmers to improve credit availability.
• Rural Insurance Development: The NCF proposed establishing a Rural Insurance Development Fund to support the expansion of rural insurance coverage and development efforts.

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2. DEMENTIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: A new report from the 2024 Lancet Commission identifies untreated vision loss and high cholesterol as new risk factors, contributing to 9% of all dementia cases.

Dementia:

• About: It describes a collection of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities.
• Impact on Daily Life: The symptoms of dementia interfere with the daily lives of those affected.
• Nature of Dementia: It is not one specific disease but a syndrome caused by various conditions.
• Common Symptom: Memory loss is often an early symptom of dementia but does not alone indicate the condition.

o Memory loss can result from a range of different causes.

• Causes: Dementia can be caused by various diseases or injuries that damage the brain.
• Alzheimer's Disease: The most common cause of dementia in older adults.
• Treatment: Currently, there is no cure for dementia.

Key Points of Report

• LDL Cholesterol and Dementia Risk: The report indicates that approximately 7% of dementia cases are associated with high levels of LDL cholesterol during midlife, starting around age 40.
• Impact of Untreated Vision Loss: Untreated vision loss in later life contributes to about 2% of dementia cases, emphasizing the importance of maintaining eye health.
• Age and Dementia: Age remains the strongest and most recognized risk factor for dementia, which is a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social skills.
• Leading Cause and Prevalence: Dementia is ranked as the seventh leading cause of death globally by WHO, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common form, making up 60-70% of cases.

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3. INDIAN AGARWOOD (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Environment)

Context: India has successfully blocked the inclusion of Aquilaria malaccensis (agarwood) in the Review of Significant Trade (RST) under CITES, enabling the establishment of a new export quota.

Agarwood

• About: It is also known as oud, aloeswood, or gaharu, is a highly valuable and fragrant resinous wood formed in the heartwood of Aquilaria trees.
• Characteristics: The Aquilaria tree is an evergreen species that can grow up to 40 meters in height.
• Resin Production: Agarwood is produced when Aquilaria trees are infected by the mold Fusarium solani, which prompts the tree to produce a dark aromatic resin.
• Geographical Distribution: The tree is native to South and South-East Asia, including countries such as India , Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand.
• Growth in India: Agarwood grows wild primarily in protected areas of the Northeast. Export was banned until November 2021, but re-export has since been allowed.
• Uses: Agarwood is valued for its aromatic and medicinal properties and is used in making incense sticks, essential oils, and perfumes.
• Conservation Status

o IUCN Red List: Threatened

o CITES: Appendix II of CITES since 1995

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4. WAQF BOARD PROPERTIES (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Governance)

Context: Madhya Pradesh High Court in a recent ruling held that the three ancient monuments located in Burhanpur, including the tomb of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s daughter-in-law, Begum Bilqis were not part of Wakf board property.

Waqf Board Properties

• About: It is the property given in the name of God for religious and charitable purposes. 
• In legal terms: Permanent dedication by a person professing Islam, of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by the Muslim law as pious, religious or charitable.
• Formation: A waqf can be created through a deed or instrument, or by long-term use of a property for religious or charitable purposes.
• Irrevocability: Once created, a waqf cannot be revoked and continues as a legal entity.
• Non-Muslim Participation: A non-Muslim can create a waqf if they profess Islam and the waqf's objective is Islamic.
• Waqf Governed: Waqfs in India are governed by the Waqf Act, 1995.

o Management: A mutawali manages the waqf, similar to a trustee under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882.

o Differences from Trusts: Unlike trusts, waqfs are strictly for religious and charitable purposes and cannot be dissolved.

o Central Waqf Council: It is a statutory body under the administrative control of the Ministry of Minority Affairs that was set up in 1964 as per the provision given in the Waqf Act, 1954 as Advisory Body to the Central Government on matters concerning the working of the Waqf Boards and the due administration of Auqaf.

• Waqf Board: It is a juristic person with the authority to acquire, hold, and transfer property.

o Composition: Each state's Waqf Board includes a chairperson, state government nominees, Muslim legislators and parliamentarians, Muslim members of the state Bar Council, recognized Islamic scholars, and mutawalis of high-income waqfs.

o Powers: The Waqf Board can manage waqf properties, recover lost properties, and sanction the transfer of immovable waqf property. Such transactions require the approval of at least two-thirds of the Board members.

