Current Affairs 23 September 2020 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 23 September 2020 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

1. Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
2. Komodo dragons could become extinct
3. Net Neutrality Monitoring Body
4. Details of Essential Commodities Act
5. Successful Flight Test Of ABHYAS
6. EPCA On Punjab-Haryana Stubble Burning
7. PASSEX : India and Australia’s two-day naval exercise (Prelims)
8. Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020
9. Guru Nanak Dev’s death anniversary

Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network

Why in News ?

US financial watchdog, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the treasury department, has received 3,201 red flags or suspicious activity reports (SARs) involving Indian entities for suspected money laundering, terrorism, drug dealing or financial fraud.

• This investigative report is a collaborative effort of International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and BuzzFeed News.
  • It aims to trace the Indian entities and banks named in these SARs filed with FinCEN between 1999 and 2017.

Suspicious Activity Reports

• SAR are documents filed by financial institutions from banks to money exchanges and security brokers, to US authorities to report suspicious transactions.
  • Such transactions have to be reported within 30 days of occurrence.
• There are a total of 3,201 transactions which have been listed as suspicious in nature
• These add to $1.53 billion but this is only those where complete Indian addresses linked to different entities (senders, banks, beneficiaries) are available
  • These are just transactions highlighted for suspicious activities such as alleged round tripping, alleged layering of transactions, weak checks and balances, movement of wealth, alleged tax avoidance.
• Banks Involved
  • Domestic branches of Indian banks have been used to receive or remit the funds.
  • Also foreign branches of Indian banks have been used for suspicious transactions.
  • A total of 44 Indian banks figure in these files.
• SARs nonetheless serve as signals to alert regulators and authorities regarding possible irregular activities.

What are the concerns over the transaction ?

• To what extent are the Indian investigative agencies aware of these suspicious transactions involve Indian citizens and firms
• Did these banks report these particular transactions, and flag them to the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND)?
• Considering the report the details of banking transactions indicate round-tripping, money laundering or dealings with shell companies that have to come under the shadow of the investigative agencies in India.

Money Laundering in India

What is Money Laundering : Defined under the (Indian) Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) as the offence of ‘directly or indirectly attempting to indulge, or knowingly assisting, or knowingly being a party or being actually involved in any process or activity connected with the proceeds of crime, including its concealment, possession, acquisition or use and projecting or claiming it as untainted property’.

• Money Laundering Enforcement Agencies are
  • Primary enforcement authority under the PMLA
  • Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND) was set by the Government of India as the central national agency
  • Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) : SEBI has prescribed various know your customer (KYC) norms.
  • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) : RBI has laid down anti-money laundering guidelines for banks and other financial institutions to follow.
  • Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (IRDAI) : IRDAI has issued anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing guidelines applicable to certain categories of insurers.
  • Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) – Economics Offences Wing
  • Income Tax Department : The Income Tax Department under the Income Tax Act, 1961 is also authorised to take steps to prevent the offence of money laundering by imposing tax on undisclosed foreign income and assets on Indian residents.
  • Enforcement Directorate (ED) : It is a law enforcement agency and economic intelligence agency responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime in India.
• Various Acts
  • Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016
  • Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999
  • Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
  • Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018
  • Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015
• Various Forms of Money laundering Activity
  • Smurfing
  • Drug trafficking one of the complex form
  • Bulk Cash Smuggling
  • Cash intensive Businesses
  • Trade based Laundering
  • Shell companies
  • Round tripping
  • Gambling
  • Stock Marketing and Insurance
  • Smuggling of Gold and converting into money once received.
  • Black salaries
  • Tax amnesties
  • Transaction laundering
  • Some cryptocurrencies
  • Convert money into virtual goods, services, or virtual cash
• Steps involved in Money Laundering
  • Placement : Placing ill-gotten gains into the financial system.
  • Layering : Once deposited the money is layered, or shifted through a series of transactions designed to create confusion and complicate the paper trail for investigators.
  • Integration : During the final step laundered funds become legitimate and involves legal transactions, integration is regarded as the lowest-risk part.

