Daily Current Affairs 20 July 2024 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 20 July 2024 focuses on the Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

Demand for Separate Bhil Pradesh

Source: NDTV
GS I: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. Demand for Separate Bhil Pradesh
3. About Bhil Tribe

Why in the News?

Bhil tribal community has demanded the creation of a new state called Bhil Pradesh.

News in Brief

• The request that the state administration has previously turned down.
• Thousands of tribe members assemble in the Banswara area to call for Bhil Pradesh, a separate state.
• Tribal chiefs want their faith, which is different from Hinduism, to be recognized.
• At the gathering, which took place at Mangarh Dham in Banswara, tribal people from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra joined those from Rajasthan.

Demand for Separate Bhil Pradesh

• The creation of a new state including 49 districts from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh has been sought by the tribal population.
• In addition, there is a desire for 12 of Rajasthan’s previous 33 districts to be included in the new state.
• Thirteen districts of MP and twelve districts of Rajasthan are part of the demand for Bhil Pradesh.

Why was the demand rejected?

• A state cannot be formed on the basis of caste.
• If this happens, other people will also make demands.

About Bhil Tribe

• The Bhil tribe is one of the largest and most significant indigenous communities in India.
• Known for their rich cultural heritage and historical significance, the Bhils have a unique place in the country’s social fabric. 

Population and Distribution

• Population: The Bhil tribe has an estimated population of around 17 million people.
• Geographical Spread: They are predominantly found in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh. Smaller populations also exist in Karnataka, Tripura, and Andhra Pradesh.

Historical Background

• Etymology: The name “Bhil” is believed to be derived from the Dravidian word “billu” or “billa,” meaning bow, highlighting their traditional use of the bow and arrow.
• Historical Significance: Historically, the Bhils controlled large parts of Gujarat from the 11th to 15th centuries before the Rajputs conquered these territories. They have a history of resistance against various rulers, including the Mughals and British colonial authorities.

Culture and Lifestyle

• Language: Bhils speak various languages of Indo-Aryan origin, collectively referred to as Bhil languages. Many also speak the dominant regional languages such as Marathi, Gujarati, and Hindi.
• Occupation: The primary occupation of the Bhils is agriculture, with many practising slash-and-burn (jhum) cultivation. They also engage in plough agriculture, herding, and wage labour.
• Social Structure: Bhils follow traditional practices for family ties, marriage, and divorce, influenced by the customs of the regions they inhabit. They are divided into various endogamous territorial divisions, each with its own clans and lineages.

Religion and Festivals

• Religion: Bhils primarily practice animism, worshipping local deities and nature spirits. Some segments have adopted Hinduism and Islam.
• Festivals: They celebrate various communal festivals and engage in traditional dances and festivities, reflecting their vibrant cultural heritage.

Challenges and Issues

• Economic Deprivation: Bhils are among the most economically deprived communities in India, with many living in poverty and lacking access to basic amenities.
• Education: Low literacy rates and limited access to quality education are significant challenges.
• Healthcare: Inadequate healthcare facilities and high infant mortality rates are prevalent issues.

Government Initiatives

• Scheduled Tribe Status: Bhils are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in several states, which entitles them to various benefits and reservations in education, employment, and political representation.
• Development Programs: Various government schemes aim to improve the socio-economic conditions of the Bhils, including initiatives for education, healthcare, and livelihood support.

Conclusion

• The Bhil tribe, with its rich cultural heritage and historical significance, continues to play a vital role in India’s diverse social fabric.
• Addressing the challenges they face through targeted development programs and inclusive policies is crucial for their upliftment and integration into mainstream society.

International Centre for Audit of Local Governance (iCAL)

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

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. International Centre for Audit of Local Governance

Why in the News?

International Centre for Audit of Local Governance (iCAL), a pioneering initiative by SAI India, was officially inaugurated in Rajkot,

News in Brief

• The inauguration marks a significant milestone in enhancing the audit capacity and independence of Local Government auditors, promoting improved financial performance assessment, service delivery, and data reporting.

