Current Affairs 1 May 2021 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 1 May 2021  focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

1. Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)
2. 15,000 crore to States for Capital Expenditure
3. Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Border Tension
4. Excess of antimatter counterpart of the electron
5. Karen rebels in Myanmar
6. Delhi Air Pollution
7. Vande Bharat Mission : Top Civilian Evacuations

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)

Source : PIB
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Why in News?

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) has finalised and recommended quality standards for four spices; cloves, oregano, basil, and ginger.

Key Facts

• Finalised and recommended quality standards for four spices : cloves, oregano, basil, and ginger, during its fifth session.
• Committee forwarded these four new standards to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) for adoption at final step 8, as full -fledged Codex standards.
• Committee also took up the following new work items
  • To develop Codex standards for small cardamom and turmeric
  • To develop the first group standard for spices that fall under the class ‘dried fruits and berries
• This grouping approach, on a large scale enough to meet the demands for spices and herbs.

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)

• CCSCH was formed in 2013.
• The CCSCH aims to
  • To develop and expand worldwide standards for spices and culinary herbs
  • To consult with other international organisations in the standards development process CCSCH
• Support of more than a hundred countries with India as the host country and Spices Board as the Secretariat for organising the sessions of the committee.
  • Spices Board under Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs has been successful in developing global Codex standards for spices and herbs.
• CCSCH is the youngest of the Codex Commodity Committees.

In its past four sessions, the committee developed and finalized Codex standards for four spices : dried or dehydrated forms of black/white/green pepper, cumin, thyme, and garlic.

• In its past four sessions, the committee developed and finalized Codex standards for four spices, viz. dried or dehydrated forms of black/white/green pepper, cumin, thyme, and garlic.

Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)

• It is an intergovernmental body established jointly by
  • UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
  • World Health Organisation (WHO)
• It meets in regular session once a year alternating between Geneva and Rome.
• It falls within the framework of the Joint Food Standards Programme.
• It aims to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.
• It has 189 Codex Members at resent (188 Member Countries and 1 Member Organization as The European Union).

Need for Such Committees and monitoring bodies

• International food trade is a 2000 billion dollar a year industry, with billions of tonnes of food produced, marketed and transported.
• Veterinary drugs, pesticides, food additives and contaminants are some of the issues that related to food quality.
• For monitoring the quality internationally such committees are required.

15,000 crore to States for Capital Expenditure

Source : PIB
GS II : Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Why in News ?

The Ministry of Finance Government of India has decided to provide an additional amount of upto Rs 15,000 crore to States as interest free 50 year loan for spending on capital projects.

Key Facts

• The Department of Expenditure has issued fresh guidelines in this regard on the Scheme of Financial Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure for the financial year 2021-22.
• Finance Minister had in her budget speech announced that the Centre would take measures to nudge States to spend more on infrastructure and to incentivize disinvestment of their public sector enterprises.
• In view of the positive response to the scheme and considering the requests of the State Governments, the Government has decided to continue the scheme in the year 2021-22.
• Funds provided to the States under the scheme by the Government of India shall be used for new and ongoing capital projects.
• The funds may also be used for settling pending bills in ongoing capital projects.

Scheme of Financial Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure (For Scheme Details : Click Here)

Aim of the Scheme : For boosting capital expenditure by the State Governments who are facing difficult financial environment this year due to the shortfall in tax revenue arising from the COVID 19 pandemic.

• The scheme was announced by the Ministry of Finance as a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package.
• Financial assistance is provided to the State Governments in the form of 50-year interest free loan.
• An amount not exceeding Rs.12,000 crore was earmarked for the scheme for the financial year 2020-21.
• A sum of Rs.11,830.29 crore was released to the States.
• This helped to boost state level capital expenditure in the pandemic year.
• In view of the positive response to the scheme and considering the requests of the State Governments, the Government has decided to continue the scheme in the year 2021-22.

In 2020 capital expenditure proposals of Rs. 9,879.61 crore of 27 States have been approved by the Ministry of Finance. This was released as a part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat package.

What is a Capital Expenditure ?

In simple terms the Capital Expenditure is the money spent by the government for the development of machinery, equipment, building, health facilities, education, land, roads, investment etc.

Capital expenditure creates employment, especially for the poor and unskilled which has a high multiplier effect that  enhances the future productive capacity of the economy and results in a higher rate of economic growth.

What is a Revenue Expenditure ?

Expenditure that are not used to create assets. Some example are expenses on Salaries, Pensions, administrative cost, interest payment on past debt, subsidies.

Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Border Tension

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Why in News ?

A ceasefire on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan largely held following a day of intense fighting between the two ex-Soviet Central Asian neighbours that killed 39 people and wounded more than 175.

Key Facts

• Both nations have claimed the area around the water supply facility in Kok-Tash is a dispute for long years to when they were both part of the Soviet Union.
• The worst outbreak of hostilities between the two countries since they gained independence in the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
• A large part of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border remains unmarked, fuelling fierce disputes over water, land and pastures.
• Recently the issue escalated when Tajik officials attempted to mount surveillance cameras to monitor the water supply facility.
  • The tensions over water distribution, and Kyrgyz residents opposed the move.

What is the dispute ?

Both are the part of erstwhile Soviet Union.

• The conflict reportedly began due to a water dispute between the two Central Asian countries.
• The fighting is taking place on the disputed section of the Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan border that trigger with the dissatisfaction of the local population with the installation of surveillance cameras.
• The dispute stops when ceasefire agreement signed by both.
• Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan relations have in recent years been tense during Refugees and anti-government forces in Tajikistan have crossed into Kyrgyzstan several times.
• In mid-1995, Kyrgyzstani forces had the responsibility of sealing a small portion of the Tajikistan border near Panj from Tajikistani rebel forces.

Impact on India

It has two part. One is relation between India and Kyrgyzstan the second is relation between India and Tajikistan.

1. India and Kyrgyzstan
   • Since the independence of Kyrgyz Republic on 31 August 1991 India was among the first to establish diplomatic relations in 1992 with the resident Mission of India was set up in 1994.
   • India-Kyrgyz trade was US$38.53 million in 2014–15. India’s exports to Kyrgyzstan was US$37.76 million whereas Kyrgyz exports to India was US$0.77 million.
   • In 1995, India had extended a US$5 million line of credit to Kyrgyzstan a post independence aid.
   • 16,000 Indian students are studying medicine in various medical institutions across the country.
2. India and Tajikistan
   • India has set up its first overseas military base Farkhor in Tajikistan.
   • India’s exports to Tajikistan were valued at US$6.2 million and its imports at US$5.89 million.
   • India has established a military hospital in southern Tajikistan.
   • India’s military presence and activities have been significant, beginning with India’s extensive support to the anti-Taliban Afghan Northern Alliance (ANA).

Excess of antimatter counterpart of the electron

Source :The Hindu
GS II : Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Why in News?

Researchers from the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology in a new study elaborates the excess number of high energy particles of the antimatter counterpart of the electrons, called positrons

Key Facts

• Cosmic rays while propagating through the Milky Way galaxy interact with matter producing other cosmic rays, primarily electrons and positrons.
• The authors argue that these new cosmic rays are the origin of the ‘positron excess’ phenomenon.
• Over the years astronomers have observed an excess of antimatter counterpart of the electron or positrons having an energy of more than 10 giga-electronvolts, or 10 GeV.
  • Behaviour of positrons between 10 and 300 GeV is what astronomers call the ‘positron excess’.
• Nevertheless, the researchers considered simple geometrical structures of the molecular clouds, whereas real molecular clouds have complex geometries.

Positron :
Positron is a subatomic particle whose mass is the same as that of an electron and numerically equal but positively charged particle. The positron was discovered in 1932.

What is Antimatter?

• Antimatter is defined as matter that is composed of the antiparticles of the corresponding particles of ordinary matter.
• a particle and its anti-particle (for example, a proton and an antiproton) have the same mass, but opposite electric charge, and other differences in quantum numbers.
  • For instance a proton has positive charge while an antiproton has negative charge.

Karen rebels in Myanmar

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Why in News?

Thousands of ethnic Karen villagers in Myanmar are poised to cross into Thailand as fighting intensifies between the Myanmar army and Karen insurgents.

Who are Karen Rebel ?

• Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) is the military branch of the Karen National Union
• They campaigns for the self-determination of the Karen people of Myanmar.
• The KNLA has been fighting the Myanmar government since 1949.
• A brief History
  • KNLA was previously called the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO).
    • KNDO was an armed organisation which was formed by the KNU in 1947
    • They aimed to defend the interest of Karen communities
    • Most of them had previosly served served in the forces of British Burma.
  • During and after the Burmese independence from the British in 1948 leads to a considerable tension between the Karen community
    • The struggle included armed armed conflict.
  • By 1976-77 the Karen National Union changed its policy of an independent state
    • They started a new alliance the National Democratic Front.
    • They supported a federal union of Burma.
  • By 1993-94 KNLA broke into two forming DKBA ( Democratic Karen Buddhist Army )and declared a cease fire with the government.
  • Later years many cease fire agreement violated

Reason for Current Unrest

• • A coup in Myanmar began on the morning of February 2021
  • The reason was when democratically elected members of the country’s ruling party National League for Democracy (NLD) were deposed by the Myanmar’s military
  • The country made under military rule by declaring the results of the November 2020 general election invalid.
    • Military coup that ousted an elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
  • Tensions between the KNU and the military increased during the unrest following the 2021 Myanmar coup.
  • Most of the Myanmar people were satisfied with the election result.