International Agencies and Efforts

• Financial Action Task Force (FATF) : Global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. The inter-governmental body sets international standards that aim to prevent these illegal activities and the harm they cause to society. 
  • FATF monitors countries to ensure they implement the FATF Standards fully and effectively, and holds countries to account that do not comply.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
  • The Global Programme against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism (GPML) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) now administers and maintains IMoLIN on behalf of the following 11 partner organizations.
• International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)
  • The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is the international body that brings together the world’s securities regulators and is recognized as the global standard setter for the securities sector.
  • They also fight against Money Laundering in securities and futures markets.

Source : Indian Express

Topic

GS III : Money-laundering and its prevention

Komodo dragons could become extinct

Why in News ?

The Komodo dragon, the world’s largest lizard, could become extinct in the next few decades due to climate change unless measures are taken to change the status quo.

• • The dragon could become extinct on three of the five island habitats where it is currently found

About Komodo Dragon

• Reaching up to 10 feet in length and more than 300 pounds, Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on Earth.
• Scientific Name: Varanus komodoensis.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN Status: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • They are protected under Indonesian Law.
• Threats 
  • Asexual reproduction does allow female Komodo dragons to replenish their population only result in son.
  • Humans have also posed a threat to the Komodo dragon’s survival.
  • Another problem is obviously the climate change.

Various Conservation Effort

• In 1980, Indonesia established Komodo National Park to protect the Komodo dragon and its habitat.
• UNESCO World Heritage site, Komodo National Park has established patrols to prevent poaching.

Source : Down To Earth

Topic

Prelims : About Komodo Dragon

GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Net Neutrality Monitoring Body

Why in News ?

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India recommended the creation of a multi-stakeholder body (MSB) to ensure that Internet access providers adhere to the provisions of net neutrality. Net Neutrality Monitoring Body is debating topic since 2014. 

Multi-Stakeholder Body – Net Neutrality Monitoring Body

• The MSB could include telecom service providers, Internet service providers, content providers, researchers, academic and technical community, civil society organisations, and the government, should be set up as a non-profit entity.
• The MSB may also be responsible for investigate complaints regarding the violation of net neutrality.
• The MSB help DoT in maintenance of a repository of reasonable traffic management practices.

What is Net Neutrality ?

• The concept of net neutrality is that all data on the internet should be treated equally by internet service providers, and governments, regardless of content, user, platform, application or device.
  • All IPS providers should have equal access to all datas on the net speed to all traffic.
  • All websites or applications should be treated equally by TSPs
  • All applications should be allowed to be accessed at the same internet speed
  • All applications should be accessible for the same cost.
• History of India fight for Net Neutrality ?
  • Telecom operator Airtel was forced to withdraw a plan to charge extra for internet calls, and shut down a platform called Airtel Zero, which allowed customers to access a few mobile applications for free.
  • Some operators call this “toll-free data”, but it’s popularly known as zero rating.
  • Others, including Facebook and Google, were also forced to abandon their zero-rating platforms and deals.
  • The most visible casualty was Facebook’s Free Basics service, which offered Indians free access to a limited number of websites.
  • March 2015, the telecom regulator published a paper on net neutrality, triggering a million emails from the public
• Who are the stakeholders affected by the issue ?
  • The consumers of any internet service
  • The Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) or Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
  • The over-the-top (OTT) service providers
    • Those who provide internet access services such as websites and applications
  • The government, who may regulate and define relationships between these players.
• How is net neutrality regulated in India ?
  • At present, there are no specific legislation regarding Net Neutrality in India.
  • TRAI had barred telecom service providers from charging differential rates for data services.
  • India adopt of the November 2017 recommendations by the Telecom Regulatory Association of India (TRAI)
  • TRAI released its regulation “Prohibition of discriminatory tariffs for data services, Regulations, 2016.
  • TRAI provided to DoT its recommendations on ‘Net Neutrality’ dated 28.11.2017
• What is TRAI 2016 Regulations ?
  • no service provider is allowed to enter into any agreement or contract that would result in discriminatory tariffs charged on customer.
  • Such tariffs will only be permitted in closed electronic communications networks, which are networks where data is neither received nor transmitted over the internet,
  • Service provider may reduce tariff for accessing or providing emergency services.
  • Violators have to pay 50,000 per day of contravention, subject to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh.

Way Forward

Internet accessible and available to all without discrimination. Protection of net neutrality is critical for the success of its Rs. 1.13 lakh crore Digital India program as any sort of prioritizing, throttling or blocking of the Web would stifle the digital ecosystem in the country. Successful start-ups in the country under the Digital India initiative can only happen if the Internet is neutral. 