International Centre for Audit of Local Governance

• The institute, is a first in the country as per the CAG office.
• It aims to set global standards for auditing local governance bodies.
• iCAL’s primary objectives are to develop and enhance
  • Standards for Local Government Audits
  • Strengthen data collection and reporting
  • Empower auditors, executives, and elected representatives through comprehensive training programs and leadership development initiatives.

Local bodies audited in India

• Conversely, the CAG conducts audits of all funds (including the state and Central governments).
• Keeping accounts is the responsibility of the concerned local body.
• Many state governments have an Examiner of Local Fund Accounts (ELFA) or Director of Local Fund Accounts (DLFA) for auditing their accounts.
• ELFA audits the utilisation of funds granted by the state government to local bodies.

Need for iCAL

• There are around 2.5 lakh panchayats and 8,000 urban local bodies (ULBs) in India.
• 40 countries have their respective supreme audit institutions (SAIs) conducting audits of local bodies.
• There is a need to promote global good practices.
• A lot of funds are flowing to local bodies now and there is a need for proper auditing of these institutions.
• There have long been concerns about the lack of funding available to local bodies, and its utilisation.
• A 2022 report from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) found
  • Most municipalities only prepare budgets and review actuals against budgeted plans
  • Do not use their audited financial statements for balance sheet and cash flow management, resulting in significant inefficiencies.

CrowdStrike Outage

Source: Indian Express
GS III: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, the role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. What is CrowdStrike?
3. How CrowdStrike Outage Affects India?
4. Conclusion

Why in the News?

Computer systems across the world were crippled recently due to a faulty software update to Windows system from CrowdStrike.

News in Brief

• A faulty update from CrowdStrike caused one of the largest global outages in recent memory.
• A Blue Screen of Death notification affected 8.5 million Windows devices worldwide, which left them stuck in Recovery mode with the message Your PC has encountered a problem and needs to restart.
• It affected businesses, airlines, government agencies and even emergency services.

What is CrowdStrike?

• CrowdStrike is a leading global cybersecurity company.
• It is known for its advanced cloud-native platform designed to protect endpoints, cloud workloads, identities, and data.

Overview

• Foundation and Growth
  • Founded: In 2011 by George Kurtz, Dmitri Alperovitch, and Gregg Marston.
  • Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California, USA.
  • Growth: CrowdStrike has rapidly grown to become a major player in the cybersecurity industry, serving over 29,000 corporate customers, including around half of the Fortune 500 companies¹.
• Core Product
  • Falcon Platform: CrowdStrike’s flagship product is the Falcon platform, a cloud-native solution that provides comprehensive protection against cyber threats. It includes features like endpoint detection and response (EDR), threat intelligence, and incident response.
• Key Features
  • Endpoint Protection: Falcon uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect and prevent threats in real time.
  • Threat Intelligence: Provides insights into the latest cyber threats and helps organizations stay ahead of potential attacks.
  • Incident Response: Offers tools and services to quickly respond to and mitigate the impact of cyber incidents.
• Recent Developments
  • 2024 Incident: Recently, CrowdStrike faced a significant challenge when a faulty software update caused a massive global outage, affecting millions of Windows computers.
  • The issue was quickly identified and resolved, but it highlighted the critical nature of cybersecurity software updates.

How CrowdStrike Outage Affects India?

• Airline Disruptions
  • Flight Cancellations: IndiGo, one of India’s largest airlines, had to cancel over 200 flights due to the outage.
  • Other airlines like SpiceJet, Air India, Air India Express, and Vistara issued advisories to passengers, leading to travel chaos and inconvenience.
• Financial Sector
  • Banking Operations: The financial sector experienced severe disruptions, affecting banking operations and transactions.
  • This led to delays and difficulties for customers and businesses relying on banking services.
• Healthcare Services
  • Hospital Systems: Hospitals faced significant challenges as their systems crashed, impacting patient care and administrative functions.
  • This posed risks to patient safety and delayed medical services.
• Government Services
  • Administrative Delays: Government offices and services were disrupted, causing delays in administrative processes and public services.
  • This affected citizens who rely on these services for various needs.
• Productivity Loss
  • Business Operations: Many businesses experienced productivity losses due to system crashes and the need for manual fixes.
  • This impacted their ability to operate efficiently and meet customer demands.
• Public Confidence
  • Trust in Cybersecurity: The incident exposed gaps in quality control and raised concerns about the reliability of cybersecurity solutions.
  • This could lead to a loss of trust in cybersecurity providers and increased scrutiny of their practices.

