UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 October 2024

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 October 2024 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles

InstaLinks :  Insta Links help you think beyond the  current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.

Table of Contents 

GS Paper 2: (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 October 2024)

1. Right To Die with Dignity

GS Paper 3:

2. COP-29 summit

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):

1. A Silent Crisis

2. Lib Tech study on MNREGA

Facts for Prelims (FFP):

1. Abhay Anti-Submarine Warfare Ship

2. Srijan – Center for Generative AI

3. National Mission for Manuscripts

4. ISRO-DBT agreement

5. Coking Coal

Mapping:

1. Periyar Tiger Reserve

News In Short:

1. Lord’s Resistance Army

2. Great Indian Bustard

3. Joya-La Barreta park

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 October 2024

GS Paper 2:

Right To Die with Dignity

Syllabus: Polity

Source: IE

Context: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently issued draft guidelines for the withdrawal of life support in terminally ill patients, aligning with the Supreme Court’s 2018 and 2023 rulings on the right to die with dignity.

What is Euthanasia?

• This involves a physician directly administering a lethal substance to end a patient’s life. Euthanasia can be voluntary, or involuntary, if the patient cannot consent, such as in a coma.

• Active Euthanasia: Involves deliberately performing an action, such as administering a lethal injection, to end a patient’s life at their request.
  • It is an intentional act that directly causes death, often considered illegal in most countries due to ethical and legal concerns.
• Passive Euthanasia: Entails withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment (e.g., stopping ventilation or dialysis) in cases where the patient is terminally ill, allowing the natural course of illness to lead to death.

Draft guidelines on passive euthanasia:

• Definition of terminal illness: Defined as an incurable or irreversible condition with a predictable path to death, ensuring only genuinely terminal cases are considered.
• Conditions for withdrawal/withholding treatment: Allows discontinuation if the patient is brainstem dead, or if medical assessment confirms no improvement potential. Informed consent from the patient or surrogate is mandatory, following Supreme Court protocols.
• Patient autonomy: Patients have the right to decide on resuscitation or life support; refusal of life support is permitted if the patient is brain dead, and continued care is deemed ineffective.
• Advance medical directives (Living Will): Individuals can pre-specify treatment preferences for situations where they lose decision-making capacity, supporting autonomy.
• Medical board review: If life-sustaining treatment is deemed unsuitable, the case is reviewed by a primary medical board. A secondary board’s approval is required before withdrawing support, adding oversight.

Arguments for euthanasia:

1. Respect for autonomy: Recognizes an individual’s right to make decisions regarding their own body and quality of life.

E.g. Patients with terminal illnesses should have the freedom to choose dignified end-of-life care.

1. Reduction of suffering: Eases prolonged suffering and pain for terminally ill patients.

E.g. Passive euthanasia can prevent unnecessary suffering in end-stage conditions.

1. Medical resource allocation: Frees up medical resources for patients with a higher chance of recovery.
2. Legal framework provides safety: The SC guidelines and medical boards ensure ethical and well-monitored practice.
3. Global precedence: Many countries have adopted euthanasia laws, indicating its social acceptance under strict protocols.

Arguments against euthanasia:

1. Ethical concerns: Euthanasia can conflict with medical ethics and the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm.”
2. Potential for misuse: Could lead to exploitation, especially among vulnerable populations.
3. Cultural Sensitivity: Indian cultural and religious values often oppose euthanasia.
4. Psychological impact on families: Families may feel pressured to consent even if it conflicts with personal beliefs.
5. Medical improvements: Advances in palliative care could alleviate suffering without ending life.

Way ahead:

1. Strengthen palliative care: Invest in accessible palliative care to provide comfort to terminally ill patients.
2. Raise public awareness: Educate on the distinctions between passive euthanasia, palliative care, and living wills.
3. Monitor implementation: Ensure stringent oversight of the guidelines to prevent misuse.

Conclusion:

As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The highest ethical duty is to minimize suffering.” Striking a balance between ethical concerns and individual rights is crucial for upholding dignity in end-of-life care.

Insta Links:

PYQ:

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 October 2024 GS Paper 3:

COP-29 summit

Syllabus: Climate summit

Source:  TH

Context: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) faces a severe budget shortfall, impacting its ability to conduct essential climate negotiations and support the 2024-25 climate agenda, including the COP-29 summit.

