Current Affairs 25 August 2020 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 25 August 2020 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

1. DRDO towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat
2. India-AIIB Agreement on Railway System
3. RTI functional in Jammu&Kashmir
4. Mystery of dwarf galaxy traced by ARIES
5. DNA Bill can be misused Draft Report

DRDO towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat

Why in News ?

DRDO towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat fro self reliant India. Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has taken several initiatives to strengthen the indigenous defence ecosystem. 108 systems and subsystems which have been identified for designing and development by the Indian Industry.

Identified System

• 108 Systems/Sub systems for Industry to Design, Develop and Manufacture were identified by DRDO includes
  • Mini & Micro UAVs
  • Un-cooled NV-IR sights for weapons
  • Mines Laying and Marking Equipment
  • Armoured Engineering Reconnaissance Vehicle
  • Anti-Terrorist Vehicle
  • Missile Assembly Jigs
  • Satellite Navigation Receivers
  • Fuel System Components for Aircraft Application
• The initiative can be seen as a way for building the technologies towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Through this initiative DRDO can boost Indian Research and Development industries and Design sector. 
• With cooperation with DRDO in the development of major weapon systems Indian industries can transform from ‘build to print’ to ‘build to specification’.
  • Build to print : Projects require customers to supply assembly and production drawings, instructions, and manufacturing details.
  • Build to specification : All are done by the supplier. Customer will have to quote the tender and outsourcing the entire job. 
• The present industry base for DRDO consists of 1800 MSMEs along with DPSUs, Ordnance Factories and large scale industries.
• DRDO towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat is a good initiative for state of art technologies.

About DRDO

• DRDO is the R&D wing of Ministry of Defence formed in 1958.
• The vision to
  • Empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies.
  • Achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems.
  • Equipping our armed forces with state-of-the-art weapon systems.
  • Also to equipment with requirements of three various Services.
  • Develop infrastructure and committed quality manpower
  • Build strong indigenous technology base with high quality technological advancement.
• DRDO is a network of more than 50 laboratories

Source : PIB

Topic

GS III : Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology

India-AIIB Agreement on Railway System

Why in News?

India-AIIB Agreement on Railway System will boost suburban railway systems. Agreement for a $500 million Mumbai Urban Transport Project-III to improve the network capacity, service quality and safety of the suburban railway system in Mumbai.

About the Agreement

• To increase network capacity in the region with the reduction in journey time and fatal accidents of commuters.
• 22% are female passengers who will benefit from improved safety and quality of service.
• Project Aim : 
  • Improved mobility
  • Service quality and safety of passengers
  • Faster, more reliable and higher quality transport services
  • Introduction of trespass control measures.
• The total estimated cost of the project is $997 million,
  • $500 million will be financed by the AIIB
  • $310 million by the Government of Maharashtra
  • $187 million by Ministry of Railways.
• The $500 million loan from the AIIB has a 5-year grace period and a maturity of 30 years.

Need for the development in the sector

• Population
  • Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is the most populous metropolitan region in India.
    • It is expected to reach 29.3 million by 2031 and 32.1 million by 2041.
    • This needs a strong Mumbai urban development plan for the future.
• Infrastructure
  • The infrastructure planning balances with economic activities, mobility as well as the optimisation of environmental and social outcomes.
    • 86 per cent of Mumbai commuters rely on public transport. 
    • 36,688 injuries on the Mumbai suburban railway network.
    • Over crowding and trespassing are the major reasons for the accidents. 
• Pollution
  • Environment pollution is a serious threat in Metro life
    • It will help in reducing carbon emissions
    • Shifting passengers away from higher-carbon road transport towards efficient and convenient rail-based mobility.
• Safety Concern for Women
  • Female passengers will benefit from improved safety and quality of service.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

Multilateral financial institution aimed at providing “financial support for infrastructure development in the Asia – Pacific region.

• To boost economic development in the region, create wealth, provide infrastructure and promote regional cooperation and partnership.
• The value of AIIB’s authorised capital amounts to $100 billion, with almost $30 billion invested by China.
• China, India and Russia are the three largest shareholders of AIIB
• Major economies that are not members include Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, and the United States.

