1. GREEN HYDROGEN (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: Recently, in the run-up to the 18th G20 Summit, a day-long conference on "Green Hydrogen Pilots in India" was held in New Delhi.Green Hydrogen 

• About: This gas is generated through the process of electrolysis, which involves the separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen.
• Production: Green hydrogen is manufactured by electrolysis, using renewable energy sources like solar, wind, or hydropower.
• India's Green Hydrogen Production: India has initiated the production of green hydrogen with the goal of increasing non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030.
• Recent Development: India recently established its first pilot plant for 99.99% pure green hydrogen in Duliajan, located in eastern Assam at the Jorhat pump station of a major petroleum exploration company.
• National Green Hydrogen Mission: To establish India as a worldwide centre for producing, applying, and exporting Green Hydrogen and its associated products.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Hydrogen

• It is a gaseous substance that is colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic, and highly explosive.
• It is the lightest, simplest, and most abundant member of the chemical elements in the universe.

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2. PRESIDENT OF INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: An invitation for a G20 dinner was sent out by President Droupadi Murmu in her capacity as “President of Bharat" instead of “President of India"

The opposition contended that the decision contravened the Constitution and attempted to associate it with the naming of the 28-party opposition alliance as "INDIA."President of India

• Article 52 of the Constitution of India: A President of India shall perpetually hold office.
• Eligibility: He should be an Indian Citizen
• His age should be a minimum of 35 years
• He should qualify the conditions to be elected as a member of the Lok Sabha
• Election of President: The President of India is to be elected indirectly by an electoral college under the system of proportional representation.
• Nominated members of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and the Assemblies, and members of state Legislative Councils, are not part of the Electoral College
• Term: The President shall hold office for a term of 5 years from the date on which he enters his office. 
• President Impeachment: Article 61, the President can be removed from his office before the expiry of his term only on the grounds of violation of the constitution.

INDIA or BHARAT

• Article 1 of the Constitution: India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.
• The draft of Article 1 was adopted on September 18, 1949, which was moved by the chairman of the Drafting Committee, Dr. Ambedkar.
• Article 52 of the Constitution says, “There shall be a President of India," with no mention of Bharat.

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3. DATA PROTECTION LAW (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Governance)

Context: Implementing the data protection law will increase the compliance burden on the telcos, which in turn will lead to a significant rise in compliance costs.

The telcos will also face increased risks of breach of law with dual roles as data processors and data fiduciaries according to the provisions of the new Act.Data Protection Bill

• Personal data is defined as data pertaining to an identifiable individual.
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been discussing digital personal data and its protection, culminating in the 'Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023.'
• The draft Bill aims to establish a framework for processing digital personal data that respects both individuals' rights to safeguard their data and the necessity of processing data for legitimate purposes.

Provisions

• The Bill is applicable when processing digital personal data within India, under the following circumstances: Data is collected online & Data is collected offline and then digitized.
• It also applies to the processing of personal data outside India if the purpose is to offer goods or services within India.
• Personal data can only be processed for lawful purposes with the individual's consent.
• For individuals below 18 years of age, consent must be granted by a parent or legal guardian.
• Rights of Data Principal: A data principal, who is an individual undergoing data processing, possesses the following rights:
• The right to obtain information regarding the processing of their data.
• The right to request the correction and deletion of their personal data.
• Personal data beyond India: It permits the transmission of personal data beyond India, barring countries that have been prohibited by the central government through an official notification.