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5. ENVIRONMENT RELIEF FUND (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: No compensation has been paid from the Environment Relief Fund (ERF) since 2019, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed the Rajya Sabha.

Environment Relief Fund

• Established: 2008
• Instituted under the Public Liability Insurance Act (PLIA), 1991, following the Bhopal gas tragedy, the ERF’s primary purpose is to offer immediate relief to victims of accidents involving hazardous substances.

o Under PLIA, two types of compensation are expected to be disbursed from the ERF: relief awarded by NGT in environmental disputes and immediate relief to victims of accidents involving hazardous activities, as determined by the District Collector.

• Criteria: This relief is only provided when the amount awarded by the Collector exceeds the coverage of the insurance policy under PLIA, explains Debadityo Sinha, lead for climate and ecosystems at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.
• Objective: To assist individuals affected by hazardous substances.
• Current Status: As of March 31, 2023, the fund had accumulated Rs 1,062 crore.

Reforms

• Direct Disbursement: Fund managers are required to disburse all payments to the Central and State Pollution Control Boards (PCBs).
• Penalty Collection: The fund will collect penalties under the PLIA, along with interest or returns from ERF investments, monitored separately.
• Efficiency Improvement: This approach aims to streamline processes and enhance fund distribution effectiveness.
• Revised PLIA Provisions: The Jan Vishwas Bill revises PLIA, granting CPCB authority to demand compensation from the ERF for environmental damage caused by hazardous substances.

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6. NATIONAL CULTURE FUND (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Art and Culture)

Context: During a recent Lok Sabha session, the Union Minister for Culture discussed the operational aspects of the National Culture Fund.

National Culture Fund

• About: The NCF is a trust that facilitates donor institutions in supporting the protection, restoration, conservation, and development of India's cultural heritage in partnership with the government.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Culture.
• Establishment: Formed as a Trust under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890 in 1996.
• Objectives:

o Conservation and Preservation: Manage and utilize the Fund for the conservation, maintenance, promotion, protection, preservation, and enhancement of monuments.

o Specialist Training: Provide training and support for the development of specialists and cultural administrators.

o Museum Expansion: Expand existing museums and build new ones to create or accommodate special galleries.

o Cultural Documentation: Document cultural expressions and forms that are becoming obsolete or facing extinction.

• Composition:

o Governing Council: Managed by a Governing Council chaired by the Minister of Culture, with up to 25 members setting policies.

o Executive Committee: Led by the Secretary of Culture, with up to 11 members executing policies.

• Role of NCF:

o Partnerships: Partners with Corporations, NGOs, etc., to implement heritage preservation projects, allowing donors to specify project details, locations, and implementing agencies.

o Project Monitoring: Prevents delays in PPP projects through regular monitoring by the Project Implementation Committee, led by the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India or Ministry of Culture officials.

o Donations: Accepts donations from Corporations, PSUs, Trusts, and Individuals for maintaining and preserving centrally protected monuments and cultural projects. Donors must comply with the terms and conditions of the MoU for each project.

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7. SLOTH BEAR (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The sloth bear, one of the eight ursid species and among the most dangerous wild animals in the Indian subcontinent, has evolved to be highly aggressive towards humans due to its historical interactions with now-extinct predators and current Bengal tigers.

Sloth Bear

• About: Forest-dwelling bear that inhabits tropical or subtropical regions of India and Sri Lanka.  Bengal tigers (P. t. tigris), the subspecies of the Indian subcontinent, may be twice the size and weight of a sloth bear, and represent a considerable threat. In some tiger parks in India, up to 2% of tiger scats include sloth bear remains.

o Also known as the: Labiated bear because of its long lower lip and palate used for sucking up insects.

• Scientific name: Melursus ursinus
• Nature: Sloth bear mostly nocturnal. 
• Hibernate: No hibernate.
• The world’s eight bear species: The others include the brown bear, American black bear, Asiatic black bear, sun bear, polar bear, spectacled bear and the giant panda.
• Food and diet:

o The bears are omnivorous with termites and ants the main constituents of their diet. 

o The bears use their claws to open the insects’ mounds and nests, sucking them up through a gap in their front teeth.  

o They are also very fond of honey, hence their alternative name of “honey bear”.

• Longevity: 20 to 25 years.
• Status:

o IUCN Red List: Vulnerable, Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1, CITES listing: Appendix I

• Threat: Habitat loss and degradation.