Current issues:

• Delays and shortfalls: Major contributors like the U.S. and China have delayed payments, leading to a €57 million shortfall in 2024, affecting UNFCCC’s ability to run operations.
• Operational disruptions: Financial strain has forced UNFCCC to reduce activities, such as cutting regional events and limiting travel funding for poorer nations.
• Increasing reliance on voluntary contributions: With budget needs rising, the reliance on voluntary donations grows, introducing unpredictability in funds availability.
• Inefficiency and limited transparency: Constraints and delays in supplementary funds impact project planning and create inefficiencies.

Impact of budget shortfall on UNFCCC:

• Reduced global climate action: Funding shortages limit UNFCCC’s ability to organize effective climate negotiations, slowing global progress on emission reduction and adaptation efforts.
• Limited developing nations’ representation: Lack of subsidies restricts poorer nations’ participation, reducing their voice in critical climate decisions at COP summits and related forums.
• Operational cuts: Key climate events like regional summits are canceled, impeding momentum for regional climate commitments and investment mobilization.
• Staffing challenges: Budget gaps result in short-term contracts for UNFCCC staff, impacting stability and operational efficiency in climate action tasks.
• Uncertain climate investments: Funding delays from major contributors discourage potential investors, complicating global climate finance flows needed for substantial climate action.

Way ahead:

• Timely obligatory contributions: Strengthen compliance to ensure core budget payments are completed promptly to avoid operational disruptions.
• Flexible supplementary fund management: Streamline voluntary fund processes, enabling smoother allocation and reducing dependence on earmarked spending requests.
• Increase core budget contributions: Seek higher obligatory funding levels, adjusted for increasing climate action needs, to reduce over-reliance on voluntary funds.
• Budget transparency and efficiency: Implement UN audit recommendations to ensure resource optimization, cost-effective project execution, and improve fund allocation accountability.

Conclusion:

Ensuring reliable funding for UNFCCC is essential for unified climate action and accountability; as climate envoy Jennifer Morgan noted, a functioning secretariat is crucial for impactful negotiations.

 Insta Links:

PYQ:

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 October 2024 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

A Silent Crisis

Context: In Jharkhand’s rural pockets, a silent crisis unfolds as residents struggle with inaccessible bank accounts frozen due to KYC (Know Your Customer) formalities. Villagers like Urmila Oraon, who recently spent two days waiting in line only to be turned away, are among the many facing hardships in Latehar and Lohardaga districts. While local surveys by activists like Jean Drèze show that 60% of households in surveyed areas have at least one frozen account, the reality feels far more widespread.

Bhola Oraon, whose account remains locked due to mismatched spellings in his documents, feels the weight of the system’s rigidity. For three years, Bhola has been unable to access his own funds, a story mirrored by many who must navigate convoluted procedures, rampant corruption, and overcrowded banks. In a bid to cope, some, like Somwati Devi’s husband, have even chosen to open entirely new accounts to bypass the unending queues and administrative gridlocks.

Meanwhile, rural bank branches are overwhelmed, often seeing only 30 applications processed per day against a backlog of over 1,500. This crushing bottleneck has left many, particularly pensioners and women dependent on government aid, in a state of financial limbo.

Relevance in Essay Topics:

• Financial inclusion and digital access: Highlights the challenges faced by rural populations in accessing financial services and the digital divide in formal banking processes.
• Challenges in governance and public service delivery: Illustrates systemic issues like bureaucratic delays, corruption, and the unintended consequences of regulatory policies.
• Social and economic inequality: Emphasizes the impact of administrative hurdles on vulnerable communities and their economic rights.
• Role of technology in governance: Examines the limitations of digital initiatives in rural settings and the importance of accessible, user-friendly technology.

Lib Tech study on MNREGA

Context: Recent data from a Lib Tech study reveals significant deletions from the MGNREGS registry, largely attributed to the Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS). This trend has left many rural workers ineligible, limiting their access to guaranteed employment.

