Current Affairs 19 June 2021 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 19 June 2021 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

National Internet Exchange of India

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

Why in News ?

National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) celebrated its 18th Foundation Day. For the last 18 years, NIXI has been contributing to Indian Internet Ecosystem.

Key Facts

• NIXI the first Internet Exchange of the country facilitate peering of ISPs among themselves for the purpose of routing the domestic traffic within the country instead of taking it all the way to US/Abroad.
• It resulting in a better quality of service and reduced bandwidth charges for ISPs by saving international currency on International Bandwidth.

  

• NIXI is also the IN Registry managing India’s country code top level domain (ccTLD) – .IN.
• NIXI also manages the National Internet Registry of the country delegating Internet Protocol addresses (IPv4 and IPv6) and Autonomous System numbers to the Indian Affiliates.
• Personalized e-mail Launch
  • NIXI will provide a personalized e-mail with 10GB space to every .IN user.
  • This e-mail will be available on demand.
  • A user may approach NIXI website to get a free personalized e-mail.
  • This is perhaps a unique offer by any ccTLD in the world.

National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)

• About NIXI
  • Not for profit Organization under section 8 of the Companies Act 2013
  • It was registered on 19th June, 2003.
  • NIXI is managed and operated on a Neutral basis, in line with the best practices for such initiatives globally.
  • Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN) managing and operating Internet protocol (IPv4/IPv6).
• What is the aim of NIXI ?
  • To Promote Internet through effective and efficient routing, peering, transit and exchange of the Internet traffic within India.
  • To Set up Internet Domain Name Operations and related activities..
  • NIXI is also credited with localizing internet domains and encouraging websites to register with the .in address.
• Impact of NIXI
  • Its efforts have seen fruition as India surpassed 2.7 million registrations of .in domain.
  • It make India the third-largest nation in Asia in the country-centric, top-level domain growth.
  • NIXI have .IN Registry, managing and operation of .IN country code domain.
  • Further the company has also set out to promote local content with its .भारत(Bharath) initiatives.
    • The .भारत domain is now available in all 22 official languages.
    • India is the only country to provide domain in 22 official Indian Languages.

Election Petition : Election Results Challenged

Source : Indian Express
GS II : Representation Of People’s Act

Approach “Election Petition : Election Results Challenged” : Mains and Prelims

1. What is election petition ?
2. What happens if RP Act violated by a candidate ?
3. Instances from Past
4. Representative of the People Act of 1951

Why in News ?

West Bengal Chief Minister has filed an election petition in the Calcutta High Court challenging the Assembly election result of Nandigram constituency, where she had contested and lost.

• The winner’s election be declared void on grounds of corrupt practice and discrepancies in the counting procedure conducted by the Returning Officer.
• Poll Results Are Challenged and Falls under Section 123 of the RP Act.

Key Facts on Election Petition : Election Results Challenged

• What is election petition ?
  • Election Commission’s role ends with the declaration of results that is once the Returning Officer has signed the final result sheet the Form 20.
  • Election petition is the only legal remedy available to a voter or a candidate who believes there has been malpractice in an election.
  • Such a person can challenge the result through an election petition submitted to the High Court of the state in which the constituency is located.
  • Time period : Filed within 45 days from the date of the poll results.
  • Representative of the People Act of 1951 : High Court should try to conclude the trial within six months
    • Usually drags on for much longer, even years.
• Grounds for petition Filing under various Section of the RP Act
  • The winning candidate was not qualified to contest on the day of the election.
  • The winning candidate, his poll agent or any other person with the consent of the winning candidate has indulged in a corrupt practice.