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4. NATARAJA STATUE (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art & culture)

Context: A 27-ft-tall bronze statue of Nataraja, weighing 20 tonnes, has been installed in front of the venue at the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) complex in New Delhi, which will host the G20 Summit.
Nataraja Statue

• The sculpture has been made using traditional casting methods and “ashta dhatu”, a blend of eight metals, with copper as the primary component at 87%. 
• Nataraja is Lord Shiva in his dynamic dance posture, called “tandava”, which in a single pose captures Shiva’s roles as creator, preserver, and destroyer.
• It was created by the traditional Sthapatis of Swamimalai, the practitioners of an ancient craft that began under the Chola dynasty.
• The Shiva-Nataraja also features two invisible interlocked triangles, representing Shiva and Shakti, symbolizing the mingling of matter and energy,”
• In ornamentation, one ear of Shiva has a male earring while the other has a female. This represents the fusion of male and female and is often referred to as Ardhanarishvara.

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5. CHILDREN CLIMATE VULNERABILITY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3– Env & Eco)

Context: Children in 98 per cent of African countries are at high risk of being impacted by climate change, according to a new report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Children in 48 out of 49 African countries assessed were categorised as at ‘high’ or ‘extremely high’ risk of climate change. Key Points of Report

• The analysis utilized the global Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) to evaluate countries based on the extent of children's exposure to climate and environmental shocks, including cyclones and heatwaves.
• This report underscored the particular susceptibility of children residing in Africa to the impacts of climate change. 
• According to a 2021 UNICEF report, the Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Guinea, Somalia, and Guinea-Bissau are identified as the countries where children face the greatest risk.
• Children in northern Africa tend to encounter heightened risks related to water scarcity and air pollution, whereas those in the western and eastern parts of the continent, especially in tropical regions, are more exposed to vector-borne diseases, heat waves, and riverine flooding.
• UNICEF called on government and intergovernmental institutions, businesses and other stakeholders to prioritise five key sets of actions:
• Strengthen climate resilience of systems providing essential services to protect children and their communities
• Allocate adequate domestic and international funding for child-responsive climate programs
• Equip children and young people with the knowledge and skills required to reduce the worst impacts of climate change
• Involve children in decision-making processes
• Reduce carbon emissions and pollution

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6. GRAMODYOG VIKAS YOJANA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Scheme)

Context: Recently, the Chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises distributed tool-kits and machinery to artisans under 'Gramodyog Vikas Yojna.Gramodyog Vikas Yojana

• Launched: In March 2020
• Aim: To promote and develop the village industries through common facilities, technological modernization, training etc.
• Components of the Yojana
• Research & Development and Product Innovation: Supporting research and development efforts for product enhancement, novel innovations, design evolution, and product diversification by eligible institutions.
• Capacity Building: Focusing on the development of skills and expertise among staff and artisans through the existing MDTCs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises - Development and Training Centers) and institutions of excellence.
• Marketing & Publicity: Assisting village industry institutions with market-related endeavours such as creating product catalogues, industry directories, conducting market research, employing new marketing techniques, organizing buyer-seller meetings, and arranging exhibitions.
• Targeted beneficiaries encompass artisans, unemployed youth, and self-help groups (SHGs).
• Eligibility requirements: Individuals who qualify as Traditional Artisans, and possess skills and experience in the field of Art and Craft, are eligible to participate in this initiative.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)

• It is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
• The KVIC is responsible for strategizing, advocating, and overseeing programs aimed at the growth of Khadi and rural industries in rural areas. 
• This includes planning and implementation, working in collaboration with other relevant agencies involved in rural development when required.

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7. AFRICA’S CARBON CHALLENGES (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: President William Ruto, during the inauguration of the Africa Climate Summit 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya, emphasized that despite its minimal carbon footprint, Africa disproportionately experiences the human impacts of climate change, underscoring the critical necessity for both regional and worldwide collaborative efforts.Key Points

• Africa can be the green industrial hub that helps other nations achieve their net-zero strategies by 2050. This presents an opportunity for global economic growth and environmental sustainability.
• Africa's carbon footprint is relatively small, but the human impact of climate change is disproportionately severe, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
• Renewables like wind, solar, and hydro have the potential to make Africa energy self-sufficient and a global green growth leader, contributing to decarbonizing the global economy.
• President Ruto stressed the importance of private sector incentives in energy infrastructure development to address widespread energy poverty in Africa.
• Africa's mineral resources, including critical materials for electric vehicles, offer substantial economic opportunities, potentially reaching trillions of dollars through a sustainable, value-added approach.
• Additionally, climate-smart agriculture and nature conservation are crucial for sustainable development.