Key Data Points:

• Worker deletions and additions (April-September 2024):
  • 84.8 lakh workers removed, with Tamil Nadu (14.7%) and Chhattisgarh (14.6%) having the highest rates of deletion.
• Historical deletions:
  • Over eight crore workers were removed during FY 2022-23 and FY 2023-24.
  • In Andhra Pradesh, 15% of deletions were found to be wrongful, per Lib Tech’s ongoing studies.
• Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS) impact:
  • ABPS eligibility requires Aadhaar linkage to the job card and bank account, with name matching.
  • 27.4% of all registered workers (6.7 crore) and 4.2% of active workers (54 lakh) remain ineligible for ABPS.
• Decline in person days:
  • There was a 16.6% decline in person days generated, dropping to 153 crore days.

Relevance to UPSC syllabus:

• GS II (Governance & Social Justice): Highlights the implementation challenges of Aadhaar in welfare schemes and social security measures.
• GS III (Economic Development): Relevant to discussions on rural employment schemes, labor force dynamics, and economic migration.
• Essay Paper: Serves as a case study on digital governance and financial inclusion challenges in India’s welfare schemes.

Abhay Anti-Submarine Warfare Ship

Source: PIB

 Context: India launched the seventh Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), Abhay, on October 25, 2024, at L&T’s Kattupalli facility.

• The Abhay class ships will replace the existing Abhay class ASW Corvettes, strengthening India’s maritime security in shallow waters.

About Abhay Anti-Submarine Warfare Ship:

• Purpose: Specifically designed for anti-submarine warfare in coastal waters, Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), and mine-laying operations.
• Dimensions and speed: Approximately 77 meters long with a top speed of 25 knots and an endurance of 1800 nautical miles.
• Indigenous content: Over 80% of the ship’s components are sourced from Indian manufacturers, supporting the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
• Contract and builder: Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) under an April 2019 contract with the Ministry of Defence.
• Significance: Reflects India’s growing self-reliance in defense manufacturing, creating employment and advancing local shipbuilding capabilities.

Insta links:

Srijan – Center for Generative AI

Source: PIB

 Context: IndiaAI and Meta have launched a Center for Generative AI, called Srijan, at IIT Jodhpur, with the goal of driving open-source AI innovations in India.

• This initiative, supported by a partnership with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), aims to encourage young developers to leverage open-source AI models to solve real-world challenges.

About the Center for Generative AI, Srijan:

• Objective: Srijan seeks to empower young AI talent by providing resources to work with Large Language Models (LLMs) and focus on essential areas like healthcare, mobility, and education.
• Funding: Meta has committed INR 750 Lakhs over three years, supporting training, research, and workshops.
• Initiatives: The center will host Hackathons, Master Training workshops, and a GenAI Resource Hub to foster collaboration and skill development.
• Partnerships: IIT Jodhpur collaborates with national and international stakeholders, including Meta, MeitY, AICTE, and academic institutions, to expand Generative AI research and innovation.

About YuvaAI (Youth for Unnati and Vikas with AI) initiative:

• Goal: Part of India’s YuvaAI program, it aims to skill 1 lakh young developers (ages 18-30) in generative AI to tackle real-world challenges.
• Collaboration: A joint effort by Meta, MeitY and AICTE to enhance AI talent through open-source Large Language Models (LLMs) training.
• Core activities: Offers skilling programs, LLM workshops, and hackathons. Outstanding projects receive mentoring, seed funding, and support.
• Focus areas: Targets sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, and smart cities, aligning with national goals for sustainable development.

About AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education):

• Establishment: Formed in November 1945, AICTE became a statutory body in 1987 under the AICTE Act.
• Purpose: AICTE supports coordinated development and improvement in technical education across India.
• Ministry: Under the Ministry of Human Resource Development
• Functions: AICTE accredits graduate and postgraduate programs, ensures quality standards in technical education, and offers strategic guidance.
• Headquarters: Located in New Delhi.

Insta links:

National Mission for Manuscripts

Source:  TH

Context: The Union Ministry of Culture has announced plans to revitalize the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) by potentially transforming it into an autonomous body named the National Manuscripts Authority.

About National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM):

• Established: Founded in 2003 under the Ministry of Culture to address India’s manuscript preservation needs.
• Objective: The mission seeks to identify, document, conserve, and make accessible India’s manuscript heritage, estimated to include 10 million manuscripts.
• Achievements:
  • Prepared metadata for 52 lakh manuscripts.
  • Digitized over 3 lakh manuscript titles, though only about one-third are accessible online.
  • Conserved approximately 9 crore folios through preventive and curative measures.
• Scope: Covers diverse themes, languages, scripts, and calligraphies; represents one of the largest manuscript collections worldwide.