In order to launch a number of health, education and governance initiatives digitally in an attempt to deliver the essential services to all citizens. India has the third highest number of Internet users in the world, but Internet penetration is the lowest compared to the top 10 countries. 

Source : Indian Express

Topic

GS II : Policies and Developmental Studies

• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

GS III : Science and Technology 

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

Details of Essential Commodities Act

Why in News ?

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which removes cereal, pulses, oilseed, edible oil, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities. Details on Essential Commodities Acts explained. 

Read in-line with : The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020

Details on Essential Commodities Act

• This Bill replaces the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 and amends the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
• Allows the central government to regulate the supply of certain food items only under extraordinary circumstances.
• Stock limits may be imposed on agricultural produce only if there is a steep price rise.
• Removes cereal, pulses, oilseed, edible oil, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities.
• Food items Regulation :
  • The central government may regulate or prohibit the production, supply, distribution, trade, and commerce of such essential commodities.
  • Food items including cereals, pulses, potatoes, onions, edible oilseeds, and oils, only under extraordinary circumstances.
  • The extra ordinary situation mentioned as 
    • War
    • Famine
    • Extraordinary price rise
    • Natural calamity of grave nature.
• Stock limit :
  • Imposition of any stock limit on agricultural produce must be based on price rise.
  • The limit is imposed only if
    • 100% increase in retail price of horticultural produce.
    • 100% increase in the retail price of non-perishable agricultural food items.
  • Price fixing : Calculated over the price prevailing immediately preceding twelve months or the average retail price of the last five years, whichever is lower.

Need for the Bill

• Bill aims to remove fears among private investors of excessive regulatory interference in their business operations. 
• The freedom to produce, hold, move, distribute and supply will attract private sector/foreign direct investment into the agriculture sector.
  • In fact, India has now become an exporter of several agricultural products.
• It will help drive up investment in cold storage and modernisation of the food supply chain.
  • The amendment helps to prevent wastage of agricultural produce due to lack of storage facilities.
• While liberalising the regulatory environment, has also ensured that interests of consumers are safeguarded.
  • In situations such as war, famine, extraordinary price rise and natural calamity, such agricultural foodstuff can be regulated.

Issues with the bill

• The price triggers envisioned in the Bill are unrealistic and so high that they will hardly ever be invoked.
• It infringes upon the State’s power.
  • State government may wish to regulate and place stock limits.
  • Amendments must apply only if the State government, by notification, applies the Amendment Act in that State.
• Hoarders and Black marketeers
  • Diverse country the situation may differ from district to district within a State such a centralised law would make it very difficult for the States to check black-marketing of goods.

Source : Indian Express

Topic

GS II : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

GS III : Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing

Successful Flight Test Of ABHYAS

Why in News ?

Successful flight test of ABHYAS – High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was conducted by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

• The test conducted at  Interim Test Range, Balasore in Odisha.
• Two demonstrator vehicles were successfully test flown.

ABHYAS – High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT)

• The vehicle can be used as target for evaluation of various missile systems.
• Abhyas is designed & developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), DRDO.
• The air vehicle is launched using twin underslung booster.
• It is powered by a small gas turbine engine and has MEMS based Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation along with the Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control.
• The vehicle is programmed for fully autonomous flight.
  • Abhyas is designed for autonomous flying with the help of an autopilot.
• The check out of air vehicle is done using laptop based Ground Control Station (GCS).
  • Abhyas has RCS, Visual and IR augmentation systems required for weapon practice.
• The fuselage consists of five sections, namely the nose cone, equipment bay, fuel tank bay, air intake bay and tail cone.
• Achievements during the test
  • The user requirement of 5 km flying altitude
  • Vehicle speed of 0.5 mach
  • Endurance of 30 minutes and 2g turn capability
  • At the end of its launch phase the burnout booster rockets are ejected and the main gas-turbine engine powers the vehicle during cruise phase

Source : PIB

Topic

Prelims : About ABHYAS

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

EPCA On Punjab-Haryana Stubble Burning

Why in News ?

The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority wrote to the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana stating that early burning of crop residue was taking place and urged them to address the issue urgently.