    

    • Section 123 of the RP Act has a detailed list of what amounts to corrupt practice, including bribery, use of force or coercion, appeal to vote or refrain from voting on grounds of religion, race, community, and language.
  • Improper acceptance of the nomination of the winning candidate or improper rejection of a nomination.
  • Malpractice in the counting process which includes improper reception, refusal or rejection of any vote, or the reception of any vote which is void.
  • Non-compliance with the provisions of the Constitution or the RP Act or any rules or orders made under the RP Act.
• What happen if Violations found ?
  • Under Section 84 of the RP Act
    • The petitioner may ask that the results of all or the winning candidates may be declared void.
    • In addition to that, the petitioner may also ask the court to declare her (in case the petition is filed by a candidate) or any other candidate as the winner or duly elected.
    • This  may leads to fresh election or the court announcing a new winner.
• Instances from Past 
  • Allahabad High Court verdict of 1975 which set aside Indira Gandhi’s election from Rae Bareli constituency.
    • Under a corrupt practice under Section 123 (7) of the RP Act.
  • In Rajasthan 2008 Kalyan Singh Chouhan’s election declared void since it was found that Chouhan’s wife had cast her vote twice.
    • He won with a margin of one vote. 

Illegal Cultivation Of HT-Bt Cotton

Source : Indian Express
GS II : Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
GS III : Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers

Approach “Illegal Cultivation Of HT-Bt Cotton” : Mains and Prelims

1. What is the issue ?
2. What is the Impact ?
3. What is BT Cotton ?
4. Cotton Cultivation in India

Why in News ?

The Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) and the National Seed Association of India (NSAI) urged the Centre to take action against sudden surge in illegal cultivation of herbicide tolerant (HT) Bt cotton in the country this year.

Key Facts

• What is the issue ?
  • It was being grown in major cotton growing states for several years at a lower intensity, but the sale has suddenly shot up this year posing a serious threat to the environment, farmers, legitimate seed companies and government revenue.
  • If the sale of unapproved HT-BT cotton seed is not stopped it would spell disaster for the industry and farmers.
  • Regulators are only limiting their checking to licensed dealers and seed companies while this illegal activity of HT seed sales is carried mostly by unorganised and fly-by night operators.

    

  • Focus must be shifted to catching them and taking exemplary and strong punitive action.
  • Seed industry bodies have made representation in this regard to Union Agriculture and Environment Ministries and sought immediate action.
• Field Inspection and Scientific Evaluation Committee (FISEC)
  • It was set up under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) by the Prime Minister”s Office.
  • After testing several thousand samples, concluded that about 15 per cent prevalence of unapproved HT Bt cotton were in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Gujarat.
  • An increase of the major cotton states from estimated 35 lakh packets last year to about 70 lakh packets this year.
  • Packs show the presence of many technologies which could pose a very serious situation in the field.
• What is the Impact ?
  • If it is not controlled immediately by the governments, it will spell disaster for the industry and farmers.
  • It will not only decimate small cotton seed companies but also threatens the entire legal cotton seed market in India.
  • The illegal seeds are sold using the brand name of prominent companies.
  • Farmers are at risk with such illegal cotton seed sale as there is no accountability of the quality of seed.
  • Illegal seed pollutes the environment and the industry is losing legitimate seed sale.
  • Spread of illegal seeds can also contaminate legitimate seed production thereby putting seed production farmers to heavy losses.

What is BT Cotton ?

• Cotton lags in resistance not available against the bollworms that cause serious threat to the crop.
• As an alternate strategy against pesticide, is explored to circumvent this problem by cloning and transferring the genes encoding the toxic crystal δ – endo toxin protein from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis.
• The Bt transgenic cotton (Bollgard of Monsanto) has thus been developed successfully in USA which has the ability to control the bollworms during crop growth effectively.
• In India currently 59 Bt hybrids have been approved in different cotton growing zones by GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, Government of India) after extensive field trials by All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project centres and RCGM trials in farmers’ fields.
• What are the advantages of BT Cotton ?
  • Bt cotton technology does not harm non-target beneficial insects.
  • It reduces the reduction in production cost, increase in profit, reduced farming risk and improved economic outlook.
  • Excellent control of American Boll worm.
  • Reduced the use of insecticides leading to create eco-friendly environment.