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8. APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNOR (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, the President appointed new Governors for Rajasthan, Telangana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Assam, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.

Appointment of Governor

• Constitutional Provision: Article 153 of the Indian Constitution mandates a Governor for each State.
• Amendment: A 1956 amendment allows the same person to be Governor for multiple States.
• Appointment Procedure: Article 155 specifies that the President appoints the Governor by warrant under their hand and seal.
• Term of Office: According to Article 156, the Governor serves at the President’s pleasure, typically for five years.
• Central Government Influence: The President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister and Union Council of Ministers, effectively appoints and can remove the Governor.
• Eligibility Criteria: Articles 157 and 158 require the Governor to be:

o An Indian citizen,

o At least 35 years old,

o Not a member of Parliament or state legislature,

o Not holding any other office of profit.

• Relationship with State Government
• Advisory Role: The Governor, as per Article 163, acts on the advice of the state’s Council of Ministers, headed by the Chief Minister, except when exercising discretionary functions.
• Powers and Significance: The Governor has significant powers, including assent to state Bills, determining legislative majorities, and calling parties to prove their majority in case of a hung verdict.

Lieutenant Governor

• About: A Lieutenant Governor also has the same powers. Only three Union Territories — Andaman and Nicobar, Delhi and Puducherry have Lt. Governors.
• Role of LG:

o Representative of the President: The Lieutenant Governor (L-G) acts as the President's representative, following the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.

o Discretionary Powers: Under Section 41 of the GNCT Act, 1991, the L-G can act independently on matters outside the Legislative Assembly’s jurisdiction.

o Authority on Specific Matters: For issues related to Police, Public Order, and Land, the L-G exercises authority based on the delegation by the President.

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9. NATIONAL METALLURGIST AWARDS 2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Awards)

Context: The Ministry of Steel, Government of India, has recently invited applications for the National Metallurgist Awards (NMA)-2024, open to individuals from industry, research, and academia. 

National Metallurgist Awards (NMA)-2024

• Institution Date: The National Metallurgist Awards were instituted in 1962 by the Ministry of Steel & Mines.
• Purpose: The awards aim to recognize and honor outstanding contributions of metallurgists in the fields of operations, research, design, education, waste management, and energy conservation.
• Nomination Process
• Submission Platforms: Nominations are invited online via the Ministry of Steel’s Portal or a centralized portal being developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Eligibility for Nomination: Nominations can be submitted by companies, organizations, or through self-nomination by individuals.
• Frequency: 3rd February every year. (It was on 3rd Feb 1959 when the then President Dr Rajendra Parasad commissioned the first Blast Furnace of the country after independence, at Rourkela). 
• Eligibility: Only Indian nationals are eligible to receive these awards.
• Award Categories:

o Lifetime Achievement Award: For individuals with a lifetime of exceptional contributions.

o National Metallurgist Award: For outstanding achievements in the metallurgical field.

o Young Metallurgist Award (Environment and Metal Science): For young professionals excelling in environmental aspects and metal science.

o Award for R&D in Iron & Steel Sector: For significant research and development contributions in the iron and steel sector.

• First Award: The first National Metallurgist Award was given in 1963, with subsequent awards given annually.

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

Context: According to a new report, poaching and trafficking are jeopardizing the survival of four critically endangered sturgeon species in one of their last strongholds in the lower Danube River, southeastern Europe.

Sturgeon

• About: Sturgeons represent a natural heritage of the Danube River Basin and key indicator species for high ecological quality of rivers.

o These species are among the most threatened fish globally.

• Habitat: 27 species of sturgeons and paddlefishes distributed across the Northern hemisphere.
• Threats: Blocked migration routes through dams, Loss or degradation of habitats, and Pollution.
• IUCN Red list: four sturgeon species in the Danube Basin are listed as Threatened by the IUCN Red List. The stellate sturgeon (A. stellatus), the Russian sturgeon (A. gueldenstaedtii) and beluga (Huso huso) are Critically Endangered; while the sterlet (A. ruthenus) was recently raised to a higher threat category and has been listed as Endangered since 2022.
• CITES: Appendix-II.

Danube River

• About: Danube River, the second longest in Europe after the Volga. 
• Origin: It rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany and flows for some 1,770 miles (2,850 km) to its mouth on the Black Sea.
• Passes: 10 countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine.

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