What is Issue ?

• It has been brought to EPCA’s notice that early burning of crop residue is taking place in Punjab.
• According to a SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research under the Central government) estimate, based on harmonising the INSAT-3, 3D and NASA satellite, the fire counts were around 42.
• EPCA Recommendation for to set up a control room in which directions can be issued and action taken.
  • Ensuring that the machineries are within the reach of the farmers.
  • Ensuring enforcement of the non-compliance that is reported from the field.
• It is a traditional practice in Punjab and Haryana to clean off the rice stubble to prepare the fields for winter sowing begins in October with the withdrawal of southwest monsoon.

Status of Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi 

• The predominant wind direction is north-easterly and it doesn’t support the transport and accumulation of the effect of stubble burning to Delhi.
  • India lies in the region of north easterly winds.
  • These winds originate from the subtropical high-pressure belt of the northern hemisphere.
• The AQI of Delhi was in the ‘moderate’ category.

What is the impact of Stubble burning over environment ?

• Burning residue from the annual rice paddy harvest is a practice that dates back decades.
• Crop waste burning emits particulate matter (both PM10 and PM2.5) and greenhouse gases (GHG), which aggravate the poor air quality in Punjab, Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
• Crop residue burning released 149.24 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2)
  • Over 9 million tonnes of carbon monoxide (CO)
  • 0.25 million tonnes of oxides of sulphur (SOX)
  • 1.28 million tonnes of particulate matter
  • 0.07 million tonnes of black carbon.
• These directly contribute to environmental pollution, and are also responsible for the haze in Delhi and melting of Himalayan glaciers.
• Impact over quality of Soil
  • Heat from burning paddy straw penetrates 1 centimetre into the soil, elevating the temperature to 33.8 to 42.2 degree Celsius.
  • This may kills the bacterial and fungal populations critical for a fertile soil.
  • Damage to other micro-organisms present in the upper layer of the soil as well as its organic quality.
  • The solubility capacity of the upper layers of soil have also been reduced.
• Institute for Social and Economic Change estimated that people in rural Punjab spend Rs 7.6 crore every year on treatment for ailments caused by stubble burning.

What is the alternative solution ?

• National Policy for Management of Crop Residue which helps crop residue management to make the soil more fertile
  • Promotion of technologies for optimum utilization and in-situ management of crop residue.
  • Promotion of diversified uses of crop residue for various purposes eg. power generation.
  • Promotion of adaptive research for the management of crop residue
  • Formulation and implementation of necessary policy measures for control of crop residue burning through suitable laws/ legislation/ executive orders etc.
• Other Options
  • Happy Seeder(used for sowing of crop in standing stubble)
  • Rotavator (used for land preparation and incorporation of crop stubble in the soil)
  • Zero till seed drill (used for land preparations directly sowing of seeds in the previous crop stubble)
  • Baler (used for collection of straw and making bales of the paddy stubble)
  • Paddy Straw Chopper (cutting of paddy stubble for easily mixing with the soil)
  • Reaper Binder (used for harvesting paddy stubble and making into bundles)
  • their use in paper or cardboard factories
  • fodder for biomass power plants.
    • Biomass power plants in Punjab consume 1 million metric tons of paddy straw annually, significantly less than the 19.7 million metric tons of residue generated.
• Happy Seeder machines, which can be attached to mechanised harvesters to shred crop residue and directly incorporate seeds, eliminate the need for burning.
• With no standard rental rates, the rental costs for such technologies remain prohibitive for some farmers.
• Renting a Happy Seeder can save farmers about INR 1000 – INR 1100 per acre on average in field preparation costs.

Why Alternative options failed ?

• Issues withe the implementation of the National Policy for Management of Crop Residues to protect the parali (crop residue).
• A farmer has to spend at least RS. 5,000 for machinerie but government claims INR 1000 – INR 1100 per acre.
  • The government is providing subsidy at 50-80 per cent for crop residue management machinery but still found not reaching farmers.
• Manufacturing of the machine was lagging significantly behind demand in 2018.
• Last year, about 9.8 million tonnes of the total estimated crop residue of 20 million tonnes were burnt in Punjab.
• Similarly, in Haryana, of the total 7 million tonnes, 1.24 million tonnes of stubble were burnt.

What happens if violates ?