Carbon Footprint

• It denotes the quantity of greenhouse gases, predominantly CO2, discharged into the atmosphere due to specific human activities.
• This metric is quantified as the weight of CO2 emissions generated in metric tons.
• The carbon footprint comprises both direct emissions, like those stemming from driving a car, and the emissions linked to the consumption of goods and services (indirect emissions).

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8. PREVENTIVE DETENTION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Holding that governments cannot resort to preventive detention as a “tool for enforcement of law and order”, the Supreme Court has ruled that a habitual offender cannot be put under detention because of his “habituality” of committing offences but only when he is seen as having the potential to cause “public disorder”.

• The court distinguished between 'law and order' and 'public disorder,' providing a clear distinction between these concepts.
• The distinction made was that when an offence targets an individual, it falls under the category of "law and order."
• Conversely, a person can be considered to have disrupted "public order" when their conduct adversely affects the general public.

Preventive Detention

• It involves holding an individual without a trial or court conviction. Its primary objective is not punishment for a prior crime but to avert potential future offences.
• The maximum duration of such detention is capped at 3 months unless an advisory board substantiates the need for an extended detention period.
• Article 22: Protection is afforded to individuals arrested or detained.
• Article 22 comprises two segments: the first addresses ordinary law situations, while the second pertains to preventive detention law scenarios.

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9. CARBON TAX (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: Recently, Kenya's president declared, at the first Africa Climate Summit, that climate change is "relentlessly eroding" Africa's economic progress and emphasized the need for a global discussion on implementing a carbon tax on polluters.

• The rapidly growing African continent of more than 1.3 billion people is losing 5% to 15% of its gross domestic product growth every year due to the widespread impacts of climate change.

The African continent has 60% of the world’s renewable energy assets and more than 30% of the minerals key to renewable and low-carbon technologies.

Carbon Border Tax

• This is a tax imposed on imports, determined by the level of carbon emissions generated during the production of the imported product.
• Emission Reduction Incentive: It serves as a mechanism to discourage carbon emissions by adding a cost factor to carbon-intensive products.
• Impact on Trade: This tax has direct implications for production and exports, making it a significant trade-related policy.
• European Green Deal: It forms a part of the European Commission's broader initiative, the European Green Deal, aimed at achieving climate neutrality in Europe by 2050.
• Enhancement Over National Carbon Tax: A carbon border tax is seen as an improvement over a national carbon tax, which is typically imposed on domestic companies burning fossil fuels.
• National Carbon Tax: This is a fee imposed by a government on companies within its borders that use fossil fuels, with the goal of curbing carbon emissions.

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10. CRYPTOCURRENCY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, the Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister of India said cryptocurrencies (crypto), drug mafias, tax havens and cyber threats among others posed major threats to the global financial ecosystem and a global collaborated effort was needed to counter such challenges.

Cryptocurrency

• About: Cryptocurrency refers to a digital or virtual currency that employs cryptography for security measures.
• Decentralization: One of the defining features of cryptocurrencies is their decentralized nature, which means they are not under the control of any government or institution.
• Examples: Prominent examples of cryptocurrencies include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
• How Does Cryptocurrency Work: It operates through a decentralized digital ledger called the blockchain, where transactions are publicly recorded and verified by a network of computers worldwide. 
• This system relies on cryptographic techniques to secure transactions and prevent manipulation, enabling peer-to-peer, trustless, and borderless digital transactions.

Tax Heaven

• Any nation or territory that imposes the least amount of taxes possible on foreign citizens and corporations is referred to as an "Offshore Financial Center" or "Tax Haven."

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