Source : PIB

Topic

Prelims : Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

GS II : Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

GS III : Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc

RTI functional in Jammu&Kashmir

Why in News ?

RTI disposal rate had remained unaffected by the pandemic and during certain given intervals of time, the disposal rate was even higher than the usual. Also RTI functional in Jammu&Kashmir.

Pandemic Effect on RTI

• RTI disposal rate was higher than June 2019.
• Avoidance of duplication and misguided RTIs will lead to reduction in pendency and workload and will enhance efficiency.
• Besides through virtual means Central Information Commission (CIC) entertaining, hearing and disposing of RTIs from the newly created Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
• Citizen of India can now file RTI pertaining to matters related to J&K and Ladakh. 

What was the concern of RTI in J&K

Following the revoking of Article 370 and ending of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood the central RTI Act 2005 was applying to the two new union territories of J&K and Ladakh. All appeals and complaints pending before the JK Information Commission were set to be transferred to the CIC. 

The J&K RTI Act allowed only the residents of the state to file petitions pertaining to state public authorities.

Differences between J&K RTI Act, 2009 and central RTI Act, 2005

• It did not have the exemption clause under Section 8 (1)(s) which pertains to information received from a foreign government in confidence. While the Central Act had ten exemptions, the state law had just nine.
• J&K RTI law fixed a time limit of 60 to 120 days to give a decision on a second appeal but the central RTI Act does not have any such time limit.
• For not performing the duties by the officer penalties are in place and does not exist in the central law.

Source : PIB

Topic 

GS II : Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures

Mystery of dwarf galaxy traced by ARIES

Why in News ?

Mystery of dwarf galaxy traced by Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) astronomers of massive star formation. 

What are the findings ?

• The disturbed hydrogen distribution in these galaxies and also in recent collisions between two galaxies.
• The 1420.40 MHz images of several intense star-forming dwarf galaxies indicated that hydrogen in these galaxies is very disturbed.
• Some hydrogen around these galaxies is also detected in forms of isolated clouds, plumes, and tails as if some other galaxy recently has collided or brushed away with these galaxies, and gas is scattered as debris around the galaxies. 
• The optical morphologies sometimes revealed multiple nuclei and high concentration of ionized hydrogen in the central region.
• The collision between the galaxies are not detected it is revealed through radio and optical imaging.
• Thus based on the research recent collisions between the galaxies trigger intense star formation. 

Dwarf Galaxies in the Universe

• There are a large number of tiny and huge galaxies are present in the universe. 
• Dwarf galaxies are difficult to found out because of their low luminosity and size. 
• They are classified into 
  • Dwarf Elliptical galaxies
  • Dwarf Spheroidal galaxies
  • Dwarf Irregular galaxies
• Dwarf galaxies form stars at a much slower rate than the massive ones.
• Also some dwarf galaxies are seen forming new stars at a mass normalised rate 10-100 times more than that of the Milky-way galaxy.
• These activities do not last longer than a few tens of million years which is much shorter than the age of these galaxies.

Source : PIB

Topic

GS III : Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights

DNA Bill can be misused Draft Report

Why in News ?

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, in a draft report, has called the DNA
Technology Regulation Bill premature and DNA Bill can be misused. 

Bill that proposes DNA sampling and profiling of citizens accused of crime or reported missing and storing their unique genetic information for administrative purposes.

It has some alarming provisions that could be misused for caste or community based profiling, a draft report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology has flagged.

DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Act, 2019

DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Act, 2019 introduced in the light of 