Insta Links:

ISRO-DBT Agreement

 Source: TH

 Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have joined forces to develop bio-experiments for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India’s planned indigenous space station.

ISRO-DBT agreement highlights:

• Purpose: To design biological experiments for BAS and the Gaganyaan mission.
• Areas of Research:
  • Impact of weightlessness on muscle health.
  • Algae studies for nutrient-rich, long-lasting food sources and biofuel production.
  • Effects of space radiation on astronaut health.
• BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) initiative: Aligns with DBT’s policy to promote bio-manufacturing in India, focusing on health, bio-pharma, regenerative medicine, and biotechnology for waste management.

About Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS):

• Orbit: Planned at 400 km above Earth.
• Timeline: Initial module launches by 2028; complete expansion by 2035.
• Capacity: Designed for 15–20-day missions in orbit.
• Structure: Comprises a command module, habitat module, propulsion systems, and docking ports.

Insta links:

Coking Coal

Source: TH

Context: India’s coking coal imports surged to a six-year peak in the first half of the current fiscal (April-September 2023), driven by increased imports from Russia amidst rising domestic steel production.

Recent status of Coking Coal imports:

• Import volume: 29.6 million tonnes (mt) of coking coal imported in H1 FY24, a six-year high.
• Russian imports: Shipments from Russia rose significantly, with a 200% increase, reaching 4 MT in H1 FY24.
• Alternative sourcing: India’s mills capitalized on Russia’s discounted coking coal, while imports from traditional sources like Australia saw a decline.

NOTE: No need to remember all these data for prelims but you can use them in your mains answers which can fetch additional marks.

About Coking Coal:

• Content and formation:
  • Composition: Bituminous coal with high carbon content, low sulphur, phosphorus, and alkalis, making it suitable for steelmaking.
  • Formation: Formed from the carbonization of coal at high temperatures to produce metallurgical coke.
• Chemical and physical indicators:
  • High carbon Content: Essential for the strength and efficiency of coke in blast furnaces.
  • Low impurities: Lower sulphur and phosphorus content than steam coal to minimize contamination in steel production.
• Importance:
  • Steel production: Critical for producing pig iron in blast furnaces, where it acts as a reducing agent and supports the furnace charge.
  • Industrial by-products: Produces by-products like tar, benzole, ammonia sulphate, and coke oven gas, which support chemical manufacturing and power generation.
• India’s resources and dependency: Despite being a major steel producer, India is a net importer of coking coal due to limited domestic reserves.

 Insta Links:

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 October 2024 Mapping:

Periyar Tiger Reserve

Source:  TH

Context: The residents of Pampa Valley and Angel Valley in Kerala’s Erumely panchayat are facing challenges due to their proximity to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) and recent buffer zone demarcations.

Places in News:

• Pampa Valley & Angel Valley:
  • Situated near the Periyar Tiger Reserve; residents face wildlife threats and legal issues over buffer zone designation.
  • Known for its historical ties to the “Grow More Food” campaign of 1947-48, which supported post-war veterans.

• Mookenpetty Causeway: A bridge over the Azhutha River serving as a boundary between populated agricultural areas and PTR wilderness, marking a symbolic divide between local communities and protected forest areas.

About Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR):

• Location: Situated in the Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala.
• Formation: Established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1950 and later declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. Named after the Periyar River, which originates within the reserve.
• Drainage: Major rivers flowing through the reserve are the Periyar and Mullayar.
• Unique species: Hosts medicinal plants like Syzygium periyarensis, Habenaria periyarensis (an orchid), and Mucuna pruriense thekkadiensis.
• Indigenous communities: Home to six tribal communities including the Mannans, Paliyans, Malayarayans, Mala Pandarams, Uralis, and Ulladans, who live within the reserve.

Insta links:

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 October 2024 News In Short:

News In Short:

Follow us on our Official TELEGRAM Channel HERE

Subscribe to Our Official YouTube Channel HERE

Please subscribe to Our podcast channel HERE

Official Facebook Page HERE

Twitter Account HERE

Instagram Account HERE

LinkedIn: HERE