Cotton Cultivation in India

• Cotton the most important commercial crop of India, often referred as the White Gold, consumes more than 45% of the total pesticides used in our country.
• Climate
  • Tropical and sub-tropical areas, a kharif crop which requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
  • It requires uniformly high temperature varying between 21°C and 30°C.
  • An average annual rainfall of 50- 100 cm.
  • Frost impact negatively and growth retarded when the temperature falls below 20°C.
  • It is grown in areas having at least 210 frost free days in a year.
• Insects affecting Cotton Cultivation
  • The most important insect pests that affect cotton production are jassids, white fly, aphids and thrips among the sap sucking pests and boll worms (American, Pink and Spotted) and Spodoptera among the leaf eating caterpillars.
  • Of these cotton pests, the American boll worms alone cause yield reduction upto 40 – 70 % under severe incidence.

National Internet Exchange of India

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

Why in News ?

National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) celebrated its 18th Foundation Day. For the last 18 years, NIXI has been contributing to Indian Internet Ecosystem.

Key Facts

• NIXI the first Internet Exchange of the country facilitate peering of ISPs among themselves for the purpose of routing the domestic traffic within the country instead of taking it all the way to US/Abroad.
• It resulting in a better quality of service and reduced bandwidth charges for ISPs by saving international currency on International Bandwidth.

  

• NIXI is also the IN Registry managing India’s country code top level domain (ccTLD) – .IN.
• NIXI also manages the National Internet Registry of the country delegating Internet Protocol addresses (IPv4 and IPv6) and Autonomous System numbers to the Indian Affiliates.
• Personalized e-mail Launch
  • NIXI will provide a personalized e-mail with 10GB space to every .IN user.
  • This e-mail will be available on demand.
  • A user may approach NIXI website to get a free personalized e-mail.
  • This is perhaps a unique offer by any ccTLD in the world.

National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)

• About NIXI
  • Not for profit Organization under section 8 of the Companies Act 2013
  • It was registered on 19th June, 2003.
  • NIXI is managed and operated on a Neutral basis, in line with the best practices for such initiatives globally.
  • Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN) managing and operating Internet protocol (IPv4/IPv6).
• What is the aim of NIXI ?
  • To Promote Internet through effective and efficient routing, peering, transit and exchange of the Internet traffic within India.
  • To Set up Internet Domain Name Operations and related activities..
  • NIXI is also credited with localizing internet domains and encouraging websites to register with the .in address.
• Impact of NIXI
  • Its efforts have seen fruition as India surpassed 2.7 million registrations of .in domain.
  • It make India the third-largest nation in Asia in the country-centric, top-level domain growth.
  • NIXI have .IN Registry, managing and operation of .IN country code domain.
  • Further the company has also set out to promote local content with its .भारत(Bharath) initiatives.
    • The .भारत domain is now available in all 22 official languages.
    • India is the only country to provide domain in 22 official Indian Languages.

Climate Change Impact In Lakshadweep

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

Approach “Climate Change Impact In Lakshadweep” : Mains and Prelims

1. About the study
2. Impact of Sea-Level Rise
3. About Lakshadweep

Why in News ?

Sea-level will rise around the Lakshadweep Islands in the range between 0.4 mm/year to 0.9 mm/year, says a study conducted projecting different greenhouse gas scenarios.

• Research that was published in the journal ‘Regional Studies in Marine Science, Elsevier.

Key Facts

• The study highlights that the worst possible scenarios projected for Lakshadweep Islands are almost similar under different emission scenarios projected.
• All the islands in the archipelago would be vulnerable to impact from sea-level rise.
• One of the major threats in the coming years is rising sea level and its significant impact on small islands.
• This is for the first time that climate model projections were used to assess the potential areas of inundation over the archipelago of Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea.
• Details of the Study
  • The study estimated that smaller islands Chetlat and Amini are expected to have major land-loss.
  • Projection mapping indicated that about 60%-70% of existing shoreline would experience land-loss in Amini and about 70%-80% in Chetlat.
  • The present work highlights that larger islands Minicoy and the capital Kavaratti are also vulnerable to sea-level rise and expected to experience land-loss along 60% of the existing shoreline.
  • Sea-level rise effects are seen to have the least impact on Androth Island under all emission scenarios.
• Impact of Sea Level Rise
  • The coastal inundation could have wide socio-economic impact.
  • Sea-level rise can impact the islanders as residential areas are quite close to the present coastline.
  • Also, the only airport in the archipelago is located at the southern tip of Agatti Island, and has a high likelihood of damage due to inundation from sea-level rise.
• Impacts from projected sea-level rise for Lakshadweep it is necessary to have appropriate coastal protection measures and best-practices to formulate planning guidelines.