• Charge case against farmers may registered under Indian Penal Code
  • Sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant)
    • Punishment is simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to Rs. 200, or with both.
  • Section 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life)
    • It has a provision of imprisonment for 6 months or fine or both

Way Forward

• Make paddy residue management technologies widely available.
• Shift to early-maturing rice varieties that allow farmers more time for clearing and preparing fields for sowing wheat.
• Awareness through campaigns to demonstrate better residue management practices and rid farmers of misconceptions
• Proper implementation of National Policy for Management of Crop Residue.

Source : The Hindu

Topic

GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

 PASSEX : India and Australia’s two-day naval exercise (Prelims)

Why in News ?

Royal Australian Navy and Indian Navy warships completed two-day Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the east Indian Ocean region.

Between : India And Australia

Where : Indian Ocean

About PASSEX

• Aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices from each other.
• It involved advanced surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firing, seamanship exercises, naval manoeuvres and Cross Deck Flying Operations. 
• PASSEXs are regularly conducted by the Indian Navy with units of friendly foreign navies, whilst visiting each other’s ports or during a rendezvous at sea.
• Implications :
  • This exercise being conducted in the east Indian Ocean region, reflects the growing strength of Indo-Australian bilateral relations as comprehensive strategic partners, particularly in defence cooperation in the maritime domain.

Source : Economic Times

Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020

Why in News ?

The Parliament passed a Bill to declare five newly established Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) as institutions of national importance. IIIT Laws Amendment Bill 2020 seeks to declare five IIITs set up under the Public Private Partnership mode

About the IIIT Laws Amendment Bill 2020

• The Bill amends Indian Institutes of Information Technology Act, 2014 and the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2017.
• Declares certain Indian Institutes of Information Technology established under Public-Private Partnership mode as institutions of national importance.
  • Under the Act, 15 institutes are currently incorporated as institutions of national importance.
• The Bill seeks to declare five Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) set up under the Public Private Partnership mode as institutions of national importance. 
  1. Surat
  2. Bhopal
  3. Bhagalpur 
  4. Agartala 
  5. Raichur 
• How it Benefits ?
  • These institutes are registered as Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860
    • Do not have the power to grant degrees or diplomas.
    • On being declared institutions of national importance, the five institutes will be granted the power to grant degrees.
  • Also enable the institutes to attract enough students required to develop a strong research base in the country in the field of information technology.

About IIIT’s

• Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) are autonomous institutions offering technical education focused on the Information Technology and Communication Studies.
• There are 25 IIITs in the country out of which five are purely run by the central government and 15 operate under public private partnership (PPP) mode.
• National Institutional Ranking Framework Ministry of Human Resource Development (NIRF) 2020 rankings released for top engineering colleges in India, IIIT Hyderabad have debuted and also it ranked first among the all the IIITs.
• Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are at the top. 

Source : The Hindu

Topic

GS II : Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

Guru Nanak Dev’s death anniversary (Prelims)

Why in News ?

First time after the Kartarpur Corridor was opened last year, the Jyoti Jot (death anniversary) prayers of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak Dev were observed at his final resting place Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

• The event started September 20 and culminated on Tuesday with Nagar Kirtan till zero line (India-Pakistan border).

About Guru Nanak

• Guru Nanak’s Jyoti Jyot – death anniversary prayers, Guru Nanak is believed to have died at Kartarpur on September 22, 1539.
• Kartarpur, which is believed to be the final resting place of the Sikhism founder (resting place Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan)
• Guru Nanak was born in Nankana Sahib, in Punjab. (Now in Pakstan)
• Nanak’s words are registered in the form of 974 poetic hymns, or shabda, in the holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib.
• Fundamental beliefs of Sikhism
  • Faith and meditation on the name of the one creator
  • Unity of all humankind
  • Engaging in selfless service, striving for social justice for the benefit and prosperity of all
  • Honest conduct and livelihood while living a householder’s life.
• Common symbols would identify members of the Khalsa – The 5 K’s
  • Kesh (uncut hair)
  • Kara (a steel bracelet)
  • Kanga (a wooden comb)
  • Kaccha – (cotton underwear)
  • Kirpan (steel sword)

Current Affairs 23 September 2020 : Our major Sources for the Current Affairs are The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB. For more queries and mentor-ship please contact us.