• The Bill provides for the regulation of use of DNA technology for establishing the identity of certain persons.
• Under the Bill, DNA testing is allowed only in respect of matters listed in the Schedule to the Bill include
  • • Offences under the Indian Penal Code, 1860,
    • Civil matters such as paternity suits.
    • Matters related to establishment of individual identity.
• Collection and Consent : 
  • For Accused :
    • Authorities are required to obtain written consent if the offence carries a punishment of up to seven years.
    • If the offence carries more than seven years of imprisonment or death, consent is not required. Further
  • For a victim or relative of a missing person or a minor or disabled person
    • Authorities are required to obtain the written consent of such victim or relative or parent or guardian of the minor or disabled person. 
  • Authorities can approach a Magistrate who may order the taking of bodily substances of such persons.
• Provision of Data Bank : 
  • Bill provides for the establishment of a National DNA Data Bank and Regional DNA Data Banks, for every state, or two or more states.
  • Every Data Bank will be required to maintain
    • Crime scene index
    • Suspects or under trials index
    • An offenders index
    • Missing persons index
    • Unknown deceased persons index
• Removal of the criteria for entry, retention, or removal of the DNA profile will be specified by regulations. 
• Provides for the establishment of a DNA Regulatory Board, which will supervise the DNA Data Banks and DNA
  laboratories.
• The Bill specifies penalties for various offences including :
  • Disclosure of DNA information
  • Using DNA sample without authorisation

Need for an Act

• The potential of wide application in the justice delivery systems both criminal and civil.
• it helps in investigation of crimes through biological evidence, in extreme cases like
  • Semen evidence in rape cases
  • Blood evidence in murder cases
  • Saliva evidence in identification of source of anonymous threat letters.
• Civil cases it helps in investigation relating to victims of disasters and proving the paternity.

Concern over the Act

DNA Bill can be misused in the current form in following context : 

• The pointed out that DNA profiles can reveal extremely sensitive information like
  • Pedigree
  • Skin colour
  • Behaviour,
  • Illness,
  • Health status
  • Susceptibility to diseases.
• Access to such information may leads to the misuse of such data.
• Besides it may cause to target some particular caste/community to criminal activities.
• The consent mentioned in the draft for crimes under 7 years but it can be override by the magistrate. 
• Bill proposes to store DNA profiles of suspects, under trials, victims and their relatives for future investigations, this can be misuse in certain circumstances to manipulate an innocent.
• DNA profiles for civil matters will be stored in the data banks, but without a clear and separate index.
• Supreme Court recognised privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21 and collection of such data and storing violated the privacy. 

Recommendations of the Committee

• Amend the provisions to ensure that if the person has been found innocent his DNA profile must be removed immediately from the data bank.
• Independent scrutiny must be done of the proposals to destroy biological samples and remove DNA profiles from the database.

Similar Legislation in Other Countries

• Since 1988 the system is used all around the world. 
• Nearly 60 countries have enacted similar legislation mostly consist of DNA data of convicted criminals..
• US established such legislation in 1945 itself. 

Way Forward

DNA profiling may cut down crime and bring criminals to justice more quickly. But the bill in its current form probably needs critical revisions before it can become law. The privacy of every person should be protected. Special attention to Data Bank for avoiding the misuse of DNA details. 

Source : The Hindu, PRS

Topic 

GS II : Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

China Pakistan Warship launch

Why in News ?

China has launched first of the four advanced naval warships it is building for Pakistan, amid deepening defence ties between the two all weather allies.

About the News

• Pakistan China defence ties turn to next level with the launch of the first ship of Type­054 class frigate.
• Type­054 class equipped with the latest surface, subsurface, anti­air weapons, combat management system, and sensors, will be one of the technologically advanced surface platforms of the Pakistan Navy fleet. 
• It will be one of the technologically advanced surface platforms of the Pakistan Navy fleet.

India on China-Pak Relations

• India’s primary security concern has been Pakistan’s attempts at destabilisation, be it in Kashmir, Punjab, or other parts of the country.
• Support for Pakistan shows that it seeks to contain India’s strategic status in the region and also ensure its own superiority.
• China’s assistance was also crucial in the successful development of Pakistan’s Shaheen II medium range ballistic missile and DRDO’s observed that the seized autoclave could be used for the Shaheen II missile.
• There are competing demands for improvements to border infrastructure and demands from all three branches of service. 

Way Forward

India need to prepare for any military threat by Pakistan and China combined. As a result of the recent COVID pandemic the Indian military expenditure may cut by 40 percent. It is important to remain mindful of the long-term impact on India’s national security.

Source : The Hindu

Topic 

GS II : India and its neighbourhood- relations

Current Affairs 25 August 2020 : Our major Sources for the Current Affairs are The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB. For more queries and mentor-ship contact us.