Also read : Lakshadweep Changes and Issues

India and Bhutan MoU for Environment

Source : PIB
GS II : India and its neighbourhood- relations

Why in News ?

India and Bhutan inked an MoU for developing cooperation between two countries in the area of environment. 

Key Facts

• The MoU was signed virtually by Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change from the Indian side and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairperson of the National Environment Commission from the Bhutanese side.
• MoU will open new vistas of bilateral co-operation in the area of climate change, waste management etc.
• India wants to engage with Bhutan on environmental related issues including climate change.
• MoU is a platform to further enhance Indian and Bhutanese partnership and support, exchange best practices in areas like prevention of Air Pollution, Waste Management, Chemical Management, Climate Change, etc.
• It also provides the possibility to have joint projects in areas of mutual interest.
• The MoU will also strengthen technological, scientific and management capabilities and expand the areas of cooperation in the field of environment to promote a mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries.

Indian Certification of Medical Devices (ICMED) Plus Scheme

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

Approach for Indian Certification of Medical Devices (ICMED) Plus Scheme : Prelims and Mains Perspective

1. About The Scheme
2. How it Helps ?
3. Quality Council of India (QCI)

Why in News ?

Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Association of Indian Manufacturers of Medical Devices (AiMeD) have added further features to the Indian Certification of Medical Devices (ICMED) the Scheme that had been launched for Certification of Medical Devices in 2016.

• Access to affordable and quality medical devices can be realised through ICMED Plus certification.

Key Facts

• The ICMED 13485 PLUS as the new scheme will undertake verification of the quality, safety and efficacy of medical devices.
• The ICMED 13485 PLUS Scheme was launched digitally.
• About ICMED 13485 Plus

  

  • ICMED 13485 Plus has been designed to integrate the Quality Management System components and product related quality validation processes through witness testing of products with reference to the defined product standards and specifications.
  • This is the first scheme around the world in which quality management systems along with product certification standards are integrated with regulatory requirements.
  • This scheme will be an end to end quality assurance scheme for the medical devices sector in India.
• How it helps ?
  • • This scheme provides the much-needed institutional mechanism for assuring the product quality and safety.
    • Helps assisting the procurement agencies to tackle the challenges relating to the menace of counterfeit products and fake certification.
    • Eliminating the circulation and use of sub-standard medical products or devices of doubtful origin that could prove to be serious health hazards.
    • To reduce the load on regulators ICMED Plus certification should be considered as deemed compliance for one year under MDR-2017.

Atlas on General Elections 2019 UPSC

Source : PIB
GS II : Governance

Approach for “Atlas on General Elections 2019 UPSC” : Prelims and Mains Perspective

1. About Atlas
2. 2019 Elections
3. How elections conducted In India ?
4. Election Commission of India

Why in News ?

Chief Election Commissioner released General Elections 2019 – An Atlas. The officers of the Commission for compiling this innovative document and hoped that this would inspire academicians and researchers to further explore the vast landscape of the Indian elections.

Key Facts

• Background
  • Since the first General Elections in 1951-52, the Commission has been publishing compilation of electoral data in the form of narrative and statistical books.
  • 17th General Elections conducted in 2019 were the largest democratic exercise in human history.
  • Based on all data’s available the  map and tables are published.
• Atlas encompasses all the data and statistical figures of this monumental event. 
• It has 42 thematic maps and 90 tables depicting various facets of the elections.
• The Atlas also shares interesting facts, anecdotes and legal provisions related to the Indian elections.
• Aim is to better visualize and represent the electoral data.
• Atlas serves as an informative and illustrative document that brings to light of Indian electoral process and empowers readers to analyse trends and changes.
• Data Collection
  • In Indian elections electoral data is primarily collected during the preparation of Electoral Roll by the Electoral Registration Officers and also in the process of conduct of elections by the Returning Officers.
  • This data is then collated by these statutory authorities.
  • After the culmination of the electoral process the Election Commission of India collects this electoral data and prepares various reports for compilation, record and dissemination purposes.
  • Commission released statistical reports based on the electoral data made available by the Returning Officers of 543 Parliamentary Constituencies.
• Feature in the Atlas
  • Atlas brings out salient features such as
    • Data of the 23 States and Uts where women voting percentage was more than the male voting percentage;
    • Information about the largest & smallest parliamentary constituency in terms of electors, candidates and performance of political parties amongst other parameters.
  • Atlas depicts the electors data in different categories and through various comparison charts like Elector Gender Ratio and electors in different age categories.
  • Atlas also compares the average number of electors per polling station in different states during 2014 & 2019 General Elections.
  • Atlas compares the number of contesting candidates in the General Elections since 1951.