Key Facts

• About 56,000 people have been displaced and 1000 died by conflict in Myanmar this year.
• Karen rebels and the Myanmar army have clashed near the Thai border in the most intense fighting in the area in 25 years.
• The Karen Peace Support Network says thousands of villagers are taking shelter on the Myanmar side of the Salween and they will flee to Thailand if the fighting escalates.
• 2,267 civilians had crossed into Thailand as of Friday since the latest conflict began.
  • Many more have taken refuge in forest on the Myanmar side.
• According to U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) the impact of the pandemic and the political crisis could lead 5 million Myanmar people slide into poverty by 2022.

Delhi Air Pollution Issue

Source : Down To Earth
GS II : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Why in News?

Delhi’s air quality deteriorated from moderate to poor’ and very poor.This was reported by according to the SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) system of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Key Facts

• The air quality index (AQI) in Delhi was 287 an improvement from previous days 312 and 296.
• Current weather conditions are not unfavourable, unlike in winter.
• Apart from local emissions the deterioration in air quality is being attributed to an increase in fire counts, mostly due to burning of wheat crop stubble in northern India.
• Air quality would remain ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ the next few days due to transported dust and biomass-burning aerosol in the National Capital region and surroundings.
• During COVID rise Medical experts have, from time to time, raised concerns about how high pollution levels can worsen the situation and aggravate respiratory conditions of the public.
• Delay in Getting Images
  • The department was unable to monitor fires as it wasn’t receiving satellite data from the state’s agriculture department.
  • The delay in getting data is due to a change in remote-sensing agency.
• A shortage of workers to cut wheat straw and lockdown-like measures in various areas.
• How the inspection carried out ?
  • In Punjab, district-level committees were monitoring stubble burning.
  • There are district level committees with different nodal officers who are supposed to visit places where such farm fires happen
  • This visit purely based on satellite information.
  • They impose an environment compensation fine.

An AQI of 0-50 is considered good 51-100 satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’. Above 500 is the ‘severe-plus’ or ‘emergency’ category.

• Satellite images released by the United States National Aeronautical and Space Administration revealed high fire counts recent days.

Vande Bharat Mission : Top Civilian Evacuations

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Why in News ?

Vande Bharat Mission (VBM), which started evacuating Indians stranded abroad due to COVID-19 and the resultant lockdowns since May 7 last, has turned out to be one of the largest evacuations of civilians by a country.

Key Facts

• During the Phase 10 the VBM has evacuated Eighteen lakh of Indians from abroad.
  • Thus it supassed 1,10,000 people in 1990 at the onset of the Gulf War.
• Till now, the Air India (AI) Group has operated 11,523 inbound flights to carry 18,19,734 passengers and 11,528 outbound flights and 13,68, 457 passengers.
• National carrier Air India, which carried out the bulk of air transfers under the mission, was supported by its budget carrier Air India Express.
• VBM Evacuation
  • First phase of the VBM, which lasted 11 days from May 7 to 17
    • Aimed at destinations with high concentration of Indians.
    • As many as 64 inbound and outbound flights each were operated by the AI group to carry 12,708 and 3,562 passengers respectively.
  • The lengthiest was VBM VI and VII lasting 61 days each.
• The current VBM Phase 10 has international and domestic schedules operating till October 31.
  • Of these, 373 are international flights from the country and another 376 are flights from abroad.
• Air travel arrangements temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the pandemic, are in place.

Operation Samudra Setu

• Indian Navy has launched Operation “Samudra Setu” to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas.
• Naval ships Jalashwa and Magar are enroute to the port of Male to evacuate people from May 8.
• Only those who test Covid-19 negative would be allowed to travel.
• This operation is being being coordinated between the
  • Ministries of Defence, External Affairs
  • Home Affairs
  • Ministry of Health
  • various other agencies of the Government of India
  • Agencies under the State governments.

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