Conclusion

• The CrowdStrike outage highlighted the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the potential widespread impact of software failures.
• Addressing these vulnerabilities and ensuring rigorous quality control can help prevent such incidents in the future and maintain public trust in cybersecurity solutions.

Article 361 Granting Immunity to Governors

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Constitution of India and Indian polity

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. How it helps

Why in the News?

In a major development decided to hear the blanket constitutional immunity granted to State Governors from court proceedings, after hearing a plea filed.

News in Brief

• A three-judge bench of the top court, led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) rendered his assistance in the case.
• Also issued notice to the West Bengal government on the plea filed by the woman contractual staffer.
• While seeking a response from the state government and other parties within three weeks.

Article 361 Granting Immunity to Governors

Article 361 of the Indian Constitution is a significant provision that grants immunity to the President and Governors of states from legal proceedings. This article ensures that these high-ranking officials can perform their duties without the constant threat of litigation.

Overview of Article 361

Article 361 provides the President and Governors with immunity from legal liability for their official acts and personal acts during their term of office.

The key provisions of Article 361 are as follows:

1. Clause (1): The President or the Governor is not answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office or any act done or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of those powers and duties.
2. Clause (2): No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President, or the Governor of a State, in any court during his term of office.
3. Clause (3): No process for the arrest or imprisonment of the President, or the Governor of a State, shall issue from any court during his term of office.
4. Clause (4): No civil proceedings in which relief is claimed against the President or the Governor of a State, shall be instituted during his term of office in any court in respect of any act done or purporting to be done by him in his personal capacity, whether before or after he entered upon his office, until the expiration of two months next after notice in writing has been delivered to the President or the Governor.

Rationale Behind Article 361

The primary rationale for granting such immunity is to ensure that the President and Governors can perform their constitutional duties without fear of legal repercussions. This immunity is intended to protect the dignity and authority of these high offices and to prevent frivolous or politically motivated lawsuits that could hinder their functioning.

Implications of Article 361

1. Protection from Legal Proceedings:
   • The immunity provided under Article 361 ensures that the President and Governors are not distracted by legal battles while in office. This allows them to focus on their constitutional responsibilities.
2. Controversies and Criticisms:
   • While the immunity is meant to protect the dignity of the office, it has also been a subject of controversy. Critics argue that it can potentially shield officials from accountability, especially in cases of serious allegations.
   • Recent debates have arisen regarding the extent of this immunity, particularly in cases involving allegations of criminal conduct. For instance, the Supreme Court of India is currently reviewing the provisions of Article 361 in light of a plea involving alleged molestation by a state Governor.
3. Judicial Review and Accountability:
   • The ongoing judicial review of Article 361 highlights the need to balance immunity with accountability. The Supreme Court’s examination of this provision may lead to guidelines that ensure immunity does not become a tool for evading justice.

Recent Developments

• The Supreme Court of India has recently agreed to examine the scope of Article 361, particularly in the context of criminal proceedings against Governors.
• This review was prompted by a plea involving allegations of molestation against the Governor of West Bengal.
• The petitioner argued that the immunity granted under Article 361 should not bar investigations into serious criminal allegations, emphasizing the need for timely probes to gather evidence.

Conclusion

• Article 361 of the Indian Constitution plays a crucial role in protecting the President and Governors from legal proceedings, allowing them to perform their duties without fear of litigation.
• However, the provision also raises important questions about accountability and the potential for misuse.
• The ongoing judicial review by the Supreme Court may lead to a more nuanced understanding of this immunity, ensuring that it serves its intended purpose without compromising justice.

World Lost 10 Million Square Kilometres of Forest

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

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. World Lost 10 Million Square Kilometres of Forest
3. Conclusion

Why in the News?