2019 General Election

• The 2019 General Elections witnessed the lowest gender gap in the history of Indian elections.
  • The Elector Gender Ratio which has shown a positive trend since 1971 was 926 in 2019 General Elections.
• The Election Commission of India set up over 10 lakh polling stations in General Elections 2019 with the lowest number of electors per polling station (365) in Arunachal Pradesh.
• 2019 General Elections, there were 8054 qualified contesting candidates after rejection of nominations & withdrawals from a total of 11692 nominations filed across the country.
• It witnessed the participation of 61.468 crore voters at 10.378 lakh polling stations spread over 32 lakh square kilometer territory of India.

How elections conducted In India ?

• Election at various levels
  • Lok Sabha elections the country is divided into several constituencies and each constituency elects one winner.
  • Voters from across 29 states and  7 territories will elect 543 members to the lower house of parliament. 
  • Voting in India is conducted by electronic voting machines or EVM, which was first introduced in 1982 finally  introduced VVPAT.
  • It can be conducted withinone single-phase or divided into different phases.
  • Assembly elections are also conducted at the state level to elect representatives for the Legislative Assembly for the sates.
  • Legislative Assembly or the Vidhan Sabha conducts the election in the same method as the Lok Sabha elections.
  • Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) elections are conducted in accordance with the election process of Rajya Sabha
• Article 324 of the Indian Constitution
  • Grants the Election commission the power of supervision, direction, and control of elections of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, and the State legislature.
  • It draws out the schedule for a free and fair election.
  • The Election Commission comprises the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners.
  • The power of elections to the Corporations, Municipalities, Zila Parishads, Panchayat Samities,Gram Panchayat and other local bodies at the local level are conducted by respective State Election Commissions.
• Universal Adult Franchise
  • It is the foundation of Indian democracy.
  • Citizens of India must be 18 years of age or above to cast their vote in the elections conducted in all the three levels of the Government, the centre, state, and the local levels.
• Model Code of Conduct
  • It provides for a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India.
    • Model Code of Conduct guidelines on General Conduct
    • Model Code of Conduct guidelines on Meetings
    • Model Code of Conduct guidelines on Processions
  • It mainly focus with respect to speeches, polling day, polling booths, portfolios, election manifestos, processions and general conduct.
  • ECI in 2019 had decided to keep social media posts by the political parties and leaders under its vigil for detecting any MCC violation.
• Challenges
  • Allegations of voter fraud in some parts of the country.
  • Vote-buying during the campaign.
  • Money Power in elections

Prelims

EUNAVFOR Joint Naval Exercise

• Indian Naval Ship Trikand mission deployed for Anti-Piracy Operations, is participating in the maiden IN – EUNAVFOR Joint Naval Exercise in the Gulf of Aden commencing.
• A total of five warships from four navies are participating in the exercise on 18th and 19th June 2021.
• Other warships include Italian Navy Ship ITS Carabinere, Spanish Navy Ship ESPS Navarra, and two French Navy Ship FS Tonnerre and FS Surcouf.
• EUNAVFOR and the Indian Navy converge on multiple issues including counter piracy operations and protection of vessels deployed under the charter of World Food Programme (UN WFP).
• Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR also have regular interaction through SHADE (Shared Awareness and De-confliction) meetings held annually at Bahrain