Current Affairs 24 April 2021 – IAS Current Affairs
Current Affairs 24 April 2021 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :
- e-property cards under SWAMITVA scheme
- Rising prevalence of U.K. strain
- Leaders Summit on Climate
- Special Task Force (STF) to initiate action against government employees
e-property cards under SWAMITVA scheme
Why in News ?
Prime Minister will launch the distribution of e-property cards under the SWAMITVA scheme.
Key Facts
- This event will also mark the rolling out of the SVAMITVA scheme for implementation across the country.
- 4.09 lakh property owners will be given their e-property cards on this occasion.
- This will enable download their Property Cards through the SMS link delivered on their mobile phones.
- The physical distribution will be done by that state authority later.
About SWAMITVA scheme
Implementing Agency
* Ministry of Panchayati Raj at National Level
* Revenue Department/Land Records Department in States
* Survey of India is a technology partner for implementation
- SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) was launched by Prime Minister on 24th April 2020 as a Central Sector Scheme
- The scheme aims to promote a socio-economically empowered and self-reliant rural India.
- The Scheme has the potential to transform rural India using modern technical tools of mapping and surveying.
- Also paves the way for using the property as a financial asset by villagers for availing loans and other financial benefits.
- The beneficiaries of the Scheme will cover around 6.62 Lakh villages of the entire country during 2021-2025.
- A pilot scheme was implemented during 2020-21 through the states : Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and select villages of Punjab and Rajasthan.
Source : PIB
GS II : Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Rising prevalence of U.K. strain
Why in News ?
India has successfully cultured the new coronavirus strain in December 2020, which originated in the U.K.
What is U.K strain ?
- The U.K. had recently announced that the newly identified strain of the virus found in their population was up to 70% more infectious.
- Scientists and researchers say the new strain has much higher transmissibility than compared to the earlier variant.
- This new variant is showing some 17 changes in the genome and transmission also increased.
Culture is the process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions, generally outside their natural environment.
Key Facts
- The proportion of the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7) in genome samples sequenced from COVID19 cases in Delhi has risen from 28%.
- The U.K. variant has a mutation N501Y that is reported to increase the transmission of the virus, leading to more numbers and a knockon consequence of increasing disease severity and mortality.
- The prevalence of UK Strain is highest in Punjab after Delhi
Why do viruses mutate?
- A mutation just means a difference; a letter change in the genome.
- Mutations in viruses are a natural part of evolution.
- The pressure on the virus to evolve is increased by the fact that so many millions of people have now been infected.
Source : The Hindu
GS III : Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
Leaders Summit on Climate
Why in News ?
US President Biden convened the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate to ensure close coordination on addressing the climate crisis with key players in the international community at the highest levels of government.
Need for the meet
As a result of the climate change
- The Earth’s temperature continues its steady rise, and the repercussions are already evident.
- The Arctic ice caps are receding and glaciers around the world are melting.
- Sea levels are rising, risking the submerging of vulnerable Pacific Island and Caribbean nations.
- This affect the future global commerce
- Flooding could impact the prevalent water-based commercial cities around the world.
- Increases extreme weather patterns and conditions.
- Biodiversity of the world affected especially the marine and coastal life.
Each country has outlined reasonably ambitious goals to achieve carbon neutrality by the middle of the century. US under Biden administration is hosting the leaders of 40 major countries to tackle the situation and commitment.
Key Facts on the Meet
- Three Points on the meet
- US under Biden prioritise efforts toward multilateral solutions on global governance issues.
- Gives hope for improved and constructive efort between the world’s two most important countries, the United States and China.
- Accelerates reduction of pollution by major emitters of carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to global warming.
- U.S announced that the U.S. would cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%-52% by 2030 relative to 2005 levels.
- Hoping to encourage other countries to increase their commitments.
- This is double the 2015 goal set by former President Barack Obama.
- China Carbon Neutrality and its carbon emissions will peak before 2030 and the country will achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
- Promoted its green Belt and Road Initiative and announced efforts to “strictly control coal-fired power generation projects” and phase down coal consumption.
- India-US clean energy initiative
- A joint climate and clean energy initiative of India with the US.
- It aims to mobilise investments, demonstrate clean technologies, and enable green collaborations
- India’s per capita carbon footprint is 60 per cent lower than the global average.
- The Partnership will proceed along two main tracks :
- The Strategic Clean Energy Partnership and the Climate Action
- Finance Mobilization Dialogue, which will build on and subsume a range of existing processes.
Source : Indian Express
GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Special Task Force (STF) to initiate action against government employees
Why in News ?
Jammu and Kashmir administration has set up a Special Task Force (STF) to initiate action against government employees suspected of activities against “security of the State”.
Key Facts
- Order has been passed under provisions of Article 311(2) (C) of the Constitution
- Power to terminate an employee without constituting an inquiry against him or her on grounds of security of the State.
- Order adds that the terms of reference of the STF would include compiling records of “employees suspected of activities requiring action under Article 311(2) (C).
Article 311(2) : It says that a civil servant cannot be removed or dismissed or reduced in rank unless he has been given a reasonable opportunity to show cause against action proposed to be taken against him.
- STF would be headed by
- J&K Additional Director General of Police
- CID, and include Inspectors General of Police, Kashmir and Jammu,
- A representative of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
- A representative of the department the employee belongs to.
Criticism against the Order
- Article 311(2) says no government employee shall be dismissed or removed or reduced in rank except after an inquiry,
- Its sub-section C says this clause will not apply “where the President or the Governor, as the case may be, is satisfied that in the interest of the security of the State, it is not expedient to hold such inquiry”.
- Consider this as a tool for the government and bureaucrats to suppress their subordinates even there are provisions in the law to take action against those employees found violating service rules.
Source : Indian Express
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
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