Because of unregulated and unsustainable activities that have deteriorated forest landscapes, as well as the exploitation of forest resources, there has been substantial global forest degradation. 

News in Brief

• According to estimates from the globe Bank, since the turn of the 20th century, the globe has lost almost 10 million square kilometres of forests.
• The primary rationale behind the United Nations’ designation of 2021–2030 as a Decade of Ecosystem Restoration was the focus on forest restoration strategies to restore these damaged ecosystems to their pre-degradation state.
• In order to provide $9 trillion in ecosystem services and absorb an extra 13–26 gigatons of greenhouse emissions from the atmosphere, this aimed to restore 350 million hectares of damaged land.

World Lost 10 Million Square Kilometres of Forest

• Forests are vital to the health of our planet, providing essential ecosystem services, supporting biodiversity, and playing a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
• However, the world has witnessed a staggering loss of forest cover over the past century.
• According to estimates, approximately 10 million square kilometres of forest have been lost since the beginning of the 20th century.

Causes of Forest Loss

• Agricultural Expansion
  • One of the primary drivers of deforestation is the conversion of forests into agricultural land.
  • This includes both subsistence farming and large-scale commercial agriculture, such as palm oil plantations, soybean fields, and cattle ranching.
• Logging
  • Both legal and illegal logging contribute significantly to forest loss.
  • Timber is harvested for construction, paper production, and other industries, often leading to the degradation of forest ecosystems.
• Infrastructure Development
  • The construction of roads, dams, and urban expansion leads to the clearing of forests.
  • Infrastructure projects often fragment habitats, making it difficult for wildlife to thrive.
• Mining
  • Mining activities, especially in tropical regions, result in significant deforestation.
  • The extraction of minerals and fossil fuels requires large areas of land, leading to the destruction of forests.
• Climate Change
  • Climate change exacerbates forest loss through increased frequency and intensity of wildfires, storms, and pest infestations.
  • These events can devastate large tracts of forest, reducing their ability to recover.

Impacts of Forest Loss

• Biodiversity Loss
  • Forests are home to a vast array of plant and animal species.
  • Deforestation leads to habitat destruction, putting countless species at risk of extinction. This loss of biodiversity has far-reaching consequences for ecosystem stability and resilience.
• Climate Change
  • Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When forests are cleared, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Deforestation is responsible for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Disruption of Water Cycles
  • Forests play a crucial role in regulating water cycles.
  • They help maintain the balance of water in the atmosphere, soil, and rivers.
  • Deforestation disrupts these cycles, leading to changes in precipitation patterns, increased flooding, and reduced water quality.
• Impact on Indigenous Communities:
  • Many indigenous communities rely on forests for their livelihoods, culture, and identity.
  • Deforestation threatens their way of life, leading to displacement and loss of traditional knowledge.

Potential Solutions

• Sustainable Agriculture
  • Promoting sustainable agricultural practices can help reduce the pressure on forests.
  • This includes agroforestry, which integrates trees into agricultural landscapes, and sustainable land management practices that minimize the need for forest conversion.
• Forest Conservation and Restoration
  • Protecting existing forests and restoring degraded ones are critical steps in combating deforestation.
  • Initiatives like the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration aim to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide.
• Strengthening Legal Frameworks
  • Enforcing laws against illegal logging and land conversion is essential.
  • Strengthening legal frameworks and ensuring compliance can help protect forests from unsustainable exploitation.
• Community Involvement
  • Engaging local communities in forest management and conservation efforts can lead to more effective and sustainable outcomes.
  •  Empowering indigenous and local communities to manage their forests ensures that conservation efforts are culturally appropriate and locally supported.
• Corporate Responsibility
  • Companies can play a significant role in reducing deforestation by adopting sustainable sourcing practices.
  • This includes eliminating deforestation from supply chains and investing in reforestation projects.

Conclusion

• The loss of 10 million square kilometres of forest is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address deforestation.
• By understanding the causes and impacts of forest loss, and implementing effective solutions, we can work towards a future where forests are protected and restored.
• Collective action from governments, businesses, communities, and individuals is essential to safeguard these vital ecosystems for future generations.

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